Henry Chadwick

[Crash Course]

19th Century baseball reporter. Father of the box score. Authored the 1st rule book. Popularized baseball statistics.

[nyy26wc]

No

"introduced statistics such as batting average"

[mainsr]

Like all the oldtimers believed to be baseball pioneers, there is probably a lot of mythology surrounding Chadwick. If half of it's untrue, he still gets my vote. In addition to the credentials Crash lists, he edited the Spalding and Reach guides and helped popularize the curveball.

[KCBOOMER]

I am not real big on recognizing managers, umpires, and executives, but I do have a soft spot for the pioneers of the 19th century. Chadwick was just a pioneer, he was a giant. He was virtually the first guy to popularize the notion that the game can be looked at objectively. To hold it against him that he didn't develop stats that are savvy by the standards of today is picayune.

[YankeeLinks]

I am not real big on recognizing managers, umpires, and executives, but I do have a soft spot for the pioneers of the 19th century. Chadwick was just a pioneer, he was a giant. He was virtually the first guy to popularize the notion that the game can be looked at objectively. To hold it against him that he didn't develop stats that are savvy by the standards of today is picayune.

Well stated, Boomer

[crazydiamond]

any post on a message board that uses "picayune" is quite a feat