Alexander Cartwright

Alexander Cartwright is widely recognized as one of the founding figures of modern baseball. A New York City bookseller and volunteer firefighter, Cartwright helped formalize the rules that transitioned baseball from a playground pastime into a structured, competitive sport. In 1845, he organized the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club and authored a set of rules that established bases set 90 feet apart, nine-player teams, and three outs per inning—core principles still used today.

Cartwright also introduced the idea of tagging runners out and eliminated practices like “soaking” (throwing the ball at runners). In 1849, he moved west during the Gold Rush and is credited with spreading the game across the country, including to Hawaii, where he helped establish local teams.

Though others contributed to baseball’s evolution, Cartwright’s role in standardizing the game earned him a rightful place in Cooperstown. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1938 as a pioneer of the sport.

Cartwright's Awards and Records 

• Credited with formalizing the first modern baseball rules (1845)
• Founder of the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club
• Introduced 90-foot base paths, 9-player teams, and innings-based outs
• Helped spread baseball westward during the Gold Rush
• Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1938 (Pioneer Category)
• Honored as one of the "Fathers of Baseball"

Team Served as secretary: