Origins & Early Life

Alexander Joy Cartwright Jr. (April 17, 1820 – July 12, 1892) was a founding member of the New York Knickerbockers Base Ball Club in the 1840s. Although he was an inductee of the Baseball Hall of Fame and he was sometimes referred to as a "father of baseball", the importance of his role in the development of the game may have been exaggerated. The rules of the modern game were long considered to have been based on the Knickerbocker Rules developed in 1845 by Cartwright and a committee from the Knickerbockers.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

However, later research called this scenario into question. The myth of Abner Doubleday having invented baseball was believed by many, but in Cooperstown in 1939, the myth was debunked. Cartwright (unlike Doubleday) was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a pioneering contributor to the game, 46 years after his death. Although it has been stated that Cartwright was officially declared the inventor of the modern game of baseball by the 83rd United States Congress on June 3, 1953, the Congressional Record, the House Journal, and the Senate Journal from June 3, 1953, did not mention Cartwright. Cartwright was born in 1820 to Alexander Cartwright Sr.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

(1784–1855...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alexander Mackenzie (explorer) — Contemporary (Died in 1820) (1820): Scottish explorer and fur trader famed for crossing North America north of Mexico.
• Benjamin Henry Latrobe — Contemporary (Died in 1820) (1820): Pioneering American Neoclassical Architect, known for the U.S. Capitol.
• Božena Němcová — Contemporary (Born in 1820) (1820): Pivotal Czech writer of the National Revival, famed for 'Babička'.
• Akira Mutō — Contemporary (Born in 1892) (1892): Imperial Japanese Army General implicated in war crimes during WWII.
• Alexander Alekhine — Contemporary (Born in 1892) (1892): A celebrated Russian-French chess master and four-time World Champion.
• Alfred Lunt — Contemporary (Born in 1892) (1892): Esteemed American actor, celebrated for his stage partnership with Lynn Fontanne.
• Alexander II of Russia — Shared historical date (04-17 · Born) (1818): Emperor of Russia, known as 'The Liberator' for abolishing serfdom.
• Arkan — Shared historical date (04-17 · Born) (1952): Serbian warlord and mobster, infamous leader of the Serb Volunteer Guard during the Yugoslav Wars.
• Alfred Dreyfus — Shared historical date (07-12 · Died) (1935): French Army officer central to the antisemitic Dreyfus Affair, sparking a major political crisis.
• Amedeo Modigliani — Shared historical date (07-12 · Born) (1884): Italian painter and sculptor known for elongated, modern portraits and nudes.
• 1820 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1820
• April 17 (04-17) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on April 17
• 1892 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1892
• July 12 (07-12) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on July 12