January 29:

1936 : U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame elects first members

On January 29, 1936, the U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame elects its first
members in Cooperstown, New York: Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner,
Christy Matthewson and Walter Johnson.

The Hall of Fame actually had its beginnings in 1935, when plans were
made to build a museum devoted to baseball and its 100-year history. A
private organization based in Cooperstown called the Clark Foundation
thought that establishing the Baseball Hall of Fame in their city
would help to reinvigorate the area's Depression-ravaged economy by
attracting tourists. To help sell the idea, the foundation advanced
the idea that U.S. Civil War hero Abner Doubleday invented baseball in
Cooperstown. The story proved to be phony, but baseball officials,
eager to capitalize on the marketing and publicity potential of a
museum to honor the game's greats, gave their support to the project
anyway.

In preparation for the dedication of the Hall of Fame in 1939--thought
by many to be the centennial of baseball--the Baseball Writers'
Association of America chose the five greatest superstars of the game
as the first class to be inducted: Ty Cobb was the most productive
hitter in history; Babe Ruth was both an ace pitcher and the greatest
home-run hitter to play the game; Honus Wagner was a versatile star
shortstop and batting champion; Christy Matthewson had more wins than
any pitcher in National League history; and Walter Johnson was
considered one of the most powerful pitchers to ever have taken the
mound.

Today, with approximately 350,000 visitors per year, the Hall of Fame
continues to be the hub of all things baseball. It has elected 278
individuals, in all, including 225 players, 17 managers, 8 umpires and
28 executives and pioneers.

history.com/tdih.do



General Interest
1936 : U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame elects first members
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihVideoCategory&id=52353

1820 : King George III dies
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4718

1861 : Divided Kansas enters the Union
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4719

1891 : Liliuokalani proclaimed queen of Hawaii
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4720

1979 : Deng Xiaoping and Jimmy Carter sign accords
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=6791

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