Abner Doubleday: Difference between revisions
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Abner Doubleday was an American general who was an important of the Theosophical Society in its earliest years. | Abner Doubleday was an American general who was an important of the Theosophical Society in its earliest years. | ||
== Early life == | |||
Doubleday was born in a one-room house in Ballston Spa, New York, on June 26, 1819. After attending a private preparatory school in Cooperstown, New York, the young man worked for two years as a surveyor and civil engineer. His father and both grandfathers were all army veterans, and Doubleday obtained an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. More detail is available in a well-documented article in Wikipedia.<ref>"Abner Doubleday," Wikipedia, accessed February 17, 2012.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abner_Doubleday].</ref> | |||
== Military career == | == Military career == | ||
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== Theosophical work == | == Theosophical work == | ||
General Doubleday was a significant leader in the early history of the Theosophical Society. After joining on June 30, 1878, he became Vice President of the TS from 1880-1888. For a brief period beginning January 17, 1879, he served as interim President, after [[Henry Steel Olcott]], the President-Founder, moved to India. He received very little direction in how to carry out his responsibilities, as documented by historian [[Michael Gomes]].<ref>Michael Gomes, "Abner Doubleday and Theosophy in America: 1879-1884," ''Sunrise'' (April/May 1991), available at | General Doubleday was a significant leader in the early history of the Theosophical Society. After joining on June 30, 1878, he became Vice President of the TS from 1880-1888. For a brief period beginning January 17, 1879, he served as interim President, after [[Henry Steel Olcott]], the President-Founder, moved to India. He was held in very high regard by Colonel Olcott, but received very little direction in how to carry out his new responsibilities, as documented by historian [[Michael Gomes]]. The energy of the American society was diminished by departure of the founders, and hampered by the fact that Olcott had taken the membership list away with him. <ref>Michael Gomes, "Abner Doubleday and Theosophy in America: 1879-1884," ''Sunrise'' (April/May 1991), available at | ||
[http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/sunrise/40-90-1/th-tsgom.htm]</ref> | [http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/sunrise/40-90-1/th-tsgom.htm]</ref> | ||
<br> | |||
Doubleday joined the [[American Board of Control]] on May 13, 1884. When the American Section was formed in 1886, in Cincinnati, he was a charter members.<ref>The International Theosophical Year Book 1938 (Adyar, Madras, India: Theosophical Publishing House, 1938): 178.</ref> | |||
== Connection to baseball == | == Connection to baseball == | ||
In the United States, General Doubleday is widely called the "father of baseball," and in 1939 he was celebrated in a centenary at Cooperstown, New York, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Cooperstown is supposedly the location where Doubleday introduced the game at Doubleday Field. In fact, Doubleday never claimed to have any particular association with the game. Linking the well-known General to the foundation of the American national past-time seems to have been a publicity stunt by sporting goods manufacturer Albert Spalding. For more complete coverage of this topic, see the "Origins of baseball" in Wikipedia, where a section is devoted to the "Abner Doubleday myth."<ref>"Origins of baseball," Wikipedia, accessed February 17, 2012.[http://www.theosophy.wiki/mywiki/index.php?title=Abner_Doubleday&action=submit]</ref> | In the United States, General Doubleday is widely called the "father of baseball," and in 1939 he was celebrated in a centenary at Cooperstown, New York, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Cooperstown is supposedly the location where Doubleday introduced the game at Doubleday Field. In fact, Doubleday never claimed to have any particular association with the game. Linking the well-known General to the foundation of the American national past-time seems to have been a publicity stunt by sporting goods manufacturer Albert Spalding. For more complete coverage of this topic, see the "Origins of baseball" in Wikipedia, where a section is devoted to the "Abner Doubleday myth."<ref>"Origins of baseball," Wikipedia, accessed February 17, 2012.[http://www.theosophy.wiki/mywiki/index.php?title=Abner_Doubleday&action=submit]</ref> | ||
== Writings == | |||
Doubleday wrote several books about the Civil War | |||
''Celebration of the National Anniversary by Doubleday's Brigade: at Camp Opposite Fredericksburg, Virginia, July 4th, 1862''. Philadelphia: Crissy & Markley, 1862. Written with George F. Noyes. | |||
''Chancellorsville and Gettysburg : an eyewitness account of the pivotal battles of the Civil War''. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1882. New edition: St. Petersburg, Fla.: Red and Black Publishers, 2009. | |||
== Later years == | |||
The general died on January 26, 1893. | |||
== Honors and memorials == | == Honors and memorials == | ||
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<references/> | <references/> | ||
== Additional resources == | |||
Doubleday, Abner. ''My Life in the Old Army: The Reminiscences of Abner Doubleday''. Collections of the New York Historical Society. Ft. Worth: Texas Christian University Press, 1998. ISBN 0-87565-185-2. | |||
Revision as of 18:04, 18 February 2012
Abner Doubleday was an American general who was an important of the Theosophical Society in its earliest years.
Early life
Doubleday was born in a one-room house in Ballston Spa, New York, on June 26, 1819. After attending a private preparatory school in Cooperstown, New York, the young man worked for two years as a surveyor and civil engineer. His father and both grandfathers were all army veterans, and Doubleday obtained an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. More detail is available in a well-documented article in Wikipedia.[1]
Military career
Theosophical work
General Doubleday was a significant leader in the early history of the Theosophical Society. After joining on June 30, 1878, he became Vice President of the TS from 1880-1888. For a brief period beginning January 17, 1879, he served as interim President, after Henry Steel Olcott, the President-Founder, moved to India. He was held in very high regard by Colonel Olcott, but received very little direction in how to carry out his new responsibilities, as documented by historian Michael Gomes. The energy of the American society was diminished by departure of the founders, and hampered by the fact that Olcott had taken the membership list away with him. [2]
Doubleday joined the American Board of Control on May 13, 1884. When the American Section was formed in 1886, in Cincinnati, he was a charter members.[3]
Connection to baseball
In the United States, General Doubleday is widely called the "father of baseball," and in 1939 he was celebrated in a centenary at Cooperstown, New York, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Cooperstown is supposedly the location where Doubleday introduced the game at Doubleday Field. In fact, Doubleday never claimed to have any particular association with the game. Linking the well-known General to the foundation of the American national past-time seems to have been a publicity stunt by sporting goods manufacturer Albert Spalding. For more complete coverage of this topic, see the "Origins of baseball" in Wikipedia, where a section is devoted to the "Abner Doubleday myth."[4]
Writings
Doubleday wrote several books about the Civil War
Celebration of the National Anniversary by Doubleday's Brigade: at Camp Opposite Fredericksburg, Virginia, July 4th, 1862. Philadelphia: Crissy & Markley, 1862. Written with George F. Noyes.
Chancellorsville and Gettysburg : an eyewitness account of the pivotal battles of the Civil War. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1882. New edition: St. Petersburg, Fla.: Red and Black Publishers, 2009.
Later years
The general died on January 26, 1893.
Honors and memorials
In World War II, a liberty ship was named after him.[5]
Notes
- ↑ "Abner Doubleday," Wikipedia, accessed February 17, 2012.[1].
- ↑ Michael Gomes, "Abner Doubleday and Theosophy in America: 1879-1884," Sunrise (April/May 1991), available at [2]
- ↑ The International Theosophical Year Book 1938 (Adyar, Madras, India: Theosophical Publishing House, 1938): 178.
- ↑ "Origins of baseball," Wikipedia, accessed February 17, 2012.[3]
- ↑ "SS Abner Doubleday," Wikipedia, accessed February 17, 2012. [4]
Additional resources
Doubleday, Abner. My Life in the Old Army: The Reminiscences of Abner Doubleday. Collections of the New York Historical Society. Ft. Worth: Texas Christian University Press, 1998. ISBN 0-87565-185-2.