Cap Anson
| Birthdate | 4/17/1852 |
| Death Date | 4/14/1922 |
| Debut Year | 1871 |
| Year of Induction | 1939 |
| Teams | Athletics, Cubs, Rockford Forest Citys |
| Position | First Base |
Adrian “Cap” Anson was the 1st in baseball history to record 3,000 hits. As one of the game’s first superstars, he was elected to the Hall in 1939.
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Cap Anson played 27 seasons from 1871-1897 and became the first to 3,000 hits
Cap Anson played 27 seasons from 1871-1897 and became the first to 3,000 hits
Adrian “Cap” Anson was one of baseball’s first superstars. He debuted in the National Association in 1871 and remained in the league until many of its teams created the National League in 1876.
From 1876 through the rest of his playing career, Anson played for the NL’s Chicago White Stockings. A first basemen by trade, Anson led Chicago to six pennants in the 1880s and was the first Major Leaguer to amass 3,000 hits. In all he played 27 big league seasons.
Anson’s greatness on the field is profound. He retired in 1897 with 2,075 runs batted in; only Babe Ruth and Henry Aaron reached the 2,000-RBI plateau by the end of the next century.
Upon retirement, Anson served as city clerk of Chicago from 1905-1907. It is in this capacity that baseball’s first member of the 3,000 hit club signs this document granting permission of a company to erect and maintain a tunnel and a bridge.
The signature is likely a non-malicious secretarial example.
Anson still holds many records for the National League's Chicago franchise
Anson still holds many records for the National League's Chicago franchise
The document folds open from the page where the signature resides on this permit. Here is the inside of the document. Cap Anson remains one of the Chicago Cubs franchise’s greatest players.
Though he died nearly in 1922, Anson still holds the Chicago career records for average (.339), runs (1,712), hits (3,081), singles (2,330), doubles (530) and RBI (1,879).
The story of Anson’s baseball legacy is incomplete without discussion of his racial intolerance. In 1883 he refused to play in an exhibition game against Toledo because their catcher Moses Fleetwood Walker was African-American.
His actions eventually led to the color barrier.
Cap Anson went 2-for-3 with a run scored in his team's 8-2 win on 6/21/1881
Cap Anson went 2-for-3 with a run scored in his team's 8-2 win on 6/21/1881
Shown here is a lineup card from the June 21, 1881 filled out entirely in the hand of Hall of Famer Harry Wright. Batting cleanup was Chicago’s Cap Anson who went 2-for-3 with a run scored against the Wright’s Providence club.
Outfielder Mike “King” Kelly batted one spot in front Anson and collected two hits and two runs. Hitting fifth is Ned Williamson, owner of the single-season record for homers from 1884-1919.
Batting 7th is pitcher Fred Goldsmith who went 1-for-4. He also got the win as the White Stockings bested the Grays 8-2. Goldy went to the grave insisting he invented the curveball.
More scorecards from Harry Wright’s personal collection can be seen by clicking here.
Sol White wrote about Cap Anson's role in creating baseball's color barrier
Sol White wrote about Cap Anson's role in creating baseball's color barrier
Cap Anson was also an outspoken racist and almost single handedly lobbied to remove all African Americans from professional baseball. Names like Walker and Fowler are mere footnotes because of Anson. No love for this man here.
I agree Howard