Rules Committee Meetings and Correspondence collection
Scope and Contents
A collection of meeting minutes, correspondence, telegrams and newspaper clippings from the Rules Committee. The correspondence relates primarily with amendments to playing rules but there is discussion on field dimensions and equipment. There is correspondence from publishers and other leagues on obtaining permission to publish the official rule book.
Dates
- 1925-1969
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions but viewing materials does require an appointment. Please contact the Giamatti Research Center, research@baseballhall.org, 607-547-0330.
Conditions Governing Use
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum provides use copies of materials to facilitate private study, scholarship, and research. The Museum welcomes you to use materials in our collections that are in the public domain and to make fair use of copyrighted materials as defined by copyright law and with proper citation.
Biographical / Historical
The Official Rules are devised by the Official Playing Rules Committee of Major League Baseball. This committee currently includes current and former players, umpires and executives, plus an advisory member from amateur baseball, in recognition of the fact that the rules are used much beyond MLB. The committee makes yearly recommendations for changes or adjustments to the rules, announced at Baseball's Winter Meetings. Daniel "Doc" Adams (1814–1899) was elected President of the Knickerbockers in 1846. Two years later he headed the Committee to Revise the Constitution and By-Laws with Cartwright serving under him. Considered by some to be the true "Father of Baseball," Doc Adams was elected president of the first Base Ball Convention in 1857 and headed the Committee on Rules and Regulations. Adams was elected as Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Regulations during the March 1858 Base Ball Convention in which the National Association of Base Ball Players was formed.--baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Rules; --19cbaseball.com/game.html
Extent
1.46 Linear Feet (in four legal document boxes)
1.61 Cubic Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This is a collection of meetings and correspondence from Major League baseball's Rules Committee.
Arrangement
This collection is organized chronologically in one series.
Physical Location
Dean O. Cochran, Jr. Manuscript Archives, Aisle 7, Range d, Shelf 6
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift (BL-2009-00057, BL-2021-0380)
Appraisal
No materials were removed during accessioning or processing.
Accruals
Related material will be added as it is received.
Processing Information
Materials were placed in acid-free folders and into document boxes.
- Title
- Guide to the Rules Committee Meetings and Correspondence collection BA MSS 063
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Claudette Scrafford, Manuscript Archivist
- Date
- March 2009
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Archives Repository