Doubleday, Abner (1819–1893)

American Civil War military leader and reputed inventor of baseball. He served as major general in the Shenandoah Valley campaign and at the Battles of Bull Run and Antietam 1862, and Gettysburg 1863. He retired from active service 1873. In an investigation into the origins of baseball 1907, testimony was given that Doubleday invented the game 1839 in Cooperstown, New York, a claim refuted by sports historians ever since.

Born in Ballston Spa, New York, Doubleday graduated from West Point military academy 1842 and saw action in the Mexican War 1846–48 and was present at Fort Sumter 1861 at the outbreak of the Civil War.