Abner Powell
| Abner Powell | ||
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Strikeouts | 97 | |
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Abner Charles Powell (December 15, 1860 – August 7, 1953) was a
He later played for the
Personal life
Powell was born in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania He died in New Orleans, aged 92.
Innovations
Powell is credited with various innovations that changed baseball, though in many cases this is incorrect or overstated.[1]
He is incorrectly credited with inventing rain checks and "ladies' day," but both of these were in use in New Orleans before Powell. Powell did improve the existing rain check system, however, by adding a perforated stub to tickets when sold so that only purchasers of tickets (and not other spectators, notably free-riders and fence-climbers) could get new tickets.[2][3]
The idea of Ladies Day was to create an environment in the stands that would be free of unsavory characters and conduct, as well as to make baseball a family-oriented event; it dates at least to 1880 in New Orleans.[1] Powell scheduled a recurring Ladies Day in 1887.[4]
Powell is also credited with using an infield tarpaulin so that fields could be ready immediately after rain storms.[5]
References
- ^ a b Somers, Dale A. The Rise of Sports in New Orleans: 1850-1900. p. 132.
- ^ Morris, Peter. "15.1.3 Rain Checks". A Game of Inches: The Stories Behind the Innovations That Shaped Baseball. pp. 411–412.
- ^ Flanagan, Val J. (April 8, 1943). "Rain-Check Evolved to Check Flood of Fence-Climbers, Says Originator, Now 83". Sporting News.
- ISBN 978-1-4766-3598-9.
- ^ "Dog Day Afternoon". Baseball Hall of Fame. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
External links
- "Abner Powell". Find a Grave. Retrieved September 3, 2010.