Robert Hedges (baseball)
Robert Hedges (born 1869 in
Nicknamed as "Colonel Bob," Hedges is considered to be the first major league owner to view baseball as a purely business venture. Consequently, he invested in innovations that he believed would improve his bottom line by increasing fan attendance (such as through the installation of an electronic scoreboard and the hiring of the first live announcer) or by protecting his assets (such as by taking out life insurance policies on players and developing the first canvas to protect the playing surface from rain).[1]
Actions by Hedges were key to brokering peace between the
Hedges who, grew up on a farm and began his career working as a clerk for Jackson County, became wealthy through the manufacture of carriages. In 1900, with profits soaring, he sold his business as he had correctly surmised that his industry was greatly threatened by the rise of the automobile.[1]
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