Despite the weather, “Play ball!” will be heard soon. The baseball field at Kings Highway Elementary School is ready. (Photo/Ifeseyi Gayle)
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I always knew this field as Doubleday Field. Does anyone know why it was named that?
Doubleday is the name of the field in Cooperstown, NY home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum after Abner Doubleday, a civil war fighter.
The rumor is Abner invented baseball, he in fact did not. That was declared 15 years after his death. He did play it in a pasture in Cooperstown NY, the now site of the baseball museum
I was going to answer the question but didn’t really know enough. However there was a coach or gym teacher named Doc Doubleday around when I was in school.
Doc Doubleday may also have been at the Y in the 40s and 50s. I’m surprised his name isn’t better known – he was very popular.
https://06880danwoog.com/2013/11/11/doc-doubleday-the-war-years-in-westport-photos-tk-on-computer/
Doc Doubleday served for the YMCA as director.
I knew Abner, but could never figure out why they named that field after him. Doc makes a lot more sense and of course the answer is in the 06880 archives.