Fredrick Ernest Goldsmith (b. May 15, 1856, in New Haven, Connecticut; d. March 28, 1939, in Berkley, Michigan) was a renowned right-handed pitcher in 19th-century professional baseball in both the U.S. and Canada. In his prime, Goldsmith was six-foot-one-inch tall and weighed 195 pounds. This article is about the city in Connecticut. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Berkley is the name of some places in the United States of America: Berkley, Colorado Berkley, Iowa Berkley, Massachusetts Berkley, Michigan Berkley, California and in the United Kingdom: Berkley, Somerset Berkely, Gloucestershire Berkley is also a last name for: Shelley Berkley, U.S. Congresswoman Elizabeth Berkley, U.S. movie star... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Area  Ranked 11th  - Total 97,990 sq mi (253,793 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 491 miles (790 km)  - % water 41. ... A view of the playing field at Busch Stadium II St. ... For other uses, see United States (disambiguation) and US (disambiguation). ...

The Great Curveball Debate: Goldsmith or Cummings?

The two strongest candidates for inventing the curveball are Fred Goldsmith and Candy Cummings, Goldsmith's old rival when the two played in the International Association in 1877-78 -- Goldsmith with the pennant-winning London Tecumsehs and Cummings with the Lynn, Massachusetts, Live Oaks. Cummings was also the first president of the International Association when he pitched for the Lynn Live Oaks. Curveball Pitch Curveball Pitch The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a grip and hand motion that imparts forward spin to the ball. ... Candy Cummings William Arthur Candy Cummings (October 18, 1848 - May 16, 1924) was a 19th century professional baseball pitcher in the National Association and National League. ... The International Association was a professional baseball league that operated in 1877 and 1878. ... Article title is . ... Lynn is the name of some places in the United States of America: Lynn, Massachusetts Lynn, Alabama Lynn, Arkansas Lynn, Indiana Lynn, Wisconsin Lynn Township, Michigan Lynn Township, Minnesota Lynn Township, Pennsylvania Lynn County, Texas Lynn is also part of the name of these U.S. places: Lynn Haven, Florida... Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area  Ranked 44th  - Total 10,555 sq mi (27,360 km²)  - Width 183 miles (295 km)  - Length 113 miles (182 km)  - % water 13. ...

While it is difficult, if not impossible, to pin down definitively who did first invent or throw the first curveball, the lore is that Candy Cummings threw the first known curveball during a game in 1867 in Worcester, Massachusetts, with the Brooklyn Excelsiors (some say the Brooklyn Stars). 1867 (MDCCCLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The city of Worcester (pronounced ) is a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England. ... Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area  Ranked 44th  - Total 10,555 sq mi (27,360 km²)  - Width 183 miles (295 km)  - Length 113 miles (182 km)  - % water 13. ...

On the other hand, Fred Goldsmith is credited with giving the first publicly recorded demonstration of a curveball to legendary sporstwriter-baseball historian (and Hall of Famer) Henry Chadwick on August 16, 1870, at the Capitoline Grounds in Brooklyn, New York. Henry Chadwick (October 5, 1824 – April 20, 1908), often called the father of baseball, was a sportswriter, baseball statistician and historian. ... Capitoline Grounds was the name of a baseball park in Brooklyn, New York during part of the latter half of the 19th century. ... A map of New York City, highlighting Brooklyn. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq mi (141,205 km²)  - Width 285 miles (455 km)  - Length 330 miles (530 km)  - % water 13. ...

An account from 1949 by legendary sportscaster-American actor Bill Stern, however, credits Goldmsith with inventing the curveball: A sportscaster is an announcer on radio or television who specializes in reporting or commenting on sports events. ... Bill Stern (July 1, 1907-November 19, 1971), was a radio sports announcer, actor and director from Rochester, New York. ...

Some 80 years ago, an obscure kid pitcher on the Connecticut sandlots made a discovery that revolutionized baseball. He discovered that he could perform an amazing trick. He could actually pitch a baseball in such a way as to make it curve!

In 1870, before a large but skeptical crowd, Freddy Goldsmith gave a demonstration of his new invention. The test was made by drawing a chalk line along the ground for 45 feet. Poles were set upright at each end of the line, and another was placed midway between these two. Freddy Goldsmith stood at the first pole and his catcher at the end other end. To the amazement of the crowd, Freddy demonstrated that he could throw a baseball so that it went on the outside of the center pole and the inside of the others, in a curve. Thus the baseball world came to know of Freddy Goldsmith and his invention -- "the curve ball."

Freddy Goldsmith became nationally famous. Big league clubs fought for his pitching services. He became a star with the Chicago White Stockings. With his "curve ball," pitcher Goldsmith was soon the most talked-about ballplayer in America!

But there is a curious ending to this story. For years, long after his days of baseball glory were over, Freddy Goldsmith lived happily in the knowledge that posterity would always know him as the inventor of the curve ball. However, another pitcher named Arthur Cummings popped up, claiming to be the inventor, and quite a few baseball men believed him. When Freddy Goldsmith heard about this, it broke him up completely. Ill and bed-ridden at the time, he died a broken-hearted man, pathetically maintaining to the end that he, and only he, was the original inventor of "the curve ball." -- page 87 of Bill Stern's Favorite Baseball Stories, Blue Ribbon Books, Garden City, New York, 1949. 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ...

Additionally, an article in The London Free Press (Fred Goldsmith Invented The Curveball) of June 21, 1939, credits Goldsmith with inventing the curveball and says that "Just three days following Fred Goldsmith's death [on March 28, 1939], The Sporting News devoted an editorial to Goldsmith's feat of 61 years ago and asked that he be officially recognized as the inventor of the curve ball." The London Free Press is a daily newspaper based in London, Ontario, Canada. ...

Further, an article in the August 2, 1938, London Free Press (Nick Altrock Is Here For Today) indicates that former Major League pitcher Nick Altrock also believed that Goldsmith invented the curveball. Altrock and Goldsmith were in London, Ontario, for an Old Boys Reunion and afternoon game at Labatt Park between a team from Battle Creek, Michigan, and a London Seniors team. Nicholas Nick Altrock (September 15, 1876, Cincinnati, Ohio - January 20, 1965, Washington, DC) was a professional baseball player for the Louisville Colonels, Boston Americans, Chicago White Sox, and Washington Senators. ... This article is about the city of Battle Creek, Michigan. ... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Area  Ranked 11th  - Total 97,990 sq mi (253,793 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 491 miles (790 km)  - % water 41. ...

Ironically, Cummings was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York in 1939 -- the same year that Goldsmith died -- largely due to Cummings' supposed invention of the curveball. The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, located at 62 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, United States, is a semi-official museum operated by private interests that serves as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display... Cooperstown is a village in Otsego County, New York and is the County Seat. ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Goldsmith's pro career

During his lifetime, Goldsmith pitched professionally for the New Haven New Havens (1875); the legendary London Tecumsehs (in 1876, before the Tecumsehs joined the International Association) and after the Tecumsehs joined the fledgling International Association (1877-78); the Troy, New York Trojans of the National League (1879); the Chicago White Stockings of the National League (1880-1884) and briefly for the Baltimore Orioles of the American Association (1884). This article is about the city in Connecticut. ... Walls of the excavated city of Troy Troy (Ancient Greek Τροία Troia, also Ίλιον Ilion; Latin: Troia, Ilium) is a legendary city, center of the Trojan War, described in the Trojan War cycle, especially in the Iliad, one of the two epic poems attributed to Homer. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq mi (141,205 km²)  - Width 285 miles (455 km)  - Length 330 miles (530 km)  - % water 13. ... This article refers to the American baseball league. ... The Chicago White Stockings was the original name of two different professional baseball teams which have played in Chicago, Illinois: The team which played in the National Association in 1871, and which resumed play in 1874-75 after the Great Chicago Fire; they joined the National League in 1876 and... Major league affiliations American League (1901-present) East Division (1969-present) Current uniform Ballpark Oriole Park at Camden Yards (1992-present) Major league titles World Series titles (3) 1983, 1970, 1966 AL Pennants (7) 1983, 1979, 1971, 1970 1969, 1966, 1944 East Division titles (8) 1997, 1983, 1979, 1974 1973... The American Association has been the name of at least two leagues of professional United States of America. ...

Pitching for the Chicago White Stockings, Goldsmith had four seasons with 20 wins or more: 1880 (21-3); 1881 (24-13); 1882 (28-17); 1883 (25-19). 1880 (MDCCCLXXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1881 (MDCCCLXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1882 (MDCCCLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar. ... 1883 (MDCCCLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

Goldsmith's win-loss percentage of .622 (112-68) does not include his games in New Haven or in London, Ontario, Canada, with the International Association pennant winners, the London Tecumsehs. London is the capital city of England and of the United Kingdom, and is the most populous city in the European Union. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Official languages English (French has some legal status but is not fully co-official) Flower White trillium Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats...

1877 International Association Final Standings

London Tecumsehs 14-4-2*
Pittsburgh Alleghenies 13-6-0
Rochester (The Rochesters), NY 10-8-0
Manchester (The Manchesters), NH 9-10-0
Columbus Buckeyes 9-11-2
Guelph (Ontario, Canada) Maple Leafs 4-12-0
Lynn (Massachusetts) Live Oaks 1-9-0 * disbanded This article is on the baseball team. ...

(compiled by Ray Nemec of the Society for American Baseball Research.) SABR redirects here; for Selectable Assault Battle Rifle (S.A.B.R.) see XM29 OICW The Society for American Baseball Research was established in Cooperstown, New York in August of 1971. ...

• Goldsmith had a 14-4 record in 193 innings pitched with 3 shutouts, during International Association play with the Tecumsehs in 1877.

During Goldsmith's five-season stint pitching for the Chicago White Stockings, he played with legendary first baseman and Hall of Famer, Cap Anson and for team President Al Spalding, when Chicago won several league pennants. Goldsmith's final game in the pro ranks was on September 10, 1884. Anson in 1888 Adrian Constantine Cap Anson (April 11, 1852, Marshalltown, Iowa - April 14, 1922, Chicago, Illinois) was a professional baseball player in the National Association and Major League Baseball for the Rockford Forest Citys, Philadelphia Athletics, and Chicago White Stockings. ... Al Spaldings sporting goods company made a lasting impact on baseball. ...

External links

• Baseball-Reference.com

• Twenty-Wins-Plus Club, National League pitchers, 1876-1889

• Goldsmith Dies Insisting He Invented Curveball

• Cummings lands in the Hall of Fame for "his" invention the year Goldsmith dies (1939)

• The International Association and Fred Goldsmith
• The 1877 Rochesters of the International Association

References

• Bill Stern's Favorite Baseball Stories by Bill Stern, (Blue Ribbon Books, Garden City, New York, 1949).
• Fred Goldmsith Invented The Curve Ball by Howard Broughton, Assistant Sports Editor, The London Free Press, June 21, 1939.
• Nick Altrock Is Here For Today by Howard Broughton, The London Free Press, August 2, 1938.
• Cheering for the Home Team: The Story of Baseball in Canada by William Humber, (The Boston Mills Press, 1983).
• Old Time Baseball and the London Tecumsehs of the late 1870s by Les Bronson, a recorded (and later transcribed) talk given to the London & Middlesex Historical Society on February 15, 1972. Available in the London Room of the London Public Library, Main Branch.