FAMILY OF CHAMPIONS AND LEADERS

Jayson Gannon / Hall Of Fame Induction

Hamilton Square, New Jersey

Sunday August 1, 1920

With the approaching 50th anniversary of the founding of the first professional baseball league, the American Conference Baseball League and also the 80th anniversary of the first organized baseball game competition between the Trenton Titans and the Princeton Giants on a field in Hamilton Square, New Jersey owned by versatile 1800’s athlete Gerald McKee, baseball commissioner Rance Hermann led the effort to create a Hall Of Fame Museum that would honor the greatest of the game of baseball’s early pioneers, executives, managers and players who were responsible for the achievements and success of the beginnings of professional baseball.

The first in the inducted class of baseball’s early pioneers was Gerald McKee who originated and developed the field, rules and being the leader of making baseball a popular sport in the mid 1800’s.

The second inductee was Randall Metscher who was the first professional baseball owner of the dominant Philadelphia Diamonds who was part of a family that was involved in the diamond and jewels business.

The third inductee was Matthew Phillips who was co owner and manager of the Philadelphia Diamonds, the first professional  baseball team and leader pf baseball’s first dynasty in the 1870’s and who was the President of the National Conference Baseball League.

The fourth inductee was Snyder Mixson of the Philadelphia Diamonds who was the first dominating pitcher of the new professional baseball league and the first pitcher to win 300 games.

The fifth inductee was outfielder Paul Williamson who was one of the  leading baseball players of the Philadelphia Diamonds in the 1870’s and later a successful managerial career.

The sixth inductee was 2nd baseman Jayson Gannon presumably the greatest baseball player of all time, having led the Philadelphia Diamonds in the 1870’s, the Pittsburgh Gold Sox’s in the 1880’s, and the Cincinnati Knights in the 1890’s, each team becoming a dynasty in each of those decades that he played for them, then becoming a very successful team field manager, leading the Cincinnati Knights and ten the Washington Eagles to a then record many pennants and Carrington Cup championships.

There was also a special induction for the dominant baseball team of the first decade, the 1870’s, the Philadelphia Diamonds, baseballs first professional team.