Albert Spalding

Albert Goodwill Spalding (September 2, 1850 – September 9, 1915) was an American pitcher, manager, and executive in the early years of professional baseball, and the co-founder of the Spalding sporting goods company. He was born and raised in Byron, Illinois, and graduated from Rockford Central High School in Rockford, Illinois. He played major league baseball from 1871 to 1878. Spalding set a trend when he started wearing a baseball glove. After his retirement as a player, Spalding remained active with the Chicago White Stockings as president and part-owner. In the 1880s, he took players on the first world tour of baseball. With William Hulbert, Spalding organized the National League. He later called for the commission that investigated the origins of baseball and falsely credited Abner Doubleday with creating the game. As of the 2026 season, Spalding holds the individual records for the fewest career home runs per nine innings (0.0468) and the highest career winning percentage (.794). He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.,