Abner Doubleday was credited in 1907 by The Mills Commission that the game of baseball was invented in Cooperstown, New York by Abner Doubleday. This was a claim that was never made by him during his life, he died in 1893, and since then has been debunked by Baseball Historian.
Doubleday, who was born on June 26, 1819, did in a way throw the first pitch. As a Army Captain he was the second in command at Fort Sumter and aimed the cannon that fired the first return shot in answer to the Confederate bombardment on April 12, 1861 starting the War Between the States.
He graduated from West Point in 1842, 24th in a class of 56 cadets.
He was a career military man and served not only during the Civil War, but also the Mexican War and the Seminole Wars,a conflict between the Florida natives (Seminoles) and the United States.
Near the end of his military career he commanded the 24th U.S. Infantry, an all African-American regiment, in Texas.
Doubleday is buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
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