| THE GENERAL |
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THE GAME |
| 1819: Abner Doubleday was born on June 26, 1819, in Ballston Spa, N.Y., schooled at Auburn and Cooperstown, N.Y., and appointed to West Point in 1838. |
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1839: Doubleday founded Baseball when he laid out the first baseball diamond in Cooperstown, N.Y. in Farmer Phinney's lot in 1839. |
| 1846: As a rookie officer, Doubleday becomes part of General Zachary "Old Hickory" Taylor's team that arrived at the opponent's field named Punta (Point) Isabel in April of that year.
FACT: Doubleday was one of Port Isabel's first visitors.
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1846: While stationed in Point Isabel, Doubleday heard the news of Alexander Cartwright's proclaimed first game of baseball played in June. He then set out to organize an inter squad baseball game taht was played outside the walls of Fort Polk in the vicinity of Doubleday "Bar of Champions".
LEGEND: Doubleday played baseball in Port Isabel in 1846.
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| 1846: From behind the earthen walls of Fort Polk (located at the present day Port Isabel Lighthouse) Ulysses S. Grant and Doubleday heard the first cannon fire at Fort Brown, which signaled the beginning of the U.S. Mexican War.
FACT: Doubleday witnessed Opening Day of the U.S. Mexican War.
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1847: Upon leaving the south Texas post, Doubleday's teammates took the game south into Mexico. After the battle of Cerro Gordo, a baseball game was arranged amongst the troops. The consficated wooden leg of the defeated General Antonio de Santa Anna allegedly was used as the bat.
LEGEND: Doubleday's game had been spread internationally and was to become the beginning of a Mexican League.
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| 1861: Abner Doubleday fired the first shots of the Civil War as a Union commander of Fort Sumter on April 12.
FACT: The New York Yankee Doubleday pitched the first balls of "The War Against the South".
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1861 - 1865: During the Civil War years, Doubleday's baseball was reported to have been a favorite pastime at Fort Brown, until the last battle of the war, which occured a few miles east of Brownsville.
LEGEND: Baseball continued to b played locally throughout the 1860s.
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| 1863: At Gettysburg, Doubleday led the First Corps in a desperate struggle against the Confederate charge of George Pickett's forces on July 3, 1863. He later authored "Campaigns of the Civil War, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg", in 1882.
FACT: Doubleday battled heroically at Gettysburg.
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1872: General Doubleday was ordered to march the 24th regiment (black troops known as the "Buffalo Soldiers") to Brownsville, Texas, where he was to take command of Fort Brown.
LEGEND: Doubleday introduced baseball interestes to his black comrades.
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| 1893: Doubleday dies. |
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1908: In 1908, Albert S. Spalding, a worldwide sporting goods manufacturer and premier pitcher published a commission report that credited Doubleday with inventing "America's National Pastime". In honor of Doubleday, Cooperstown residents established the National Hall of Fame and Museum.
LEGEND: Baseball invents Doubleday.
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