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Why is Abner Doubleday’s connection to the invention of baseball considered a myth?

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Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants swings his bat after hitting his record-breaking 756th home run, with the catcher, umpire, and a cheering crowd behind him at AT&T Park. — History of baseball Giants legend Barry Bonds hitting his record-setting 756th career home run, August 7, 2007.

The claim that Abner Doubleday invented baseball in 1839 is a myth, as historical evidence confirms he was not in Cooperstown, New York, during that time.1

The myth originated from a 1907 commission appointed by Albert G. Spalding, which sought to prove the game was of purely American origin. This finding was later discredited, as research established that baseball evolved from older English games such as rounders and cricket.12

Rather than being the invention of one individual, baseball emerged through a communal effort in 19th-century New York. The Knickerbocker Base Ball Club played a pivotal role in formalizing the game. Key figures like Alexander Joy Cartwright and Daniel "Doc" Adams were instrumental in codifying early rules, such as establishing base distances and eliminating the practice of hitting runners with a thrown ball to record an out. These collective contributions formed the foundation of the modern sport.23