Cap Anson
| Birthdate | 4/17/1852 |
| Death Date | 4/14/1922 |
| Debut Year | 1871 |
| Year of Induction | 1939 |
| Teams | Athletics, Cubs, Rockford Forest Citys |
| Position | First Base |
Adrian “Cap” Anson was the 1st in baseball history to record 3,000 hits. As one of the game’s first superstars, he was elected to the Hall in 1939.
In the collection:
June 5, 1906 document signed by Anson as city clerk of Chicago - likely secretarial
June 5, 1906 document signed by Anson as city clerk of Chicago - likely secretarial
Cap Anson served as city clerk of Chicago from 1905-1907. It is in this capacity that baseball’s first member of the 3,000 hit club signs this document granting permission of a company to erect and maintain a tunnel and a bridge. The signature is likely secretarial.
The inside of the permit to build and maintain the bridge and tunnels
The inside of the permit to build and maintain the bridge and tunnels
The document folds open from the page where Anson signed this permit. Here is the inside of the document. Cap Anson remains one of the Chicago Cubs greatest players. Though he died nearly a century ago on April 14, 1922, Anson still holds the Chicago career records for average (.339), runs (1,712), hits (3,081), singles (2,330), doubles (530) and RBI (1,879).
Cap Anson was also an outspoken racist and almost single handedly lobbied to remove all African Americans from professional baseball. Names like Walker and Fowler are mere footnotes because of Anson. No love for this man here.