The Fred Taylor baseball myth: a son goes to bat for his father

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to refute allegations from various sources that, as a pitcher for the Phillips Exeter Academy baseball team, Frederick W. Taylor cheated by using an illegal overhand delivery.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on archival research, including a recently discovered letter by his son, Robert, this paper dispels the “myth” surrounding Taylor's alleged cheating as a member of the Phillips Exeter Academy baseball team.

Findings

This research suggests that the “myth” of Fred's purported cheating may be traced to a January 1934 Esquire Magazine article by American Novelist John R. Dos Passos.

Originality/value

As a consequence, of the information only a son could have provided, this paper sets the record straight concerning Taylor's alleged cheating, and in doing so, demonstrate how a reliance on “myth” rather than “fact” stands in the way of capturing the elusive past.

Citation

Taylor, S.G. and Bedeian, A.G. (2008), "The Fred Taylor baseball myth: a son goes to bat for his father", Journal of Management History, Vol. 14 No. 3, pp. 294-298. https://doi.org/10.1108/17511340810880652