By Steve Sears

It stands just beyond a fence on Hilltop Road in Mendham Borough, available for viewing by passersby who may not be aware that a great man once lived on the property and walked the streets about 150 years ago of what was then all called Mendham Township.

The just-about-chest-level plaque reads from the top, “Homesite Of Maj. Gen. Abner Doubleday Civil War Hero”, and concludes at the bottom with, “Recognized By Many As ‘Father Of Baseball” and “Mendham Resident From 1873 Until His Death In 1893”.

Through the years, Doubleday has often been wrongly credited as baseball’s creator or inventor. His direct attachment or involvement with the great games inception and early days may often and perhaps will always be questioned, but his 20-year period in Mendham will not.

Prior to his last years as a United States Army General, Doubleday was sent west from 1869 to 1871, and he received the patents for cable cars in San Francisco, signed away his rights and raised some money, and moved back east, eventually taking up residence in Morris County. He first stayed in rented rooms at the Phoenix House on the corner of Main Street and Hilltop Road in Mendham until his home was constructed, and he also often dined at the Black Horse Tavern & Pub across the road, which had opened in 1742.

Abner Doubleday’s house on the Hilltop Road property was razed long ago, and a field now sits in its former spot. Another house was built on another part of the property. Money was raised and permission was granted to place the plaque at the Hilltop Road site. “That house where Abner Doubleday lived had been torn down,” says Pat Serrano, who is knowledgeable of Doubleday. “The woman next door owned it, and the woman who owned it back in 1995 gave us permission to put the plaque there on the property.” Serrano also states that there are signs courtesy of the Mendham Business Association at the eastern and western entrances of town that recognize Doubleday as the “Father of Modern Baseball”.

Serrano recalls the day in the mid 1990s when Jimmy Gunther, owner of the popular Gunther Motors on Main Street in Mendham Borough, entered the office of her Serrano Travel agency. Gunther had visited historic Gettysburg and seen a statue dedicated to Abner Doubleday, who had taken part in The Battle of Gettysburg. “Even though he (Gunther) was born here, he had never heard about Abner Doubleday living here, and he was trying to get some interest in doing something for it,” Serrano recalls. “We had just reorganized the new Mendham Business Association, and he came to my office to see if he could get any interest from the business association in sponsoring something. That’s how it started my interest.”

For a few years in the mid to late 1990s, an “Abner Double-Day” ceremonial event was held, planned and sponsored by the Mendham Business Association. “It was quite an event,” Serrano says. “It was around Mother’s Day, always the start of Little League season. There was a parade from Mendham High School of the Little League teams, and at the ball field, the fathers of the little leaguers wore 1900 uniforms and played a game against each other, two separate teams. We raised money by having businesses names on the backs of the uniforms.” Ed Kranepool and Art Shamsky, members of the 1969 World Series winning New York Mets, took part in the first two events, and former New York Yankee Joe Pepitone also made an appearance, in addition to other noted guests.

Doubleday died of heart disease in 1893. Abner Doubleday Field at Mendham Borough Park is located nearby, and it is one of three baseball fields so named, the other two according to Serrano located in Cooperstown and West Point. Doubleday is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, as is his wife Mary, who lived in the Mendham home until her death in 1904. 

A stroll down often quiet Hilltop Road is perfect for reflection on the life of the great General, the plaque dedicated to him a great spot to pause and read about his time in battle and, yes, his contribution to the game of baseball.

“Since Abner Doubleday was a very upstanding gentleman, and didn’t seem to have any terrible things in his past, it’s nice that we can honor him,” Serrano says.