Charles Ebbets

For the photographer, see Charles Clyde Ebbets.

Charles Hercules Ebbets, Sr. (October 29, 1859–April 18, 1925) was an American sports executive who owned the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1902 to 1925.

Biography

Ebbets was born in New York City and was a draftsman and architect who designed numerous New York City buildings. He served on the Brooklyn City Council for four years and in the New York State Assembly for one.

Ebbets started with the Dodgers as a bookkeeper in 1883 and became a shareholder in 1890. He took an active role in marketing the sport to families and took over team operations in 1898. He also managed the Dodgers that year and the team finished tenth.

Ned Hanlon, the owner and manager of the Baltimore Orioles, bought some of the remaining stock in the Dodgers after the 1898 season and took the best Baltimore players to the Brooklyn team. The Dodgers won pennants in both 1899 and 1900. In 1905, Hanlon wanted to move the team to Baltimore, but Ebbets bought out his shares.

Ebbets is credited with inventing the concept of the rain check and of proposing a player draft favoring teams which finished low in the standings.

He financed the building of Ebbets Field in 1912 by selling half his shares in the team to the McKeever Brothers.

Ebbets died of heart failure at age 65 in New York City and is buried in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn.

Timeline

• 1883 Bookkeeper
• 1898 President and manager
• 1899 Won pennant
• 1900 Won pennant
• 1912 Ebbets Field built
• 1916 Won pennant
• 1920 Won pennant

References

• Biographical Dictionary of American Sports, Greenwood Press (1987).