Tuesday, 05 May 2026

William Hulbert

Contest: The US Athletic Hall of Fame - Contributors 2026
Embed from Getty Images
Sport(s): Baseball Executive
Statistics & Accolades: Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
William Hulbert was a key baseball executive who significantly reshaped professional sports by establishing the National League in 1876. Originally a shareholder of the Chicago White Stockings (now the Chicago Cubs), he became the team’s president in 1875 due to his frustration with the National Association's lack of centralized control and the high player turnover, with players frequently switching teams. To address this, Hulbert secretly signed stars like Al Spalding and Cap Anson to Chicago, then organized a meeting in New York to create a new league run by business-minded club owners rather than players.

Hulbert served as the second president of the National League from 1877 to 1882, leading decisively in the professionalization of baseball. He maintained strict integrity standards, expelling major teams like New York and Philadelphia for incomplete seasons and permanently banning players involved in game-fixing scandals. His leadership established enduring structural features in North American sports, such as fixed schedules, geographic exclusivity, and the early forms of the reserve clause.

We are proud to nominate William Hulbert for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.