A. G. Spalding and the Rise of Baseball: The Promise of American SportA. G. Spalding was a key figure in the professionalization and commercialization of American sports. Co founder of baseball's National League, owner of the Chicago White Stockings (later Cubs), and founder of a sporting goods business that made him a millionaire, Spalding not only willed baseball to be our national pastime but also contributed to making sport a significant part of American life. This biography captures the zest, flamboyance, and