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

摘要

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.