Born April 17, 1820 in New York City was one of the founders and Benefactor of the Honolulu Library and Reading Room Association

Said to be the "Father of Baseball", he was one of the first to take a serious interest in the game. He revised many of the earlier rules of baseball such as tagging a runner out rather than hitting the player with a thrown ball, paving the way for hard ball. In 1842 he founded the knickerbocker Baseball Club which was the first baseball team to have uniforms and the first to play an organized game. Cartwright designed and introduced the 9 man team, nine inning game and the 90 foot baseline. These rules were adopted in September 1845 and he was inducted into the hall of fame in 1939.

Cartwright settled in Hawaii were he popularized baseball. He became the first Board of Director of the Honolulu Library and Reading Room Association in 1879 and remained on the Board giving freely of his time and books until his death on July 12, 1892.

Reproducation: The Hawaiian Historical Society 560 Kawaiaho Street