Zachary Phelps (July 17, 1857 - August 29, 1901) was an American Major League Baseball executive who served as a principal shareholder, front office executive and president of the Louisville Colonels of the

American Association American Association may refer to: Baseball * American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891 * American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997 * American Association of Profe ...

from 1884 to 1889. He later served as president of the association.

Early life and career

Phelps was born in

Hopkinsville, Kentucky Hopkinsville is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Christian County, Kentucky, United States. The population at the 2010 census was 31,577. History Early years The area of present-day Hopkinsville was initially claimed in 1796 b ...

in 1857, and moved to Louisville, Kentucky at a young age. His father was a wealthy tobacco merchant. Phelps became a lawyer, and formed a partnership with William Jackson. Phelps, along with his brother, John, and William Jackson, purchased the Louisville Colonels following the 1883 season. He became club president in 1885 and was elected chairman of the

in December 1886. In February 1888, he stepped down as Louisville president and was replaced by W. L. Lyons. He then worked as an attorney for the association. In June 1888, he sold his remaining shares of the club to

Mordecai Davidson Mordecai Hamilton Davidson (November 30, 1845 – September 6, 1940) was a professional baseball owner and manager. A Civil War veteran, he is best known as the primary owner of the Louisville Colonels of the American Association in the late 1880s ...

. However, he would return to the club as a director in July 13, 1889. On November 15, 1889 Phelps was elected president of the association by league delegates, He was reelected in November 1890, but refused to accept the position. He would again serve as president near the end of the 1891 season. He would later serve an attorney for the National League. He died in Louisville in 1901, and is buried near former Colonel

Pete Browning Louis Rogers "Pete" Browning (June 17, 1861 – September 10, 1905), nicknamed "Gladiator" and "The Louisville Slugger", was an American professional baseball center fielder and left fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1882 to ...

in Cave Hill Cemetery.Nemec, p. 177

Bibliography

References

External links

Obituary in the Chicago Tribune
{{DEFAULTSORT:Phelps, Zach Major League Baseball executives 1857 births 1901 deaths Louisville Colonels owners Sportspeople from Hopkinsville, Kentucky Sportspeople from Louisville, Kentucky 19th-century American businesspeople Burials at Cave Hill Cemetery