On this date, January 12, 1921 Kenesaw Mountain Landis became the first Commissioner of Baseball.
If you live in or near Marietta his first name might have made you sit up and take notice. He was named after Kennesaw Mountain, which is just up the road a mile.
Kennesaw Mountain had a special meaning for his father Abraham Landis, a physician, who lost his leg during the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain in June of 1864. Abraham was a Yankee.
So he misspelled Kennesaw or did he? – have you ever seen physicians’ handwriting?
Kenesaw Mountain Landis was born November 20, 1866 (2 years and 5 months after his father’s leg losing experience) and died November 25, 1944, five days after his 78th birthday.
Kennesaw Mountain, the mountain, is still around.
I wonder “what if” Abraham lost his leg during another skirmish in Cobb County, other than on Kennesaw Mountain, would the first Commissioner of Baseball be named Butler Town Landis? Little Kenesaw Mountain Landis? Pigeon Hill Landis? Hangman’s Hill Landis? Chattahoochee River Landis? Big Shanty Landis? What about Lick Skillet Landis?*
*And that is not even mentioning Blackjack Mountain Landis, Sweat Mountain Landis, or Lost Mountain Landis.
