Which American businessman paid for the construction and established the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939?

Stephen Carlton Clark (1882 - 1960) was an American art collector, businessman, newspaper publisher, politician and philanthropist who founded the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum (official name today) in Cooperstown, New York where he was born. Following his graduation from law school, he became a director of the Singer Manufacturing Company.

Part of his career included a political office in the New York State Assembly as a Republican in 1909, plus he served in the U.S. Army during WWI, attaining the rank of lieutenant-colonel, awarded the Distinguished Service Award Medal.

After the war, in the 1920s, he was the owner and publisher of 3 Albany, New York newspapers.

As a philanthropist, he paid for construction of the building that became the Baseball Hall of Fame that opened in 1939. He also served as chairman of the board of directors.

The Hall is a history museum and hall of fame, serving as a central point for the history of baseball in the United States. Included are displays of baseball-related artifacts and exhibits, photo archives, a library, manuscripts and recorded media collections, all honoring people who have excelled in playing, managing and serving the sport.

The Hall’s motto is “Preserving History, Honoring Excellence, Connecting Generations”. An expanded library and research facility opened in 1994. In 2002, the Hall launched ‘Baseball as America’, a traveling exhibit that toured ten American Museums over 6 years.