Short Info

DiedNovember 25, 1944, Chicago, Illinois, United States
SpouseWinifred Reed
FactNamed after the Battle of Kenesaw Mountain in the US Civil War.


Kenesaw Mountain Landis was an American judge and baseball executive who served as the first Commissioner of Baseball from 1920 until his death in 1944. He is credited with helping to clean up the sport of baseball after the Black Sox Scandal of 1919. Landis also helped to establish the World Series as the annual championship of Major League Baseball.

Landis was born on November 20, 1866, in Millville, Ohio. His parents were both of German descent. Landis had two brothers and two sisters. He was named after the nearby Kenesaw Mountain.

Landis was educated at Kenyon College and Cornell University. He began his career as a lawyer in Cincinnati, Ohio.

In 1903, Landis was appointed a judge in Cook County, Illinois. He gained a reputation for being a tough judge, especially when it came to sentencing criminals.

In 1908, Landis was appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt to serve on the United States Commerce Court. He served on this court until 1915.

In 1915, Landis was appointed by President Woodrow Wilson to serve as a judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. He served on this court until 1919.

In 1919, the Black Sox Scandal rocked Major League Baseball. Eight players from the Chicago White Sox were accused of fixing the World Series. Landis was appointed by the owners of Major League Baseball to investigate the scandal.

After hearing testimony from the players and others involved in the scandal, Landis ruled that the eight players were guilty and banned them from baseball for life. This ruling helped to restore public confidence in baseball.

In 1920, Landis was elected by the owners of Major League Baseball to be the first Commissioner of Baseball. As Commissioner, Landis helped to establish the World Series as the annual championship of Major League Baseball. He also helped to clean up the sport of baseball after the Black Sox Scandal.

Landis served as Commissioner of Baseball until his death in 1944. He is widely considered to be one of the most important figures in baseball history.

Landis was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945.

General Info

Full NameKenesaw Mountain Landis
DiedNovember 25, 1944, Chicago, Illinois, United States
ProfessionJudge, Commissioner of Baseball
EducationNorthwestern University Pritzker School of Law, University of Cincinnati

Family

SpouseWinifred Reed
ChildrenReed G. Landis

Accomplishments

MoviesThe Life and Times of Hank Greenberg

Social profile links

Facts

#Fact
1Subject of the Jonathan Coulton song "Kenesaw Mountain Landis", a mostly-fictionalized biography of his life.
2He was a member of the Republican party.
3Two of his brothers, Charles and Frederick Landis, became Indiana congressmen.
4The official title for the Most Valuable Player Award is the Kenesaw Mountain Landis Award (renamed after his death).
5Served as U.S. district court judge for Northern Illinois (1905-1922). He was selected by Theodore Roosevelt.
6Restored Baseball's integrity by banning the Black Sox.
7Landis sentenced Victor Berger and six other Socialists for sedition (impeding the war effort). This was also later reversed.
8In 1907 he imposed a $29,240,000 fine on the Standard Oil Company of Indiana in a rebate case (which was later reversed).
9Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Committee on Baseball Veterans in 1944.
10Named after the Battle of Kenesaw Mountain in the US Civil War.
11Appointed first Commissioner of Baseball following the 1919 World Series "Black Sox" scandal. Term of office: 12 January 1921 through 25 November 1944 (died in office).

Movies

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Personality Plus1942Documentary shortHimself

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
A Hall for Heroes: The Inaugural Hall of Fame Induction of 19392010TV Movie documentaryHimself (as Commissioner Landis)
The Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame...2005TV SeriesHimself
100 Years of the World Series2003Video documentaryHimself (as Kenesaw Mountain Landis)
The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg1998DocumentaryHimself (uncredited)
Baseball1994TV Mini-Series documentaryHimself
Babe Ruth: The Man, the Myth, the Legend1990Video shortHimself

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia

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