# James Potter (baseball)

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American baseball executive (1864–1934)

**James Potter** (April 7, 1864 – April 15, 1934) was an American businessman who served as president of the [Philadelphia Phillies](/source/Philadelphia_Phillies) from 1903 to 1904.

## Early life

Potter was born in [Savannah, Georgia](/source/Savannah%2C_Georgia) on April 7, 1864, to John Hamilton and Alice Beirne (Steimbergen) Potter. His father was a [United States Civil War](/source/United_States_Civil_War) veteran who served with the [Confederate States Army](/source/Confederate_States_Army). Potter was educated in [Baltimore](/source/Baltimore) and at [St. Paul's School](/source/St._Paul's_School_(New_Hampshire)) in [Concord, New Hampshire](/source/Concord%2C_New_Hampshire). He attended [Princeton University](/source/Princeton_University), but left after his junior year. On June 4, 1885, he married Elizabeth Perkins Sturgis. They had three children; Elizabeth Sturgis, John Hamilton, and Robert Sturgis Porter.[1] On January 27, 1908, Elizabeth Sturgis Porter married [Frank Polk](/source/Frank_Polk).[2]

## Business career

From 1888 to 1899, Potter worked for the [Baltimore and Ohio Railroad](/source/Baltimore_and_Ohio_Railroad), where he rose to the position of Division Passenger Agent. He then entered the newspaper business as general manager of the *[Philadelphia Evening Telegraph](/source/Philadelphia_Evening_Telegraph)*.[1] He then managed the [Philadelphia](/source/Philadelphia) branch of Marshall, Spader, & Co., a stock brokerage firm. In 1908, Marshall, Spader, & Co. closed their Philadelphia office and Potter took over management of the *[Public Ledger](/source/Public_Ledger_(Philadelphia))*.[3] From 1913 until his death in 1934 he was a general agent for the [Cunard Line](/source/Cunard_Line).[4]

## Sports

Potter won championships in both racquets and court tennis. He helped organize the [Racquet Club of Philadelphia](/source/Racquet_Club_of_Philadelphia) and was the club's president for its first 17 years of existence.[4]

In 1903, Potter led a syndicate that purchased the Philadelphia Phillies from [Al Reach](/source/Al_Reach) & [John Rogers](/source/John_Rogers_(baseball)).[5] On March 3, 1903, Potter was elected president of the club.[6] On November 30, 1904, he was succeeded as president by [Bill Shettsline](/source/Bill_Shettsline).[7] On February 23, 1909, Potter sold his shares to [Israel Wilson Durham](/source/Israel_Wilson_Durham).[8]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Universities_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Universities_1-1) Chamberlain, Joshua L., ed. (1900). [*Universities and Their Sons*](https://books.google.com/books?id=SGFDAQAAMAAJ) (IV ed.). Boston: R. Herndon Company. p. 144. Retrieved 7 September 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** "Miss Potter Weds F. L. Polk". *The New York Times*. January 28, 1908.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** "Branch Office Discontinued". *The Wall Street Journal*. August 1, 1908.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Obituary_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Obituary_4-1) "James Potter, 70, Cunard Agent, Dies". *The New York Times*. April 16, 1934.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** "Society in Baseball". *The New York Times*. March 1, 1903.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** "Philadelphia Baseball Club Officers". *The New York Times*. March 4, 1903.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** "New Baseball Company in Philadelphia". *The New York Times*. December 1, 1904.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** "Durham Owns Ball Club". *The New York Times*. February 24, 1909.

v t e Principal owners of the Philadelphia Phillies franchise Al Reach & John Rogers James Potter Israel Wilson Durham Charles Phelps Taft and Horace Fogel William H. Locke William Baker Charlie Ruch Gerald Nugent William D. Cox Robert R. M. Carpenter Bob Carpenter Ruly Carpenter Bill Giles and David Montgomery John S. Middleton

v t e Philadelphia Phillies team presidents Al Reach James Potter Bill Shettsline Israel Wilson Durham Horace Fogel William H. Locke William Baker Charlie Ruch Gerald Nugent R. R. M. Carpenter Jr. Ruly Carpenter Bill Giles David Montgomery Pat Gillick Andy MacPhail Dave Dombrowski

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