Albert Goodwill Spalding: A Life in Baseball & Business Early Life and Baseball Career Born: 1849 in Byron, Illinois, USA. Early Years: Though raised in Byron, Spalding graduated from Rockford Central High School in Rockford, Illinois. Professional Baseball Player: Albert Goodwill Spalding enjoyed a successful career as a Major League baseball player between 1871 and 1878. Innovation: He was among the first players to adopt a baseball glove, setting a trend that would become standard practice in the sport. Transition to Management & Entrepreneurship Post-Playing Career: After r…