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What Happened To The Iconic Boston Red Stockings Archive From Antiques ...

You might be interested in learning more about the 1873 Boston Red Stockings season. The Boston Red Stockings were one of the founding members of the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (NA), the first professional baseball league in America. In 1873, they won their second consecutive NA championship, dominating the league with a record of 43–16. Here are some highlights and facts about their remarkable season.

  • The team was managed by Harry Wright, a pioneer of baseball who had previously played for and managed the Cincinnati Red Stockings, the first openly professional baseball team. Wright brought several players from Cincinnati to Boston, including his brother George Wright, who played shortstop, and Al Spalding, who was the team’s ace pitcher.
  • Al Spalding was the workhorse of the pitching staff, starting 54 of the team’s 59 games and completing all of them. He led the NA with 41 wins, a 2.99 earned run average (ERA), and 50 strikeouts. He also batted .354 and drove in 39 runs.
  • The team’s best hitter was second baseman Ross Barnes, who won the league batting title with a .431 average. He also led the NA with 125 runs scored, 14 triples, and a .585 slugging percentage. He hit two home runs, which tied him for second in the league.
  • The team’s catcher was Deacon White, who batted .392 and led the NA with 77 runs batted in (RBI). He also hit one home run and stole 18 bases.
    The team also featured two future Hall of Famers: Harry Wright, who played center field and batted .259 with two home runs and 36 RBI; and Jim O’Rourke, who played first base and batted .350 with one home run and 49 RBI.
  • The team played their home games at the South End Grounds, a wooden ballpark that had a capacity of about 15,000 spectators. The ballpark was located in the South End neighborhood of Boston, near present-day Northeastern University.
  • The team had a fierce rivalry with the Philadelphia White Stockings, who finished second in the NA with a record of 36–17. The two teams met nine times during the season, with Boston winning five games and Philadelphia winning four. The most memorable game between them was on July 23, when Boston rallied from a 10–3 deficit to win 15–14 in 11 innings.
  • The team also faced some challenges during the season, such as injuries, bad weather, and financial difficulties. Several players missed games due to illness or injury, including George Wright, who broke his leg in August and missed the rest of the season. The team also had to deal with rainouts, postponements, and low attendance due to economic depression. The team’s owner, Charles H. Porter, lost money on the season and sold the team to Arthur Soden after the season ended.

The 1873 Boston Red Stockings season was one of the most successful and impressive seasons in baseball history. The team displayed some of the best players and managers of their era and established themselves as one of the premier franchises in professional baseball. They would go on to win another NA championship in 1874, before joining the National League in 1876.