Albert Spalding – Player Overview (1871-1875)

Tags

1849, 1915, Abner Doubleday, Al Spalding, Boston Red Stockings, September 2, September 9

Imagine that your middle name is “Goodwill” but you are known as one of the succeeders who left the Red Stockings for the Chicago White Stockings in 1875.

Other articles on Al Spalding:

• Tools of Ignorance (1875)
• First 4th of July game played in 1871 – Guest blog by Keith Spalding Robbins
• Everything new — a new league and season for the Braves (1876)

Albert Goodwill Spalding (September 2, 1849 – September 9, 1915) was an American pitcher, manager and executive in the early years of professional baseball, and the co-founder of A.G. Spalding sporting goods company. He was born and raised in Byron, Illinois. He played major league baseball between 1871 and 1878. Spalding set a trend when he started wearing a baseball glove, and eventually opened his sporting goods store.

After his retirement as a player, Spalding remained active with the Chicago White Stockings as president and part-owner. In the 1880s, he took players on the first world tour of baseball. With William Hulbert, Spalding organized the National League. He later called for the commission that investigated the origins of baseball and credited Abner Doubleday with creating the game. He also wrote the first set of official baseball rules.

Source: Albert Spalding – Wikipedia

Batting Overview

Standard Batting

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB
1871	20	BOS	NA	31	152	144	43	39	10	1	1	31	2
1872	21	BOS	NA	48	240	237	60	84	12	5	0	47	3
1873	22	BOS	NA	60	326	323	83	106	15	1	1	71	9
1874	23	BOS	NA	71	365	362	80	119	13	1	0	54	2
1875	24	BOS	NA	74	346	343	68	107	15	3	0	56	2
1876	25	CHC	NL	66	298	292	54	91	14	2	0	44
1877	26	CHC	NL	60	257	254	29	65	7	6	0	35
1878	27	CHC	NL	1	4	4	0	2	0	0	0	0
8 Yr	8 Yr	8 Yr	8 Yr	411	1988	1959	417	613	86	19	2	338	18
162	162	162	162	162	784	772	164	242	34	7	1	133
BOS	BOS	BOS	BOS	284	1429	1409	334	455	65	11	2	259	18
CHC	CHC	CHC	CHC	127	559	550	83	158	21	8	0	79
NA (	NA (	NA (	NA (	284	1429	1409	334	455	65	11	2	259	18
NL (	NL (	NL (	NL (	127	559	550	83	158	21	8	0	79

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/9/2017.

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Tools of Ignorance (1875)

Tags

1875, Al Spalding, Boston Red Stockings, Fred Thayer

I can’t remember not playing baseball. It seems like I always have. I remember the day I first played on an organized team in Little League. I had been selected for the team. We arrived for our first practice. My dad was the coach.

We all stood in a circle waiting to take the field to practice. My dad asked everyone what positions they would like to play. I was on his left. We started going around the circle starting to his right. I would be last to say.

By the time it got around to me all the positions had really been spoken for several times. There was one position no one seemed to want. I said I would like to be the catcher. My dad said, “Great, then put on the tools of ignorance”. And with that we took the field.

My dad taught me how to catch. I loved it. Fast forward and guess what position my son wanted to play when he started baseball. Yup, he wanted to catch. And I taught him about the tools of ignorance.

The term, “the tools of ignorance”, was coined by Herold “Muddy” Ruel, a lawyer turned backstop who caught for greats like Walter Johnson with the Washington Senators in the 1920s.

So, if you were catching Al Spalding for the Braves (then know as the Boston Red Stockings) from 1872 to 1875, you might have wanted a mask. One didn’t initially exist though. It wasn’t until 1875 that one was “invented”. The founder of the Red Stockings had the catchers use a “mouth protector”. It was a “Harvard guy” (Fred Thayer) that actually invented the mask.

The first to use it was Alexander (Jim) Tying who was playing for the Harvard Nine. It was called a rat-trap. It made it to the Spalding catalog in 1878. Eventually Fred Thayer sued Al Spalding for infringement upon Thayer’s patent rights to the catching mask. Spalding would be forced to pay royalties to Thayer and Wright when the case was settled.

And so … fathers continue to teach their sons to use the “tools of ignorance”.

First 4th of July game played in 1871 – Guest blog by Keith Spalding Robbins

Tags

1871, Al Spalding, Andy Leonard, Cal McVey, Ft. Bragg, George Wright, July 4, Keith Robbins, Ross Barnes

Boston Red Stockings

As we know, the Braves are the World’s Oldest Continuous professional franchise, so it was fitting that the team played an Independence Day holiday game at Ft. Bragg. Yet this was nothing new for the team, for they might have played in the first 4^th of July Holiday game in organized baseball as well.

After the Old Reds collapsed the team’s players moved to two teams, the defunct Washington Olympics, an existing National Association team, and other players went on to form the Original Red [Stockings] Sox of Boston.

The games in question were a two day event played on the 3^rd and then the 4^th in back Cincinnati as a Holiday event game. It was billed as a reunion game for the “Old Reds” vs a hybrid team comprised of players two National Association clubs, who were not Reds.

The Old Reds team that took the field was neither an old timers team as many players were still active, although some players were no longer in baseball; nor quite an All Star team, as many who took the field that day would be considered All-Stars by current standards. [Andy Leonard, Ross Barnes, AG Spalding, Cal McVey, Harry Wright, Asa Brainard, Harry Schaffer…]

The New York Clipper of July 15, 1871 noted that the game was though entertaining, was not so skillfully played and ended in a 13 to 15 score with the Old Reds taking the loss. Given the lack of losses by the Old Reds, the fans were rather shocked with end result. Reds fans could take solace that if Hall of Fame Shortstop George Wright had played the Old Reds would have won. For those who bet on the Reds only to win would have found themselves on the list of delinquent accounts.

One of the former Reds who was now the star Washington pitcher was Asa Brainard, whose name is the traditional baseball lexicon rational for why we call the best pitcher the “Ace.”

On the fourth the two teams recombined and played another game in front of a full house of adoring baseball fans some 5000 fans including many ladies. Called the “sugar” game, it was played on a cool and breezy summer day. Behind the pitching of baseball’s new ace [AG Spalding] who outpitched baseball’s original ace [Asa Brainard], the final result was 7 to 3. “Braves win, Braves win, Braves win…” as Chip Carey used to say on TBS summers ago. The Clipper noted that the pitching on both sides was good, the catching was simply superb, the fielding was excellent, and the umpiring was of a model description, strict, impartial, and displaying sound judgement.

Thus we can say on games played to honor America and its independence the best baseball team to call on are the baseball’s oldest nine, the team we call the Braves.

 

 

Harry Wright Day, Baseball’s other April Celebration — Guest blog by Keith Spalding Robbins

Tags

1871, 1896, April 13, Boston Red Stockings, Harry Wright, Rockford Forest Citys

Guest blog by Keith Spalding Robbins

April 13, 1896 – 120 Years later a fitting memorial to the Original Red Stocking, Harry Wright.

His epitaph states he was the Father of Baseball.

Of course the father of baseball was the first center fielder, manager and General Manager of the Original Boston Red Stockings. Later he was the supervisor of umpires, and arbiter of issues on the field of play. In today’s corporate baseball vocabulary he is the Chief of Baseball Operations. Interestingly, another Brave of note, Joe Torre has this position today.

Harry Wright is also the first to take advantage of the “free agency” of baseball by scouting and signing the best talent of his day for top dollars. In doing so he created baseball’s first dynasty, the winners of 6 pennants in eight years of Braves history. He was also noted for creating baseball’s first farm team while running the old Providence Grays in the 1880’s.

The title father of baseball is indeed fitting for the leader of the Original Red Stockings of Boston.

In memory of his death in relative poverty and obscurity in an Atlantic City hotel room, the magnates of Baseball dedicated April 13, 1896 as Harry Wright Day.  It was a national baseball benefit day to raise money for the above pictured grave marker. 11 of the 12 teams played benefit games for the old skipper. (The lone recalcitrant was St. Louis). For the record, the Giants easily handled the Mets giving them a 14 to 4 whipping.  At least twenty other benefit games were played on that day in cities great and small: including Detroit, Louisville, Scranton, Peoria, Newport News and Kansas City. (Peoria was a rain out.) College, Semi-pro and amateur teams also participated.

The Beaneaters held two games on a cold rainy April 13^th in New England. The current Beaneaters traveled to Derby Ct. and played the Eastern League Springfield MA team, easily beating them, 32-2. Meanwhile in Boston the former Red Stockings held an Old Timers game at the famous South End Baseball Grounds. John Morrill led the ‘old timers’ against the Harvard Nine, 14-10. Two Beaneaters victories on one Day in two cities!

In Cincinnati, a Harry Wright Association was organized of former players of the ‘69 Reds and the survivors of that team, along with Red Stockings’ Deacon White and his brother played for the Reds “Old Timers” against the current team of 1896. Finally in Rockford, Ill, George Wright the old shortstop, donned a Cincinnati Reds Uniform and played an old timers games against AG Spalding and the old Rockford Forest City’s. (It was a rain out lasting just one inning).

A link between the Braves and Rockford Forest Citys: of course. It was the Forest City Nine that Harry Wright raided to make his Boston Nine the best in Baseball. All were given record contracts at the time to leave little Rockford for Boston. The former Rockford baseball heroes were second baseman Ross Barnes and Pitcher AG Spalding. (Five years later the tables would be turned on Harry Wright by “the four seceders” who returned to Chicago.)

“Before today, one 1 team had followed a 9+ game losing streak to start season with a 3-game win streak: 1871 Rockford (Ill.) Forest Citys.”  As we know it was matched by the Braves this season.

Are the Braves now reaping the curse of Harry Wright cast upon them some 145 years later?

Well, not really, or maybe… Before today, only 1 team had followed a 9+ game losing streak to start season with a 3-game win streak: 1871 Rockford (Ill.) Forest Citys.Before today, only 1 team had followed a 9+ game losing streak to start season with a 3-game win streak: 1871 Rockford (Ill.) Forest Citys.as Baseball-reference.com notes that while the Rockford Forest Citys were devoid of two of their best players thanks to Harry Wrights’ raid, Rockford finished last, going 4 -21. They did win three in a row to reach 3-16, but they won two of their first four games. Both these games were later forfeited with Rockford taking the loss. In Game Two of 1871 Rockford won 15-12 beating the Old Nationals (Olympics) of Washington. According to the NY Clipper 20 May 1871, Scott Hastings the team’s catcher played for another team the Lone Star Nine of New Orleans on April 16 and was seasonally ineligible until June 16^th to play for Rockford. On May 5, 1871 Hastings did play and was allowed by both umpire and opposition to so there is some question about his ineligibility. Nevertheless, Rockford was doomed, if they won any game with Hastings the opposition would claim a forfeit and turn a loss into a win. Such was life in the old National Association, which of course is why there is the National League of today. So Rockford started the season 0-16, with 4 forfeits, its first and last season as a “big league” town.

The lesson of Harry Wright, as the front office genius, the scouting, development, and paying for top flight players will have its reap the rewards of winning. And it’s the same formula every winning team has realized since the days of Harry Wright the architect of the Braves first dynasty.

With the 120th Anniversary of Harry Wright’s day come and gone, it is a reminder of how in baseball, there is a season for winning and losing, and the Braves are adroit at both.

Way back in 1871, the Braves stared their season beating the Nationals 20-18, and now some 145 years later the Braves started their season hosting the Nationals and this time losing 3-4.Before today, only 1 team had followed a 9+ game losing streak to start season with a 3-game win streak: 1871 Rockford (Ill.) Forest Citys.

Estevan Enrique Bellán: first Latin American player — Guest blog by Keith Spalding Robbins

Tags

1871, August 3, Boston Red Stockings, Cuba, Estevan Bellan, Keith Robbins, Troy Haymakers

Guest Blog article by Keith Robbins

Estevan Enrique Bellán

With the upcoming Rays – Cuba game in Havana brings forth the question:

Q:  Does that have anything to do with the Braves?

A: Si.

In  over 20,000 games played, the Braves win some and lose some. In typical Braves fashion they can be the most benevolent of teams.

The first Cuban and thus the first Latin American professional baseball player was Estevan Enrique Bellán. His place in history is somewhat lost because his name is anglosized to Steve Bellan. Being part of baseball during the pre-professional era also cements his place as a one of Ppioneers of International baseball. He was featured in a SABRE bio.

He started baseball at Fordham, the same school of legendary announcer Vin Scully- albeit Bellán was there just a few years before, 1866-1868.

As a pro, Bellán played for one of greatest named franchises in sports: the Troy Haymakers. Overall these Haymakers did not make much hay in ‘71 going 13-15 and finished 6th of 9^th in the old National Association.

Bellán was noted for being especially fast on the bases and a slick, graceful fielder at third or short stop. Hs graceful infield play gave him the nickname the “Cuban Sylph;” in the 19^th Century that was a great compliment.

The day of Braves’ benevolence was August 3, 1871, and the beneficiary was Seňor Bellán. He was 5 for 5 with 5 RBI, a triple, one recorded stolen base, and started a double play.

No doubt the Haymakers’ infield was more akin to a hayfield for 15 errors were recording this game. Bellan had two, but so did his rival third-sacker Harry “Silk Stockings” Schaffer.

With bat running and gloveless fielding Bellán’s efforts powered the Haymakers to a 13 to 12 victory.  The game line and box score can be found on retrosheet.org, http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1871/B08030TRO1871.htm

He was one, if not the first, of many ballplayes to have a career-best day courtesy of the Braves.

Recently the Rays team president noted that:

“For us, it’s about spreading goodwill through baseball.”

While this game occur in a few days from now, in baseball what is new is old. Or as Yogi said:

“It’s like deja-vu all over again.”

On August 3, 1871, Albert Goodwill Spalding did his baseball best to spread goodwill throughout the baseball world – from Troy to Havana – as the first Cuban to play pro ball, Estvan Bellán went 5 for 5.

What would the all time roster for the Braves look like?

Tags

Andruw Jones, Bobby Lowe, Chipper Jones, Craig Kimbrel, Dale Murphy, Eddie Matthews, Hank Aaron, Herman Long, Joe Torre, Kid Nichols, Phil Niekro, Warren Spahn

Atlanta Braves Logo

How would you fill out the all time roster for a team with as much talent as the Braves have had since 1871? Not easy. Recently Nick Selbe gave it a shot.

Here is his list.

Year founded: 1871

1966-present: Atlanta Braves
1953-1965: Milwaukee Braves
1936-1940: Boston Bees
1912-1935, 1941-1952: Boston Braves
1911: Boston Rustlers
1907-1910: Boston Doves
1883-1906: Boston Beaneaters
1876-1882: Boston Red Caps
1871-1875: Boston Red Stockings

Total WAR: 819.9

C: Joe Torre (1960-1968; 33.3)
1B: Dale Murphy (1976-1990; 46.9)
2B: Bobby Lowe (1890-1901; 19.1)
3B: Eddie Mathews (1952-1966; 94.4)
SS: Herman Long (1890-1902; 35.4)
OF: Hank Aaron (1954-1974; 142.1)
OF: Chipper Jones (1993-2012; 85.0)
OF: Andruw Jones (1996-2007; 61.0)

SP: Kid Nichols (1890-1901; 108.5)
SP: Warren Spahn (1942, 1946-1964; 92.0)
SP: Phil Niekro (1964-1983, 1987; 90.0)
RP: Craig Kimbrel (2010-2014; 12.2)

Making the all-time roster for MLB’s oldest continually running franchise was no small task. To make room for the three outfielders, we shifted Dale Murphy to first base, despite his primarily playing the outfield. Murphy made 205 appearances at first base in his first two big league seasons.

Though none of them made the final cut, the trio of John Smoltz, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine deserve to be mentioned. As teammates from 1993-2002, they combined for a 453-224 record, with 4,616 strikeouts and a 2.97 ERA.

Source: Filling Out All-Time Rosters for Each MLB Franchise

The First Global Sports Franchise – Guest blog article by Keith Spalding Robbins

Tags

1874, Al Spalding, Andy Leonard, Boston Red Stockings, Deacon White, George Wright, Harry Wright

The First Global Sports Franchise – Guest blog article by Keith Robbins

Al Spalding

With the MLB Stars venturing to Cuba this week for a long awaited Goodwill Tour, baseball shows itself as not just the National Pastime, but as “The World’s Favorite Pastime.”

The Braves lead the International charge for Baseball, both at the team level and at an individual fan level, and with typical Braves flair these international efforts were both an utter failure and glorious success.

Lets first take a look at the teams’ failure. When one goes online looking at the Braves 1874 Championship season, there is a curious gap of no games played in the month of August. Was it a month-long rainout, a financial catastrophe, or something more sinister?

No, it was a month long International Baseball Road Trip. The Bostonians were on the other side of “The Pond,” playing baseball and cricket in the United Kingdom. From July 30 to August 25 the Bostonians played 14 baseball exhibitions and seven cricket matches. The baseball games featured Bostonians of lore:  Deacon White, Ross Barnes, Cal McVey, AG Spalding, Andy Leonard,  George and Harry Wright and Harry “Silk Stockings” Shafer, Their baseball opponents were the old rivals – the Original Athletics of Philadelphia led by AJ Reach “Cap” Anson, and a young Thomas Murnane.

For the record, on the field the Bostonians were successful winning 8 of the 14 games played. On the cricket grounds, the combined team lead by the old Cricketers of the Wright brothers and AJ Reach. and went undefeated according the 1889 Spalidng Guide.

However, at the box office and in hearts of the British viewers, the trip was a total failure; as the 1889 Spalding Guide reported, “In fact, the Britishers did not take to the game kindly at all.”

Yet in baseball there is the other side of the box score, and in this the Braves are esponsible for an international baseball success.

The Braves are part of the foundation of Baseball becoming the National Pastime of Japan.

During the dynasty years of the Red Stockings, the Japanese baseball tradition begins with avid Japanese born Braves fan and railroad engineer Hiraoka Hiroshi. When he returned to Japan he brought with him  a love of the game and a set of baseball equipment. After business hours Hiroshi enthusiastically taught his fellow railroad staff the game and soon established the Shinbashi Athletic Club (SAC), the first private baseball club in Japan. As noted by Sayuri Guthrie-Shimizu in her book, “Transpacific Field of Dreams,” Hiroshi sent his favourite Boston baseball pitcher and now baseball equipment mogul a letter in in early 1884 bemoaning the sacristy of baseball equipment in Japan. Soon before the start of the 1884 baseball practices in Japan, the SAC received a gift box worth $500 to $600 in 1880s dollars worth of baseballs, bats, gloves, and catchers masks. (in 1880, $500 dollars could buy you a nice house in Boston). Along with this care package a hopeful letter that baseball in Japan would “rise like the sun.”

Thus we can glean three International strikes from the history of  Braves Baseball:

1. Why did AG Spalding and World Baseball Tourists not go to Japan in 1888-89? Because baseball was already there courtesy of the Original Red Stockings and the first Japanese super fan Hiraoka Hiroshi.
2. Feeling sad that an Asian born player scored the winning run or pitched a shutout against your hometown favorite Braves? Take heart and show respect to that player for it was the Braves that played a significant role in bringing baseball to Asia over a century ago.
3. The next time you hear baseball referred to as the National Pastime, say its a myth, Baseball is the actually “The World’s Favorite Pastime;” and, it was the Braves that played a vital role in beginning baseball’s international Goodwill mission.

Sources:

N/A (2012-05-12). Spalding’s Baseball Guide and Official League Book for 1889 (Kindle Locations 1713-1780).  Kindle Edition.

Guthurie-Shimizu, Sayuri, Transpacific Field of Dreams: How Baseball Liked the United States and Japan in Peace and War. University of North Carolina Press, 2012. pp 20-31.

Four Seceders (1875 and 1876)

Tags

1875, 1876, Al Spalding, Boston Red Caps, Cal McVey, February 2, Four Seceders, James White, Ross Barnes

Seceders

It is 1875. The season is over. The “Four Seceders” come up with a conspiracy that foretells the demise of the National Association. It won’t last long after their plan plays out. Al Spalding, Ross Barnes, Cal McVey, and James White (also known as “Deacon” White) announce that they are leaving the Braves (then known as the Boston Red Stockings) and will play for Chicago.

Why did they do this? Al Spalding complained that winning pennants in Boston had become monotonous. Really? Winning is monotonous? hahaha I think not!! He was going to a team where he could lose? Come on.

Being know as a “seceder” in the post Civil War era was not a term of endearment I think.

So, how did the clubs respond to this? They formed the National League on February 2, 1876. Seven teams joined with the President of the Chicago White Stockings to form the National League. Weird because this was the team that the “seceders” were jumping to. But it averted a big, big battle. The Braves (then known as the Boston Red Stockings) joined with the new league. It cost a $100 to be a member. Their motivation? I am guessing it was the stricter player contracts that would prevent “seceding”.

A good start that only got better (1871)

Tags

1871, Boston Red Stockings, National Association

So …. the Atlanta Braves (then known as the Boston Red Stockings) played five years in the National Association. They were the only one of the 10 original teams to play continuously during that time. In 1876 they then joined the National League in it’s inaugural year.

They had a pretty good first season in 1871. They won 20 out of 30 games. Unfortunately, they finished in second place. Philadelphia was two games ahead of them.

The good news is, they then won the pennant the next four years.

And …. they are still playing today.  They are the Atlanta Braves.

Boston Baseball Association

 

“Two hours is about as long as any American can wait for the close of a baseball game, or anything else for that matter.” ~~Al Spalding

Tags

Al Spalding, Boston Red Stockings, Rules

Al Spalding

And this from a pitcher. But then again, not just any pitcher. Of course, he wrote the first rules for baseball so he had a sense of things.

Al played for the Boston Red Stockings from 1871 to 1875.

 

“Two hours is about as long as any American can wait for the close of a baseball game, or anything else for that matter.”  ~~Al Spalding

Who is Calvin Alexander McVey? (1871–1872, 1874–1875)

Tags

1849, 1871, 1872, 1874, 1875, 1926, August 20, August 30, Boston Red Stockings, Cincinnati Red Stockings

Cal McVey was born on August 30, 1849 in Montrose, Iowa. At age 11, he moved to Indianapolis. It is in Indianapolis that he learns to play baseball playing on several teams as he grew older. He played on teams in the Active and Western clubs. Those teams were with the National Association of Base Ball Players.  He played with the Actives in 1868 and usually pitched.

Cal played for two very early baseball teams. First he was on the original Cincinnati Red Stockings. Read more in “What is the ERA for this game?” to learn more about his 7-54 defeat.

After that he was on our National Association Boston Red Stockings.

He is also well known for playing on the first National League pennant winning team in 1876, the Chicago White Stockings. Now that is a whole lot of stocking teams.

Now I don’t blame Cal for this, in fact, I think it is kind of cool. He moved to San Francisco in the 1880’s. He continued baseball playing and managing. So, compared to the tough winters in Boston, he ends up retiring there. Cal died in San Francisco on August 20, 1926. The Boston Braves were closing up a pretty disastrous season in 1926. They ended the season with a 66-86 record. We can’t see his grave as he was cremated.

He had some pretty good career statistics. His batting average was.346. He scored 555 runs and batted in 448.

He played or managed on some great and not so well known teams.

National Association of Base Ball Players

Active of Indianapolis (1868)

Cincinnati Red Stockings (1869–1870)

League player

Boston Red Stockings (1871–1872, 1874–1875)

Baltimore Canaries (1873)

Chicago White Stockings (1876–1877)

Cincinnati Reds (1878–1879)

League manager

Baltimore Canaries (1873)

Cincinnati Reds (1878–1879)

Sources: The History of the Atlanta Braves, Wikipedia, Baseball Reference, Retrosheet

1871 Season Overview (Boston Red Stockings)

Tags

1871, Al Spalding, Boston Red Stockings, Cal McVey, Charlie Gould, Dave Birdsall, Frank Barrows, Fred Cone, George Wright, Harry Schafer, Harry Wright, Ross Barnes, Sam Jackson

Imagine only playing 30 games. Compared to our 162 now it is hard to imagine. But that is what it came to in 1871 for the Boston Red Stockings.

We ended up in 2^nd place (tied with the Chicago White Stockings) behind the Philadelphia Athletics. This was the first year for the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players.

Source: Wikipedia

Here is what the roster looked like that year.

Pitchers

• Albert Spalding
• Harry Wright

Catchers

• Cal McVey

Infielders

• Ross Barnes
• Charlie Gould
• Sam Jackson
• Harry Schafer
• George Wright

Outfielders

• Frank Barrows
• Dave Birdsall
• Fred Cone
• Harry Wright

Manager

• Harry Wright

 

Continuity since 1871

Tags

1871, Boston Red Stockings, January 20, National Association of Professional Baseball Players

Boston Red Stockings

On January 20, 1871 (yes, that is 1871) the Boston Red Stockings incorporated. It just so happened they were a charter member of National Association of Professional Baseball Players. Pretty innocuous beginnings. This was the first professional base ball association.

And so … they are still playing. They are the Atlanta Braves. They are the only team today to have fielded a team every day of every season professional base ball has been in existence.

Why do I love baseball? How can you beat consistency like this? You can’t. It is that simple.

$15,000 (1871)

Tags

1871, Boston Red Stockings, George Wright, Harry Wright, January 20, National Association

Ivers Whitney Adams knew a very good thing when he saw it. He was very interested in professional baseball. He had seen the Cincinnati Red Stockings and what professional players could do. Cincinnati had won the first 89 games they played. Imagine that!!!

So on January 20, 1871 he invested $15,000 to create the Boston Red Stockings (now the Atlanta Braves). They joined the National Association. Mr. Adams became the first President of the club. It started at Boston’s Parker House. Harry Wright and his younger brother George were at that meeting. They had played for Cincinnati. They would both play for Boston.

And so … it began. That is all it took.

They still play today. They are the Atlanta Braves.

Consider the Ball (1871)

Tags

1871, 1875, Al Spalding, Boston Red Stockings, National Association

When I was 10, there was THE ball. Of course we had other balls. But THE ball was the Spalding ball.

I usually only had one or two at a time. The other balls were sometimes things I made myself. For example, there was the sock ball. It was made out of several white socks. We used it at night to play home run derby in the back yard. There was the “masking tape” ball. Yes, it was made out of masking tape. Other balls were just worn out and ragged, covers almost off.

But THE ball was the Spalding. Bought and paid for but only used on rare occasions and never used on the gravel field at the church.

The dominant pitcher from 1871 to 1876 in the National Association for the Braves (then known as the Boston Red Stockings) was Al Spalding. Yes, he later formed Spalding Sporting Goods and made a fortune. From 1872 to 1875 they were a combined 205-50 (.804). Al Spalding won 186 of those 205 games.

In 1875 Spalding went 55-5 including a 24 game winning streak. It would be an understatement to say Spalding appreciated the value of THE ball. He would later make them like no other could. But only AFTER he learned how to throw it.