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Vyper · 01-09-2014, 05:12 PM

1871 – Pre Season

A brief history of the National Association
On Saint Patrick's day, March 17, 1871, at Collier's Cafe on Broadway and Thirteenth Street in New York City, representatives from some of the best baseball clubs in the land gathered together to form the very first professional baseball league. They named their new creation; the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players.

Unfortunately the National Association turned out to be an embarrassment to all those who were associated with it. It was a loosely knit organization renowned for it's rowdiness, erratic schedule, open gambling on games, liquor selling in parks, bribery and other forms of chicanery.

The league, which was in fact, run by the players, lasted for only five years. The N.A. was characterized by such things as: teams that would not honor their schedules late in the season when it meant traveling far from home, players that would jump from club to club (sometimes in midseason) and a lack of control of the games by umpires who were usually unpaid. There was a constant turnover of clubs in the five years that the league existed, and one team (Harry Wright's Boston Red Stockings) was so powerful that it totally dominated all opposition, winning the league championship four out of five years.

The Teams
Boston Red Stockings: The first Boston Red Stockings baseball club was established in 1871, and was Boston's first professional team. They dominated the National Association, finishing second once and then first four times. The club became a charter member of the National League in 1876 and plays today as the Atlanta Braves. They enjoyed great success in Cincinnati (1866-1870), Boston (1890s), Milwaukee (late 1950s), and Atlanta (throughout the 90’s).

Chicago White Stockings: Chicago's first professional club, established 1870, played in the National Association for the 1871 season, resumed play in 1874-75 after the Great Chicago Fire, and joined (actually initiated) the National League in 1876. Called the White Stockings through 1889, they are now the Chicago Cubs.

Cleveland Forest Citys: A short-lived Major League Baseball team in the National Association. The team only existed two years, from 1871 to 1872, and their home games were played at the National Association Grounds in Cleveland, Ohio. They were most famous for losing the first recorded game ever played to the Fort Wayne Kekiongas by a score of 2-0. The club's record over the two years was poor, winning 16 and losing 35.

Fort Wayne Kekiongas: Have the notable distinction of winning the first professional game of baseball ever played on May 4, 1871. Paid attendance at their games was poor, and players were poorly paid, if at all. A number of homesick players from Baltimore returned home and by mid-season, the team had fallen apart. The last game was played on August 29, giving the Kekiongas 7 wins for the year.

New York Mutuals: The Mutual Base Ball Club of New York was a leading American baseball club almost throughout its 20-year history. It was established during 1857, the year of the first baseball convention, just too late to be a founding member of the National Association of Base Ball Players. It was a charter member of both the first professional league in 1871 and the National League in 1876. Failing on the field and in the coffer, it declined to make its last western trip of the inaugural National League season. For the transgression it was expelled in December, and soon found itself defunct.

Philadelphia Athletics: Philadelphia had been a baseball town from the earliest days of the game, fielding amateur teams since at least the early 1830s. In 1860 James N. Kerns formed a club, simply named "Athletic Base Ball Club", that soon dominated amateur play in the area. The Athletics were one of the most successful National Association teams, winning the first pennant with a record of 21 wins and 7 losses (.750), two games ahead of the Boston Red Stockings and Chicago White Stockings.

Rockford Forest Citys: Rockford, which was the westernmost club in the National Association, had faced significant financial hardship during the 1871 season including travel cost and did not make a profit. Additionally, star Cap Anson decided to take a $1,250 a year offer from Philadelphia for the 1872 season. So the club folded after its one and only season.

Troy Haymakers: The Haymakers were a member of the National Association, the first professional baseball league, in 1871 and 1872. Their home games were played at Haymakers' Grounds in Troy, New York. During their two-year existence the Haymakers won 28 games and lost 25 for a winning percentage of .528.

Washington Olympics: Like Troy, the Olympics also played only the first two National Association seasons. Their home games were played at Olympics Grounds in Washington, D.C. During their two-year existence the Olympics won 17 games and lost 22 for a winning percentage of .436.

Top 10 Prospects
1) Ross Barnes - Boston
2) Cap Anson - Rockford
3) Lip Pike - Troy
4) Levi Meyerley - Philadelphia
5) George Wright - Boston
6) Cal McVey - Boston
7) Fred Waterman - Washington
8) Deacon White - Cleveland
9) George Hall - Washington
10) Ezra Sutton - Cleveland

The Starters
Player ranking in ()

Philadelphia Athletics
C Fergy Malone (11)
1B Wes Fisler
2B Al Reach (15)
3B Levi Meyerle (1)
SS John Radcliffe
LF George Bechtel (19)
CF Count Sensenderfer
RF George Heubel
SP Dick McBride (5)

Chicago White Stockings
C Charlie Hodes
1B Bub McAtee
2B Jimmy Wood (5)
3B Ed Pinkham
SS Ed Duffy
LF Fred Treacey (10)
CF Tom Foley
RF Joe Simmons
SP George Zettlein (3)

Boston Red Stockings
C Cal McVey (4)
1B Charlie Gould
2B Ross Barnes (2)
3B Harry Schafer
SS George Wright (3)
LF Fred Cone
CF Harry Wright
RF Dave Birdsall
SP Al Spalding (10)

Washington Olympics
C Doug Allison
1B John Glenn
2B Andy Leonard
3B Fred Waterman (14)
SS Davy Force
LF Harry Berthrong
CF George Hall
RF John Glenn
SP Asa Brainard (2)

New York Mutuals
C Dick Higham (9)
1B Joe Start (12)
2B John Hatfield
3B Charlie Smith
SS Dickey Pearce
LF Charlie Mills
CF Dave Eggler (18)
RF Dan Patterson
SP Rynie Wolters (6)

Troy Haymakers
C Bill Craver
1B Clipper Flynn
2B Lip Pike (6)
3B Steve Bellan
SS Dickie Flowers
LF Steve King (13)
CF Tom York
RF Mike McGeary
SP John McMullin (9)

Fort Wayne Kekiongas
C Frank Selman
1B Jim Foran
2B Tom Carey
3B Henry Kohler
SS Jimmy Hallinan
LF Harry Deane
CF Bob Armstrong
RF Bill Kelly
SP Bobby Mathews (4)

Cleveland Forest Citys
C Deacon White (16)
1B Jim Carleton
2B Gene Kimball
3B Ezra Sutton (7)
SS John Bass (17)
LF Charlie Pabor
CF Art Allison
RF Elmer White
SP Al Pratt (7)

Rockford Forest Citys
C Chick Fulmer
1B George Bird
2B Bob Addy
3B Cap Anson (8)
SS Denny Mack
LF Ralph Ham
CF Scott Hastings
RF Gat Stires (20)
SP Cherokee Fisher (1)

A Timeline
February 21 41st United States Congress passes "An Act To Provide A Government For The District Of Columbia", also known as the Act of 1871, declaring the government of the District of Columbia a municipal corporation not inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of the United States and the provisions of this act.

March 17 The National Association of Professional Baseball Players is formed in New York at a convention called together by Henry Chadwick. The meeting is held at Collier's Saloon on the corner of 13th street and Broadway. Playing rules will be the same as the amateur players' with the exception of player compensation. Each club will play 5 games with the other clubs and the winner of 3 will have won that championship series. The league championship will be awarded to the team winning the most series against the other teams and not on a total wins or percentage basis as would be done in later years. Teams represented at the convention are: Athletics of Philadelphia‚ Boston Red Stockings (who hired Harry Wright) to represent them after the Cincinnati Reds disbanded)‚ Chicago White Stockings‚ Eckford of Brooklyn‚ Forest City of Cleveland‚ Forest Citys of Rockford‚ IL‚ Mutuals of New York‚ Nationals of Washington‚ DC‚ Olympics of Washington‚ and the Union Club of Troy‚ NY‚ known as the Haymakers. Teams not present but playing matches in the first season of the National Association are the Atlantics of Brooklyn and the Kekiongas of Fort Wayne‚ IN.

The Fort Wayne Kekiongas win a coin flip and will host the first ever professional baseball game when the Cleveland Forest Citys come to town on May 4, 1871.

March 21 Otto von Bismarck becomes first Chancellor of the German Empire.

April 6 The Mutual club of New York leaves on the steamer General Barnes for Savannah‚ Georgia. where they will start their southern tour with a game on April 10.

April 10 The Athletics of Philadelphia play their first practice game against a strong‚ picked nine. This is the first game at the new grounds at 25th and Jefferson‚ where professional baseball will be played for 21 years.

April 20 U.S President Ulysses S. Grant signs the Civil Rights Act.

April 29 The new ball grounds in Chicago‚ located at Randolph and Michigan on the lakefront‚ are opened as the White Stockings and a picked 9 play before 1‚500 people. The New York Clipper says: "They will have accommodations on their grounds to seat 6‚500 people. With the single exception of being somewhat narrow‚ they will have one of the finest ballparks in the country."

up next... the 1871 season

01-09-2014, 05:12 PM	#2
Vyper Minors (Double A) Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 114	1871 – Pre Season A brief history of the National Association On Saint Patrick's day, March 17, 1871, at Collier's Cafe on Broadway and Thirteenth Street in New York City, representatives from some of the best baseball clubs in the land gathered together to form the very first professional baseball league. They named their new creation; the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players. Unfortunately the National Association turned out to be an embarrassment to all those who were associated with it. It was a loosely knit organization renowned for it's rowdiness, erratic schedule, open gambling on games, liquor selling in parks, bribery and other forms of chicanery. The league, which was in fact, run by the players, lasted for only five years. The N.A. was characterized by such things as: teams that would not honor their schedules late in the season when it meant traveling far from home, players that would jump from club to club (sometimes in midseason) and a lack of control of the games by umpires who were usually unpaid. There was a constant turnover of clubs in the five years that the league existed, and one team (Harry Wright's Boston Red Stockings) was so powerful that it totally dominated all opposition, winning the league championship four out of five years. The Teams Boston Red Stockings: The first Boston Red Stockings baseball club was established in 1871, and was Boston's first professional team. They dominated the National Association, finishing second once and then first four times. The club became a charter member of the National League in 1876 and plays today as the Atlanta Braves. They enjoyed great success in Cincinnati (1866-1870), Boston (1890s), Milwaukee (late 1950s), and Atlanta (throughout the 90’s). Chicago White Stockings: Chicago's first professional club, established 1870, played in the National Association for the 1871 season, resumed play in 1874-75 after the Great Chicago Fire, and joined (actually initiated) the National League in 1876. Called the White Stockings through 1889, they are now the Chicago Cubs. Cleveland Forest Citys: A short-lived Major League Baseball team in the National Association. The team only existed two years, from 1871 to 1872, and their home games were played at the National Association Grounds in Cleveland, Ohio. They were most famous for losing the first recorded game ever played to the Fort Wayne Kekiongas by a score of 2-0. The club's record over the two years was poor, winning 16 and losing 35. Fort Wayne Kekiongas: Have the notable distinction of winning the first professional game of baseball ever played on May 4, 1871. Paid attendance at their games was poor, and players were poorly paid, if at all. A number of homesick players from Baltimore returned home and by mid-season, the team had fallen apart. The last game was played on August 29, giving the Kekiongas 7 wins for the year. New York Mutuals: The Mutual Base Ball Club of New York was a leading American baseball club almost throughout its 20-year history. It was established during 1857, the year of the first baseball convention, just too late to be a founding member of the National Association of Base Ball Players. It was a charter member of both the first professional league in 1871 and the National League in 1876. Failing on the field and in the coffer, it declined to make its last western trip of the inaugural National League season. For the transgression it was expelled in December, and soon found itself defunct. Philadelphia Athletics: Philadelphia had been a baseball town from the earliest days of the game, fielding amateur teams since at least the early 1830s. In 1860 James N. Kerns formed a club, simply named "Athletic Base Ball Club", that soon dominated amateur play in the area. The Athletics were one of the most successful National Association teams, winning the first pennant with a record of 21 wins and 7 losses (.750), two games ahead of the Boston Red Stockings and Chicago White Stockings. Rockford Forest Citys: Rockford, which was the westernmost club in the National Association, had faced significant financial hardship during the 1871 season including travel cost and did not make a profit. Additionally, star Cap Anson decided to take a $1,250 a year offer from Philadelphia for the 1872 season. So the club folded after its one and only season. Troy Haymakers: The Haymakers were a member of the National Association, the first professional baseball league, in 1871 and 1872. Their home games were played at Haymakers' Grounds in Troy, New York. During their two-year existence the Haymakers won 28 games and lost 25 for a winning percentage of .528. Washington Olympics: Like Troy, the Olympics also played only the first two National Association seasons. Their home games were played at Olympics Grounds in Washington, D.C. During their two-year existence the Olympics won 17 games and lost 22 for a winning percentage of .436. Top 10 Prospects 1) Ross Barnes - Boston 2) Cap Anson - Rockford 3) Lip Pike - Troy 4) Levi Meyerley - Philadelphia 5) George Wright - Boston 6) Cal McVey - Boston 7) Fred Waterman - Washington 8) Deacon White - Cleveland 9) George Hall - Washington 10) Ezra Sutton - Cleveland The Starters Player ranking in () Philadelphia Athletics C Fergy Malone (11) 1B Wes Fisler 2B Al Reach (15) 3B Levi Meyerle (1) SS John Radcliffe LF George Bechtel (19) CF Count Sensenderfer RF George Heubel SP Dick McBride (5) Chicago White Stockings C Charlie Hodes 1B Bub McAtee 2B Jimmy Wood (5) 3B Ed Pinkham SS Ed Duffy LF Fred Treacey (10) CF Tom Foley RF Joe Simmons SP George Zettlein (3) Boston Red Stockings C Cal McVey (4) 1B Charlie Gould 2B Ross Barnes (2) 3B Harry Schafer SS George Wright (3) LF Fred Cone CF Harry Wright RF Dave Birdsall SP Al Spalding (10) Washington Olympics C Doug Allison 1B John Glenn 2B Andy Leonard 3B Fred Waterman (14) SS Davy Force LF Harry Berthrong CF George Hall RF John Glenn SP Asa Brainard (2) New York Mutuals C Dick Higham (9) 1B Joe Start (12) 2B John Hatfield 3B Charlie Smith SS Dickey Pearce LF Charlie Mills CF Dave Eggler (18) RF Dan Patterson SP Rynie Wolters (6) Troy Haymakers C Bill Craver 1B Clipper Flynn 2B Lip Pike (6) 3B Steve Bellan SS Dickie Flowers LF Steve King (13) CF Tom York RF Mike McGeary SP John McMullin (9) Fort Wayne Kekiongas C Frank Selman 1B Jim Foran 2B Tom Carey 3B Henry Kohler SS Jimmy Hallinan LF Harry Deane CF Bob Armstrong RF Bill Kelly SP Bobby Mathews (4) Cleveland Forest Citys C Deacon White (16) 1B Jim Carleton 2B Gene Kimball 3B Ezra Sutton (7) SS John Bass (17) LF Charlie Pabor CF Art Allison RF Elmer White SP Al Pratt (7) Rockford Forest Citys C Chick Fulmer 1B George Bird 2B Bob Addy 3B Cap Anson (8) SS Denny Mack LF Ralph Ham CF Scott Hastings RF Gat Stires (20) SP Cherokee Fisher (1) A Timeline February 21 41st United States Congress passes "An Act To Provide A Government For The District Of Columbia", also known as the Act of 1871, declaring the government of the District of Columbia a municipal corporation not inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of the United States and the provisions of this act. March 17 The National Association of Professional Baseball Players is formed in New York at a convention called together by Henry Chadwick. The meeting is held at Collier's Saloon on the corner of 13th street and Broadway. Playing rules will be the same as the amateur players' with the exception of player compensation. Each club will play 5 games with the other clubs and the winner of 3 will have won that championship series. The league championship will be awarded to the team winning the most series against the other teams and not on a total wins or percentage basis as would be done in later years. Teams represented at the convention are: Athletics of Philadelphia‚ Boston Red Stockings (who hired Harry Wright) to represent them after the Cincinnati Reds disbanded)‚ Chicago White Stockings‚ Eckford of Brooklyn‚ Forest City of Cleveland‚ Forest Citys of Rockford‚ IL‚ Mutuals of New York‚ Nationals of Washington‚ DC‚ Olympics of Washington‚ and the Union Club of Troy‚ NY‚ known as the Haymakers. Teams not present but playing matches in the first season of the National Association are the Atlantics of Brooklyn and the Kekiongas of Fort Wayne‚ IN. The Fort Wayne Kekiongas win a coin flip and will host the first ever professional baseball game when the Cleveland Forest Citys come to town on May 4, 1871. March 21 Otto von Bismarck becomes first Chancellor of the German Empire. April 6 The Mutual club of New York leaves on the steamer General Barnes for Savannah‚ Georgia. where they will start their southern tour with a game on April 10. April 10 The Athletics of Philadelphia play their first practice game against a strong‚ picked nine. This is the first game at the new grounds at 25th and Jefferson‚ where professional baseball will be played for 21 years. April 20 U.S President Ulysses S. Grant signs the Civil Rights Act. April 29 The new ball grounds in Chicago‚ located at Randolph and Michigan on the lakefront‚ are opened as the White Stockings and a picked 9 play before 1‚500 people. The New York Clipper says: "They will have accommodations on their grounds to seat 6‚500 people. With the single exception of being somewhat narrow‚ they will have one of the finest ballparks in the country." up next... the 1871 season Last edited by Vyper; 01-09-2014 at 05:21 PM.