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The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (NAPBBP),often known simply as the National Association (NA),was the first fully-professional sports league in baseball. The NA was founded in 1871 and continued through the 1875 season. It succeeded and incorporated several professional clubs from the previous National Association of Base Ball Players (NABBP) of 1857–1870,sometimes called "the amateur Association". In turn,several NA clubs created the succeeding National League of Professional Baseball Clubs,which joined with the American League of Professional Base Ball Clubs to form Major League Baseball (MLB) in 1903.
The Cincinnati Red Stockings of 1869 were baseball's first openly all-professional team,with ten salaried players. The Cincinnati Base Ball Club formed in 1866 and fielded competitive teams in the National Association of Base Ball Players (NABBP) 1867–1870,a time of a transition that ambitious Cincinnati businessmen and English-born ballplayer Harry Wright shaped as much as anyone. Major League Baseball recognized those events officially by sponsoring a centennial of professional baseball in 1969.
George Wright was an American shortstop in professional baseball. He played for the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings,the first fully professional team,when he was the game's best player. He then played for the Boston Red Stockings,helping the team win six league championships from 1871 to 1878. His older brother Harry Wright managed both Red Stockings teams and made George his cornerstone. George was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937. After arriving in Boston,he also entered the sporting goods business. There he continued in the industry,assisting in the development of golf.
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Calvin Alexander McVey was an American professional baseball player during the 1860s and 1870s. McVey's importance to the game stems from his play on two of the earliest professional baseball teams,the original Cincinnati Red Stockings and the National Association Boston Red Stockings. He also played on the inaugural National League pennant-winning team,the 1876 Chicago White Stockings.
The Athletic Base Ball Club of Philadelphia was a prominent National Association,and later National League,professional baseball team that played in the second half of the 19th century.
The National Association of Base Ball Players (NABBP) was the first organization governing American baseball.
The following are the baseball events of the year 1870 throughout the world.
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Eckford of Brooklyn,or simply Eckford,was an American baseball club from 1855 to 1872. When the Union Grounds opened on May 15,1862 for baseball in Williamsburg,Brooklyn,it became the first enclosed baseball grounds in America. Three clubs called the field on the corner of Marcy Avenue and Rutledge Street home;however,the Eckford of Brooklyn were the most famous tenant. They played more games than any other club that year (7) and won the "national" championship,repeating the feat in 1863. During that two year period,the Eckfords won 22 straight matches which was the longest undefeated and untied streak to date. In the late 1860s,they were one of the pioneering professional clubs,although probably second to Mutual of New York at the home park. In its final season,Eckford entered the second championship of the National Association,the first professional baseball league in America,so it is considered a major league club by those who count the NA as a major league.
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Michael "Mike" H. Hooper was an American professional baseball player who played in three games for the Baltimore Marylands during the 1873 baseball season. That is the basis for calling him a major leaguer. Previously he was an outfielder for the Maryland club at least 1868 to 1870,when he led the team in runs scored all three seasons. Maryland was one of the pioneer pro clubs when the National Association first permitted professional members in 1869.
Charles Richard "Dickie" Flowers was an American professional baseball player in the National Association. He was a shortstop for the 1871 Troy Haymakers and the 1872 Philadelphia Athletics. Previously,he participated in the first professional season as every-day shortstop for the Keystone club of Philadelphia in 1869,his second season with that team.
James McDermott was an American baseball player in the first professional league. He played two games in the outfield for the 1871 Fort Wayne Kekiongas and seven as pitcher for the 1872 Brooklyn Eckfords.
Charles Francis Sellman was an American professional baseball player. He played catcher,third base,and other positions for five different teams during the five seasons of the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players,1871 to 1875.
James C. A. Snyder was an American professional baseball player. In the National Association he was the regular shortstop of the 1872 Brooklyn Eckfords.
References
- ↑ Wright, Marshall D. The National Association of Base Ball Players, 1857–1870. Jefferson NC: McFarland & Co. 2000. Page 305. (Record in pro matches only.)
Coverage of NABBP play, even the list of a player's teams, is generally limited to the record that Wright has published, which is compiled from various sources and commonly limited to regular and important substitute players. - ↑ The Maryland club of Baltimore is one of the strongest candidates for continuation, of course, because a club of that name tried league membership in 1873. Among 19 men who played at least one of the Marylands six league games that season, five had played for the Maryland club in the NABBP including Kernan and three regulars from the 1870 team.