The Rockford Forest Citys

Rockford Forest Citys

Rockford Forest Citys , from Rockford, Illinois was one of the first professional baseball clubs. Rockford played for one season during the National Association inaugural year of 1871.-Origins:...

played their first and only season in 1871 as a charter member of the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players

National Association of Professional Base Ball Players

The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players , or simply the National Association , was founded in 1871 and continued through the 1875 season...

. They finished ninth in the league with a record of 4-21. They folded after the season.

Regular season

Rockford finished with 4 wins and 21 losses, 15½ games behind the champion Philadelphia Athletics club and good for last place. Player-manager Scott Hastings

Scott Hastings (baseball)

Winfield Scott Hastings was a major league baseball player and manager in the late 19th century. Primarily a catcher and outfielder, Hastings also appeared as a first baseman, second baseman, and shortstop over the course of his career.-Early career:Born in Hillsboro, Ohio, Hastings made his...

 was found to have violated the "60 day rule" implemented by the league -- if a player switched teams during the season, the team had to bench him for 60 days before he could play. Hastings had jumped from a Louisiana team to the Forest Citys in the spring and immediately begun playing for Rockford. This complaint was brought before the league, and the Forest Citys were forced to forfeit 4 of their wins.

The star of the team was Cap Anson

Cap Anson

Adrian Constantine Anson , nicknamed "Cap" and "Pop", was a National Association and Major League Baseball first baseman...

, who hit .325 for the Forest Citys and would go on to become the player-manager of the Chicago White Stockings

Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...

 for over 20 seasons. Anson was inducted into the Hall of Fame

National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...

 in 1939

Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 1939

The 1939 elections to select inductees to the Baseball Hall of Fame were the last ones conducted prior to the Hall's opening that year. Needing just one addition to complete the initial goal of 10 inductees from the 20th century, members of the Baseball Writers Association of America were once...

.

Roster

1871 Rockford Forest Citys
Roster
Pitchers		Catchers Infielders		Outfielders		Manager

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos	Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
C		25	118	30	.254	0	20
1B		25	122	30	.246	0	17
2B		25	118	32	.271	0	13
SS		16	63	17	.270	0	3
3B		25	120	39	.325	0	16
OF		25	106	28	.264	0	13
OF		25	113	28	.248	0	12
OF		25	110	30	.273	2	24

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
	8	39	11	.282	0	5
	1	4	1	.250	0	2

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
	24	213	4	16	4.35	15

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
	3	13	0	1	3.46	1