National Association of Base Ball Players
Encyclopedia
The National Association of Base Ball Players (NABBP) was the first organization governing American
baseball
. The first, 1857 convention of sixteen New York City
clubs
practically terminated the Knickerbocker era
, when that club privately deliberated on the rules of the game. The last convention, with hundreds of members represented only via state associations, provoked the establishment of separate professional and amateur associations in 1871. The succeeding National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
is considered the first professional sports league
; through 1875 it governed professional baseball and practically set playing rules for all. Because the amateur successor never attracted many members and it convened only a few times, the NABBP is sometimes called "the amateur Association" in contrast to its professional successor.
Beside the playing rules and its own organization, the Association governed official scoring (reporting), "match" play, a championship, amateurism, and hippodroming or the integrity of the contest. It permitted professionalism only for the 1869
and 1870 seasons. In its December 1867 meeting, its rules committee voted unanimously to bar any club "composed of one or more colored persons", effecting the first known color line in baseball.
, baseball competed for public interest with cricket
and regional variants of baseball, notably town ball
played in Philadelphia and the Massachusetts Game played in New England
. In the 1860s, aided by the War, "New York" style
baseball expanded into a national game and the NABBP, as its governing body, expanded into a true national organization, although most of the strongest clubs remained those based in New York City
, Brooklyn
and Philadelphia. By the end of 1865
, almost 100 clubs were members of the organization. By 1867, it had over 400 members, including some clubs from as far away as San Francisco and Louisiana
. Because of this growth, regional and state organizations began to assume a more prominent role in the governance of the sport.
of Excelsior
, received compensation, either secretly or indirectly. In 1866
, the NABBP investigated Athletic of Philadelphia
for paying three players including Lip Pike
, but ultimately took no action against either the club or the players. To address this growing practice, and to restore integrity to the game, at its December 1868
meeting the NABBP established a professional category for the 1869
season. Clubs desiring to pay players were now free to declare themselves professional
.
Cincinnati
was the first to so declare and among the most aggressive in recruiting the best available players. Twelve, including most of the strongest clubs in the NABBP, ultimately declared themselves professional for the 1869
season.
Conflict arose, however, between amateur and professional interests. Important issues included how the championship was to be decided and regulating players jumping from one team to another. As a result, in 1871
most of the leading professional clubs broke away to found the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
. The NABBP continued for approximately two years thereafter in a diminished status before disbanding into state and regional organizations.
The number of clubs at the convention, and thus in the association, increased from 16 to 25 to 50 by spring 1859. This list gives the sixteen who convened in 1857 followed by the three later members who survived to be charter members of the National League
in 1876; none of the sixteen did so.
The five named in bold continued as sometime members of the 1871–1875 National Association
, the first professional league
. Dates refer to NABBP membership, not baseball activity or legal organization, but not all clubs retained membership annually; in particular, the Civil War curtailed membership for 1862 to 1865.
Newark, New Jersey
is one of the cities across the Hudson River
from New York. Eight Newark clubs were sometime members and two more clubs from Newark, Empire in 1858 and Eckford in 1870, played matches with member clubs.
The members farthest from New York in the early years were the Liberty club of New Brunswick, New Jersey
in 1858, the only one of 25 members outside modern New York City; Niagara of Buffalo, New York
in 1859, when the next furthest of 50 members was based in Trenton, New Jersey
; and Detroit of Detroit, Michigan
in 1860, when five of 59 members were from outside New Jersey and New York states, the other four being in Washington, Baltimore, New Haven, and Boston. Six Philadelphia clubs joined for 1861 but war curtailed the season; some of the 55 members never played a game of any kind. Then the war curtailed membership for 1862 until 1866 when some pre-war members rejoined.
For 1865 there were only 30 members with not one in New England and western outliers merely in Washington, Altoona
in central Pennsylvania, and Utica in central New York state. But the December 1865 meeting attracted triple the membership with scattered clubs from Chattanooga, Tennessee
to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. During the next three seasons, the association "filled" with clubs from St Louis and Iowa to Boston and Maine. By 1867 there were too many delegates to handle in convention, so membership via state associations was introduced for 1868 and, perhaps for that reason, there is no reliable enumeration of the members from 1868 to 1870.
Atlantic Club
of Brooklyn
and the 1858
Mutual Club
of New York appear to have been recognized as the best clubs of these respective seasons, but scheduling was insufficient overall between New York
and Brooklyn
clubs to establish a definitive champion
. In 1859
, though, Atlantic did emerge as decisive champions of baseball
with an overall record of 11 wins and 1 loss and series victories over both Eckford of Brooklyn
and Mutual. Thereafter, a formalized challenge system developed whereby the championship, symbolized by a "pennant", would change hands upon the defeat of the existing champion in a two out of three series. Such "series" could actually occur over several weeks or months, with games against other clubs played in between, so the format does not closely resemble the modern World Series
in determining baseball's champion. But a series was limited to a season; one win in one or two games did not carry over to next spring.
Without a regular schedule of games, neither the number of wins nor winning percentage necessarily indicates team strength, much less identifies the best team or a credible champion. A challenge format makes sense for that purpose, and it fits the convention whereby contestants meet on the field with money or a trophy at stake. A trophy base ball, provided by the home club and used in the game, was commonly at stake; the pennant provided by the Association was a second trophy at stake in some games. Unfortunately, the strongest team in a given year did not always have an opportunity to play for the championship, as the strongest boxer or chess player may annually have an opportunity in the challenge formats that developed in those sports.
Indeed, in several NABBP seasons it appears that the strongest team never played a series for the championship, including at least Athletic of Philadelphia
in 1868
and the Cincinnati Red Stockings
in 1869
. The latter were undefeated, with victories over all of the leading clubs (including ultimate 1868 and 1869 champions Mutual and Atlantic), but they never faced a reigning champion in a deciding game, partly because in scheduling tours of continental scope they practically opted out.
Decisive games were also marred by disputes. In 1860
, reigning champion Atlantic of Brooklyn and challenger Excelsior of Brooklyn
split their first two games. In the third, Excelsior was leading 8-6 and had men on base, but chose to withdraw because of rowdy behavior by Atlantic partisans and gamblers. The game was declared a draw, and the championship retained by Atlantic.
In 1870
, Mutual of New York was leading 13-12 in the deciding game of its series with the Chicago White Stockings
when Mutual left the field in protest. Officials decided to revert the score to the end of the last completed inning and awarded the game, and thus the championship, to Chicago. The Mutual club declared itself champion.
End of Year Champions
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. The first, 1857 convention of sixteen New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
clubs
practically terminated the Knickerbocker era
New York Knickerbockers
The New York Knickerbockers were one of the first organized baseball teams which played under a set of rules similar to the game today. The team was founded by Alexander Cartwright, considered one of the original developers of modern baseball....
, when that club privately deliberated on the rules of the game. The last convention, with hundreds of members represented only via state associations, provoked the establishment of separate professional and amateur associations in 1871. The succeeding 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...
is considered the first professional sports league
Professional sports league organization
Professional sports leagues are organized in numerous ways. The two most significant types are a European model, characterised by a tiered structure using promotion and relegation to determine participation in a hierarchy of leagues or divisions and a North American model characterized by its use...
; through 1875 it governed professional baseball and practically set playing rules for all. Because the amateur successor never attracted many members and it convened only a few times, the NABBP is sometimes called "the amateur Association" in contrast to its professional successor.
Beside the playing rules and its own organization, the Association governed official scoring (reporting), "match" play, a championship, amateurism, and hippodroming or the integrity of the contest. It permitted professionalism only for the 1869
1869 in sports
-American football:College championship* College football national championship – Princeton Tigers and Rutgers Scarlet Knights Events...
and 1870 seasons. In its December 1867 meeting, its rules committee voted unanimously to bar any club "composed of one or more colored persons", effecting the first known color line in baseball.
Growth
Prior to the Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, baseball competed for public interest with cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and regional variants of baseball, notably town ball
Town ball
The term town ball, or townball, describes the bat-and-ball, safe haven games played in North America in the 18th and 19th centuries, which were similar to rounders and were precursors to modern baseball. In some areas - such as Philadelphia and along the Ohio River and Mississippi River - the...
played in Philadelphia and the Massachusetts Game played in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. In the 1860s, aided by the War, "New York" style
Knickerbocker Rules
The Knickerbocker Rules are a set of baseball rules formalized by Alexander Cartwright in 1845. They are considered to be the basis for the rules of the modern game.-The rules:...
baseball expanded into a national game and the NABBP, as its governing body, expanded into a true national organization, although most of the strongest clubs remained those based in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
and Philadelphia. By the end of 1865
1865 in sports
-Association football:Events* Nottingham Forest, then called Forest FC, is founded in December by its parent hockey club. It is the third oldest club in the Football League after Notts County and Stoke City...
, almost 100 clubs were members of the organization. By 1867, it had over 400 members, including some clubs from as far away as San Francisco and Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. Because of this growth, regional and state organizations began to assume a more prominent role in the governance of the sport.
Professionalism
The NABBP was initially established upon principles of amateurism. However, even early in its history some star players, such as James CreightonJim Creighton
James Creighton, Jr. was an American baseball player during the game's amateur era, and is considered by historians to be the its first superstar. As a pitcher in baseball's amateur era, he changed the sport from a game that showcased fielding, into a confrontation between the pitcher and batter...
of Excelsior
Excelsior of Brooklyn
The Brooklyn Excelsiors were an amateur baseball team that played in Brooklyn, New York. Formed in 1854, the Excelsior ballclub featured stars such as Jim Creighton, Asa Brainard, and Candy Cummings.-1860 Championship Season:...
, received compensation, either secretly or indirectly. In 1866
1866 in sports
-Athletics :Events* The Amateur Athletics Club is founded and becomes the governing body of athletics in the United Kingdom, hosting the first national championships and introducing a definition of "amateur" that will determine eligibility for athletics competitions until the late 20th...
, the NABBP investigated Athletic of Philadelphia
Athletic of Philadelphia
Athletic of Philadelphia was a prominent National Association, and later National League, professional baseball team that played in the second half of the 19th century.-Early History:...
for paying three players including Lip Pike
Lip Pike
Lipman Emanuel "Lip" Pike the "Iron Batter", was one of the stars of 19th century baseball in the United States. He was the first player to be revealed as a professional , as well as the first Jewish player...
, but ultimately took no action against either the club or the players. To address this growing practice, and to restore integrity to the game, at its December 1868
1868 in sports
-Baseball:National championship* National Association of Base Ball Players champion – New York MutualsEvents* A few clubs count base hits and total bases on hits for every player, beside the commonplace "official scoring" of runs and times put out * In December the National Association permits full...
meeting the NABBP established a professional category for the 1869
1869 in sports
-American football:College championship* College football national championship – Princeton Tigers and Rutgers Scarlet Knights Events...
season. Clubs desiring to pay players were now free to declare themselves professional
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
.
Cincinnati
Cincinnati Red Stockings
The Cincinnati Red Stockings of were baseball's first fully 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 1867–1870, a time of a transition that ambitious Cincinnati,...
was the first to so declare and among the most aggressive in recruiting the best available players. Twelve, including most of the strongest clubs in the NABBP, ultimately declared themselves professional for the 1869
1869 in sports
-American football:College championship* College football national championship – Princeton Tigers and Rutgers Scarlet Knights Events...
season.
Conflict arose, however, between amateur and professional interests. Important issues included how the championship was to be decided and regulating players jumping from one team to another. As a result, in 1871
1871 in sports
-American football:College championship* College football national championship – noneEvents* The 1871 college football season is the only one since the first season in 1869 until the present day that no games are played in the entire season...
most of the leading professional clubs broke away to found 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...
. The NABBP continued for approximately two years thereafter in a diminished status before disbanding into state and regional organizations.
Members
Contrary to the organization name, NABBP members were clubs not players. Generally the clubs joined the association and retained membership by sending delegates to the annual convention, usually in the preceding December (the ancestor of baseball's so-called Winter Meetings). Membership mediated by state associations was introduced only after ten years; then dozens of clubs from a distant state (or even New Jersey) could join and remain in the NABBP by organizing a state association whose delegates would participate in the national meeting.The number of clubs at the convention, and thus in the association, increased from 16 to 25 to 50 by spring 1859. This list gives the sixteen who convened in 1857 followed by the three later members who survived to be charter members of the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
in 1876; none of the sixteen did so.
- Brooklyn: Brooklyn AtlanticsBrooklyn AtlanticsThe Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn was baseball's first champion and its first dynasty.Established in 1855, Atlantic was a founding member of the National Association of Base Ball Players in 1857. In 1859, with a record of 11 wins and 1 loss, Atlantic emerged as the recognized champions of...
(to 1870, professional), Brooklyn Bedford (1857), Brooklyn Continental (to 1863), Brooklyn Eckfords (to 1870, professional), Brooklyn Excelsior (to 1870, amateur), Brooklyn Harmony (1857), Brooklyn Nassau (to 1859), Brooklyn Olympic (1857 and 1859), Brooklyn Putnam (to 1862) - Morrisania (now in the Bronx): Union (to 1870, professional) --that is, the Union of Morrisania
- New York: New York Baltic (to 1863 and later?), New York Eagle (to 1869?), New York Empire (to 1869), New York Gotham (to 1870, amateur), New York Harlem (to 1869?), New York Knickerbocker (to 1868?) --who would go down in history as the New York KnickerbockersNew York KnickerbockersThe New York Knickerbockers were one of the first organized baseball teams which played under a set of rules similar to the game today. The team was founded by Alexander Cartwright, considered one of the original developers of modern baseball....
- New York MutualsNew York MutualsThe 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...
(1858–1870, professional) - Philadelphia AthleticAthletic of PhiladelphiaAthletic of Philadelphia was a prominent National Association, and later National League, professional baseball team that played in the second half of the 19th century.-Early History:...
(1861–1870, professional) - Chicago White StockingsChicago CubsThe 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...
(1870, professional)
The five named in bold continued as sometime members of the 1871–1875 National Association
National Association
National Association can refer to;* National Association, or "N.A.", the official designation of federally chartered banks in the United States....
, the first professional league
Professional sports league organization
Professional sports leagues are organized in numerous ways. The two most significant types are a European model, characterised by a tiered structure using promotion and relegation to determine participation in a hierarchy of leagues or divisions and a North American model characterized by its use...
. Dates refer to NABBP membership, not baseball activity or legal organization, but not all clubs retained membership annually; in particular, the Civil War curtailed membership for 1862 to 1865.
Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
is one of the cities across the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
from New York. Eight Newark clubs were sometime members and two more clubs from Newark, Empire in 1858 and Eckford in 1870, played matches with member clubs.
- Newark members, all years, ordered by first membership: Newark Base Ball Club (1860–1869) --that is, "Newark of Newark" or "Newark Newarks", Newark EurekasNewark Eurekas-Eureka Baseball Club of Newark:The Eureka team was part of the NABBP in the 1850's and 1860's. The Eureka Club first began playing other members of the NABBP in 1860. They played at a field at Ferry Street and Adams Street in the Ironbound.-Players*:...
(1860–1869), Newark AdriaticsNewark Adriatics-Adriatic Base Ball Club of Newark:The Adriatic club was a member of the National Association of Base Ball Players before the American Civil War. The Adriatics first played another member in September 1857 and joined the NABBP for the 1858 to 1861 seasons.-Games:...
(1861–1862), Newark Americus (1865–1869), Newark Pioneer (1865–1867), Newark Active (1867-?), Newark Excelsior (1869), Newark Amateur (1870)
The members farthest from New York in the early years were the Liberty club of New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
in 1858, the only one of 25 members outside modern New York City; Niagara of Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
in 1859, when the next furthest of 50 members was based in Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
; and Detroit of Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
in 1860, when five of 59 members were from outside New Jersey and New York states, the other four being in Washington, Baltimore, New Haven, and Boston. Six Philadelphia clubs joined for 1861 but war curtailed the season; some of the 55 members never played a game of any kind. Then the war curtailed membership for 1862 until 1866 when some pre-war members rejoined.
For 1865 there were only 30 members with not one in New England and western outliers merely in Washington, Altoona
Altoona, Pennsylvania
-History:A major railroad town, Altoona was founded by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1849 as the site for a shop complex. Altoona was incorporated as a borough on February 6, 1854, and as a city under legislation approved on April 3, 1867, and February 8, 1868...
in central Pennsylvania, and Utica in central New York state. But the December 1865 meeting attracted triple the membership with scattered clubs from Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. During the next three seasons, the association "filled" with clubs from St Louis and Iowa to Boston and Maine. By 1867 there were too many delegates to handle in convention, so membership via state associations was introduced for 1868 and, perhaps for that reason, there is no reliable enumeration of the members from 1868 to 1870.
Champions
The 18571857 in sports
-Baseball:National championship* National Association of Base Ball Players champion – Brooklyn Atlantics* In May, sixteen base ball clubs from modern New York City convene and revise the rules including replacement of 21 runs by 9 innings...
Atlantic Club
Brooklyn Atlantics
The Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn was baseball's first champion and its first dynasty.Established in 1855, Atlantic was a founding member of the National Association of Base Ball Players in 1857. In 1859, with a record of 11 wins and 1 loss, Atlantic emerged as the recognized champions of...
of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
and the 1858
1858 in sports
-Baseball:National championship* National Association of Base Ball Players champion – New York MutualsEvents* "All New York" and "All Brooklyn" Nines play three matches at the Fashion Race Course in Queens, with the All New York Nine winning the first and third...
Mutual Club
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...
of New York appear to have been recognized as the best clubs of these respective seasons, but scheduling was insufficient overall between New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
clubs to establish a definitive champion
Champion
A champion is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition.There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, and even further divisions at one or more of these levels, as in soccer. Their champions...
. In 1859
1859 in sports
1859 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Australian rules football:Events* 14 May — Melbourne Football Club is founded* 17 May — Australian rules football is codified* 18 July — Geelong Football Club is founded-Baseball:...
, though, Atlantic did emerge as decisive champions of baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
with an overall record of 11 wins and 1 loss and series victories over both Eckford of Brooklyn
Eckford of Brooklyn
Eckford of Brooklyn, or simply Eckford, was an American baseball club from 1855 to 1872. When the pioneering Union Grounds opened for baseball in 1862, the Eckfords must have been the most important tenant, for they played more games than any other club that year and won the "national"...
and Mutual. Thereafter, a formalized challenge system developed whereby the championship, symbolized by a "pennant", would change hands upon the defeat of the existing champion in a two out of three series. Such "series" could actually occur over several weeks or months, with games against other clubs played in between, so the format does not closely resemble the modern World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
in determining baseball's champion. But a series was limited to a season; one win in one or two games did not carry over to next spring.
Without a regular schedule of games, neither the number of wins nor winning percentage necessarily indicates team strength, much less identifies the best team or a credible champion. A challenge format makes sense for that purpose, and it fits the convention whereby contestants meet on the field with money or a trophy at stake. A trophy base ball, provided by the home club and used in the game, was commonly at stake; the pennant provided by the Association was a second trophy at stake in some games. Unfortunately, the strongest team in a given year did not always have an opportunity to play for the championship, as the strongest boxer or chess player may annually have an opportunity in the challenge formats that developed in those sports.
Indeed, in several NABBP seasons it appears that the strongest team never played a series for the championship, including at least Athletic of Philadelphia
Athletic of Philadelphia
Athletic of Philadelphia was a prominent National Association, and later National League, professional baseball team that played in the second half of the 19th century.-Early History:...
in 1868
1868 in sports
-Baseball:National championship* National Association of Base Ball Players champion – New York MutualsEvents* A few clubs count base hits and total bases on hits for every player, beside the commonplace "official scoring" of runs and times put out * In December the National Association permits full...
and the Cincinnati Red Stockings
Cincinnati Red Stockings
The Cincinnati Red Stockings of were baseball's first fully 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 1867–1870, a time of a transition that ambitious Cincinnati,...
in 1869
1869 in sports
-American football:College championship* College football national championship – Princeton Tigers and Rutgers Scarlet Knights Events...
. The latter were undefeated, with victories over all of the leading clubs (including ultimate 1868 and 1869 champions Mutual and Atlantic), but they never faced a reigning champion in a deciding game, partly because in scheduling tours of continental scope they practically opted out.
Decisive games were also marred by disputes. In 1860
1860 in sports
-Baseball:National championship* National Association of Base Ball Players champion – Brooklyn AtlanticsEvents* The Excelsior club from Brooklyn, led by the sensational fast pitcher Jim Creighton, tours as far as Buffalo, New York, spreading the game, advanced points of play and baseball...
, reigning champion Atlantic of Brooklyn and challenger Excelsior of Brooklyn
Excelsior of Brooklyn
The Brooklyn Excelsiors were an amateur baseball team that played in Brooklyn, New York. Formed in 1854, the Excelsior ballclub featured stars such as Jim Creighton, Asa Brainard, and Candy Cummings.-1860 Championship Season:...
split their first two games. In the third, Excelsior was leading 8-6 and had men on base, but chose to withdraw because of rowdy behavior by Atlantic partisans and gamblers. The game was declared a draw, and the championship retained by Atlantic.
In 1870
1870 in sports
-American football:College championship* College football national championship – Princeton TigersEvents* Columbia Lions joins the college football circuit and loses to Rutgers Scarlet Knights in its only game. Princeton Tigers beats Rutgers...
, Mutual of New York was leading 13-12 in the deciding game of its series with 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...
when Mutual left the field in protest. Officials decided to revert the score to the end of the last completed inning and awarded the game, and thus the championship, to Chicago. The Mutual club declared itself champion.
- 1859 Atlantic of BrooklynBrooklyn AtlanticsThe Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn was baseball's first champion and its first dynasty.Established in 1855, Atlantic was a founding member of the National Association of Base Ball Players in 1857. In 1859, with a record of 11 wins and 1 loss, Atlantic emerged as the recognized champions of...
- 1860 Atlantic of BrooklynBrooklyn AtlanticsThe Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn was baseball's first champion and its first dynasty.Established in 1855, Atlantic was a founding member of the National Association of Base Ball Players in 1857. In 1859, with a record of 11 wins and 1 loss, Atlantic emerged as the recognized champions of...
- 1861 Atlantic of BrooklynBrooklyn AtlanticsThe Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn was baseball's first champion and its first dynasty.Established in 1855, Atlantic was a founding member of the National Association of Base Ball Players in 1857. In 1859, with a record of 11 wins and 1 loss, Atlantic emerged as the recognized champions of...
- 1862 Eckford of BrooklynEckford of BrooklynEckford of Brooklyn, or simply Eckford, was an American baseball club from 1855 to 1872. When the pioneering Union Grounds opened for baseball in 1862, the Eckfords must have been the most important tenant, for they played more games than any other club that year and won the "national"...
- 1863 Eckford of BrooklynEckford of BrooklynEckford of Brooklyn, or simply Eckford, was an American baseball club from 1855 to 1872. When the pioneering Union Grounds opened for baseball in 1862, the Eckfords must have been the most important tenant, for they played more games than any other club that year and won the "national"...
- 1864 Atlantic of BrooklynBrooklyn AtlanticsThe Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn was baseball's first champion and its first dynasty.Established in 1855, Atlantic was a founding member of the National Association of Base Ball Players in 1857. In 1859, with a record of 11 wins and 1 loss, Atlantic emerged as the recognized champions of...
- 1865 Atlantic of BrooklynBrooklyn AtlanticsThe Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn was baseball's first champion and its first dynasty.Established in 1855, Atlantic was a founding member of the National Association of Base Ball Players in 1857. In 1859, with a record of 11 wins and 1 loss, Atlantic emerged as the recognized champions of...
- 1866 Atlantic of BrooklynBrooklyn AtlanticsThe Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn was baseball's first champion and its first dynasty.Established in 1855, Atlantic was a founding member of the National Association of Base Ball Players in 1857. In 1859, with a record of 11 wins and 1 loss, Atlantic emerged as the recognized champions of...
- 1867 Union of Morrisania
- 1868 Mutual of New YorkNew York MutualsThe 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...
- 1869 Atlantic of BrooklynBrooklyn AtlanticsThe Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn was baseball's first champion and its first dynasty.Established in 1855, Atlantic was a founding member of the National Association of Base Ball Players in 1857. In 1859, with a record of 11 wins and 1 loss, Atlantic emerged as the recognized champions of...
- 1870 Chicago White StockingsChicago CubsThe 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...
Teams with most wins
The won-lost-tied records compiled by Marshall Wright (2000) are not consistently limited to matches between NABBP members.- 1857 Atlantic (Brooklyn, NY) 7-1-1
- 1858 Mutual (New York, NY) 11-1
- 1859 Excelsior (Brooklyn, NY) 12-3
- 1860 Excelsior (Brooklyn, NY) 18-2-1
- 1861 Mutual (New York, NY) 8-2
- 1862 Eckford (Brooklyn, NY) 14-2
- 1863 Eckford (Brooklyn, NY) 10-0
- 1864 Atlantic (Brooklyn, NY) 20-0-1
- 1865 Atlantic (Brooklyn, NY) 18-0
- 1866 Union (Morrisania, NY) 25-3
- 1867 Athletic (Philadelphia, PA) 44-3
- 1868 Athletic (Philadelphia, PA) 47-3
- 1869 Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH) 57-0
- 1870 Mutual (New York, NY) 68-17-3