National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
Encyclopedia
The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (NAPBBP), or simply the National Association (NA), was founded in 1871 and continued through the 1875 season. It succeeded and incorporated several professional clubs from the National Association of Base Ball Players
(NABBP); in turn several of its clubs created the succeeding National League
, which essentially survives as professional baseball
.
The NA was the first professional baseball league. Its status as a major league is in dispute
. Major League Baseball
and the Baseball Hall of Fame do not recognize it as a major league, but the NA comprised most of the professional clubs and the highest caliber of play then in existence. Its players, managers, and umpires are included among the "major leaguers" who define the scope of many encyclopedias and many databases developed by SABR or Retrosheet.
Several factors limited the lifespan of the National Association including
The Encyclopedia of Baseball attempted to retrofit the names into a modern context, possibly introducing some confusion. In the following list, the bold names are the names most often used by contemporary newspapers in league standings, and the linked names after them are those typically ascribed to the teams now, using the Encyclopedia of Baseball standard.
(There are 23 listings, which may be the lowest number of member ballclubs that anyone counts. The highest number may be 26, counting two for the Chicago listing and three for the National listing.)
Another common practice was to refer to the team in the plural; hence the "Bostons" the "Chicagos"... or the "Mutuals". Hence some additional confusion for modern readers.
Sometimes the team would have a nickname, usually something to do with the team colors. Examples: Boston Red Stockings, Chicago White Stockings, Mutual Green Stockings. A more recent equivalent to this occurred when the Pacific Coast League
had two teams in San Francisco, called "San Francisco" and "Mission". The teams were officially the "Seals" and the "Reds" respectively. However, the second team was also often called the "Missions". The Mission Reds, actually represented a distinct neighborhood in San Francisco called the Mission District. In this way, their name parallels the PCL's Hollywood Stars
or the National League's Brooklyn Dodgers, teams that represented a distinct neighborhood or borough of a city that was already represented in the same league with another team (though Brooklyn was an independent city, distinct from New York, at the time the Dodgers formed).
This practice of using the singular form of the "nickname" as the team name faded with time, although as recently as the early 1900s, the team generally known as "Philadelphia Athletics
" was shown in the American League
standings as "Athletic", the traditional way. That team sported an old-English "A" on its jerseys, as had its nominative predecessors. The Oakland uniforms are a quiet reminder of this tradition.
The closest equivalent in modern sports franchises is to assign a name that reflects the region that the team wants to represent. The Rangers
have always played in Arlington
, Texas
, but the team is listed as "Texas" in the standings because that is what the team calls itself: The Texas Rangers, not the Arlington Texans. This idea came full circle: in the early 1870s, there were the Mutual Green Stockings of New York. In 2005, there were the newly redubbed Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
.
Several others found the National Association of Amateur Base Ball Players. It does not survive long or inspire a replacement, so the short forms professional association and amateur association do not survive long.
NA Players in the Baseball Hall of Fame
National Association of Base Ball Players
The National Association of Base Ball Players was the first organization governing American baseball. The first, 1857 convention of sixteen New York City clubs...
(NABBP); in turn several of its clubs created the succeeding 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...
, which essentially survives as professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
.
The NA was the first professional baseball league. Its status as a major league is in dispute
National Association as a major league
Whether to cover the National Association as a major league is a recurring and crucial matter of difference in historical work on American baseball—that is, among historians, encyclopedists, database builders, and others who work on the facts of baseball history on the playing field.- First...
. Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
and the Baseball Hall of Fame do not recognize it as a major league, but the NA comprised most of the professional clubs and the highest caliber of play then in existence. Its players, managers, and umpires are included among the "major leaguers" who define the scope of many encyclopedias and many databases developed by SABR or Retrosheet.
Several factors limited the lifespan of the National Association including
- Dominance by a single team (Boston) for most of the league's existence
- Instability of franchises; several were placed in cities too small to financially support professional baseball
- Lack of central authority
- Suspicions of the influence of gamblers
Member Clubs
Professional baseball clubs in the 19th century were often known by what is now regarded as a "nickname", although it was actually the club's name. This was a practice carried over from the amateur days.The Encyclopedia of Baseball attempted to retrofit the names into a modern context, possibly introducing some confusion. In the following list, the bold names are the names most often used by contemporary newspapers in league standings, and the linked names after them are those typically ascribed to the teams now, using the Encyclopedia of Baseball standard.
- Boston - Boston Red Stockings (1871–1875)
- Chicago - 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...
(1871; 1874–1875) - Forest City - Cleveland Forest CitysCleveland Forest CitysThe Forest Citys were a short lived professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio in the early 1870s. The actual name of the team, as shown in standings, was Forest City, not "Cleveland". The name "Forest Citys" was used in the same generic style of the day in which the team from Chicago,...
(1871–1872) - Kekionga - Fort Wayne KekiongasFort Wayne KekiongasThe Fort Wayne Kekiongas were a professional baseball team, notable for winning the first professional league game on May 4, 1871. Kekionga - pronounced KEY-key-awn-guh - is the name of Chief Little Turtle's Miami Indian settlement where the St. Joseph River and the St. Mary's River join to form...
(1871) - Mutual - 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...
(1871–1875) - Athletic - Philadelphia Athletics (1871–1875)
- Forest City - Rockford Forest CitysRockford Forest CitysRockford 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:...
(1871) (A second league club with the same name as the Cleveland entry) - Troy - Troy HaymakersTroy HaymakersThe Troy Haymakers were an American professional baseball team.-History:Established in 1860 as the Union base ball club of neighboring Lansingburgh, New York, the Haymakers participated in the first professional pennant race of 1869 and joined the first professional league, the 1871 National...
(1871–1872) - Olympic - Washington OlympicsWashington OlympicsThe Olympic Club of Washington, D.C., or Washington Olympics, was an early professional baseball team.When the National Association of Base Ball Players permitted openly professional clubs for the 1869 season, the Olympics were one of twelve to go pro...
(1871–1872) - Atlantic - 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...
(1872–1875) - Eckford - Brooklyn EckfordsEckford 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"...
(1872) - Lord Baltimore - Baltimore CanariesBaltimore CanariesThe Baltimore Canaries were a professional baseball club in the National Association from 1872 to 1874.-History:The team was usually listed as Lord Baltimore in the box scores of the day, and were also referred to as the Yellow Stockings...
(1872–1874) - Mansfield - Middletown MansfieldsMiddletown MansfieldsThe Middletown Mansfields were a Baseball team in Middletown, Connecticut. The Mansfields were a member of the National Association in 1872. The baseball team was organized by Ben Douglas Jr., who named the team after his great-uncle General Joseph Mansfield. They were managed by catcher John...
(1872) - National - Washington NationalsWashington Nationals (NA)The Washington Nationals were the first important baseball club in the nation's capital. They played part of one season or parts of two seasons in the National Association, the first professional league, so they are considered a major league team by those who count the NA as a major league...
(1872; 1875) Washington Blue LegsWashington Blue LegsThe Washington Blue Legs, or less commonly known as the Washington Nationals, were a professional baseball team established in Washington, D.C., and played their home games at the Nationals Grounds and the Olympics Grounds...
(1873) (These may have been three distinct clubs, which would bring the count to 25 members.) - Maryland - Baltimore MarylandsBaltimore MarylandsThe Baltimore Marylands were a short-lived professional baseball team that existed in the National Association season. Their existence consisted of a six games from April 14 to July 11, and finished with a win–loss record of 0-6...
(1873) (played at Madison Avenue GroundsMadison Avenue GroundsMadison Avenue Grounds was a baseball ground located in Baltimore, Maryland. It was built by the Waverly Club as the first enclosed ballpark in Baltimore, with spectator seating and player clubhouses, and was the site of the first intercity game played in Baltimore on September 22, 1860; it was...
) - Philadelphia - Philadelphia White StockingsPhiladelphia White StockingsThe Philadelphia White Stockings were an early professional baseball team. They were a member of the National Association from 1873 to 1875. Their home games were played at the Jefferson Street Grounds...
(1873-1875) (also sometimes called "Pearls" or "Phillies") - Resolute - Elizabeth ResolutesElizabeth ResolutesThe Elizabeth Resolutes were a 19th-century professional baseball team based in Elizabeth, New Jersey. They were a member of the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players for the season, and played their home games at Waverly Fairgrounds....
(1873) - Hartford - Hartford Dark BluesHartford Dark BluesThe Hartford Dark Blues were a 19th century baseball team. The team was based in Hartford, Connecticut.-History:They were a member of the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players in 1874 and 1875 and the National League in 1876 and 1877...
(1874–1875) - Centennial - Philadelphia CentennialsPhiladelphia CentennialsThe Philadelphia Centennials of 1875 were a short-lived baseball team in the National Association. They won 2 games, lost 12, and did not finish out the season. Their home games were played at Centennial Grounds....
(1875) - Elm City - New Haven Elm CitysNew Haven Elm CitysThe New Haven Elm Citys was a professional baseball team based in New Haven, Connecticut. The existed for one season, in the National Association in . The Elm City played 47 games during their existence, and had a win–loss record of 7–40. They played their home games at the Howard Avenue Grounds...
(1875) - St. Louis - St. Louis Brown StockingsSt. Louis Brown StockingsThe St. Louis Brown Stockings were a professional baseball club based in St. Louis, Missouri from 1875 to 1877.-History:Joining the National Association in the final season of that league, the Brown Stockings were the first team to represent St. Louis in a professional baseball association . The...
(1875) - St. Louis Reds - St. Louis Red StockingsSt. Louis (NA)In the standard short format for identifying professional baseball clubs in the U.S., St. Louis means the "St. Louis" club in the "NA" league...
(1875) - Western - Keokuk WesternsKeokuk WesternsThe Western club of Keokuk, Iowa, or Keokuk Westerns, were a professional baseball team in the National Association in 1875, the last season of that first professional league. They are considered a major league team by those who count the NA as a major league....
(1875)
(There are 23 listings, which may be the lowest number of member ballclubs that anyone counts. The highest number may be 26, counting two for the Chicago listing and three for the National listing.)
More on team names
The singular form of a "nickname" was often the team name itself, with its base city "understood" and was so listed in the standings. Example: Rather than "Brooklyn Atlantics", the team was simply called "Atlantic", or "Atlantic of Brooklyn" if deemed necessary by the writer.Another common practice was to refer to the team in the plural; hence the "Bostons" the "Chicagos"... or the "Mutuals". Hence some additional confusion for modern readers.
Sometimes the team would have a nickname, usually something to do with the team colors. Examples: Boston Red Stockings, Chicago White Stockings, Mutual Green Stockings. A more recent equivalent to this occurred when the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
had two teams in San Francisco, called "San Francisco" and "Mission". The teams were officially the "Seals" and the "Reds" respectively. However, the second team was also often called the "Missions". The Mission Reds, actually represented a distinct neighborhood in San Francisco called the Mission District. In this way, their name parallels the PCL's Hollywood Stars
Hollywood Stars
The Hollywood Stars were a minor league baseball team that played in the Pacific Coast League during the early and mid 20th century. They were the arch-rivals of the other Los Angeles based PCL team, the Los Angeles Angels.-Hollywood Stars :...
or the National League's Brooklyn Dodgers, teams that represented a distinct neighborhood or borough of a city that was already represented in the same league with another team (though Brooklyn was an independent city, distinct from New York, at the time the Dodgers formed).
This practice of using the singular form of the "nickname" as the team name faded with time, although as recently as the early 1900s, the team generally known as "Philadelphia Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
" was shown in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
standings as "Athletic", the traditional way. That team sported an old-English "A" on its jerseys, as had its nominative predecessors. The Oakland uniforms are a quiet reminder of this tradition.
The closest equivalent in modern sports franchises is to assign a name that reflects the region that the team wants to represent. The Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
have always played in Arlington
Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. According to the 2010 census results, the city had a population of 365,438, making it the third largest municipality in the Metroplex...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, but the team is listed as "Texas" in the standings because that is what the team calls itself: The Texas Rangers, not the Arlington Texans. This idea came full circle: in the early 1870s, there were the Mutual Green Stockings of New York. In 2005, there were the newly redubbed Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
.
Timeline
- 1869: The previously amateur National Association of Base Ball Players establishes a professional category.
- 1869–70: Cincinnati Red Stockings demonstrate that professional baseball is a viable business enterprise.
- 1871: Several clubs from the National Association of Base Ball Players break away to found the first professional league, the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (NA).
Several others found the National Association of Amateur Base Ball Players. It does not survive long or inspire a replacement, so the short forms professional association and amateur association do not survive long.
- 1876: Six clubs from the NA and two independents establish the National LeagueNational LeagueThe 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...
of Professional Base Ball Clubs: Boston Red Stockings, HartfordHartford Dark BluesThe Hartford Dark Blues were a 19th century baseball team. The team was based in Hartford, Connecticut.-History:They were a member of the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players in 1874 and 1875 and the National League in 1876 and 1877...
, MutualNew 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...
, 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:...
, ChicagoChicago 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...
, and the St. Louis Brown StockingsSt. Louis Brown StockingsThe St. Louis Brown Stockings were a professional baseball club based in St. Louis, Missouri from 1875 to 1877.-History:Joining the National Association in the final season of that league, the Brown Stockings were the first team to represent St. Louis in a professional baseball association . The...
from the NA plus independent clubs LouisvilleLouisville GraysThe Louisville Grays were a 19th century U.S. baseball team and charter member of the National League, based in Louisville, Kentucky. They played two seasons, 1876 and 1877, and compiled a record of 65–61. Their home games were at the Louisville Baseball Park. The Grays were owned by...
and Cincinnati.
Champions
- 18711871 in baseball-Champions:*National Association : Philadelphia Athletics*National Association of Amateur Base Ball Players: Star of Brooklyn, 30–13*National Association of Junior Base Ball Players: Fly Aways-National Association final standings:...
Philadelphia Athletics - 18721872 in baseball- Champions :* National Association: Boston Red Stockings- National Association final standings :-Statistical leaders:- January–March :* March 4 – At its annual convention being held in Cleveland, the NA adopts a rule change to allow the use of the wrist in the pitching delivery.- April–June :*...
Boston Red Stockings - 18731873 in baseball-Champions:*National Association: Boston Red Stockings-National Association final standings:-Statistical leaders:-January–March:*March 3 – For the first time, the NA adopts a standardized ball to be used in all league games.-April–June:...
Boston Red Stockings - 18741874 in baseball-Champions:*National Association: Boston Red Stockings-National Association final standings:-Statistical leaders:-January-March:*January 29 - Albert Spalding arrives in England to set up a tour for the Boston Red Stockings and Philadelphia Athletics to demonstrate American baseball to the...
Boston Red Stockings - 18751875 in baseball-Champions:*National Association: Boston Red Stockings-National Association final standings:-Statistical leaders:-April-June:*May 3 - The Hartford Dark Blues are caught using an illegal bat which had been whittled nearly flat on one side and painted black to conceal the altering...
Boston Red Stockings
NA Presidents
- James W. Kerns 1871
- Robert V. Ferguson 1872–1875
NA Players in the Baseball Hall of FameNational Baseball Hall of Fame and MuseumThe 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...
- Cap AnsonCap AnsonAdrian Constantine Anson , nicknamed "Cap" and "Pop", was a National Association and Major League Baseball first baseman...
- Candy CummingsCandy CummingsWilliam Arthur "Candy" Cummings was a professional baseball pitcher in the National Association and National League who was credited with inventing the curveball. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.-Career:...
- Pud GalvinPud GalvinJames Francis Galvin , nicknamed "Pud", "Gentle Jeems", and "The Little Steam Engine", was an American National Association and Major League Baseball pitcher. He was Major League Baseball's first 300-game winner...
- Jim O'Rourke
- Albert SpaldingAlbert SpaldingAlbert Goodwill Spalding was a professional baseball player, manager and co-founder of A.G. Spalding sporting goods company.-Biography:...
- George Wright
- Harry WrightHarry WrightWilliam Henry "Harry" Wright was an English-born American professional baseball player, manager, and developer. He assembled, managed, and played center field for baseball's first fully professional team, the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings...
NA lifetime leaders
| Stat | Leader | # |
|---|---|---|
| Games Games played Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,... |
Andy Leonard Andy Leonard Andrew Jackson Leonard played left field for the original Cincinnati Red Stockings, the first fully professional baseball team. He was one of five men to play regularly for both the Cincinnati and the Boston Red Stockings, the latter winning six championships during his seven seasons... |
286 |
| Hits Hit (baseball) In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice.... |
Ross Barnes Ross Barnes Charles Roscoe Barnes was one of the stars of baseball's National Association and the early National League , playing second base and shortstop. He played for the dominant Boston Red Stockings teams of the early 1870s, along with Albert Spalding, Cal McVey, George Wright, Harry Wright, Jim... |
540 |
| Runs Run (baseball) In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured... |
Ross Barnes Ross Barnes Charles Roscoe Barnes was one of the stars of baseball's National Association and the early National League , playing second base and shortstop. He played for the dominant Boston Red Stockings teams of the early 1870s, along with Albert Spalding, Cal McVey, George Wright, Harry Wright, Jim... |
462 |
| Wins (pitching) Win (baseball) In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only... |
Albert Spalding Albert Spalding Albert Goodwill Spalding was a professional baseball player, manager and co-founder of A.G. Spalding sporting goods company.-Biography:... |
207 |
| Home run Home run In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process... s |
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... |
15 |
| Runs batted in Run batted in Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI... |
Cal McVey Cal McVey Calvin Alexander McVey was a 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... |
276 |