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George Wright

Shortstop
  • Series: Spearheads
  • City: Boston
  • Team: Red Stockings (NAPBBP)
  • League: National Association (NAPBBP)
  • Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame

George Wright (1847-1937) was considered baseball’s best player while starring for the Cincinnati Red Stockings, the game’s first professional team. He continued to excel at shortstop and at bat for the team his brother Harry moved to Boston in 1871. He co-founded Wright & Ditson Sporting Goods, contributing to tennis, hockey and golf, building America’s first public course. He also fathered two US tennis champions.

  • Wright was a seven-time league champion with Cincinnati, Boston and Providence
  • Was a consultant on the foundation of the National Baseball Hall of Fame
  • Elected to Hall of Fame: 1937

 

 

 

 

Auction History

Cartophilia

  • W.S. Kimball (N184) Canvas:
    Tip O'Neill, Champion Base Ball Batter

Albert Goodwill Spalding

Pitcher
  • Series: Spearheads
  • City: Boston
  • Team: Red Stockings (NAPBBP)
  • League: National Association (NAPBBP)
  • Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame

Albert Goodwill Spalding (1850-1915) was an elite pitcher who retired at age 27 and proceeded to influence the game as few others have. He helped organize the NL, co-founded A.G. Spalding sporting goods, published the game’s first official rules, traveled the world to promote baseball, owned the White Stockings and led an Olympics, leaving one of the great legacies in sport.

  • Was a five-time pennant winner with the Boston Red Stockings and Chicago White Stockings
  • Career 252-65 record with a .796 winning percentage
  • Elected to Hall of Fame: 1939

 

 

 

 

Auction History

Cartophilia

  • W.S. Kimball (N184) Canvas:
    Hardie Henderson, Champion Base Ball Pitcher

Ed Cogswell

First Base
  • Series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
  • City: Boston
  • Team: Red Stockings (NAPBBP)
  • League: National League

Edward Cogswell (1854-1888) was an England-born right-handed first baseman for the Boston Red Stockings, debuting in the majors in July 1879. That season he achieved the sixth highest batting average in the NL. He played two more years for short-lived NL teams, the Troy Trojans and Worcester “Ruby Legs” Worcesters.

  • Was the senior member of the Ruby Legs at age 28
  • Died in Fitchburg MA at age 34

Auction History

Ross Barnes

Second Base
  • Series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
  • City: Boston
  • Team: Red Stockings (NAPBBP)
  • League: National Association (NAPBBP)

Charles Roscoe Barnes (1850-1915) was the best player in the five year history of the fist professional baseball league, the National Association of Professional Baseball Players (NAPBBP), 1871-1875. Barnes is the all-time NAPBBP leader in runs, hits, doubles, walks, stolen bases, total bases, batting average, OBP and SLG%. He then dominated the National League in its inaugural year, 1876, leading the league hits, runs, average, OBP, SLG%, total bases, doubles, triples and walks. He also hit the 1st HR in National League history, for the Chicago White Stockings, 5.2.1876. Over the first six years of his major league career, Barnes' batting average was .397. An unidentified illness limited Barnes to just 22 games in 1877, and he was never the same player again, retiring shortly thereafter at the age of 31.

“Roscoe C. Barnes…was the greatest second baseman the game ever had…” - A History of the Boston Baseball Club, 1897.

"No matter how great you were once upon a time — the years go by, and men forget. Ross Barnes, forty years ago, was as great as Cobb or Wagner ever dared to be. Had scores been kept then as now, he would have seemed incomparably marvelous.” - W.A. Phelan, Baseball Magazine, 1915

  • Because he played in the second game in MLB history, is credited with the 17 other players that day as the 27th player to debut in MLB
  • 1st hitter to win batting titles in 2 leagues: NA in ’72-73 and NL in ‘76
  • In 1918, made Cap Anson’s all-time team as the shortstop
  • Barnes was selected as SABR’s ”Overlooked 19th Century Baseball Legend “ for 2013

Auction History

Albert Goodwill Spalding

Pitcher
  • Series: Pioneer Portraits I: 1850-1874
  • City: Boston
  • Team: Red Stockings (NAPBBP)
  • League: National Association (NAPBBP)
  • Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame

Albert Goodwill Spalding (1850-1915) was an elite pitcher who retired at age 27 and proceeded to influence the game as few others have. He helped organize the National League, co-founded A.G. Spalding sporting goods, published the game’s first official rules, traveled the world to promote baseball, owned the White Stockings and led an Olympics, leaving one of the great legacies in sport.

  • Was a five-time pennant winner with the Boston Red Stockings and Chicago White Stockings
  • Career 252-65 record with a .796 winning percentage
  • Elected to Hall of Fame: 1939

Auction History