- Series: Pioneer Portraits I: 1850-1874
- City: Cincinnati
- Team: Red Stockings (NABBP)
- League: National Association (NABBP)
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
William Henry Wright (1835-1895) established professional baseball on the American landscape with his 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, a team with which he show-cased the game that was to become the true national pastime. His influence on the sport is incalculable. For 25 years Wright led as player, manager, executive, and chief of umpires. Perhaps his greatest contribution was inspiring true team-spirit. He invented such staples as signals, platooning, hit-and-run, communication among players and a nascent farm system.
- Managed his teams to over 1200 wins, a .581%, winning six championships
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1953
- Series: Pioneer Portraits I: 1850-1874
- City: Troy
- Team: Haymakers
- League: National Association (NABBP)
Thomas Jefferson York (1850-1936) began playing amateur ball on a big stage with the National Association of Base Ball Players’ Powhatans of Brooklyn in 1869. He joined the Troy Haymakers in 1871 as their left fielder in the now openly professional NAPBBP. Tom stayed in the nascent pro circuit with the Baltimore Canaries and Philadelphia White Stockings through the 1874 season. The following year saw York in Hartford with the Blues and migrated with the club to the new National League in 1876. The team became the Hartfords of Brooklyn in 1877. He really came into his own when he was signed by the Providence Grays in ‘78, beginning a five-year tenure during which he led the league in several batting categories including total bases and triples. He hit over .300 three of the five years and also served as the team’s first manager. He moved to Cleveland’s Blues in 1883 and finished his long career back in Baltimore with the Orioles of the American Association 1884-1885.
- York was pretty good. In 963 games over 15 professional seasons he fell just short of 1,100 hits and sported a .273 career average
- A few years ago, a Cardinals blogger with time on his hands one Fourth of July determined the all-time major league roster of players sharing the name of a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson York made the squad, along with Thomas Jefferson Davis Bridges.
- Series: Pioneer Portraits I: 1850-1874
- City: Washington, D.C.
- Team: Nationals
- League: National Association (NAPBBP)
Nicholas Ephraim Young (1840-1916) shepherded the National League from its inception in 1876 until the strains of dealing with the upstart AL caused his departure in 1902. Young was president from 1885-1902. Led the “Senior Circuit” during tumultuous years of job actions (the Players’ League), merger with the American Association in 1892, and the arrival of the competing American League.
- A former cricket player & government official, Young played amateur ball in Washington D.C.
- Organized the meeting that established the first pro league (Nat’l Assoc of Pro BB Players)
- His struggle to survive as NL leader against Al Spalding’s bid led to a compromise choice: Harry Pulliam
Ars Longa Store
Newsletter
