In the collection is the autograph of Harry Wright, the founder of the first professional baseball team. By virtue of his death on October 3, 1895, Wright’s signature remains on the want list of many advanced collectors.

A true pioneer of the game, he his death was felt deeply by fellow pioneer Albert Spalding who said, “No death among the professional fraternity has occurred which elicited such painful regret.” Henry Chadwick wrote Wright’s passing. “[Harry Wright was] the most widely known, best respected, and most popular of the exponents and representatives of professional baseball, of which he was virtually the founder.”

Harry Wright was the manager of the Providence Grays the day they took the field against the Buffalo Bisons on June 5, 1883. In the collection is this scorecard from that game in which Wright penned his “HW” initials initialed in the scorer’s box. The Buffalo team has four future members of the Hall of Fame in the lineup including Jim O’Rourke, Deacon White,Dan Brouthers, and Pud Galvin.

Switching things up, manager Harry Wright placed Charles “Old Hoss” Radbourn in left field for this contest on June 5, 1883. Old Hoss responded by hitting a pair of singles in five at bats. Wright’s score book from that season surfaced in the hobby and was broken up into individual games.

Filled out entirely in the hand of HoFer Harry Wright, this scorecard features the game of May 19, 1883. Old Hoss Radbourn was the Providence Gray’s starting right fielder though he would later pitch in the game. Rabourn went 1-for-4 with a run scored. Wright was the Providence’s manager for 1882 and 1883.

With Hall of Famer Harry Wright as their manager, the Boston Red Stockings faced the Troy Trojans on 7/29/1881 with Hall of Fame pitcher Tim Keefe on the hill. In the collection is Wright’s scorecard from that day filled out entirely in his hand and initialed “HW” in the space provided to identify the scorekeeper. Along with Keefe who batted eighth in the Troy lineup is Roger Connor who was the career home run leader before the emergence of Babe Ruth. Born before the start of the US Civil War, Keefe’s signature remains elusive for even the most advanced collectors. His autograph is not yet in the collection.

Turning to the Boston side of Harry Wright’s scorecard we see the Red Stockings lineup. Wright guided his club to a 10-3 win over the Trojans with Hall of Fame pitcher Tim Keefe taking one of his 27 losses that season. Keefe would quickly turn things around averaging more than 35 wins per season from 1883-1889, posting a total of 250 wins during the seven-year run. Wright’s team included leadoff man Ross Barnes, one of the game’s greatest – and most forgotten – hitters. From 1871-1876 Barnes hit .398, including lead-leading seasons with averages of .429, .430, and .431.