Harry Wright
| Birthdate | 1/10/1835 |
| Death Date | 10/3/1895 |
| Debut Year | 1876 |
| Year of Induction | 1953 |
| Teams | Grays, Phillies, Red Stockings (National Association), Red Stockings (NL), Reds |
| Positions | Center Field, Executive, Manager |
Harry Wright, HoF class of 1953 assembled, managed, and played center field for the Cincinnati Red Stockings, the first professional team.
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In the collection:
Harry Wright founded the first all-professional baseball team
Harry Wright founded the first all-professional baseball team
Born in Sheffield, England on January 10, 1835 Harry Wright became the father of professional baseball. At the age of 14 Wright dropped out of school and became a professional cricket player.
He was playing cricket at Elysian Fields in Hoboken, New Jersey when he saw his first baseball game. Wright developed a fascination with the New York Knickerbockers and joined the team in the 1860s. Soon he became their first openly-professional player.
After the Civil War Wright switched his allegiances to the Cincinnati team. Soon he decided to assemble the best baseball team in America. That took money. With financial backers in his corner, Wright soon had the game’s first professional team.
The best player on Wright’s team was the shortstop, his brother George. In 1869, his Cincinnati Red Stockings played 57 games without a loss. The next year other teams better competed with Cincinnati and the Red Stockings were disbanded.
Harry and George moved to Boston and created a new version of the Red Stockings that competed in the National Association. Harry played from 1871-1877 and managed until 1893. His teams won six league championships.
For his efforts, Wright was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953.
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.
Wright managed Boston Red Stockings teams for 11 seasons
Wright managed Boston Red Stockings teams for 11 seasons
Shown here is a scorecard filled out entirely in Harry Wright’s hand. This contest took place July 29, 1881.
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 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.
Here's the Troy Trojans' side of the scorecard from 1881
Here's the Troy Trojans' side of the scorecard from 1881
With Hall of Famer Harry Wright as their manager, the Boston Red Stockings faced the Troy Trojans on 7/29/1881. Future Hall of Fame pitcher Tim Keefe on the hill for Troy. He batted eighth.
The second batter in the Troy lineup is Roger Connor. The first baseman was the career home run leader before the emergence of Babe Ruth.
Wright’s Red Stockings walloped the Trojans 10-3.
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.
Many pitchers in the infancy of baseball were also position players
Many pitchers in the infancy of baseball were also position players
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. Later he pitched in the and went 1-for-4 with a run scored.
In the infancy of professional baseball pitchers often played other positions. The practice was necessary because of the game’s economics.
Old Hoss Radbourn pitched in 527 games and won 310 contests. He also played 151 games as a position player. Though he appeared at all of the infield positions except catcher, the bulk of his games came in the outfield.
Radbourn hit .235 with 9 homers and 259 runs batted in during his 12-year big league career.
Buffalo's 1883 team featured four Hall of Fame players
Buffalo's 1883 team featured four Hall of Fame players
Harry Wright managed the Providence Grays to a 110-72 record in his two years as the team’s skipper. On June 5, 1883, his club took the field against the Buffalo Bisons.
That day all four of Buffalo’s future Hall of Fame players were in the lineup. Player/manager Jim O’Rourke penciled himself in as the leadoff hitter and catcher. His batterymate was Pud Galvin, the game’s first 300-game winner.
Deacon White hit in the three-hole and played third base while Dan Brouthers hit cleanup and played first.
Despite facing a star-studded lineup, Wright’s team beat the Bisons 10-6. Galvin took the loss, one of 29 that season for the hurler. He also won 46 in 1883, the second most in the league.
In the collection is this scorecard from that game. Note that Wright penned his “HW” initials initialed in the scorer’s box.
Wright's Providence team went 58-40 in 1883
Wright's Providence team went 58-40 in 1883
Shown here is Harry Wright’s scorecard from June 5, 1883. That day his Providence Grays beat the Buffalo Bisons 10-6.
Hall of Fame pitcher Charles “Old Hoss” hit fifth in the lineup that day and played left field. That season he led the league with 48 wins.
Old Hoss hit a pair of singles in five at bats as the Grays improved to 15-9. By season’s end Providence tallied a 58-40 record, finishing behind first-place Boston.
