Andy Leonard - Cincinnati

Cincinnati

In 1868 "Andy" and teammate Charlie Sweasy moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, and joined the Buckeyes, the chief local rival of the Red Stockings; the move suggests that he was somehow compensated by club members if not by the club.

When the NABBP permitted professionalism for 1869, Leonard was one of five new men hired by Harry Wright of the Cincinnati Red Stockings to complete the first fully professional team. He was paid $800 for the eight months from March 15 to November 15, the standard rate, while four men earned more.

All of the Red Stockings had previously played in the infield; Wright put Leonard in left, then the most active outfield position. He played nine of the next ten seasons as Harry Wright's regular left fielder, although as a right-handed thrower with early infield experience he filled in at second, third, and shortstop, too.

Years later, the son of officer George Ellard recalled the skills of each player in words of praise. Ellard (1908: 101) called the "jolly, good-natured fellow ... of Irvington-Buckeye fame" a brilliant left fielder but noted that "he ranked the best as a batsman." The limited statistical record shows that he was one of the strong supporting players during the Red Stockings innings, perhaps third behind George Wright and Waterman over the two seasons, but that may be said of a few others. In two years he played 128 of 131 games in the record books, one of six who played essentially without interruption. More important, he filled in at shortstop for about 15 games that Wright did not play in 1870.

Cincinnati toured the continent undefeated in 1869 and may have been the strongest team in 1870, but the club dropped professional base ball after the second season.