1871
The Executive Board now led by President A.P.C. Bonte recommended November 21 that the club not employ a nine for 1871, for that had become too expensive. The spokesmen anticipated "a development of the amateur talent of our club, such as has not been displayed since we employed professionals." The officers subsequently decided to disband the company (the players having disbanded via the market) and a public meeting of the members put that decision into effect (Ellard : 155-56).
Harry Wright was hired by founder and president Ivers Whitney Adams to organize a new pro club in Boston and he signed three Cincinnati teammates to join the 1871 Boston Red Stockings in the first professional league, as it turned out. Ex-Cincinnati Red Stockings moved around some (see the note on Team members) but Boston retained both Wright brothers throughout the five years of the National Association.
The current Cincinnati Reds club identify the Cincinnati Red Stockings with the modern Cincinnati Reds. While there is a small precedent for this sort of historical understanding of club continuity in other countries, the current Reds are commonly understood to date from 1881. At most, the 1866 Red Stockings are understood to have established a point of reference for 'Red' nicknames down the years and a basis for fan identification and club marketing in Cincinnati.
The distinct Boston Red Stockings, beginning business with half of the Cincinnati team, both followed the young tradition and spread it to Boston. Eventually the Boston Red Stockings adopted the name Boston Braves; the club is now based in Atlanta, and still retains red as one of its uniform colors. The Boston Red Sox, established in 1901, adopted their version of the old nickname in 1908.
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