Players
Ten men composed the 1869 team and the First Nine returned for 1870 in the same roles.
- Asa Brainard, Pitcher
- Doug Allison, Catcher
- Charlie Gould, First Base
- Charlie Sweasy, Second Base
- Fred Waterman, Third Base
- George Wright, Shortstop
- Andy Leonard, Left Field
- Harry Wright, Center Field/Manager
- Cal McVey, Right Field
- Dick Hurley, substitute
From 1867 Harry Wright fulfilled the duties of modern field managers, general managers, and traveling secretaries. In 1868 he and Brainard shared the pitcher and second base positions with Allison, Gould, and Waterman already manning the other bases. For the crosstown rival Buckeye club, Sweasy and Leonard played second and third with Hurley a substitute. Among them only Gould was a Cincinnati native; the others were from the East, presumably compensated somehow by club members if not by the clubs. (The Association first permitted professional clubs for 1869.) Meanwhile George Wright and McVey played in New York and Indianapolis, primarily at shortstop and pitcher.
For 1871 the Nine split between two teams in the new all-professional National Association: Gould, the Wright brothers, and McVey with the Boston Red Stockings; Brainard, Allison, Sweasy, Waterman, and Leonard with the Washington Olympics. Substitute Hurley is also a "major leaguer" for his brief play with the Olympics in 1872, although that club went out of business midseason and he did not return to the league. The leading substitute in the second season, Harry Deane joined the Fort Wayne Kekiongas in 1871 and later played a full season regularly.
Andy Leonard rejoined Gould, the Wrights, and McVey in Boston for 1872, the first of four consecutive championship seasons there. After one miss Harry won his last two championships as a non-playing manager in 1877-1878 with Leonard and brother George still among his regulars. Gould and McVey left in 1873, although McVey returned for 1874-75 only.
Read more about this topic: Cincinnati Red Stockings
Famous quotes containing the word players:
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