1887-1891
The Spiders first fielded a team in the American Association (then a major league) in 1887. At the time, they were known as the Cleveland Forest Citys or Cleveland Blues. The team was organized by Frank Robison, who eventually brought his brother Stanley aboard to help run the club.
The Forest Citys were a weak team in their early years. In 1889, they moved to the National League and became known as the Spiders. They started to improve in 1891, largely due to the signing of future Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young.
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