Quote:
Originally Posted by westofyou
The Reds were the 1st professional team, the Reds lost a game and the fans lost interest thus the disbanded and the majority of the team went to Boston and formed the "Red Stockings" which became the Beaneaters, which became the Doves, Rustlers and finally the Braves.
They were in the National Association, a league that preceded the National League, the Reds had a charter team in the NL, they had money issues in year one and a few years later they were tossed for wanting to sell beer.
They and some other midwest teams formed the American Association (Beer and Whiskey league) they played throughout the 80's.
In 1890 the players in both leagues formed a "Players League" and that essentially ruined the AA as big league because they lost their flagship teams to the NL as it tried to face off the Players League.
The AA teams that are in the NL are:
Dodgers
Reds
Cards
Pirates
When the NL started the Cubs were in the 1st season (1876), only they and the Braves have played continuously in the NL since then.
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The Cubs/White Stockings were formed in 1870 as a response to the popularity of the Cincinnati Red Stockings. They played in the National Association of Professional Base Ball Clubs. It really wasn't a league; just basically an organization of professional base ball clubs. The championship - or the whip pennant - was decided by winning the best two of three against the holder of the whip pennant. However if one team defeated the reigning whip pennant holder in their first match - or split their first two games - the latter team sometimes backed out of future matches in order to keep their championship. Which exactly what happened to the Red Stockings in 1868. They split their first two games in Cincinnati with the Unions of Morrisiana (the Bronx) and when the Red Stockings went east to play several teams there, the Unions backed out of their match to keep their title.
While the Red Stockings are known as the first professional team, it's more accurate to say they were the first openly professional team. There were other teams that paid most - if not all - their players under the table since it was against the rules to pay players. The National Association of Base Ball players changed this rule before the 1869 season and the Red Stockings were the only team to take advantage of it. They did make money on the whole with a profit of $1.39 for 1869.