It was March 15, 1869, when Harry Wright and his team made a bold move that would forever reshape the landscape of American sports. By turning the Cincinnati Red Stockings into the first fully professional baseball club, they transformed what had been a leisurely pastime into a genuine career path.
Baseball during the mid-19th century was largely an amateur affair — a gentleman's game played through clubs that valued sportsmanship above all else. But as the sport's popularity surged, so did the practice of compensating players. The Cincinnati Base Ball Club, established in 1866, embraced a more forward-thinking professional approach. When the decision was made to officially pay players in 1869, the club earned its place in history as America's first professional baseball team. Talent was recruited from across the country, with standout players hailing from Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and New York. Among those recruited were Harry and George Wright, both of whom would eventually be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
The Red Stockings kicked off their journey on May 4, 1869, crushing the Cincinnati-based Great Western Base Ball Club 45–9 in their very first game. From there, they ran the table on every opponent they faced, finishing with a jaw-dropping 64-0 record — which included a stunning 57-0 mark against the National Association of Baseball Players. Along the way, they became the first baseball club to play on both coasts during a grueling cross-country trip, and they notched a hard-fought 4-2 victory over the Mutual Baseball Club of New York. These accomplishments established new benchmarks for player compensation and demonstrated that professional baseball could truly work. Recognizing this monumental shift, the NABBP formally permitted professional teams in 1869.
Financial difficulties ultimately forced the Cincinnati Red Stockings to disband in 1871, but the story didn't end there. Harry Wright, along with several of his teammates, went on to establish the Boston Red Stockings — a franchise whose influence on professional baseball's early years was profound and that would eventually become the Atlanta Braves. The legacy of the Cincinnati Red Stockings extended well beyond their own time, helping shape the creation of the National League and, ultimately, Major League Baseball itself.