Maybe someone out there can explain something that has bothered me since I moved to Cincinnati. How is it possible for the Reds to be the first professional baseball team? It is a game, you need at least two teams to play. How is it of any consequence to be the first? Was the second team declared two seconds later? What is the deal with this constantly referred to stat about Cincinnati?
To me it seems like another case of Cincinnati just creating achievements rather than actually doing anything.
4 Comments
03/28/2008 at 5:53 pm
As I understand it there were a number of amateur teams at the time and the Reds would just go around and play the amateur teams.
Wikipedia has a little bit about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cincinnati_Reds#The_original_.22Red_Stockings.22
03/28/2008 at 8:30 pm
^ Somewhat. At the time, there were such things as paid professionals on teams, but teams (clubs) were generally a mix of amateurs and professionals.
The Cincinnati Red Stockings were the first club on which every player was a paid professional.
03/29/2008 at 9:05 am
Given Kevin’s explanation, I still think that being the second professional team would be more significant achievement, as it’s the one that enables a professional game to be played.
03/29/2008 at 11:45 am
OK, it makes more sense now, but it still is a little silly to refer to that as an achievement. But if it is an excuse to have a parade than I am all for it. Go Cincinnati.