Notable people · Baseball · Lawyer · Sports Executive
Aaron Burt Champion
Aaron Champion, a Cincinnati lawyer born in Columbus, was president of the Cincinnati Base Ball Club in 1869. He conceived and funded the first openly all-professional team, the 1869 Red Stockings, with Harry Wright. He died in London, England.
At a glance
- Born
- 1842-02-09
- Died
- 1895-09-01
- Education
- Antioch College, Yellow Springs, OH, 1856-1860
- Read law; admitted to bar, Ohio, 1863, bar admission
- Known as
- Baseball, Lawyer, Sports Executive
- Organizations
- Cincinnati Base Ball Club
Life story
Aaron Champion was born in Columbus in 1842, the son of a merchant. He learned telegraphy at thirteen, attended Antioch College from 1856 to 1860, and was admitted to the bar in 1863.
He opened a law office in Cincinnati in 1864 and helped found the Union Cricket Club the next year. He then became president of the Cincinnati Base Ball Club.
In 1869 he and Harry Wright put together the first openly all-professional team, the Red Stockings. Champion stayed a lawyer throughout and also served on civic boards.
He married Elizabeth Taylor in 1870 and had five children. He died in London in 1895 and was buried there.
Timeline
- 1842-02-09: Born (Columbus, OH) source
- 1856: Enters Antioch College (Yellow Springs, OH) source
- 1863-02-16: Admitted to the bar (Ohio) source
- 1864-02: Opens law practice (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1865: Co-founds Union Cricket Club (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1869: Conceives the all-professional Red Stockings with Harry Wright (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1870-01-25: Marries Elizabeth Scobey Taylor (New Carlisle, OH) source
- 1872: Delegate to Democratic National Convention (United States) source
- 1895-09-01: Dies in London (London, England) source
What Aaron is known for
- President of the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, the first all-professional baseball club
- 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, first all-professional baseball club (with Harry Wright)
Inventions and firsts
- First professional baseball team (1869) credit is disputed
Honors and things named for them
- President of the House of Refuge board for seven years
- Director of the Ohio Mechanics Institute for ten years
- Trustee of Antioch College
Family
- father: John Newton Champion
- mother: Sarah Ann Chadbourne
- wife: Elizabeth Scobey 'Lizzie' Taylor
- daughter: Florence
- daughter: Mabel
- son: Burt Jr.
Ohio places
Where Aaron Burt Champion was born, lived, worked and is remembered, with the ZIP code, town and county pages for each.
- Born: Columbus, Franklin County ZIP 43215 · Columbus · Franklin County
- Lived: Cincinnati, Hamilton County ZIP 45202 · Cincinnati · Hamilton County
Further reading
Sources
Confidence. Medium: the main facts were confirmed, but some details (often an address or ZIP code) were not.
- Aaron Burt Champion - SABR life, family, death