Notable people · Sports
Harry Wright
English-born manager of the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, the first fully professional baseball team, which toured undefeated. He later managed Boston, Providence and Philadelphia.
At a glance
- Born
- 1835-01-10
- Died
- 1895-10-03
- Education
- Left school at 14, New York
- Known as
- Sports
- Organizations
- Cincinnati Red Stockings
Life story
Harry Wright was born in Sheffield, England, in 1835. His father Samuel was a cricket professional at St George's Cricket Club in New York. Harry left school at 14 to work for a jeweler, including several years at Tiffany.
On March 8, 1865, he moved to Cincinnati to work at the Union Cricket Club. In 1866 he became club pro of the Cincinnati Base Ball Club and pitched for it in 1867. In 1868 he added four eastern players, and in 1869 he built the Cincinnati Red Stockings, the first fully professional baseball team, which toured undefeated. His brother George played shortstop for them.
The club dropped pro baseball after its second season, in 1870. Wright went on to manage elsewhere and finished with 1,225 wins. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1953 and to the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 2005.
Timeline
- 1835-01-10: Born (Sheffield, England) source
- 1865-03-08: Moves to Cincinnati, hired at Union Cricket Club (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1866: Becomes club pro of the Cincinnati Base Ball Club (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1867: Team wins 16 matches; Wright is regular pitcher (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1868: Adds four eastern players (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1869: Assembles the first fully professional team, the Red Stockings; tours undefeated (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1870: Club ends professional baseball after second season (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1895-10-03: Dies (Atlantic City, NJ) source
- 1953: Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame (Cooperstown, NY) source
- 2005: Inducted into Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame (Cincinnati, OH) source
What Harry is known for
- Assembled and managed the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings (undefeated, 57-0 per summary)
- First manager to reach 1,000 wins; 1,225 managerial wins
- Baseball Hall of Fame 1953
- 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings
Inventions and firsts
- First professional baseball team (1869) credit is disputed
Honors and things named for them
- Baseball Hall of Fame, 1953
- Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame, 2005
- 1,225 managerial wins
Family
- father: Samuel Wright
- brother: George Wright
Ohio places
Where Harry Wright was born, lived, worked and is remembered, with the ZIP code, town and county pages for each.
- Worked: Cincinnati, Hamilton County ZIP 45202 · Cincinnati · Hamilton County
Further reading
Sources
Confidence. High: the main facts were confirmed in sources we opened.
- Harry Wright (Wikipedia) birth Sheffield, death, 1869 team, 1,225 wins, HOF 1953
- Harry Wright (SABR Biography Project) born Sheffield 1835-01-10, died Atlantic City 1895-10-03, 1869 Red Stockings undefeated