Brooklyn Atlantics
![]() | This article possibly contains original research. (March 2016) |
Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn | |
---|---|
1855 | |
Folded | 1875 |
League championships | National Amateur Association (8): 1857, 1859, 1860,[1] 1861, 1864, 1865, 1866, 1869 |
Manager | List
|
The Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn ("Atlantic" or the "Brooklyn Atlantics") was baseball's first champion and its first dynasty. The team was also the first baseball club to visit the White House in 1865 at the invitation of President Andrew Johnson.[2]
Era before league
Established on August 14,
Atlantic held the championship again through the
Atlantic went undefeated in 1865 with an 18–0 record, sweeping series against chief rivals
When Atlantic defeated Eckford to regain the pennant in 1869, Atlantic had already lost to the Cincinnati Red Stockings. This allowed Atlantic to claim the championship over the undefeated Cincinnati club under the "challenge" format of the National Association of Base Ball Players, which resembled modern boxing championship rules rather than a league or tournament format. This outcome undoubtedly contributed to the tremendous anticipation when Cincinnati came to Brooklyn with an 89-game winning streak to meet the Atlantics on June 14, 1870 at Atlantic's home Capitoline Grounds. An estimated crowd of 15,000 paid 50 cents a piece to see Atlantic win 8–7 in extra innings in one of the most significant games in baseball history. Atlantic surrendered the title later in the year, though, to Mutual.
White House visit
After the 1865 season, the Atlantics became the first baseball team to visit the White House.
League era
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/Lip_Pike_Baseball.jpg/150px-Lip_Pike_Baseball.jpg)
Atlantic had been among the first clubs to declare themselves professional when allowed to do so in 1869. However, when the major professional clubs formed the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players in 1871, Atlantic declined to field a team. As a result, their best players, including George Zettlein, Bob Ferguson, Joe Start and Lip Pike, jumped to other clubs.
When Atlantic did join the professional circuit in 1872, it was unable to reestablish itself as a leading club, suffering losing records in each of its four seasons in the league. Atlantic was not invited to join the National League when that circuit was formed in 1876, but continued to play an independent schedule until at least 1882.
A remnant Atlantic was invited to join the upstart
Record
Year | W | L | T | Games | Rank in games (in wins) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1857 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 3 (1st in wins) |
1858 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 5 (4th) | |
1859 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 3 (tie 2nd) | |
1860 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 3 (3rd) |
Championship matches with professional teams 1869–1870 | |||||
1869 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 22 | 3 (tie 2nd in wins) |
1870 | 20 | 16 | 36 | 3 (5th) | |
Professional leagues | |||||
1871 | non-member | ||||
1872 | 9 | 28 | 37 | 5 (did not finish) | |
1873 | 17 | 37 | 1 | 55 | 3 (6th place) |
1874 | 22 | 33 | 1 | 56 | 5 (6th place) |
1875 | 2 | 42 | 44 | 9 |
Source for season records: Wright (2000) has published records for dozens of NABBP teams each season, relying on a mix of game and season records in contemporary newspapers and guides. Dozens of leading clubs by number of matches are included, as are many others. The records do not consistently cover either all games played or all championship matches between NABBP members.
See also
- 1872 Brooklyn Atlantics season
- 1873 Brooklyn Atlantics season
- 1874 Brooklyn Atlantics season
- 1875 Brooklyn Atlantics season
Baseball card
The 1865 Atlantics are said to have been on the first ever baseball card. The only known card was archived at the Library of Congress since the 1880s, when the photographer Charles Williamson submitted the photo for copyright. It remained the only copy of this "card" known to exist until 2013, when another card was found in an old photo album at a yard sale. The 148-year-old team photo was sold to an unnamed bidder for $92,000.00 when it went up for auction on February 6, 2013 in Maine.[4]
Bibliography
- Baseball-Reference. "Brooklyn Atlantics Team Index" (1872–1875). Retrieved 2006-09-17.
- Retrosheet. "Brooklyn Atlantics (1872–1875)" Retrieved 2006-09-17.
- Wright, Marshall (2000). The National Association of Base Ball Players, 1857–1870. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co. ISBN 0-7864-0779-4
References
- ^ In 1860, Excelsior was leading 8–6 and had men on base, but was forced to withdraw by a rowdy crowd of Atlantic partisans and gamblers. The game was declared a draw, and the championship retained by Atlantic.
- ^ a b "Politicians and Baseball: How a Dubious 150-Year-Old Tradition Was Born". Atlantic Monthly. 2011-03-11.
- ISBN 9781400849253.
- ^ Lovering, Daniel (2013-02-06). ""Rarer than rare" 1865 baseball card sells for $92,000". Yahoo! News. Archived from the original on 2013-02-08. Retrieved 2012-02-06.
External links
- Brooklyn Atlantics – a vintage base ball club
- Brooklyn Atlantics at Baseball Reference