With the debut of the first professional baseball league, the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players

National Association of Professional Base Ball Players

The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players , or simply the National Association , was founded in 1871 and continued through the 1875 season...

, the Chicago franchise joined up as the "White Stockings." The team went 19-9 and finished second in the league standings. Pitcher George Zettlein

George Zettlein

George Zettlein was a professional baseball player who played pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1871–1876. Zettlein played for the Chicago White Stockings, Troy Haymakers, Brooklyn Eckfords, Philadelphia White Stockings, and Athletic of Philadelphia...

 started all 28 of Chicago's games and led the NA with a 2.73 earned run average

Earned run average

In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...

.

Near the end of the season, the team lost its stadiums and equipment when the Great Chicago Fire

Great Chicago Fire

The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned from Sunday, October 8, to early Tuesday, October 10, 1871, killing hundreds and destroying about in Chicago, Illinois. Though the fire was one of the largest U.S...

hit the city. The team was able to finish out the season on the road, but had to drop out of the league while the city attempted to recover. The team would not resurface until 1874.

Regular season

Roster

1871 Chicago White Stockings
Roster
Pitchers		Catchers Infielders		Outfielders		Manager

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos	Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
C		28	130	36	.277	2	25
1B		26	135	37	.274	0	10
2B		28	135	51	.378	1	29
SS		26	121	28	.231	0	15
3B		24	95	25	.263	1	17
OF		18	84	22	.262	0	13
OF		25	124	42	.339	4	33
OF		27	129	28	.217	0	17

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
	20	101	21	.208	2	16
	3	14	1	.071	0	0

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
	28	240.2	18	9	2.73	22

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
	3	10.1	1	0	3.48	0