The Cleveland Forest Citys

Cleveland Forest Citys

The Forest Citys were a short lived professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio in the early 1870s. The actual name of the team, as shown in standings, was Forest City, not "Cleveland". The name "Forest Citys" was used in the same generic style of the day in which the team from Chicago,...

played their first season in 1871 as a charter member of 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...

. They finished eighth in the league with a record of 10-19. Pitcher Al Pratt

Al Pratt (baseball)

Albert G. Pratt , nicknamed "Uncle Al", was an American right-handed pitcher and outfielder in the National Association for the Cleveland Forest Citys, and was a manager in Major League Baseball with the Pittsburgh Alleghenys of the American Association.A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Pratt...

 led the NA in strikeout

Strikeout

In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....

s, with 34.

First game

The honor of playing the first game of the newly-organized National Association of Professional Baseball Players was decided by coin flip.

Bobby Mathews

Bobby Mathews

Robert T. Mathews was an American right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher for twenty years beginning in the late 1860s. He is credited as being one of the inventors of the spitball pitch, which was rediscovered or reintroduced to the major leagues after he died. He is also credited with the...

, 5'5", 140 lbs, and 20 years old, hurled a 2-0 shutout for the Kekiongas. Deacon White

Deacon White

James Laurie "Deacon" White was an American baseball player who was one of the principal stars during the first two decades of the sport's professional era...

, catcher for the Cleveland Forest Citys

Cleveland Forest Citys

The Forest Citys were a short lived professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio in the early 1870s. The actual name of the team, as shown in standings, was Forest City, not "Cleveland". The name "Forest Citys" was used in the same generic style of the day in which the team from Chicago,...

got 3 hits in 4 at-bats; the other Cleveland players only shared 2 hits among them. Deacon White scored the first hit, the first extra-base hit (a double) and was the first to hit into a double-play.

The game was rained out in the top of the 9th inning. Attendance was 200.

Bobby Mathews, who went on to play five seasons each in the National Association, National League, and American Association, is the only player ever to pitch 100 games or to win at least 50 in three different major leagues. He is credited with inventing the spitball and the out-curve. Deacon White was another historic player, ending his 22-year career as playing owner of Buffalo's Brotherhood team.

Roster

1871 Cleveland Forest Citys
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		29	146	47	.322	1	21
1B		29	127	32	.252	0	18
2B		29	131	25	.191	0	9
SS		22	89	27	.303	3	18
3B		29	128	45	.352	3	23
OF		29	142	42	.296	0	18
OF		15	70	18	.257	0	9
OF		29	137	40	.292	0	19

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
	16	67	15	.224	0	7
	3	13	3	.231	0	2
	1	3	0	.000	0	0
	1	3	0	.000	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	224.2	10	17	3.77	34

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
	7	29.1	0	2	6.75	0