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Wright, Harry
William Henry Wright
Born:
January 10, 1835, Sheffield, England
Died:
October 3, 1895, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Bats:
Right
Throws:
Right
Played For:
Boston Red Stockings (1871-1875), Boston Red Caps (1876-1878)
Elected to the Hall of Fame by Veterans Committee:
1953
Biography:
Harry Wright organized, managed and played center field for baseball's first openly all-professional team: the famed 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings. Originally a cricket player, Wright first played baseball with the Knickerbockers of New York. He guided the Boston Red Stockings to four straight National Association pennants from 1872 to 1875 and two National League titles in 1877 and 1878. Among the numerous innovations he introduced were the practice of hitting pre-game fungoes to outfielders, backing up plays in the field and shifting on defense to account for hitters' tendencies.
Did You Know:
that, at the age of 19, Harry Wright was a professional cricketer for the Dragonslayers of New York City's St. George Cricket Club?
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This Day in Baseball History
On May 18, 1956, Mickey Mantle hits home runs from both sides of the plate for the third time in his career, setting a major league record. Mantle’s day includes four hits in four at-bats, helping the New York Yankees to an 8-7 win over the Chicago White Sox.