Asahel Brainard (abt. 1840 - 1888)

Born about 1840 in New York

Died 29 Dec 1888 at about age 48 in Denver, Colorado

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Biography

Asahel Brainard is Notable.

Asahel Brainard was born about 1840 in New York to Leonard Whitmore Brainard(b. 1802 Eastbury, NY) and Sarah Ann Kenyon(b. 1811 New York).

Leonard and Sarah were wed in Haddam, Connecticut on August 29, 1828. The couple had six children, as shown in the 1855 and 1860 censuses of Brooklyn. These records are attached to LEONARD WHITMORE BRAINARD's FamilySearch profile.

There is a listing for an Asa Brainard as being in the Civil War, Union, New York, 154th Regiment, but not this Asa. This was another Asa Brainard a bit older.

Asahel Brainard was also known as Asel, but known familarly as Asa once he became a baseball player in the mid to late 1860s. Asa was to become one of the first professional baseball players, playing for what is commonly held as the first professional baseball team, the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings.

Asa was in that stretch of time a premier pitcher, winning 56 of 57 at one point. More on his baseball career shown on ASA BRAINARD's wikipedia page.

ASA BRAINARD's Findagrave page also has details on his baseball life.

Another baseball history site is sabr.org, which has a page for Asa's biography. Collectively the information confirms Asa was primarily a pitcher, but did play the outfield as well.

The 1869 Cincinnati team had 10 paid players, including Asa Brainard. This particular team is famous in baseball history, in that their record that year was 65-0.

Per biographies from sources mentioned above, a falling out with management led Asa and four of his teammates to leave Cincinnati.

In 1871 the five joined the Washington Olympics baseball club. ANDY LEONARD, DOUGLAS L. ALLISON, CHARLIE SWEASY, and Fred Waterman being the other four. Andy Leonard, born in Ireland, full name was Andrew Jackson Leonard, named after our seventh President. Andy would become famous in his native land, with Irish baseball's MVP trophy being named after him.

The five players that left Cincinnati are shown on one of the earliest baseball cards, a team card for the Washington Olympics, produced in 1871 by a Chicago sporting goods store.

A picture of the Washington Olympics card is shown on THE WASHINGTON OLYMPICS Wikipedia page.

Asa married twice. Mary Thompson in 1871, and Martha Pickett at a time unknown. He had a son, Truman Brainard(more detail on Findagrave page).

In 1872 Asa was again playing with the Washington Olympics. 1873 and 1874 found him with the Lord Baltimores, a.k.a. Baltimore Canaries. Two other star players on the 1873 Baltimore team were DAVY FORCE and the Jewish star LIPMAN PIKE.

Asa Brainard died of pneumonia in Denver, Colorado on December 29, 1888. He was buried at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

Sources

• *1855 census Brooklyn, New York
• 1860 census Brooklyn
• 1871 "Cabinet" baseball card produced
• Findagrave page 19533414
• FamilySearch profiles M6QL-QL7, K245-LMN
• Wikipedia Washington Olympics home page and

Asa Brainard biography

• Sabr.org profile of Asa Brainard