William Henry Wright (1835 - 1895)

Born 10 Jan 1835 in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

Died 3 Oct 1895 at age 60 in Atlantic City, New Jersey

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Biography

William Wright is Notable.

A monument at West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania reads: "HARRY WRIGHT 1835-1895 THE FATHER OF BASEBALL".

HARRY WRIGHT's Findagrave page gives his timeline and some history of his baseball career.

Harry Wright, at the very least the father of professional baseball, was born WILLIAM HENRY WRIGHT in Sheffield, England in 1835 to Samuel Wright and Ann Tone (born in Ireland). His accomplishments would land him in the baseball Hall of Fame in 1953.

Harry's brother George Wright had been elected to the Hall of Fame in 1937, the year he died. George played primarily shortstop, and was/is considered much the best of the players of his day, by no less than the Cincinnati Reds tribute to him, and the Hall of Fame itself. On George's plaque at The Baseball Hall of Fame, it begins: "Star of Baseball's First Professional Team.. ".

Athleticism was in the blood, as father Samuel was a cricket player for the Saint George Club in New York from 1840-1862. Apparently respected in the world of cricket, Cricketarchive.com has a page for Samuel's career. Picture attached from 1863 of Samuel and Harry on the day of a match.

Harry's brother Samuel played some professional baseball as well, but very limited action in 3 years. Brother George's son Beals Coleman Wright won 4 Grand Slam events in tennis, singles and doubles combined.

Shortly after Harry's birth, Samuel and Ann left for the United States. The 1850 census of New York shows this occurred in 1835 or 1836. The report shows Samuel and Ann had 3 more boys after landing in New York: 1837 Daniel, 1847 George, and 1849 Samuel, all showing born in New York.

The 1855 census would repeat the above, with the addition of daughter Mary, born about 1851. The 1855 census also notes father Samuel as "cricket player".

In approximately 1857 Harry married Caroline Amanda Mulford.

Findagrave and several other sites offer biographies of his baseball career: sabr.org, baseball-reference.com, Wikipedia, and The Baseball Hall of Fame.

Playing cricket with his dad, and amateur baseball in the mid 1860s, Harry Wright became enamored with the American game, and would move west to organize possibly the first truly professional baseball club, the Cincinnati Red Stockings. In 1869 this team went 65-0. The team dissolved after the 1870 season due to financial constraints, with Harry and 3 mates going on to form the Boston Red Stockings, and 5 other teammates going to the 1871 Washington Olympics ball club. A reason offered for the split of the talent was that the 5 Washington-bound players were a rowdier sort.

The picture attached shows Harry and 8 teammates of the 1869/1870 Cincinnati Red Stockings, and links to profiles including his brother George Wright. Harry, George, McVey and Gould went to Boston. Allison, Leonard, Brainard, Waterman, and Sweasy to Washington.

The 1870 census of Cincinnati showed Harry's occupation as "baseball business". This record also noted wife Caroline (b. 1839 Ohio), son Charles R.(born 1859 New Jersey), and daughter Hattie(b. 1869 Ohio).

In the 1870s, Harry and brother George dominated the baseball scene with the Boston Red Stockings, winning 4 pennants in 5 years.

To try to expand interest in baseball, Harry organized a tour of England, France, Scotland, and Ireland in 1874 with exhibition matches between the Boston Red Stockings and the Philadelphia Athletics(picture attached). Brothers George and Samuel Wright were part of the Boston squad. Superb articles about the tour are written on 19cbaseball.com by Erick Miklich and sabr.org by John W. Bauer.

The tour lasted about a month and also included cricket matches pitting the Americans against local teams. The Americans won all the matches. The three Wright brothers were all adept at the game, and were giving pointers to their teammates on the voyage over.

On December 19, 1877, father Samuel Wright passed away in Boston, Massachusetts. Harry, George, and their brother Samuel were at his bedside at the end. A site called baseballnuggets.blogspot.com has a copy of the obituary, which includes quote from George.

The 1880 census of Boston, Massachusetts stated Harry's occupation as "dealer in sporting goods", and noted child Hattie still with the parents, and revealed additional children of 1872 Harry, 1874 Carrie A., and 1875 Albert W. Wright, all born in Massachusetts. Around this time Harry's managerial career in Boston, which netted four pennants, was over, and he was looking ahead to dealings in Providence and Philadelphia.

Brother George was shown in Boston in 1880 as well, with wife Abigail Coleman(1849 Ma. - 1913 Boston, Ma.). From 1880 and 1900 censuses their children were: 1876 Elizabeth, 1877 Georgianna, 1879 Beals Coleman, and 1882 Evin C. Wright. GEORGE WRIGHT's Findagrave page has links to pages for father Samuel, brother Samuel, George's wife Abigail, and 2 of George's children: Elizabeth and Beals Coleman Wright.

In a third entry for Boston, 1880, Harry's brother Samuel is listed as head of house and baseball player as occupation. Also in the home was their sister Mary, Harry's son Charles, and Daniel's son George.

George Wright had part interest in a Spaulding company, Wright & Ditson. His son Beals would also have a share in the company. Other family appear to have been involved. This could explain job titles in census reports. Harry as dealer in sporting goods, Samuel as raquet stringer(1900).

William Henry "Harry" Wright's plaque in the Hall of Fame notes attributes as a player and manager. On it is noted he once hit an astounding 7 home runs in one game.

Harry died from pneumonia in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1895.

Some additional pictures of Harry in the early 1860s shown on a site about antique baseball cards: haulsofshame.

Sources

• *1850 census New York
• 1855 census New York
• 1870 census Cincinnati
• 1880 census Boston, Massachusetts
• Findagrave page 2471
• Baseball Hall of Fame
• wikipedia