On March 15th, 1869, the Cincinnati Red Stockings became baseball’s first all-professional team, with ten salaried players. Organized by Harry Wright and George Ellard, the players salaries ran from March 15th to November 15th. Wright played center field and coordinated the team defense. His younger brother and shortstop George Wright, new to the team in 1869, was its best player. The 1869 Red Stockings posted a perfect 57-0 record, the only perfect season in professional baseball history. They were also the first team to play on the East and West coasts in the same season. Thanks to their on-field success and nationwide appeal, the Red Stockings established styles in team uniforms and nicknames that still remain somewhat today. They also established the color red as the color of Cincinnati, and they were the origin of the "Red Sox" in Boston Red Sox.
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