... and if I'm not mistaken, they used to be called the Boston Red Stockings.

Yes. They changed the name to Sox in 1908. I understand that the reason was that "stockings" was too long for newspaper headlines. "Stockings Win!" takes up more space than "Sox Win!" (At least that's the story on Wikipedia, which also says the the Cincinnati team was the first to use the name Red Stockings until 1870.)

Then there was the White Sox Black Sox thing.

... and even a Green Sox thing ...

I thought it was 1869. I recall having a poster that I got in Little League in 1969 on the 100th anniversary of professional baseball. It mentioned the Cincinnati Red Stockings specifically as the first professional baseball team: all the players were on the payroll.

I wonder what that poster would be worth today.

Mastermindreader, is it possible to PM or email you somewhere?

S2000magician wrote:
"
I recall having a poster that I got in Little League in 1969 on the 100th anniversary of professional baseball. It mentioned the Cincinnati Red Stockings specifically as the first professional baseball team: all the players were on the payroll.

I wonder what that poster would be worth today."

Probably more than you would get for it if you were trying to sell it to a dealer or on Pawn Stars.

I PM'd you, Arthur.

Bob

Are little boys surprised by their first derections?

Can you imagine what pubescent girls go through?

Could be. "Until 1870" could be read two different ways. If they discarded the name prior to the 1970 season it may well have still been in use at the beginning of the year. Or the Wikipedia entry might simply mean "Until 1870 when the name was discarded."

The Boston Red Sox, initially known as the Boston Red Stockings, were also sometimes known as the Red Caps, the Braves or the Beaneaters. Interesting historical background here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Boston_Braves

The story on the Cincinnati Red Stockings:

George and Harry Wright - both born in England - found baseball, or, more accurately for the time "base ball" superior to cricket and became avid players. Baseball up to that time was an amateur sport and even Alexander Joy Cartwright warned against the game's "professionalization." Nonetheless, the Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first professional baseball team in 1869 thanks to considerable financial backing. The team dominated all other teams in 1869 and finished with a one dollar profit! They started 1870 and were undefeated until June 14, 1870, when they lost to the Brooklyn Atlantics in 11 innings. News of the loss resulted in a severe decline in attendance and the Wrights took the best players and moved to Boston, becoming the Boston Red Stockings and dominated the short lived first professional baseball league - The National Association from its inception in 1871 to its demise in 1875. The following year, the National League was formed. The Boston Red Stockings eventually became the Boston Braves. The American League Boston team - the one we know today - had no official team name until 1908. They were unofficially referred to by various names including The Pilgrims, Somersets, Plymouth Rocks, Beaneaters, and Collinsites.

So there is no connection between the Cincinnati Red Stockings and Boston Red Stockings to the Boston Red Sox.

One more bit of trivia: the word "Sox" was first adopted by the Chicago White Sox.

From the Café's ONLY baseball only fan,
Vlad

I kind of like the sound of The Boston Beaneaters. (Or maybe The Wooster Wind Breakers)

I just did a show in Worcester (Wooster) MA on Wednesday.

Sounds like they're a gas!

*Cue rim shot