National Association of Professional Base Ball Players

E321989

The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players was the first fully professional baseball league in the United States, operating in the early 1870s and laying the groundwork for modern Major League Baseball.

All labels observed (2)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf defunct sports league
professional baseball league
alsoKnownAs National Association of Professional Baseball Players
ballparksType early open-air wooden ballparks
championshipDominatedBy Boston Red Stockings
competitionFormat pennant race based on winning percentage
competitionLevel top level of professional baseball in its time
country United States of America
surface form: United States
dissolved 1875
eligibilityRequirement clubs had to be professional
era early professional baseball era
firstSeason 1871 baseball season
followedBy National League
foundedAs first fully professional baseball league
geographicScope primarily Northeastern United States
governanceStructure loose association of independently owned clubs
governedBy club representatives
historicalContext formed shortly after the legalization of professional baseball players in the United States
historicalRole laid groundwork for modern Major League Baseball
impactOnRules helped standardize professional play and scheduling
inception 1871
influenced Major League Baseball
National League
lastSeason 1875 baseball season
leagueLevel major league
legacyStatus recognized by many historians as a major league
location United States of America
surface form: United States
notableTeam Baltimore Canaries
Boston Red Stockings
Chicago Cubs
surface form: Chicago White Stockings

New York Mutuals
Philadelphia Athletics
numberOfSeasons 5
organizationalModel association of independent clubs rather than a single corporate league
playedWith nine-player teams
precededBy National Association of Base Ball Players
professionalStatus fully professional
reasonForDissolution competitive imbalance
financial instability of clubs
perceived lack of centralized authority
ruleSetBasedOn National Association of Base Ball Players rules
shortName NA
National Association
significance considered the first major league in professional baseball history
sport baseball
successorLeagueRole its shortcomings led to the more centralized structure of the National League
timePeriod early 1870s

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (9)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

NL predecessor National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
subject surface form: National League
Boston Red Stockings league National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
Boston Red Stockings wonChampionship National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
this entity surface form: 1873 National Association pennant
National League of Professional Baseball Clubs predecessor National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
Harry Wright league National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
Al Spalding league National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
Ross Barnes league National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
George Wright league National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
Cal McVey league National Association of Professional Base Ball Players