Harry Wright

Harry Wright's family emigrated to the USA soon after he was born and his father played in the first USA-Canada match in 1844. Harry made his own international debut in 1858 and a year later he played for various sides against George Parr's touring team. Playing for a combined USA/Canada side he top scored with 13, one of only two of the XXII to reach double figures. He played little after the early 1860s as his attention was diverted to baseball, then in its infancy, and in 1866, as the game restarted after the Civil War, he became a member and manager of the first professional side, the Cincinnati Red Stockings. In 1871 he was invited to set up a team in Boston and, along with his brother George, he moved cities, taking the Red Stockings name with him. He was inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame in 1953 and the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 2005, and is widely credited with defining the role of the team manager. He managed the Boston Red Stockings (1871-1875), Boston Red Caps (1876-1881), Providence Grays (1882-1883) and Philadelphia Quakers/Phillies (1884-1893). His teams won six league championships (1872, 1873, 1874,1875, 1877 and 1878). His association with baseball caused him to visit England in 1874 with the Boston Athletics.
Martin Williamson