Atlanta Braves History: A gutsy move by Harry Wright (1877)

 

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300"] English: Ezra Sutton, Boston Beaneaters, 3rd Base, 1879 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]

Ezra Sutton started with the Braves (then known as the Boston Red Caps) in 1877. He came to the Braves from Philadelphia. Manager Harry Wright placed the infielder in the lineup as a shortstop. That was a gutsy move since his brother George was currently playing the position. He moved George to second base. It was the only year George would not play shortstop.

It paid off for Harry. Sutton drove in 39 runs that year. That was good enough for third in the league that year. The Braves ended up winning the pennant 7 games ahead.

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The decline (1880)

40-44 and sixth in the pennant race. It is 1880 and Harry Wright's career as a manager is declining for sure. The Braves (then known as the Boston Red Stockings) end up 27 games behing the leader. The glory years are over. It is done.

The Red Stockings need new leadership. It isn't forthcoming. They lanquish and suffer. They are sixth among eight teams. They didn't even win half of their games. Not good at all. That was the first time in their ten year history they didn't have a winning season. They also suffered from being no hit for the first time. Larry Corcoran from Chicago held them to no hits on August 19 in a 6-0 game. It would take another 12 years for them to have a no hitter on the right side.

The decline was bad and would get worse.

Harry Wright's last season (1881)

Harry Wright had managed a long time. He was an institution. 1881 would be a tough year. The Red Caps had a 38-45 record. Not too impressive that the ended sixth and 17 1/2 games behind.

Harry would not go out on top. While he was responsible for the cities brilliant start with professional baseball, he couldn't overcome a second consecutive sixth place finish. He was run out of town.

Not easy but you could see it coming (1879)

You are the younger brother. Your older brother is very talented but so are you. You don't want to be in his shadow. Pretty natural. So that was the case with George Wright. Very talented. No doubt about it. But it was hard for him. His older brother was in the lime light. 12 years his senior. He was the "Father of Professional Baseball". What do you do?

Well, in 1879, after working side by side for a decade, you part ways and leave the team (the Boston Red Caps, now the Atlanta Braves) that you both play for. And it has some very far reaching and perhaps unexepected consequences. you leave Boston and head not to far away to Providence. Not easy but you could see it coming.

Hitless wonders? (1878)

Hitless wonders? Yes, but champions none the less. 1878 continued the amazing success of Harry Wright as the Braves manager. They ended up with a record of 41-19 and finished in first place, four games ahead.

This was an amazing year because the just couldn't hit. The ended up next to last in team batting average (.241) and slugging percentage (.300). They were dead last in on-base percentage at .253. The were last in hits and walks. Of course, for the whole league there were only 23 home runs the whole season. But this was bad compared to the rest.

And yet, they won the championship that year. Amazing!

The Decline (1879)

Harry Wright, the Braves manager (then known as the Red Stockings) had a stunning run of success. Four straight National Association pennants from 1872-75. Then the National League formed and he won the first 2 out of 3 championships. Quite a run for sure.

Then in 1879 things began to go south for him. But it didn't only affect him. It affected major league baseball for a long time to come. It was the year the "reserve clause" was created due to problems created by Harry and his brother's George problems.

And so, in 1879 the Braves, under Harry Wright, ended up 54-30 in second place, 5 games behind the champions.

Moving your brother around (1878)

Imagine your brother being the manager? Well, Harry Wright managed his brother George for the Boston Red Caps (now known as the Atlanta Braves) in 1878. He decided to move him back to short stop from second base. He moved Ezra Sutton from short to third base. The move paid off, as sometimes they do. George led the league in team fielding at .947 for the only time in his Hall of Fame career.

The Red Stockings led the league in double plays with 48. They also placed second in ERA with 2.32 to Cincinnati. Their move to end up in first was real. It was Harry's third season and he would have his second championship in a row.

And he had his brother with him.