What are the oldest baseball teams?

Answer 1

That's a complicated question. Well, it's a simple question; the answer is complicated.

The first professional Baseball team was the Cincinnati Red Stockings (1869).

The modern-day Cincinnati Reds claim descent from the Red Stockings, but the facts are maybe a little different. The Red Stockings disbanded (as a professional team and as a company) in 1871, and the Reds formed in 1882.

The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players started in 1871 with all-professional teams (before that, professionals and amateurs had played together, sometimes on the same team). Two teams in particular ... the Chicago White Stockings and the Boston Red Stockings ... are of importance here, because they still play today.

So it's the White Sox and the Red Sox, right? Wrong on both counts.

The Chicago White Stockings officially became the Chicago Cubs in 1907 (the Chicago White Sox are a completely different team).

The Boston Red Stockings became the Boston Braves in 1912 (in response to the formation of a rival Boston team, that eventually became the Boston Red Sox). The team then moved to Milwaukee in 1953, and then to Atlanta in 1966.

The Chicago White Stockings started as a club in 1870, making them a year older than the Boston Red Stockings, which started in 1871. However, the Cubs claim is slightly tarnished by the fact that they sat out two seasons due to the Chicago Fire. The Cubs are the oldest professional baseball team, but the Braves are the oldest continuously playing baseball team (even though they've shifted cities twice).

Answer 2

That's a complicated question. Well, it's a simple question; the answer is complicated.

The first professional baseball team was the Cincinnati Red Stockings (1869).

The modern-day Cincinnati Reds claim descent from the Red Stockings, but the facts are maybe a little different. The Red Stockings disbanded (as a professional team and as a company) in 1871, and the Reds formed in 1882.

The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players started in 1871 with all-professional teams (before that, professionals and amateurs had played together, sometimes on the same team). Two teams in particular ... the Chicago White Stockings and the Boston Red Stockings ... are of importance here, because they still play today.

So it's the White Sox and the Red Sox, right? Wrong on both counts.

The Chicago White Stockings officially became the Chicago Cubs in 1907 (the Chicago White Sox are a completely different team).

The Boston Red Stockings became the Boston Braves in 1912 (in response to the formation of a rival Boston team, that eventually became the Boston Red Sox). The team then moved to Milwaukee in 1953, and then to Atlanta in 1966.

The Chicago White Stockings started as a club in 1870, making them a year older than the Boston Red Stockings, which started in 1871. However, the Cubs claim is slightly tarnished by the fact that they sat out two seasons due to the Chicago Fire. The Cubs are the oldest professional baseball team, but the Braves are the oldest continuously playing baseball team (even though they've shifted cities twice).