Fred Waterman
Encyclopedia
Frederick A. Waterman played third base
for the original Cincinnati Red Stockings
, the first fully professional baseball
team. Throughout his career with "major" teams, amateur and pro, third base
was his regular position in the field.
Born 1845 in New York
, Waterman played for the Empire club of his native city in 1865 and for the famous Mutual club (New York Mutuals
) the next two years. Some Mutuals players were compensated materially during the amateur era of National Association of Base Ball Players
--city employment is one possibility—and Waterman may be considered a candidate.
managed by Harry Wright
. Open professionalism was one year away but the long move suggests that Waterman was somehow compensated by club members if not by the club. Cincinnati fielded a strong team that year, with five of the famous team already in place. Playing statistics suggest that Waterman was the second best batsman behind John Hatfield
, another import from the Mutuals, for he was second on the team both in scoring 4.4 runs per game and in being put out only 2.3 times per game.
When the NABBP permitted professionalism, the Red Stockings hired five incumbents including Waterman and five new men to complete its famous First Nine of 1869, the first team on salary for a season. A few others had previously played some third base (all played at the six infield positions in 1868), but Wright retained Waterman at the position.
Cincinnati toured the continent undefeated in 1869 and may have been the strongest team in 1870, but the club dropped professional base ball after the second season.
's Washington Olympics
, an established club that also joined the new, entirely professional National Association
(NA).
The Olympics appointed as captain another transplant, Charlie Sweasy
, but he missed two long stretches of the season with illness. Waterman served one stretch as acting captain and so earned his manager's credit in some accounts.
The five former Red Stockings led the Olympics to a respectable finish in the inaugural NA season, but Waterman was left practically alone in the role one year later. He dominated the team at bat, while it failed miserably and dropped out after nine games. He was not picked up by another NA team, perhaps because four others of the eleven entrants went out of business during the season, but playing for a second team was a novelty that year. Probably he remained in Washington, for his major league career resumed when a new team from that city entered for 1873. He was a leading batsman again, now one of two on the team with Paul Hines
, but he played only 15 of 39 games, more at shortstop than anywhere else, as captain Warren White manned third.
There were eight teams in the NA field for 1874 and Fred Waterman was not a member. His known professional career ended with five of 69 games for Chicago in 1875. He was 29 years old and still better than league-average as a batter by his meager statistical record.
Waterman died 1899 in Cincinnati at age 54. He is buried in Wesleyan Cemetery
in that city.
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
for the original Cincinnati Red Stockings
Cincinnati Red Stockings
The Cincinnati Red Stockings of were baseball's first fully professional team, with ten salaried players. The Cincinnati Base Ball Club formed in 1866 and fielded competitive teams in the National Association of Base Ball Players 1867–1870, a time of a transition that ambitious Cincinnati,...
, the first fully professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team. Throughout his career with "major" teams, amateur and pro, third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
was his regular position in the field.
Born 1845 in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Waterman played for the Empire club of his native city in 1865 and for the famous Mutual club (New York Mutuals
New York Mutuals
The Mutual Base Ball Club of New York was a leading American baseball club almost throughout its 20-year history. It was established during 1857, the year of the first baseball convention, just too late to be a founding member of the National Association of Base Ball Players. It was a charter...
) the next two years. Some Mutuals players were compensated materially during the amateur era of National Association of Base Ball Players
National Association of Base Ball Players
The National Association of Base Ball Players was the first organization governing American baseball. The first, 1857 convention of sixteen New York City clubs...
--city employment is one possibility—and Waterman may be considered a candidate.
Cincinnati
At age 22 Waterman moved to Cincinnati for the 1868 season and played for the original Cincinnati Red StockingsCincinnati Red Stockings
The Cincinnati Red Stockings of were baseball's first fully professional team, with ten salaried players. The Cincinnati Base Ball Club formed in 1866 and fielded competitive teams in the National Association of Base Ball Players 1867–1870, a time of a transition that ambitious Cincinnati,...
managed by Harry Wright
Harry Wright
William Henry "Harry" Wright was an English-born American professional baseball player, manager, and developer. He assembled, managed, and played center field for baseball's first fully professional team, the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings...
. Open professionalism was one year away but the long move suggests that Waterman was somehow compensated by club members if not by the club. Cincinnati fielded a strong team that year, with five of the famous team already in place. Playing statistics suggest that Waterman was the second best batsman behind John Hatfield
John Hatfield (baseball)
John Van Buskirk Hatfield was an American professional baseball player in the 1860s and 1870s. He was a batting star and versatile fielder for the Mutual Base Ball Club both before and after spending the 1868 season as left fielder for Harry Wright's Cincinnati Red Stockings...
, another import from the Mutuals, for he was second on the team both in scoring 4.4 runs per game and in being put out only 2.3 times per game.
When the NABBP permitted professionalism, the Red Stockings hired five incumbents including Waterman and five new men to complete its famous First Nine of 1869, the first team on salary for a season. A few others had previously played some third base (all played at the six infield positions in 1868), but Wright retained Waterman at the position.
Cincinnati toured the continent undefeated in 1869 and may have been the strongest team in 1870, but the club dropped professional base ball after the second season.
1871
Harry Wright was hired to organize a new team in Boston, where he signed three teammates for 1871. The other five regulars including Fred Waterman signed with Nick YoungNicholas Young (executive)
thumb|Nicholas Ephraim Young was an American executive, manager and umpire in professional baseball who served as president of the National League from 1885 to 1902. Born in Amsterdam, New York at Johnson Hall, the estate of Sir William Johnson, he served in the Union Army during the Civil War,...
's Washington Olympics
Washington Olympics
The Olympic Club of Washington, D.C., or Washington Olympics, was an early professional baseball team.When the National Association of Base Ball Players permitted openly professional clubs for the 1869 season, the Olympics were one of twelve to go pro...
, an established club that also joined the new, entirely professional National Association
National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players , or simply the National Association , was founded in 1871 and continued through the 1875 season...
(NA).
The Olympics appointed as captain another transplant, Charlie Sweasy
Charlie Sweasy
Charles James Sweasy , born Swasey, played second base for the original Cincinnati Red Stockings, the first fully professional baseball team. He returned to Cincinnati in 1876, hired by the new club that was a charter member of the National League...
, but he missed two long stretches of the season with illness. Waterman served one stretch as acting captain and so earned his manager's credit in some accounts.
The five former Red Stockings led the Olympics to a respectable finish in the inaugural NA season, but Waterman was left practically alone in the role one year later. He dominated the team at bat, while it failed miserably and dropped out after nine games. He was not picked up by another NA team, perhaps because four others of the eleven entrants went out of business during the season, but playing for a second team was a novelty that year. Probably he remained in Washington, for his major league career resumed when a new team from that city entered for 1873. He was a leading batsman again, now one of two on the team with Paul Hines
Paul Hines
Paul Aloysius Hines was an American center fielder in professional baseball who played in the National Association and Major League Baseball from 1872 to 1891...
, but he played only 15 of 39 games, more at shortstop than anywhere else, as captain Warren White manned third.
There were eight teams in the NA field for 1874 and Fred Waterman was not a member. His known professional career ended with five of 69 games for Chicago in 1875. He was 29 years old and still better than league-average as a batter by his meager statistical record.
Waterman died 1899 in Cincinnati at age 54. He is buried in Wesleyan Cemetery
Wesleyan Cemetery, Cincinnati
Wesleyan Cemetery is a prominent cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the oldest continuously operating cemetery in Hamilton County, Ohio.The cemetery was founded in 1843 by the Methodist Church when its earlier cemeteries became full. The church then bought approximately on Colerain Avenue...
in that city.