Your thoughts on the following? Baseball's first trade?

[Sharon S]

According to Baseball Reference's events calendar, today is the 126th anniversary of the first trade in baseball history.

The swap: The Cincinnati Red Stockings of the American Association sent rookie catcher Jack Boyle and the tidy sum of $400 to the St. Louis Browns for veteran outfielder Hugh Nicol.

The deal was first reported via telegraph by Tim Brown's great-great grandpappy and was instantly declared an abomination by town criers and pamphleteers in both cities. The rest of the baseball world, enamored by the birth of the hot stove season, turned its attention elsewhere five seconds later while wishing for a medium like Twitter that would break and then completely dispel trade rumors within the span of three minutes.



OK, so maybe I made that last part up. But details of baseball's first trade are so scarce that even the date of the transaction remains up for debate (some sites say it all went down on Nov. 12 instead of Nov. 15 and that the cash involved was $350, not $400).

It would appear, however, that the Red Stockings won the trade as Nicol would steal 321 bases over the next three seasons — including 138 in 1887! — while Boyle wouldn't really get his career going until a five-homer, 79-RBI season in 1891 that earned him a $5,500 contract with the New York Giants the following year. It was reported to be the highest salary in baseball history at the time and the New York tabloids responded by hounding him in print every day like they currently do A-Rod. (OK, I don't know that for sure, either.)

Whatever the case, you have Hugh Nicol and "Honest Jack" to thank for starting the trade market that will keep you warm this winter.

[Fozzy]

Fans in St. Louis were particularly upset to see a veteran let go. And given that the city of St. Louis had ponied up $200 and the use of a city-owned mule and plow to build the Browns a spacious 2500 seat ballpark, I can't say as I blame them.

Guess some things never change.

[roundhill158]

This was interesting since i never thought of when was the first trade in Baseball happened.

[Bert Weidemeier]

Interesting!!

[Jollystation732]

It's a good trade. It will help both team.

[hubert c]

I smell collusion red Stocking are stock piling SB for their rotisserie league. Curt Flood appealing this trade. I doubt we will ever hear of another trade it just to dam difficult putting all the parts together. 138 stolen Bases and here all along I thought Rickey held the single season record ?

[el Águila]

This actually surprises me greatly, in retrospect.
The National League was formed in 1876, but it took ten entire seasons for a trade to happen? It must have been a novel idea or something at the time.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

Nicol's stolen base numbers were inflated because prior to 1898 a stolen base was credited to a baserunner who reached an extra base on a hit from another player.
Boyle, on the other hand, was something of a power hitter, slugging 23 homers in 13 seasons and driving home 569 runs. Nicol hit just 5 homers in his career.

[Lefty]

Fascinating reading Sharon..I love baseball history.

[Iratechannel975]

Interesting Facts