The Boston Red Stockings Base Ball Club of 1875. Albert Spalding, far left, Jim O'Rourke, third from right, and George Wright, far right, are the stars of the team. (Photo by Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics, Getty Images)
The franchise that became the Atlanta Braves began 150 years ago, and it started with a bang.
You have no doubt noticed the commemorative patches adorning the uniforms of the Atlanta Braves this season, marking the 150th anniversary of the inaugural season of their ancestor club known as the Boston Red Stockings.
The names have changed over the years — Red Stockings to Beaneaters to Doves, Rustlers, Bees, and finally “Braves” in 1912 — but this is the longest continuously operating professional baseball operation ever.