The Cincinnati Reds, a baseball team that traces its roots back to the first-ever professional franchise in 1869, took its name from clothing worn by players.
The 1869 team was named the Red Stockings after the bright red knee-high socks worn by the players, known then as ballists. Since 1869, Cincinnati's baseball team name has always had some variation of the word red. On Friday, Ohio's other baseball franchise, the Cleveland Indians, announced the franchise would be renamed the Cleveland Guardians.
Who were the Red Stockings?
The Cincinnati Red Stockings of 1869, were baseball's first openly-paid team of players. They recorded a perfect season, with a record of 57-0. The team was so good they scored an average 40 runs a game. The team played teams on the East and West coasts that season.
The Red Stockings continued their winning ways in 1870, and then folded over finances.
Player-manager Harry Wright and his brother and star player George Wright left in 1871, for Boston. There, the brothers carried the Red Stockings name to help found a Boston team by that name. The Boston Red Sox are a direct descendent of the Boston Red Stockings.
Name shortened to Reds
Cincinnati was a charter member of the National League in 1876, again carrying the Red Stockings name, according to an MLB.com article. The team left the league in 1881 to be part of the American Association for a stint. Their necessary name change stuck, even after the Reds came back to the National League in 1890.
The name stayed the Cincinnati Reds for more than 70 years until 1953. Senator Joseph McCarthy was whipping up anti-Communist hysteria across the country, so Cincinnati decided to separate itself from the "Reds" name. People called Communist's reds at the time.
The team was known as the Cincinnati Redlegs for the next six years. The name was never popular amongst fans and most baseball announcers and writers didn't use it.
Cincinnati Reds has been the team name ever since 1959, although the team has incorporated a Mr. Redlegs and Rosie Red mascots to go with the traditional Mr. Red mascot. Rosie Red is an ode to the rooting philanthropic name of a group of fans under the name Rosie Reds.
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