preceded by a series of uninterrupted victories over Western clubs. The trip Eastward saw its first contest with the Buffalo Niagaras, after which the Cincinnati Club passed through Western New York to Massachusetts and then to New York City, where they played their first important game with the Mutuals. The result of this contest was a score, unprecedented up to that time, of 4 to 2, the Red Stockings winning. Next day they met and defeated the celebrated Atlantic Club by 32 to 10. The Eckfords were next to go down to defeat, and by a score of 24 to 5. From New York the Red Stockings went to Philadelphia, en route disposing of the Irvington, N. J., team by 20 to 4. At Philadelphia they encountered the Olympics, winning, 22 to 11, and following this by a defeat of the great Athletics of that city by 27 to 18, and the Keystones by 45 to 30. Later the Westerners visited Baltimore and Washington, easily defeating the best teams of both cities, the Marylands by 47 to 7, the Washington Nationals by a score of 24 to 8, and the Olympics of the capital city by 16 to 5.
Thus ended the first Eastern tour of a Western Base Ball club. It was also the first tour of a professional ball club in any direction. Every game played was won by the Red Stockings, presenting an important object lesson in professionalism, for it demonstrated at once and for all time the superiority of an organization of ball players, chosen and trained and paid for the work they were engaged to do, over any and all organizations brought together as amateurs for the simple purpose of playing ball for exercise and entertainment.
