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19th Century Baseball Contracts Sell At Auction For $76,000

This is a picture of Andrew Leonard in 1874 when he played left field for the Boston Red Stockings
wikipedia.org
Andrew Leonard in 1874 when he played left field for the Boston Red Stockings

Several contracts for one of baseball's first professional players have been sold at auction for more than $76,000 combined.The contracts for Andy Leonard, who played much of his professional career with the Boston Red Stockings in the 1870s, were sold last weekend by Dallas-based Heritage Auctions.

The Irish immigrant played for several amateur clubs before signing with the Cincinnati Red Stockings in 1869, commonly considered the first professional baseball team.

The documents were put up for auction by Leonard's grandson, 82-year-old Charles McCarty, a Boston native who is now retired in Folly Beach, South Carolina.

McCarty says one of the reasons he sold the contracts was so he could pay for a fitting monument for his grandfather, who lies in an unmarked grave in a Boston cemetery.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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