Page "Cleveland Indians" Paragraph 7

In 1871 the Forest Citys joined the new National Association of Professional Base Ball Players ( NA ), the first professional league.

Ultimately, two of the league's western clubs went out of business during the first season and the Chicago Fire left that city's White Stockings impoverished, unable to field a team again until 1874.

Cleveland was thus the NA's westernmost outpost in 1872, the year the club folded.

Cleveland played their full schedule to July 19 followed by two games versus Boston in mid-August and disbanded at the end of the season.