"It Made Baseball Famous"

"At the time, the concept of amateurism was especially popular among fans. Inspired by classical ideas of sportsmanship, its proponents argued that playing sport for a reason other than for the love of the game was immoral, even corrupt.
"Nonetheless, some of the major clubs in the East and Midwest began disregarding the rule prohibiting professionalism and secretly hired talented young working-class players to get an edge.
"After the 1868 season, the national association reversed its position and sanctified the practice of paying players. The move recognized the reality that some players were already getting paid, and that was unlikely to change because professionals clearly helped teams win.
"Yet the taint of professionalism restrained virtually every club from paying an entire roster of players."

Robert Wyss at History News Network depicts the rise of the Cincinnati Red Stockings as the first professional baseball team 150 years ago.