So on this All-Star night we pay homage to what could have been ...

Imagine.

We had what amounted to a Major League Baseball team here in 1875 called the Elm Citys.

They were a part of the National Association, which became the National League in 1876, taking the Hartford Blues rather than New Haven.

New Haven wasn't that good, posting a record of 7-40 and placing 8th of 13 teams. The team went through three managers. George was not the owner.

But what if the National League took New Haven?

Consider the teams in the National Association that year: Boston Red Stockings. Chicago White Stockings. St. Louis Brown Stockings. Philadelphia Athletics. St. Louis Red Stockings. Washington Nationals. Brooklyn Atlantics. There were three teams from Philadelphia. Two from New York and St. Louis.

New Haven obviously was a small-market team.

They played at Hamilton Park, also the first home of Yale football, located at Whalley and West Park.

The Boston Red Stockings were 71-8 that year. Today, they are known as the Atlanta Braves.

Cap Anson played in the league.
So did Albert Spalding.
And so to did Jim O'Rourke, the gentleman from Bridgeport, who is credited with getting the first hit in the National League a year later.

There were three Connecticut teams in the National Association. New Haven, Hartford and Middletown, which played in 1872.

David Arcidiacono, an East Hampton author has written a few books on the teams. His latest, came out this week.

Visit baseballreference.com to learn more about the history of the game.

And visit ourbaseballhaven.com to get an idea about the potential future of the game here.