Major League Baseball Manager. He is considered an influential baseball personality during the early era of the game. The Lancaster, Massachusetts-born Bancroft managed seven different Major League teams during a nine year stretch and is credited with introducing the game to Cuba in 1879. That year he closed a deal with a medicine company to sponsor a touring baseball team called the "Hop Bitters", which traveled throughout the Caribbean Islands. He would return to Cuba with another touring team in 1910 and encouraged several star players to come to the United States (A few Cubans were signed to Major League contracts the following year). He had mediocre success as a baseball manager with the exception of the 1884 Providence Grays who had posted the best record in the National League. The first post season contest was arranged at the end of that season pitting the Grays against the New York Metropolitans of the American Association. The Grays emerged victoriously, sweeping a best of five series, and were crowned as national champions. The event is unofficially considered as the first World Series. Bancroft also managed the Philadelphia Athletics and the Cincinnati Reds, as well as teams from several cities that later folded. He established an overall managerial record of 375 wins against 333 losses. He then became a business manager and worked for the Cincinnati Reds for thirty years. He is referred to in Cincinnati as the "Father of Opening Day" because he established the season's first game as a local "holiday" complete with a parade and other festivities, a tradition that has been carried on ever since. He died from pneumonia at a hospital in Cincinnati in 1921. He was 74 years old.
Major League Baseball Manager. He is considered an influential baseball personality during the early era of the game. The Lancaster, Massachusetts-born Bancroft managed seven different Major League teams during a nine year stretch and is credited with introducing the game to Cuba in 1879. That year he closed a deal with a medicine company to sponsor a touring baseball team called the "Hop Bitters", which traveled throughout the Caribbean Islands. He would return to Cuba with another touring team in 1910 and encouraged several star players to come to the United States (A few Cubans were signed to Major League contracts the following year). He had mediocre success as a baseball manager with the exception of the 1884 Providence Grays who had posted the best record in the National League. The first post season contest was arranged at the end of that season pitting the Grays against the New York Metropolitans of the American Association. The Grays emerged victoriously, sweeping a best of five series, and were crowned as national champions. The event is unofficially considered as the first World Series. Bancroft also managed the Philadelphia Athletics and the Cincinnati Reds, as well as teams from several cities that later folded. He established an overall managerial record of 375 wins against 333 losses. He then became a business manager and worked for the Cincinnati Reds for thirty years. He is referred to in Cincinnati as the "Father of Opening Day" because he established the season's first game as a local "holiday" complete with a parade and other festivities, a tradition that has been carried on ever since. He died from pneumonia at a hospital in Cincinnati in 1921. He was 74 years old.
Bio by: K Guy
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