Claim: The 1872 Middletown Mansfields season marks the only time that the club was part of the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players, and they finished with over 30 fewer wins than the season's top club.
Evidence: The Middletown Mansfields played their first and only season in 1872 as a member of the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players. Middletown Mansfields 5 Boston Red Stockings 39 They finished eighth in the league with a record of 5-19.