Claim: The 1912 Boston Rustlers (8th place in league) season was the 51st season of the franchise and when George Dovey died in 1909, John Dovey sold the Boston Doves team after the 1920 season to John P. Harris.
Evidence: They only managed one winning season from 1900 to 1913, and lost 100 or more games six times. In 1907, the newly renamed Doves (temporarily) eliminated the last bit of red from their stockings because their manager thought the red dye could cause wounds to become infected (as noted in The Sporting News Baseball Guide during the 1940s when each team's entry had a history of its nickname(s). When George and John Dovey acquired the club in 1907, the team earned the sobriquet Doves; when purchased by William Hepburn Russell in 1911 punning reporters tried out Rustlers. George B. Dovey (April 18, 1862 – June 19, 1909) was the principal owner of the Boston Doves of the National League from 1907 through 1909. In 1907, Dovey bought the Boston Beaneaters from Arthur Soden, becoming the team's principal owner; he then renamed the team the Boston Doves. John S. C. Dovey (September 19, 1865 – ?) was the co-owner of the Boston Doves of the National League with his brother George Dovey from 1907 through 1909, and later sole principal owner for the 1910 season. After becoming principal owner upon the death of his brother in 1909, he sold the franchise to John P. Harris one season later. William Hepburn Russell (1812–1872) was a United States businessman. However, clever monikers did nothing to change the National League club's luck. The team adopted an official name, the Braves, for the first time in 1912. Boston Braves Johnny Kling The 1912 Boston Braves season was the 42nd season of the franchise. Team owner William Hepburn Russell died after the 1911 season and his stock was bought up by a group including Tammany Hall alderman James Gaffney and former baseball manager John Montgomery Ward. The team was renamed the Boston Braves after the Sachems, also known as "Braves", of Tammany Hall. Boston Braves 52 101 0.340 52 31–47 21–54