▁the ▁longest ▁continu ously ▁operating ▁team ▁in ▁Major ▁League ▁Baseball . ▁On ▁January ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 8 7 1 , ▁the ▁Boston ▁Base ▁Ball ▁Association ▁was ▁leg ally ▁organized ▁by ▁Adams ▁with ▁$ 1 5 , 0 0 0 ▁raised ▁from ▁invest ors ▁and ▁the ▁commit ment ▁of ▁Harry ▁Wright , ▁manager ▁of ▁America ' s ▁first ▁professional ▁baseball ▁team , ▁the ▁C inc inn ati ▁Red ▁Stock ings , ▁to ▁manage ▁the ▁new ▁Boston ▁club . ▁ ▁Business ▁career ▁▁ ▁Adams ▁was ▁a ▁native ▁of ▁Ash burn ham , ▁Massachusetts , ▁but ▁left ▁the ▁town ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 9 ▁to ▁seek ▁his ▁fortune ▁in ▁Boston . ▁He ▁became ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Net ▁and ▁Tw ine ▁Company , ▁which ▁was ▁the ▁largest ▁manufact urer ▁of ▁its ▁kind ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁at ▁that ▁time . ▁Through out ▁his ▁life ▁Adams ▁kept ▁an ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁activities ▁of ▁his ▁home ▁community . ▁Adams ▁was ▁an ▁enthus i astic ▁sports man , ▁he ▁had ▁a ▁fish ing ▁l odge ▁in ▁Canada , ▁from ▁which ▁he ▁sent ▁his ▁Ash burn ham ▁friends ▁fresh ▁sal mon , ▁and ▁a ▁hunting ▁preserve ▁in ▁Virginia . ▁He ▁was ▁interested ▁in ▁the ▁propag ation ▁of ▁fish , ▁and ▁for ▁some ▁years ▁le ased ▁from ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁Ash burn ham , ▁Upper ▁Nau ke ag ▁Lake , ▁where ▁he ▁maintained ▁a ▁summer ▁home ▁on ▁an ▁island . ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁Ash burn ham ' s ▁problems ▁which ▁concerned ▁Adams ▁was ▁the ▁town '