A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,[1] Pratt was a Civil War veteran and baseball player.[3] Pratt was 5'7", 140 lbs., and compiled a 12–26 record in 43 professional games as a hurler.[1] In successive years with Cleveland, 1871–1872, Pratt hit .262 and .277 in 45 games with a total of 52 hits.[1]
He managed the Portsmouth, Ohio baseball team in 1868.[3] Afterward he was a member of the Forest City Club of Cleveland in the Professional League of Baseball Players.[1] This was the first professional league in America.[3]
In 1880 Pratt founded the first major league club in Pittsburgh, the Alleghenys (later renamed the Pittsburgh Pirates), which joined the American Association.[3]
Pratt celebrated his 90th birthday two days before his death in Pittsburgh on November 21, 1937.[1] He was buried, according to his request, attired in his Grand Army of the Republic uniform.[3]