1888 Cincinnati Red Stockings season

1888 Cincinnati Red Stockings
League	American Association
Ballpark	American Park
City	Cincinnati
Owner	Aaron S. Stern
Manager	Gus Schmelz

The 1888 Cincinnati Red Stockings season was a season in American baseball. The team finished in fourth place in the American Association with a record of 80–54, 11.5 games behind the St. Louis Browns.

Regular season

The 1888 Cincinnati Red Stockings

Cincinnati retained manager Gus Schmelz, who led the team to a franchise record 81 wins in 1887. The Red Stockings were quiet during the off-season, as pitcher Lee Viau, who signed his first professional contract, was the only major signing by the team.

John Reilly had the best season of his career, hitting .321 while leading the league with 13 home runs and 103 RBI, as he became the first Red Stocking to crack 100 RBI in a season. He also had 83 stolen bases. Hugh Nicol hit only .239; however, he once again stole over 100 bases, finishing the season with 103. Nicol and Reilly tied for the team high with 112 runs scored.

On the mound, Lee Viau led Cincinnati with 27 wins and a 2.65 ERA in 42 starts. Tony Mullane and Mike Smith each finished with over 20 wins as well, with 26 and 22 respectively.

The Red Stockings began the season red hot, as they had a 12–5 record before winning 10 games in a row to be 22–5, three games ahead of the second place St. Louis Browns. Cincinnati then fell into a slump, going 5–16 in their next 21 games to fall into fourth place, seven games out of first. The Red Stockings remained in the pennant race until late in the season. However, the team finished the year in fourth place with an 80–54 record, 11.5 games behind the first place Browns.

Season standings

American Association

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
St. Louis Browns	92	43	.681	—	60‍–‍21	32‍–‍22
Brooklyn Bridegrooms	88	52	.629	6½	53‍–‍20	35‍–‍32
Philadelphia Athletics	81	52	.609	10	55‍–‍20	26‍–‍32
Cincinnati Red Stockings	80	54	.597	11½	56‍–‍25	24‍–‍29
Baltimore Orioles	57	80	.416	36	30‍–‍26	27‍–‍54
Cleveland Blues	50	82	.379	40½	33‍–‍27	17‍–‍55
Louisville Colonels	48	87	.356	44	27‍–‍29	21‍–‍58
Kansas City Cowboys	43	89	.326	47½	23‍–‍34	20‍–‍55

Record vs. opponents

1888 American Association record Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
Team	BAL	BR	CIN	CLE	KC	LOU	PHI	STL
Baltimore	—	8–12	6–14	10–9	11–8	11–9	5–14	6–14
Brooklyn	12–8	—	14–6–1	16–4	11–9	13–7	12–8–1	10–10–1
Cincinnati	14–6	6–14–1	—	10–7–1	15–4	17–3–1	10–10	8–10
Cleveland	9–10	4–16	7–10–1	—	10–9	9–8–2	7–13	4–16
Kansas City	8–11	9–11	4–15	9–10	—	6–12	3–14	4–16
Louisville	9–11	7–13	3–17–1	8–9–2	12–6	—	5–15–1	4–16
Philadelphia	14–5	8–12–1	10–10	13–7	14–3	15–5–1	—	7–10–1
St. Louis	14–6	10–10–1	10–8	16–4	16–4	16–4	10–7–1	—

Game log

Legend
Red Stockings Win	Red Stockings Loss	Game Tied/Postponed

1888 Game Log: 80–54 (Home: 56–25; Away: 24–29)
April: 8–3 (Home: 0–0; Away: 8–3) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 1 April 18 @ Cowboys 10–3 Exposition Park 1,000 1-0 W1 2 April 19 @ Cowboys 4–10 Exposition Park N/A 1-1 L1 3 April 21 @ Cowboys 6–4 Exposition Park N/A 2-1 W1 4 April 22 @ Cowboys 10–8 Exposition Park N/A 3-1 W2 5 April 23 @ Browns 2–3 Sportsman's Park N/A 3-2 L1 6 April 24 @ Browns 4–3 Sportsman's Park N/A 4-2 W1 7 April 25 @ Browns 5–1 Sportsman's Park N/A 5-2 W2 8 April 26 @ Browns 4–3 Sportsman's Park N/A 6-2 W3 9 April 28 @ Colonels 4–6 Eclipse Park N/A 6-3 L1 10 April 29 @ Colonels 8–3 Eclipse Park N/A 7-3 W1 11 April 30 @ Colonels 6–5 Eclipse Park N/A 8-3 W2
May: 15–6 (Home: 11–2; Away: 4–4) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak - May 1 @ Colonels Postponed (site change); Makeup: May 1 12 May 1 Colonels 18–2 American Park N/A 9-3 W3 - May 2 @ Colonels Postponed (site change); Makeup: June 22 13 May 3 Cowboys 14–0 American Park N/A 10-3 W4 14 May 4 Cowboys 3–4 American Park N/A 10-4 L1 15 May 5 Cowboys 16–6 American Park N/A 11-4 W1 16 May 6 Cowboys 14–7 American Park N/A 12-4 W2 - May 8 Browns Postponed (rain); Makeup: October 14 17 May 9 Browns 7–8 American Park N/A 12-5 L1 18 May 10 Browns 7–1 American Park N/A 13-5 W1 19 May 11 Browns 2–0 American Park N/A 14-5 W2 20 May 12 Colonels 8–3 American Park N/A 15-5 W3 21 May 13 Colonels 6–2 American Park 7,000 16-5 W4 22 May 15 Colonels 8–4 American Park N/A 17-5 W5 23 May 16 Colonels 5–3 American Park N/A 18-5 W6 24 May 19 @ Blues 5–0 National League Park N/A 19-5 W7 25 May 20 Blues 8–4 American Park N/A 20-5 W8 - May 21 @ Blues Postponed (rain, site change); Makeup: May 20 26 May 22 @ Blues 6–4 National League Park N/A 21-5 W9 27 May 23 @ Blues 6–5 National League Park N/A 22-5 W10 - May 25 @ Orioles Postponed (rain, site change); Makeup: August 26 28 May 26 @ Orioles 1–6 Oriole Park N/A 22-6 L1 29 May 28 @ Orioles 3–5 Oriole Park N/A 22-7 L2 30 May 29 @ Orioles 10–5 Oriole Park N/A 23-7 W1 31 May 30 1 @ Bridegrooms 3–4 Washington Park N/A 23-8 L1 32 May 30 2 @ Bridegrooms 6–10 Washington Park N/A 23-9 L2
June: 9–13 (Home: 5–4; Away: 4–9) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 33 June 1 @ Bridegrooms 1–3 Washington Park N/A 23-10 L3 34 June 2 @ Bridegrooms 6–15 Washington Park N/A 23-11 L4 35 June 4 @ Athletics 6–16 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 23-12 L5 36 June 5 @ Athletics 7–14 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 23-13 L6 37 June 6 @ Athletics 4–7 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 23-14 L7 38 June 7 @ Athletics 3–5 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 23-15 L8 39 June 9 Browns 6–5 American Park N/A 24-15 W1 40 June 10 Browns 8–17 American Park N/A 24-16 L1 41 June 11 Browns 1–8 American Park N/A 24-17 L2 42 June 13 @ Cowboys 11–6 Exposition Park N/A 25-17 W1 43 June 14 @ Cowboys 16–3 Exposition Park N/A 26-17 W2 44 June 15 @ Cowboys 13–17 Exposition Park N/A 26-18 L1 45 June 16 @ Browns 1–9 Sportsman's Park N/A 26-19 L2 46 June 17 @ Browns 2–6 Sportsman's Park N/A 26-20 L3 47 June 19 @ Browns 2–1 Sportsman's Park N/A 27-20 W1 - June 21 @ Colonels Postponed (site change); Makeup: June 21 48 June 21 Colonels 9–15 American Park N/A 27-21 L1 49 June 22 Colonels 10–8 American Park N/A 28-21 W1 50 June 23 @ Colonels 10–10 Eclipse Park N/A 28-21 W1 51 June 24 @ Colonels 11–4 Eclipse Park N/A 29-21 W2 52 June 26 Orioles 5–4 American Park N/A 30-21 W3 - June 27 Orioles Postponed (rain); Makeup: June 29 53 June 28 Orioles 11–5 American Park N/A 31-21 W4 54 June 29 Orioles 1–7 American Park N/A 31-22 L1 55 June 30 Orioles 4–1 American Park N/A 32-22 W1
July: 16–7 (Home: 13–5; Away: 3–2) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 56 July 1 Bridegrooms 3–2 American Park N/A 33-22 W2 57 July 3 Bridegrooms 3–6 American Park N/A 33-23 L1 58 July 4 Bridegrooms 3–9 American Park 3,400 33-24 L2 - July 4 2 Bridegrooms Postponed (rain); Makeup: July 5 59 July 5 Bridegrooms 14–7 American Park N/A 34-24 W1 60 July 6 Athletics 9–8 American Park N/A 35-24 W2 61 July 7 Athletics 0–7 American Park N/A 35-25 L1 62 July 8 Athletics 4–1 American Park N/A 36-25 W1 63 July 10 Athletics 5–4 American Park N/A 37-25 W2 64 July 12 Blues 1–2 American Park N/A 37-26 L1 65 July 13 Blues 4–3 American Park N/A 38-26 W1 66 July 14 Blues 10–0 American Park N/A 39-26 W2 67 July 15 Blues 12–7 American Park N/A 40-26 W3 68 July 17 Colonels 1–0 American Park N/A 41-26 W4 69 July 18 Colonels 4–1 American Park N/A 42-26 W5 70 July 19 Colonels 0–6 American Park N/A 42-27 L1 71 July 21 Cowboys 8–1 American Park N/A 43-27 W1 72 July 22 Cowboys 10–1 American Park N/A 44-27 W2 73 July 24 Cowboys 6–4 American Park N/A 45-27 W3 74 July 26 @ Athletics 2–12 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 45-28 L1 75 July 27 @ Athletics 7–4 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 46-28 W1 76 July 28 @ Athletics 2–1 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 47-28 W2 77 July 29 @ Bridegrooms 2–6 Washington Park N/A 47-29 L1 78 July 31 @ Bridegrooms 3–0 Washington Park N/A 48-29 W1
August: 12–9 (Home: 10–7; Away: 2–2) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 79 August 1 @ Bridegrooms 2–8 Washington Park 2,000 48-30 L1 - August 2 @ Blues Postponed (horse race, site change); Makeup: August 5 - August 3 @ Blues Postponed (site change); Makeup: August 3 80 August 3 Blues 8–9 American Park N/A 48-31 L2 - August 4 @ Blues Postponed (site change); Makeup: August 4 81 August 4 Blues 4–4 American Park 500 48-31 L2 82 August 5 Blues 6–5 American Park N/A 49-31 W1 - August 6 @ Orioles Postponed (site change); Makeup: August 9 - August 7 @ Orioles Postponed (site change); Makeup: August 7 83 August 7 Orioles 4–3 American Park N/A 50-31 W2 - August 8 @ Orioles Postponed (site change); Makeup: August 8 84 August 8 Orioles 6–2 American Park N/A 51-31 W3 85 August 9 Orioles 3–6 American Park N/A 51-32 L1 86 August 10 Bridegrooms 5–2 American Park N/A 52-32 W1 87 August 11 Bridegrooms 5–6 American Park N/A 52-33 L1 88 August 12 Bridegrooms 0–1 American Park N/A 52-34 L2 89 August 13 Orioles 3–2 American Park N/A 53-34 W1 90 August 14 Orioles 11–6 American Park N/A 54-34 W2 91 August 15 Orioles 7–3 American Park N/A 55-34 W3 - August 17 Athletics Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 20 92 August 18 Athletics 4–0 American Park N/A 56-34 W4 93 August 19 Athletics 4–8 American Park N/A 56-35 L1 - August 20 Blues Postponed (rain); Makeup: August 23 94 August 22 Blues 0–3 American Park N/A 56-36 L2 95 August 23 Blues 0–1 American Park N/A 56-37 L3 - August 25 @ Orioles Postponed (site change); Makeup: August 25 96 August 25 Orioles 10–4 American Park N/A 57-37 W1 97 August 26 Orioles 6–0 American Park N/A 58-37 W2 98 August 27 @ Orioles 3–4 Oriole Park N/A 58-38 L1 99 August 28 @ Orioles 3–1 Oriole Park N/A 59-38 W1 100 August 30 @ Bridegrooms 5–3 Washington Park N/A 60-38 W2
September: 11–14 (Home: 11–5; Away: 0–9) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 101 September 1 @ Bridegrooms 2–2 Washington Park N/A 60-38 W2 102 September 2 @ Bridegrooms 4–5 Washington Park N/A 60-39 L1 103 September 3 @ Athletics 2–5 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 60-40 L2 104 September 4 @ Athletics 2–3 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 60-41 L3 105 September 5 @ Athletics 0–3 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 60-42 L4 106 September 6 @ Blues 2–3 National League Park N/A 60-43 L5 107 September 8 @ Blues 1–2 National League Park N/A 60-44 L6 108 September 10 Cowboys 2–3 American Park N/A 60-45 L7 - September 11 @ Cowboys Postponed (site change); Makeup: September 11 109 September 11 Cowboys 11–0 American Park N/A 61-45 W1 - September 12 @ Cowboys Postponed (site change); Makeup: September 12 110 September 12 Cowboys 5–2 American Park N/A 62-45 W2 - September 13 @ Cowboys Postponed (site change); Makeup: September 10 111 September 14 @ Browns 2–14 Sportsman's Park N/A 62-46 L1 112 September 15 @ Browns 3–5 Sportsman's Park N/A 62-47 L2 113 September 16 @ Browns 2–4 Sportsman's Park N/A 62-48 L3 114 September 18 Athletics 5–1 American Park N/A 63-48 W1 115 September 19 Athletics 11–2 American Park N/A 64-48 W2 116 September 20 1 Athletics 1–0 American Park N/A 65-48 W3 117 September 20 2 Athletics 2–1 American Park N/A 66-48 W4 118 September 21 Bridegrooms 2–6 American Park N/A 66-49 L1 119 September 22 Bridegrooms 10–3 American Park N/A 67-49 W1 120 September 23 Bridegrooms 4–8 American Park N/A 67-50 L1 121 September 25 Blues 1–2 American Park N/A 67-51 L2 122 September 26 Blues 5–1 American Park N/A 68-51 W1 123 September 27 Blues 6–5 American Park N/A 69-51 W2 124 September 28 Orioles 0–12 American Park N/A 69-52 L1 125 September 29 Orioles 8–1 American Park N/A 70-52 W1 126 September 30 Orioles 5–2 American Park N/A 71-52 W2
October: 9–2 (Home: 6–2; Away: 3–0) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 127 October 1 Bridegrooms 5–8 American Park N/A 71-53 L1 128 October 2 @ Colonels 3–1 Eclipse Park N/A 72-53 W1 129 October 3 @ Colonels 5–2 Eclipse Park N/A 73-53 W2 130 October 4 @ Colonels 7–3 Eclipse Park N/A 74-53 W3 131 October 5 Colonels 5–3 American Park N/A 75-53 W4 132 October 6 Colonels 3–1 American Park N/A 76-53 W5 133 October 7 Colonels 11–8 American Park N/A 77-53 W6 134 October 9 Cowboys 13–6 American Park N/A 78-53 W7 135 October 10 Cowboys 4–3 American Park N/A 79-53 W8 136 October 14 1 Browns 1–6 American Park 7,000 79-54 L1 137 October 14 2 Browns 10–1 American Park N/A 80-54 W1

Roster

1888 Cincinnati Red Stockings
Roster
Pitchers Tony Mullane Billy Serad Mike Smith Lee Viau John Weyhing		Catchers Kid Baldwin Ned Bligh Jim Keenan Infielders Hick Carpenter Frank Fennelly Heinie Kappel Bid McPhee John Reilly		Outfielders Pop Corkhill Hugh Nicol Jack O'Connor George Tebeau		Manager Gus Schmelz

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos	Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
C	Jim Keenan	85	313	73	.233	1	40
1B	John Reilly	127	527	169	.321	13	103
2B	Bid McPhee	111	458	110	.240	4	51
SS	Frank Fennelly	120	448	88	.196	2	56
3B	Hick Carpenter	136	551	147	.267	3	67
OF	Hugh Nicol	135	548	131	.239	1	35
OF	Pop Corkhill	118	490	133	.271	1	74
OF	George Tebeau	121	411	94	.229	3	51

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
Kid Baldwin	67	271	59	.218	1	25
Heinie Kappel	36	143	37	.259	1	15
Jack O'Connor	36	137	28	.204	1	17
Ned Bligh	3	5	0	.000	0	0

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
Lee Viau	42	387.2	27	14	2.65	164
Tony Mullane	44	380.1	26	16	2.84	186
Mike Smith	40	348.1	22	17	2.74	154
John Weyhing	8	65.2	3	4	1.23	30
Billy Serad	6	50.2	2	3	3.55	4

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	W	L	SV	ERA	SO
Pop Corkhill	2	0	0	1	10.80	1

External links

• 1888 Cincinnati Red Stockings season at Baseball Reference