1887 Cincinnati Red Stockings season

The 1887 Cincinnati Red Stockings season was a season in American baseball. The team finished in second place in the American Association with a record of 81–45, 14 games behind the St. Louis Browns.

1887 Cincinnati Red Stockings
League	American Association
Ballpark	American Park
City	Cincinnati
Owner	Aaron S. Stern[1]
Manager	Gus Schmelz
← 1886 1888 →

Regular season

Following a horrible 1886 season, in which the Red Stockings finished under .500 for the first time in team history, the team hired Gus Schmelz to become the new manager. Schmelz managed the St. Louis Maroons of the National League in 1886 to a 43–79 record. He also managed the Columbus Buckeyes of the American Association in 1883, leading them to a 69–39 record and a second-place finish.

Cincinnati signed George Tebeau to his first professional contract, and acquired Hugh Nicol from the St. Louis Browns in a trade with sent Jack Boyle and $350 to the Browns. Nicol hit .206 with 19 RBI and 38 stolen bases, as well as scoring 44 runs in 67 games in 1886.

John Reilly had a great season, as he hit .306 with a team high ten home runs and had 96 RBI, as well as 50 stolen bases. Pop Corkhill led the club with a .311 batting average, and his 97 RBI tied him with Frank Fennelly for the team high. Nicol led the American Association with 138 stolen bases.

On the mound, nineteen-year-old Mike Smith emerged as the ace of the staff, as he had a 34–17 record and a league best 2.94 ERA in 52 starts. Tony Mullane also had a solid season, as he had a 31–17 record with a 3.24 ERA in 48 starts.

Season summary

The Red Stockings got off to a fast start, winning their first five games, however, Cincinnati lost six of their next seven games to fall to 6–6. The team hovered around the .500 level, as they had a 21–22 record after 43 games, before winning nine of ten to rise up to third place with a 30–23 record. After going 3–6 in their next nine games, Cincinnati had a season-high ten-game winning streak. However, they remained in third place, 8.5 games behind the St. Louis Browns. The Red Stockings continued to play good baseball for the remainder of the season, as they finished the year in second place with a record of 81–54, fourteen games behind the first-place Browns.

Season standings

• v
• t
• e

American Association

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
St. Louis Browns	95	40	.704	—	58‍–‍15	37‍–‍25
Cincinnati Red Stockings	81	54	.600	14	46‍–‍27	35‍–‍27
Baltimore Orioles	77	58	.570	18	42‍–‍21	35‍–‍37
Louisville Colonels	76	60	.559	19½	45‍–‍23	31‍–‍37
Philadelphia Athletics	64	69	.481	30	41‍–‍28	23‍–‍41
Brooklyn Grays	60	74	.448	34½	36‍–‍37	24‍–‍37
New York Metropolitans	44	89	.331	50	26‍–‍33	18‍–‍56
Cleveland Blues	39	92	.298	54	22‍–‍36	17‍–‍56

Record vs. opponents

1887 American Association record v t e Sources:
Team	BAL	BRO	CIN	CLE	LOU	NYP	PHI	STL
Baltimore	—	10–9–1	11–9	17–3	7–11–1	15–4–2	14–6	3–16–2
Brooklyn	9–10–1	—	7–13	13–6–1	8–12	9–9	10–8–2	4–16
Cincinnati	9–11	13–7	—	11–6	8–12	17–3–1	11–9	12–6
Cleveland	3–17	6–13–1	6–11	—	8–11–1	11–8	4–14	1–18
Louisville	11–7–1	12–8	12–8	11–8–1	—	12–8	11–8–1	7–13
New York	4–15–2	9–9	3–17–1	8–11	8–12	—	7–11–1	5–14–1
Philadelphia	6–14	8–10–2	9–11	14–4	8–11–1	11–7–1	—	8–12
St. Louis	16–3–2	16–4	6–12	18–1	13–7	14–5–1	12–8	—

Game log

Legend
Red Stockings Win	Red Stockings Loss	Game Tied/Postponed

1887 Game Log: 81–54 (Home: 46–27; Away: 35–27)
April: 6–4 (Home: 3–0; Away: 3–4) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 1 April 16 Blues 16–6 American Park N/A 1-0 W1 - April 17 Blues Postponed (rain); Makeup: May 8 2 April 19 Blues 13–6 American Park N/A 2-0 W2 3 April 20 Blues 14–6 American Park N/A 3-0 W3 - April 21 @ Browns Postponed (rain); Makeup: April 22 4 April 22 @ Browns 5–2 Sportsman's Park N/A 4-0 W4 5 April 23 @ Browns 6–5 Sportsman's Park N/A 5-0 W5 6 April 24 @ Browns 1–6 Sportsman's Park 10,000 5-1 L1 7 April 26 @ Browns 6–19 Sportsman's Park N/A 5-2 L2 8 April 27 @ Colonels 5–0 Eclipse Park N/A 6-2 W1 9 April 28 @ Colonels 5–12 Eclipse Park N/A 6-3 L1 10 April 30 @ Colonels 0–0 Eclipse Park N/A 6-4 L2
May: 11–14 (Home: 8–12; Away: 3–2) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 11 May 1 @ Colonels 4–8 Eclipse Park N/A 6-5 L3 12 May 2 Colonels 7–8 American Park N/A 6-6 L4 13 May 4 @ Blues 10–6 National League Park 4,000 7-6 W1 14 May 5 @ Blues 6–2 National League Park 1,500 8-6 W2 15 May 7 @ Blues 6–2 National League Park N/A 9-6 W3 16 May 8 Blues 6–7 American Park 7,000 9-7 L1 17 May 9 Blues 18–2 American Park N/A 10-7 W1 18 May 10 Metropolitans 12–3 American Park N/A 11-7 W2 - May 11 Metropolitans Postponed (rain); Makeup: May 13 19 May 12 Metropolitans 6–19 American Park N/A 11-8 L1 20 May 13 Metropolitans 12–4 American Park N/A 12-8 W1 21 May 14 Metropolitans 7–6 American Park N/A 13-8 W2 22 May 15 Grays 13–4 American Park 13,000 14-8 W3 23 May 17 Grays 10–11 American Park N/A 14-9 L1 24 May 18 Grays 3–6 American Park N/A 14-10 L2 25 May 19 Grays 14–10 American Park N/A 15-10 W1 26 May 20 Orioles 6–16 American Park N/A 15-11 L1 27 May 21 Orioles 4–5 American Park N/A 15-12 L2 28 May 22 Orioles 17–7 American Park N/A 16-12 W1 29 May 23 Orioles 3–4 American Park N/A 16-13 L1 30 May 25 Athletics 4–5 American Park N/A 16-14 L2 31 May 26 Athletics 6–9 American Park N/A 16-15 L3 32 May 27 Athletics 5–9 American Park N/A 16-16 L4 33 May 28 Athletics 3–4 American Park N/A 16-17 L5 34 May 29 Orioles 12–5 American Park N/A 17-17 W1 - May 30 @ Orioles Postponed (unknown reason, site change); Makeup: May 29 35 May 31 @ Orioles 2–12 Oriole Park 13,000 17-18 L1
June: 14–10 (Home: 4–4; Away: 10–6) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 36 June 1 @ Orioles 4–2 Oriole Park N/A 18-18 W1 37 June 2 @ Orioles 7–13 Oriole Park N/A 18-19 L1 38 June 4 @ Athletics 5–2 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 19-19 W1 - June 6 @ Athletics Postponed (rain); Makeup: June 8 39 June 7 @ Athletics 0–10 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 19-20 L1 40 June 8 1 @ Athletics 4–5 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 19-21 L2 41 June 8 2 @ Athletics 9–8 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 20-21 W1 42 June 9 @ Grays 7–0 Washington Park N/A 21-21 W2 43 June 10 @ Grays 5–17 Washington Park N/A 21-22 L1 44 June 11 @ Metropolitans 3–1 St. George Cricket Grounds N/A 22-22 W1 45 June 12 @ Grays 7–4 Washington Park 10,000 23-22 W2 - June 14 @ Grays Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: June 12 46 June 14 @ Metropolitans 13–6 St. George Cricket Grounds N/A 24-22 W3 47 June 15 @ Grays 6–2 Washington Park N/A 25-22 W4 48 June 16 @ Metropolitans 11–10 St. George Cricket Grounds N/A 26-22 W5 - June 17 @ Metropolitans Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 14 49 June 19 Browns 4–23 American Park N/A 26-23 L1 50 June 20 Browns 8–4 American Park N/A 27-23 W1 51 June 21 Browns 3–2 American Park N/A 28-23 W2 52 June 22 Browns 8–4 American Park N/A 29-23 W3 53 June 23 Colonels 3–1 American Park N/A 30-23 W4 54 June 24 Colonels 9–10 American Park N/A 30-24 L1 - June 25 Colonels Postponed (rain); Makeup: June 27 55 June 26 Colonels 3–7 American Park N/A 30-25 L2 56 June 27 Colonels 11–12 American Park N/A 30-26 L3 57 June 28 @ Blues 6–12 National League Park N/A 30-27 L4 58 June 29 @ Blues 9–8 National League Park N/A 31-27 W1 59 June 30 @ Blues 4–13 National League Park N/A 31-28 L1
July: 16–8 (Home: 12–3; Away: 4–5) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 60 July 1 Blues 10–5 American Park N/A 32-28 W1 61 July 2 Blues 12–7 American Park N/A 33-28 W2 - July 3 Blues Postponed (rain, site change); Makeup: October 3 62 July 4 1 Orioles 2–6 American Park N/A 33-29 L1 63 July 4 2 Orioles 11–6 American Park N/A 34-29 W1 64 July 6 Orioles 11–3 American Park N/A 35-29 W2 65 July 7 Metropolitans 5–1 American Park N/A 36-29 W3 66 July 9 Metropolitans 2–0 American Park N/A 37-29 W4 67 July 10 Metropolitans 21–7 American Park N/A 38-29 W5 68 July 11 Metropolitans 5–0 American Park N/A 39-29 W6 69 July 12 Athletics 7–4 American Park N/A 40-29 W7 70 July 13 Athletics 6–1 American Park N/A 41-29 W8 71 July 14 Athletics 3–2 American Park N/A 42-29 W9 72 July 15 Grays 11–3 American Park N/A 43-29 W10 73 July 16 Grays 2–6 American Park N/A 43-30 L1 74 July 17 Grays 0–4 American Park N/A 43-31 L2 - July 19 @ Orioles Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: July 20 75 July 20 @ Orioles 5–8 Oriole Park N/A 43-32 L3 76 July 21 @ Orioles 3–9 Oriole Park N/A 43-33 L4 77 July 22 @ Orioles 4–1 Oriole Park N/A 44-33 W1 - July 23 @ Athletics Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 3 78 July 25 @ Athletics 2–5 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 44-34 L1 79 July 26 @ Athletics 2–3 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 44-35 L2 80 July 27 @ Grays 6–3 Washington Park N/A 45-35 W1 81 July 28 @ Grays 8–7 Washington Park N/A 46-35 W2 82 July 29 @ Grays 8–6 Washington Park N/A 47-35 W3 83 July 30 @ Metropolitans 4–6 St. George Cricket Grounds N/A 47-36 L1
August: 15–11 (Home: 12–6; Away: 3–5) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 84 August 1 @ Metropolitans 11–1 St. George Cricket Grounds N/A 48-36 W1 85 August 2 @ Metropolitans 4–6 St. George Cricket Grounds N/A 48-37 L1 86 August 4 @ Browns 2–7 Sportsman's Park N/A 48-38 L2 87 August 5 @ Browns 5–0 Sportsman's Park N/A 49-38 W1 88 August 6 @ Browns 2–3 Sportsman's Park N/A 49-39 L1 89 August 7 @ Colonels 4–3 Eclipse Park N/A 50-39 W1 90 August 9 @ Colonels 4–5 Eclipse Park N/A 50-40 L1 91 August 10 @ Colonels 4–5 Eclipse Park N/A 50-41 L2 92 August 11 Blues 10–12 American Park N/A 50-42 L3 93 August 12 Blues 3–4 American Park N/A 50-43 L4 94 August 13 Blues 5–4 American Park N/A 51-43 W1 95 August 14 Colonels 6–1 American Park N/A 52-43 W2 96 August 16 Colonels 4–2 American Park N/A 53-43 W3 - August 17 Colonels Postponed (rain); Makeup: August 18 97 August 18 Colonels 4–5 American Park N/A 53-44 L1 98 August 19 Grays 7–4 American Park N/A 54-44 W1 99 August 20 Grays 1–0 American Park N/A 55-44 W2 100 August 21 Grays 9–14 American Park N/A 55-45 L1 101 August 23 Metropolitans 2–0 American Park N/A 56-45 W1 102 August 24 Metropolitans 5–3 American Park N/A 57-45 W2 103 August 25 Metropolitans 15–6 American Park N/A 58-45 W3 104 August 26 Orioles 11–19 American Park N/A 58-46 L1 105 August 27 Orioles 16–2 American Park N/A 59-46 W1 106 August 28 Orioles 1–5 American Park N/A 59-47 L1 107 August 29 Athletics 7–5 American Park N/A 60-47 W1 108 August 30 Athletics 7–2 American Park N/A 61-47 W2 109 August 31 Athletics 5–3 American Park N/A 62-47 W3
September: 16–5 (Home: 5–2; Away: 11–3) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 110 September 2 @ Athletics 7–3 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 63-47 W4 111 September 3 1 @ Athletics 11–9 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 64-47 W5 112 September 3 2 @ Athletics 6–15 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 64-48 L1 113 September 5 @ Athletics 3–2 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 65-48 W1 114 September 6 @ Orioles 12–3 Oriole Park N/A 66-48 W2 115 September 7 @ Orioles 1–6 Oriole Park N/A 66-49 L1 116 September 8 @ Orioles 6–2 Oriole Park N/A 67-49 W1 117 September 9 @ Metropolitans 10–0 St. George Cricket Grounds N/A 68-49 W2 118 September 10 @ Metropolitans 11–11 St. George Cricket Grounds N/A 68-49 W2 - September 12 @ Metropolitans Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 15 119 September 13 @ Grays 7–2 Washington Park N/A 69-49 W3 120 September 14 1 @ Metropolitans 6–2 St. George Cricket Grounds N/A 70-49 W4 121 September 14 2 @ Grays 4–5 Washington Park N/A 70-50 L1 122 September 15 1 @ Metropolitans 4–0 St. George Cricket Grounds N/A 71-50 W1 123 September 15 2 @ Grays 11–1 Washington Park N/A 72-50 W2 124 September 17 Colonels 1–2 American Park N/A 72-51 L1 - September 18 Colonels Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 19 125 September 19 Colonels 2–1 American Park N/A 73-51 W1 126 September 20 Colonels 4–2 American Park N/A 74-51 W2 127 September 21 Browns 15–3 American Park N/A 75-51 W3 128 September 22 Browns 6–0 American Park N/A 76-51 W4 129 September 24 Browns 7–5 American Park N/A 77-51 W5 130 September 25 @ Browns 8–4 Sportsman's Park N/A 78-51 W6 131 September 29 Browns 2–8 American Park N/A 78-52 L1
October: 3–2 (Home: 2–0; Away: 1–2) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 132 October 1 Browns 10–2 American Park N/A 79-52 W1 133 October 2 Browns 8–2 American Park N/A 80-52 W2 132 October 3 @ Blues 2–7 National League Park N/A 80-53 L1 - October 7 @ Colonels Postponed (unknown reason, site change); Makeup: May 2 133 October 8 @ Colonels 6–12 Eclipse Park N/A 80-54 L2 134 October 9 @ Colonels 2–0 Eclipse Park N/A 81-54 W1

Roster

1887 Cincinnati Reds
Roster
Pitchers Jumbo McGinnis Tony Mullane Billy Serad Mike Shea Mike Smith Mother Watson Wild Bill Widner		Catchers Kid Baldwin Jim Keenan Infielders Hick Carpenter Frank Fennelly Heinie Kappel Bid McPhee John Reilly		Outfielders Pop Corkhill Charley Jones 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	Kid Baldwin	96	388	98	.253	1	57
1B	John Reilly	134	551	170	.309	10	96
2B	Bid McPhee	129	540	156	.289	2	87
3B	Hick Carpenter	127	498	124	.249	1	50
SS	Frank Fennelly	134	526	140	.266	8	97
OF	Hugh Nicol	125	475	102	.215	1	34
OF	Pop Corkhill	128	541	168	.311	5	97
OF	George Tebeau	85	318	94	.296	4	33

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
Jim Keenan	47	174	44	.253	0	17
Charley Jones	41	153	48	.314	2	40
Heinie Kappel	23	78	22	.282	0	15
Jack O'Connor	12	40	4	.100	0	1

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
Mike Smith	52	447.1	34	17	2.94	176
Tony Mullane	48	416.1	31	17	3.24	97
Billy Serad	22	187.1	10	11	4.08	34
Jumbo McGinnis	8	69.1	3	5	5.45	18
Mike Shea	2	16.2	1	1	7.02	0
Mother Watson	2	14.0	0	1	5.79	1
Wild Bill Widner	1	9.0	1	0	5.00	0
George Tebeau	1	8.0	0	1	13.50	1

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	5	1	0	0	5.52	3

References

1. "Reds owners". The Cincinnati Enquirer. November 3, 2005. p. 20. Retrieved September 14, 2020 – via newspapers.com.

External links

• 1887 Cincinnati Red Stockings season at Baseball Reference