1879 Cincinnati Reds season

Regular season

The Reds were hoping to build off a great 1878 season, in which the team finished in second place in the National League with a 37–23 record. In the off-season, the Reds announced that catcher Deacon White would become the player-manager. Cincinnati signed Ross Barnes to play shortstop. Barnes had missed most of the 1877 season and all of the 1878 season after falling ill. In his last full season in 1876, Barnes played with the Chicago White Stockings, and led the NL with a .429 batting average, 138 hits, 126 runs, 38 doubles, and fourteen triples.

King Kelly had a very solid season, hitting .348 with two home runs and 47 RBI, while another youngster, twenty-year-old Buttercup Dickerson, hit .291 with two home runs and a team high 57 RBI. Deacon White rebounded from a poor 1878 season by his standards, as he hit .330 with a homer and 52 RBI. On the mound, Will White led the NL with 75 starts, as he had a 43–31 record with a 1.99 ERA in his league high 680 innings pitched.

Season summary

Cincinnati started off hot, as they opened the season with a five-game winning streak. However, the club lost seven of their next eight games to fall under .500. Cincinnati had a mediocre 9–9 record after eighteen games, and player-manager Deacon White turned over his managerial duties to Cal McVey, who had been the Reds' player-manager in 1878. Cincinnati lost the first five games under McVey, however, the team began to play better, and ended the season with a 43–37 record, fifth in the league, and fourteen games behind the first-place Grays.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Game log

|- style="background:#bfb;" | 1 || May 1 || Trojans || 7–5 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 1–0 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 2 || May 2 || Trojans || 10–1 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 2–0 || W2 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 3 || May 3 || Trojans || 13–12 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 3–0 || W3 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 4 || May 6 || Stars || 7–6 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 4–0 || W4 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 5 || May 8 || Stars || 5–2 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 5–0 || W5 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 6 || May 10 || Stars || 6–7 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 5–1 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 7 || May 13 || Red Caps || 2–3 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 5–2 || L2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 8 || May 15 || Red Caps || 2–13 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 5–3 || L3 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 9 || May 17 || Red Caps || 7–4 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 6–3 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 10 || May 20 || Grays || 5–11 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 6–4 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 11 || May 22 || Grays || 9–10 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 6–5 || L2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 12 || May 24 || Grays || 1–17 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 6–6 || L3 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 13 || May 28 || @ Trojans || 6–20 || Putnam Grounds || N/A || 6–7 || L4 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 14 || May 30 || @ Trojans || 4–2 || Putnam Grounds || N/A || 7–7 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 15 || May 31 || @ Trojans || 6–2 || Putnam Grounds || N/A || 8–7 || W2 |- |- style="background:#bbb;" | – || June 3 || @ Stars || colspan=8| Postponed (rain); Makeup: June 4 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 16 || June 4 || @ Stars || 6–5 || Newell Park || N/A || 9–7 || W3 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 17 || June 5 || @ Stars || 1–10 || Newell Park || N/A || 9–8 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 18 || June 7 || @ Stars || 3–9 || Newell Park || N/A || 9–9 || L2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 19 || June 10 || @ Grays || 1–6 || Messer Street Grounds || N/A || 9–10 || L3 |- style="background:#bbb;" | – || June 12 || @ Grays || colspan=8| Postponed (rain); Makeup: June 13 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 20 || June 13 || @ Grays || 6–19 || Messer Street Grounds || N/A || 9–11 || L4 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 21 || June 14 || @ Grays || 3–4 || Messer Street Grounds || N/A || 9–12 || L5 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 22 || June 17 || @ Red Caps || 6–9 || South End Grounds || N/A || 9–13 || L6 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 23 || June 19 || @ Red Caps || 0–6 || South End Grounds || N/A || 9–14 || L7 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 24 || June 21 || @ Red Caps || 15–13 || South End Grounds || N/A || 10–14 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 25 || June 24 || White Stockings || 4–1 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 11–14 || W2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 26 || June 25 || White Stockings || 3–7 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 11–15 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 27 || June 28 || @ White Stockings || 1–5 || Lakefront Park || N/A || 11–16 || L2 |- style="background:#bbb;" | – || June 30 || @ White Stockings || colspan=8| Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: July 1 |- |- style="background:#bfb;" | 28 || July 1 || @ White Stockings || 7–5 || Lakefront Park || N/A || 12–16 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 29 || July 2 || @ White Stockings || 9–8 || Lakefront Park || N/A || 13–16 || W2 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 30 || July 4 || Stars || 9–1 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 14–16 || W3 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 31 || July 5 || Stars || 9–5 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 15–16 || W4 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 32 || July 8 || Stars || 1–6 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 15–17 || L1 |- style="background:#bbb;" | – || July 10 || Red Caps || colspan=8| Postponed (rain); Makeup: July 14 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 33 || July 11 || Red Caps || 2–11 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 15–18 || L2 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 34 || July 12 || Red Caps || 4–3 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 16–18 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 35 || July 14 || Red Caps || 4–8 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 16–19 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 36 || July 15 || Grays || 9–0 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 17–19 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 37 || July 16 || Grays || 3–5 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 17–20 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 38 || July 17 || Grays || 8–4 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 18–20 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 39 || July 19 || Trojans || 7–6 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 19–20 || W2 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 40 || July 21 || Trojans || 10–0 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 20–20 || W3 |- style="background:#bbb;" | – || July 24 || @ White Stockings || colspan=8| Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: July 25 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 41 || July 25 || @ White Stockings || 3–6 || Lakefront Park || N/A || 20–21 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 42 || July 26 || @ White Stockings || 11–8 || Lakefront Park || N/A || 21–21 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 43 || July 28 || @ White Stockings || 5–2 || Lakefront Park || N/A || 22–21 || W2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 44 || July 30 || Bisons || 5–7 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 22–22 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 45 || July 31 || Bisons || 3–5 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 22–23 || L2 |- |- style="background:#fbb;" | 46 || August 2 || Bisons || 5–9 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 22–24 || L3 |- style="background:#bbb;" | – || August 5 || Blues || colspan=8| Postponed (rain); Makeup: August 22 |- style="background:#bbb;" | – || August 6 || Blues || colspan=8| Postponed (rain); Makeup: August 29 (site change) |- style="background:#bbb;" | – || August 7 || Blues || colspan=8| Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 30 (site change) |- style="background:#bfb;" | 47 || August 9 || White Stockings || 11–6 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 23–24 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 48 || August 11 || White Stockings || 5–1 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 24–24 || W2 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 49 || August 12 || White Stockings || 5–0 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 25–24 || W3 |- style="background:#bbb;" | – || August 14 || @ Bisons || colspan=8| Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: September 22 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 50 || August 15 || @ Bisons || 9–10 || Riverside Park || N/A || 25–25 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 51 || August 19 || Blues || 2–1 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 26–25 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 52 || August 20 || Blues || 9–5 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 27–25 || W2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 53 || August 21 || Blues || 3–7 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 27–26 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 54 || August 22 || Blues || 15–1 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 28–26 || W1 |- style="background:#bbb;" | – || August 23 || Bisons || colspan=8| Postponed (rain); Makeup: August 27 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 55 || August 26 || Bisons || 0–4 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 28–27 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 56 || August 27 || Bisons || 5–2 || Avenue Grounds || N/A || 29–27 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 57 || August 28 || @ Blues || 6–7 || Kennard Street Park || N/A || 29–28 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 58 || August 29 || @ Blues || 9–3 || Kennard Street Park || N/A || 30–28 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 59 || August 30 || @ Blues || 3–10 || Kennard Street Park || N/A || 30–29 || L1 |- |- style="background:#bfb;" | 60 || September 1 || @ Blues || 4–2 || Kennard Street Park || N/A || 31–29 || W1 |- style="background:#bbb;" | 61 || September 3 || @ Stars || 2–2 || Newell Park || N/A || 31–29 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 62 || September 4 || @ Stars || 6–2 || Newell Park || N/A || 32–29 || W2 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 63 || September 5 || @ Stars || 18–2 || Newell Park || N/A || 33–29 || W3 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 64 || September 6 || @ Stars || 6–0 || Newell Park || N/A || 34–29 || W4 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 65 || September 8 || @ Trojans || 11–5 || Putnam Grounds || N/A || 35–29 || W5 |- style="background:#bbb;" | – || September 9 || @ Trojans || colspan=8| Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 11 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 66 || September 10 || @ Trojans || 4–9 || Putnam Grounds || N/A || 35–30 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 67 || September 11 || @ Trojans || 11–5 || Putnam Grounds || N/A || 36–30 || W5 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 68 || September 12 || @ Red Caps || 1–4 || South End Grounds || N/A || 36–31 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 69 || September 13 || @ Red Caps || 7–5 || South End Grounds || N/A || 37–31 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 70 || September 15 || @ Red Caps || 5–3 || South End Grounds || N/A || 38–31 || W2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 71 || September 17 || @ Grays || 2–6 || Messer Street Grounds || N/A || 38–32 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 72 || September 18 || @ Grays || 4–5 || Messer Street Grounds || N/A || 38–33 || L2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 73 || September 19 || @ Grays || 5–15 || Messer Street Grounds || N/A || 38–34 || L3 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 74 || September 22 || @ Bisons || 0–3 || Riverside Park || N/A || 38–35 || L4 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 75 || September 23 || @ Bisons || 7–12 || Riverside Park || N/A || 38–36 || L5 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 76 || September 24 || @ Bisons || 8–5 || Riverside Park || N/A || 39–36 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 77 || September 25 || @ Bisons || 10–2 || Riverside Park || N/A || 40–36 || W2 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 78 || September 26 || @ Blues || 6–2 || Kennard Street Park || N/A || 41–36 || W3 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 79 || September 27 || @ Blues || 15–4 || Kennard Street Park || N/A || 42–36 || W4 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 80 || September 29 || @ Blues || 13–1 || Kennard Street Park || N/A || 43–36 || W5 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 81 || September 30 || @ Blues || 6–9 || Kennard Street Park || N/A || 43–37 || L1 |-

Roster

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

Other batters

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

Pitching

Starting pitchers

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

Other pitchers

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

References

References

1. [https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CIN/1879.shtml 1879 Cincinnati Reds season at Baseball Reference]