1887 Cincinnati Red Stockings season

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

Record vs. opponents

Game log

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

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

Relief pitchers

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

References

References

1. (November 3, 2005). "Reds owners". [[The Cincinnati Enquirer]].