# 1889 Cincinnati Red Stockings season

The 1889 Cincinnati Red Stockings season was a season in American baseball. The team finished in fourth place in the American Association with a record of 76–63, 18 games behind the Brooklyn Bridegrooms.

## Regular season

The Red Stockings brought back manager Gus Schmelz for a third season in 1889, as he led the team to two straight seasons of 80 or more victories. Cincinnati would have a new shortstop, signing local area player Ollie Beard to his first contract. Cincinnati also signed rookie Bug Holliday, who would play in the outfield. On the mound, another rookie, Jesse Duryea, would join the Red Stockings.
Bug Holliday had an excellent rookie season, hitting .321 with a league high nineteen home runs and a franchise record 104 RBI. George Tebeau hit .252 with seven homers and 70 RBI, while scoring a team high 110 runs. Hugh Nicol once again led Cincinnati in stolen bases, however, he failed to crack 100 for the first time since joining the team, as he stole 80 bases.
Jesse Duryea was the ace of the Red Stockings staff, going 32–19 with a 2.56 ERA in 53 games. Lee Viau had a 22–20 record with a 3.79 ERA, while Tony Mullane was 11–9 with a 2.99 ERA.

### Season summary

Cincinnati began the season badly, as they lost their first four games, and were 5–10 in their first fifteen games. The Red Stockings responded by going 16–6 in their next 22 games to climb into third place, however, the team lost their next seven games to fall under .500 once again and into sixth place. Cincinnati would never be a factor in the pennant race, finishing in fourth place with a 76–63 record, eighteen games behind the Brooklyn Bridegrooms.

### Season standings

vteAmerican Association :
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
| Brooklyn Bridegrooms | 93 | 44 | .679 | — | 50‍–‍19 | 43‍–‍25 |
| St. Louis Browns | 90 | 45 | .667 | 2 | 51‍–‍18 | 39‍–‍27 |
| Philadelphia Athletics | 75 | 58 | .564 | 16 | 46‍–‍22 | 29‍–‍36 |
| Cincinnati Red Stockings | 76 | 63 | .547 | 18 | 47‍–‍26 | 29‍–‍37 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 70 | 65 | .519 | 22 | 40‍–‍24 | 30‍–‍41 |
| Columbus Solons | 60 | 78 | .435 | 33½ | 36‍–‍33 | 24‍–‍45 |
| Kansas City Cowboys | 55 | 82 | .401 | 38 | 35‍–‍35 | 20‍–‍47 |
| Louisville Colonels | 27 | 111 | .196 | 66½ | 18‍–‍46 | 9‍–‍65 |

### Record vs. opponents

1889 American Association recordvte Sources: :
| Team | BAL | BR | CIN | COL | KC | LOU | PHI | STL |
| Baltimore | — | 8–12 | 8–11–2 | 12–8 | 11–7 | 16–4 | 8–11 | 7–12–2 |
| Brooklyn | 12–8 | — | 15–5 | 11–8–2 | 16–4 | 19–1 | 12–7–1 | 8–11 |
| Cincinnati | 11–8–2 | 5–15 | — | 11–9 | 14–6 | 18–2 | 9–11 | 8–12 |
| Columbus | 8–12 | 8–11–2 | 9–11 | — | 9–11 | 13–7 | 7–12 | 6–14 |
| Kansas City | 7–11 | 4–16 | 6–14 | 11–9 | — | 13–6 | 8–12–1 | 6–14–1 |
| Louisville | 4–16 | 1–19 | 2–18 | 7–13 | 6–13 | — | 5–14–1 | 2–18–1 |
| Philadelphia | 11–8 | 7–12–1 | 11–9 | 12–7 | 12–8–1 | 14–5–1 | — | 8–9–2 |
| St. Louis | 12–7–2 | 11–8 | 12–8 | 14–6 | 14–6–1 | 18–2–1 | 9–8–2 | — |

### Game log

Legend :
| Red Stockings Win | Red Stockings Loss | Game Tied/Postponed |
1889 Game Log: 76–63 (Home: 47–26; Away: 29–37) :
April: 4–8 (Home: 3–4; Away: 1–4)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
1April 17Browns1–5American Park15,0000-1L1
2April 18Browns4–12American Park4,0000-2L2
3April 19Browns3–4American ParkN/A0-3L3
4April 20Browns0–2American ParkN/A0-4L4
5April 21Cowboys7–6American ParkN/A1-4W1
6April 22Cowboys10–1American ParkN/A2-4W2
7April 23Cowboys7–5American ParkN/A3-4W3
8April 25@ Browns5–10Sportsman's ParkN/A3-5L1
9April 26@ Browns2–8Sportsman's ParkN/A3-6L2
10April 27@ Browns12–10Sportsman's ParkN/A4-6W1
11April 28@ Browns2–5Sportsman's ParkN/A4-7L2
-April 29@ CowboysPostponed (rain); Makeup: September 27
12April 30@ Cowboys6–8Exposition ParkN/A4-8L3 :
May: 17–9 (Home: 13–5; Away: 4–4)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
13May 1@ Cowboys14–3Exposition ParkN/A5-8W1
14May 2@ Cowboys2–3Exposition ParkN/A5-9L1
15May 4Colonels2–8American ParkN/A5-10L2
16May 5Colonels12–5American ParkN/A6-10W1
17May 6Colonels8–7American ParkN/A7-10W2
18May 7Athletics1–7American ParkN/A7-11L1
19May 8Athletics6–2American ParkN/A8-11W1
20May 9Athletics14–6American ParkN/A9-11W2
21May 10Athletics10–0American ParkN/A10-11W3
-May 11BridegroomsPostponed (rain); Makeup: May 15
22May 12Bridegrooms7–10American ParkN/A10-12L1
-May 13BridegroomsPostponed (rain); Makeup: July 16
23May 14Bridegrooms0–4American ParkN/A10-13L2
24May 15Bridegrooms6–10American ParkN/A10-14L3
25May 16Orioles4–2American ParkN/A11-14W1
26May 17Orioles14–5American ParkN/A12-14W2
27May 18Orioles7–5American ParkN/A13-14W3
28May 19Orioles8–5American ParkN/A14-14W4
-May 20SolonsPostponed (site change); Makeup: May 20
29May 20@ Solons0–2Recreation ParkN/A14-15L1
-May 21SolonsPostponed (site change); Makeup: May 21
30May 21@ Solons13–10Recreation ParkN/A15-15W1
-May 22SolonsPostponed (cold, site change); Makeup: May 24
-May 23SolonsPostponed (site change); Makeup: May 23
31May 23@ Solons5–4Recreation ParkN/A16-15W2
32May 24@ Solons4–0Recreation ParkN/A17-15W3
-May 25@ ColonelsPostponed (site change); Makeup: May 26
-May 26@ ColonelsPostponed (site change); Makeup: May 26
33May 26 1Colonels8–7American ParkN/A18-15W4
34May 26 2Colonels16–4American ParkN/A19-15W5
-May 27@ ColonelsPostponed (site change); Makeup: May 27
35May 27Colonels10–9American ParkN/A20-15W6
-May 28@ ColonelsPostponed (site change); Makeup: May 28
36May 28Colonels13–12American ParkN/A21-15W7
37May 30 1@ Athletics0–3Jefferson Street GroundsN/A21-16L1
38May 30 2@ Athletics1–6Jefferson Street GroundsN/A21-17L2
-May 31@ AthleticsPostponed (rain); Makeup: May 30 :
June: 10–10 (Home: 5–0; Away: 5–10)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
39June 1@ Athletics4–8Jefferson Street GroundsN/A21-18L3
40June 2@ Athletics2–4Jefferson Street GroundsN/A21-19L4
41June 3@ Orioles2–7Oriole ParkN/A21-20L5
42June 4@ Orioles2–3Oriole ParkN/A21-21L6
43June 5@ Orioles6–13Oriole ParkN/A21-22L7
44June 6@ Orioles10–3Oriole ParkN/A22-22W1
-June 8@ SolonsPostponed (rain); Makeup: August 1
45June 9@ Solons4–17Recreation ParkN/A22-23L1
-June 10@ SolonsPostponed (site change); Makeup: July 9
-June 11@ SolonsPostponed (site change); Makeup: June 11
46June 11Solons5–2American ParkN/A23-23W1
47June 13@ Bridegrooms1–2Washington ParkN/A23-24L1
48June 14@ Bridegrooms4–7Washington ParkN/A23-25L2
-June 15@ BridegroomsPostponed (rain); Makeup: September 2
49June 16@ Bridegrooms4–3Washington ParkN/A24-25W1
50June 20Cowboys5–4American ParkN/A25-25W2
51June 21Cowboys9–2American ParkN/A26-25W3
52June 22Cowboys11–3American ParkN/A27-25W4
53June 23Cowboys15–7American ParkN/A28-25W5
54June 25@ Browns3–7Sportsman's ParkN/A28-26L1
55June 26@ Browns6–1Sportsman's ParkN/A29-26W1
56June 27@ Browns8–6Sportsman's ParkN/A30-26W2
57June 29@ Cowboys3–9Exposition ParkN/A30-27L1
58June 30@ Cowboys9–3Exposition ParkN/A31-27W1 :
July: 14–11 (Home: 10–7; Away: 4–4)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
59July 1@ Cowboys3–6Exposition ParkN/A31-28L1
60July 3Orioles3–3American ParkN/A31-28L1
61July 4 1Orioles0–8American ParkN/A31-29L2
62July 4 2Orioles11–5American ParkN/A32-29W1
63July 5Orioles10–9American ParkN/A33-29W2
64July 6Athletics5–2American ParkN/A34-29W3
65July 7Athletics5–6American ParkN/A34-30L1
66July 8Athletics11–3American ParkN/A35-30W1
67July 9Solons16–10American ParkN/A36-30W2
68July 10Solons4–2American ParkN/A37-30W3
69July 11Solons4–7American ParkN/A37-31L1
70July 12Solons6–5American ParkN/A38-31W1
71July 13Bridegrooms5–15American ParkN/A38-32L1
-July 14BridegroomsPostponed (rain); Makeup: August 23
72July 15Bridegrooms4–6American ParkN/A38-33L2
73July 16Bridegrooms4–3American ParkN/A39-33W1
74July 18Browns5–1American ParkN/A40-33W2
75July 20Browns1–5American ParkN/A40-34L1
76July 21Browns10–1American ParkN/A41-34W1
77July 23@ Athletics9–1Jefferson Street GroundsN/A42-34W2
78July 24@ Athletics6–5Jefferson Street GroundsN/A43-34W3
79July 25@ Athletics10–6Jefferson Street GroundsN/A44-34W4
80July 26@ Bridegrooms6–20Washington ParkN/A44-35L1
81July 27@ Bridegrooms2–6Washington ParkN/A44-36L2
82July 28@ Bridegrooms2–1Washington ParkN/A45-36W1
-July 29@ SolonsPostponed (site change); Makeup: August 21
-July 30@ SolonsPostponed (site change); Makeup: July 30
83July 30Solons3–4American ParkN/A45-37L1
84July 31@ Solons5–6Recreation ParkN/A45-38L2 :
August: 13–12 (Home: 8–8; Away: 5–4)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
85August 1@ Solons16–5Recreation ParkN/A46-38W1
86August 2@ Orioles3–5Oriole ParkN/A46-39L1
87August 3@ Orioles2–6Oriole ParkN/A46-40L2
88August 5@ Orioles3–2Oriole ParkN/A47-40W1
89August 7@ Colonels5–4Eclipse ParkN/A48-40W2
90August 8@ Colonels4–3Eclipse ParkN/A49-40W3
91August 9@ Colonels15–8Eclipse ParkN/A50-40W4
92August 10Orioles20–0American ParkN/A51-40W5
93August 11Orioles3–4American ParkN/A51-41L1
94August 12Orioles6–7American ParkN/A51-42L2
95August 13Athletics4–10American ParkN/A51-43L3
96August 14Athletics7–6American ParkN/A52-43W1
97August 15Athletics9–10American ParkN/A52-44L1
98August 17Solons9–3American ParkN/A53-44W1
-August 18SolonsPostponed (Sunday game stopped); Makeup: August 19
99August 19Solons3–4American ParkN/A53-45L1
100August 20Solons2–3American ParkN/A53-46L2
101August 21Solons9–3American ParkN/A54-46W1
102August 22Bridegrooms18–5American ParkN/A55-46W2
103August 23Bridegrooms4–10American ParkN/A55-47L1
104August 24Bridegrooms4–6American ParkN/A55-48L2
-August 25BridegroomsPostponed (Sunday game stopped, site change); Makeup: September 5
105August 26Colonels19–6American ParkN/A56-48W1
106August 27Colonels10–4American ParkN/A57-48W2
107August 28Colonels6–4American ParkN/A58-48W3
108August 30@ Athletics1–7Jefferson Street GroundsN/A58-49L1
109August 31@ Athletics2–7Jefferson Street GroundsN/A58-50L2 :
September: 10–11 (Home: 0–0; Away: 10–11)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
110September 1@ Athletics0–4Jefferson Street GroundsN/A58-51L3
111September 2 1@ Bridegrooms4–7Washington ParkN/A58-52L4
112September 2 2@ Bridegrooms11–4Washington ParkN/A59-52W1
113September 3@ Bridegrooms8–13Washington Park2,60059-53L1
114September 4@ Bridegrooms1–12Washington ParkN/A59-54L2
115September 5@ Bridegrooms3–6Washington ParkN/A59-55L3
116September 7@ Orioles5–5Oriole ParkN/A59-55L3
117September 9@ Orioles12–8Oriole ParkN/A60-55W1
118September 10@ Orioles6–3Oriole ParkN/A61-55W2
119September 12@ Solons1–12Recreation ParkN/A61-56L1
120September 14@ Solons1–9Recreation ParkN/A61-57L2
121September 15@ Solons4–1Recreation ParkN/A62-57W1
122September 17@ Colonels5–1Eclipse ParkN/A63-57W2
123September 18@ Colonels4–3Eclipse ParkN/A64-57W3
124September 19@ Colonels0–8Eclipse ParkN/A64-58L1
125September 21@ Browns5–4Sportsman's ParkN/A65-58W1
126September 22@ Browns17–6Sportsman's ParkN/A66-58W2
127September 23@ Browns1–5Sportsman's ParkN/A66-59L1
128September 26@ Cowboys6–8Exposition ParkN/A66-60L2
129September 27@ Cowboys16–8Exposition ParkN/A67-60W1
130September 28@ Cowboys7–9Exposition ParkN/A67-61L1
-September 29@ CowboysPostponed (rain); Makeup: September 30
131September 30@ Cowboys9–8Exposition ParkN/A68-61W1 :
October: 8–2 (Home: 8–2; Away: 0–0)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
132October 3Colonels14–3American ParkN/A69-61W2
133October 4Colonels9–2American ParkN/A70-61W3
134October 5Colonels8–1American ParkN/A71-61W4
-October 6ColonelsPostponed (Sunday game stopped); Makeup: October 7
135October 7Colonels9–3American ParkN/A72-61W5
136October 8Cowboys10–3American ParkN/A73-61W6
137October 9Cowboys13–1American ParkN/A74-61W7
138October 10Cowboys10–2American ParkN/A75-61W8
-October 12BrownsPostponed (wet grounds); Makeup: October 15
-October 13BrownsPostponed (rain); Makeup: October 15
139October 14Browns1–5American Park3,00075-62L1
140October 15 1Browns8–3American ParkN/A76-62W1
141October 15 2Browns1–2American ParkN/A76-63L1 :

### 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
| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
| C | Jim Keenan | 87 | 300 | 86 | .287 | 6 | 60 |
| 1B | John Reilly | 111 | 427 | 111 | .260 | 5 | 66 |
| 2B | Bid McPhee | 135 | 540 | 145 | .269 | 5 | 57 |
| SS | Ollie Beard | 141 | 558 | 159 | .285 | 1 | 77 |
| 3B | Hick Carpenter | 123 | 486 | 127 | .261 | 0 | 63 |
| OF | Hugh Nicol | 122 | 474 | 121 | .255 | 2 | 58 |
| OF | Bug Holliday | 135 | 563 | 181 | .321 | 19 | 104 |
| OF | George Tebeau | 135 | 496 | 125 | .252 | 7 | 70 |

#### 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 | 60 | 223 | 55 | .247 | 1 | 34 |
| Billy Earle | 53 | 169 | 45 | .266 | 4 | 31 |

### 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 |
| Jesse Duryea | 53 | 401.0 | 32 | 19 | 2.56 | 183 |
| Lee Viau | 47 | 373.0 | 22 | 20 | 3.79 | 152 |
| Tony Mullane | 33 | 220.0 | 11 | 9 | 2.99 | 112 |
| Mike Smith | 29 | 203.0 | 9 | 12 | 4.88 | 104 |
| Charlie Petty | 5 | 44.0 | 2 | 3 | 5.52 | 10 |

#### 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 |
| Theodore Conover | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13.50 | 1 |