# 1888 Cincinnati Red Stockings season

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

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

vteAmerican 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 recordvte Sources: :
| 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)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
1April 18@ Cowboys10–3Exposition Park1,0001-0W1
2April 19@ Cowboys4–10Exposition ParkN/A1-1L1
3April 21@ Cowboys6–4Exposition ParkN/A2-1W1
4April 22@ Cowboys10–8Exposition ParkN/A3-1W2
5April 23@ Browns2–3Sportsman's ParkN/A3-2L1
6April 24@ Browns4–3Sportsman's ParkN/A4-2W1
7April 25@ Browns5–1Sportsman's ParkN/A5-2W2
8April 26@ Browns4–3Sportsman's ParkN/A6-2W3
9April 28@ Colonels4–6Eclipse ParkN/A6-3L1
10April 29@ Colonels8–3Eclipse ParkN/A7-3W1
11April 30@ Colonels6–5Eclipse ParkN/A8-3W2 :
May: 15–6 (Home: 11–2; Away: 4–4)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
-May 1@ ColonelsPostponed (site change); Makeup: May 1
12May 1Colonels18–2American ParkN/A9-3W3
-May 2@ ColonelsPostponed (site change); Makeup: June 22
13May 3Cowboys14–0American ParkN/A10-3W4
14May 4Cowboys3–4American ParkN/A10-4L1
15May 5Cowboys16–6American ParkN/A11-4W1
16May 6Cowboys14–7American ParkN/A12-4W2
-May 8BrownsPostponed (rain); Makeup: October 14
17May 9Browns7–8American ParkN/A12-5L1
18May 10Browns7–1American ParkN/A13-5W1
19May 11Browns2–0American ParkN/A14-5W2
20May 12Colonels8–3American ParkN/A15-5W3
21May 13Colonels6–2American Park7,00016-5W4
22May 15Colonels8–4American ParkN/A17-5W5
23May 16Colonels5–3American ParkN/A18-5W6
24May 19@ Blues5–0National League ParkN/A19-5W7
25May 20Blues8–4American ParkN/A20-5W8
-May 21@ BluesPostponed (rain, site change); Makeup: May 20
26May 22@ Blues6–4National League ParkN/A21-5W9
27May 23@ Blues6–5National League ParkN/A22-5W10
-May 25@ OriolesPostponed (rain, site change); Makeup: August 26
28May 26@ Orioles1–6Oriole ParkN/A22-6L1
29May 28@ Orioles3–5Oriole ParkN/A22-7L2
30May 29@ Orioles10–5Oriole ParkN/A23-7W1
31May 30 1@ Bridegrooms3–4Washington ParkN/A23-8L1
32May 30 2@ Bridegrooms6–10Washington ParkN/A23-9L2 :
June: 9–13 (Home: 5–4; Away: 4–9)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
33June 1@ Bridegrooms1–3Washington ParkN/A23-10L3
34June 2@ Bridegrooms6–15Washington ParkN/A23-11L4
35June 4@ Athletics6–16Jefferson Street GroundsN/A23-12L5
36June 5@ Athletics7–14Jefferson Street GroundsN/A23-13L6
37June 6@ Athletics4–7Jefferson Street GroundsN/A23-14L7
38June 7@ Athletics3–5Jefferson Street GroundsN/A23-15L8
39June 9Browns6–5American ParkN/A24-15W1
40June 10Browns8–17American ParkN/A24-16L1
41June 11Browns1–8American ParkN/A24-17L2
42June 13@ Cowboys11–6Exposition ParkN/A25-17W1
43June 14@ Cowboys16–3Exposition ParkN/A26-17W2
44June 15@ Cowboys13–17Exposition ParkN/A26-18L1
45June 16@ Browns1–9Sportsman's ParkN/A26-19L2
46June 17@ Browns2–6Sportsman's ParkN/A26-20L3
47June 19@ Browns2–1Sportsman's ParkN/A27-20W1
-June 21@ ColonelsPostponed (site change); Makeup: June 21
48June 21Colonels9–15American ParkN/A27-21L1
49June 22Colonels10–8American ParkN/A28-21W1
50June 23@ Colonels10–10Eclipse ParkN/A28-21W1
51June 24@ Colonels11–4Eclipse ParkN/A29-21W2
52June 26Orioles5–4American ParkN/A30-21W3
-June 27OriolesPostponed (rain); Makeup: June 29
53June 28Orioles11–5American ParkN/A31-21W4
54June 29Orioles1–7American ParkN/A31-22L1
55June 30Orioles4–1American ParkN/A32-22W1 :
July: 16–7 (Home: 13–5; Away: 3–2)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
56July 1Bridegrooms3–2American ParkN/A33-22W2
57July 3Bridegrooms3–6American ParkN/A33-23L1
58July 4Bridegrooms3–9American Park3,40033-24L2
-July 4 2BridegroomsPostponed (rain); Makeup: July 5
59July 5Bridegrooms14–7American ParkN/A34-24W1
60July 6Athletics9–8American ParkN/A35-24W2
61July 7Athletics0–7American ParkN/A35-25L1
62July 8Athletics4–1American ParkN/A36-25W1
63July 10Athletics5–4American ParkN/A37-25W2
64July 12Blues1–2American ParkN/A37-26L1
65July 13Blues4–3American ParkN/A38-26W1
66July 14Blues10–0American ParkN/A39-26W2
67July 15Blues12–7American ParkN/A40-26W3
68July 17Colonels1–0American ParkN/A41-26W4
69July 18Colonels4–1American ParkN/A42-26W5
70July 19Colonels0–6American ParkN/A42-27L1
71July 21Cowboys8–1American ParkN/A43-27W1
72July 22Cowboys10–1American ParkN/A44-27W2
73July 24Cowboys6–4American ParkN/A45-27W3
74July 26@ Athletics2–12Jefferson Street GroundsN/A45-28L1
75July 27@ Athletics7–4Jefferson Street GroundsN/A46-28W1
76July 28@ Athletics2–1Jefferson Street GroundsN/A47-28W2
77July 29@ Bridegrooms2–6Washington ParkN/A47-29L1
78July 31@ Bridegrooms3–0Washington ParkN/A48-29W1 :
August: 12–9 (Home: 10–7; Away: 2–2)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
79August 1@ Bridegrooms2–8Washington Park2,00048-30L1
-August 2@ BluesPostponed (horse race, site change); Makeup: August 5
-August 3@ BluesPostponed (site change); Makeup: August 3
80August 3Blues8–9American ParkN/A48-31L2
-August 4@ BluesPostponed (site change); Makeup: August 4
81August 4Blues4–4American Park50048-31L2
82August 5Blues6–5American ParkN/A49-31W1
-August 6@ OriolesPostponed (site change); Makeup: August 9
-August 7@ OriolesPostponed (site change); Makeup: August 7
83August 7Orioles4–3American ParkN/A50-31W2
-August 8@ OriolesPostponed (site change); Makeup: August 8
84August 8Orioles6–2American ParkN/A51-31W3
85August 9Orioles3–6American ParkN/A51-32L1
86August 10Bridegrooms5–2American ParkN/A52-32W1
87August 11Bridegrooms5–6American ParkN/A52-33L1
88August 12Bridegrooms0–1American ParkN/A52-34L2
89August 13Orioles3–2American ParkN/A53-34W1
90August 14Orioles11–6American ParkN/A54-34W2
91August 15Orioles7–3American ParkN/A55-34W3
-August 17AthleticsPostponed (rain); Makeup: September 20
92August 18Athletics4–0American ParkN/A56-34W4
93August 19Athletics4–8American ParkN/A56-35L1
-August 20BluesPostponed (rain); Makeup: August 23
94August 22Blues0–3American ParkN/A56-36L2
95August 23Blues0–1American ParkN/A56-37L3
-August 25@ OriolesPostponed (site change); Makeup: August 25
96August 25Orioles10–4American ParkN/A57-37W1
97August 26Orioles6–0American ParkN/A58-37W2
98August 27@ Orioles3–4Oriole ParkN/A58-38L1
99August 28@ Orioles3–1Oriole ParkN/A59-38W1
100August 30@ Bridegrooms5–3Washington ParkN/A60-38W2 :
September: 11–14 (Home: 11–5; Away: 0–9)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
101September 1@ Bridegrooms2–2Washington ParkN/A60-38W2
102September 2@ Bridegrooms4–5Washington ParkN/A60-39L1
103September 3@ Athletics2–5Jefferson Street GroundsN/A60-40L2
104September 4@ Athletics2–3Jefferson Street GroundsN/A60-41L3
105September 5@ Athletics0–3Jefferson Street GroundsN/A60-42L4
106September 6@ Blues2–3National League ParkN/A60-43L5
107September 8@ Blues1–2National League ParkN/A60-44L6
108September 10Cowboys2–3American ParkN/A60-45L7
-September 11@ CowboysPostponed (site change); Makeup: September 11
109September 11Cowboys11–0American ParkN/A61-45W1
-September 12@ CowboysPostponed (site change); Makeup: September 12
110September 12Cowboys5–2American ParkN/A62-45W2
-September 13@ CowboysPostponed (site change); Makeup: September 10
111September 14@ Browns2–14Sportsman's ParkN/A62-46L1
112September 15@ Browns3–5Sportsman's ParkN/A62-47L2
113September 16@ Browns2–4Sportsman's ParkN/A62-48L3
114September 18Athletics5–1American ParkN/A63-48W1
115September 19Athletics11–2American ParkN/A64-48W2
116September 20 1Athletics1–0American ParkN/A65-48W3
117September 20 2Athletics2–1American ParkN/A66-48W4
118September 21Bridegrooms2–6American ParkN/A66-49L1
119September 22Bridegrooms10–3American ParkN/A67-49W1
120September 23Bridegrooms4–8American ParkN/A67-50L1
121September 25Blues1–2American ParkN/A67-51L2
122September 26Blues5–1American ParkN/A68-51W1
123September 27Blues6–5American ParkN/A69-51W2
124September 28Orioles0–12American ParkN/A69-52L1
125September 29Orioles8–1American ParkN/A70-52W1
126September 30Orioles5–2American ParkN/A71-52W2 :
October: 9–2 (Home: 6–2; Away: 3–0)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
127October 1Bridegrooms5–8American ParkN/A71-53L1
128October 2@ Colonels3–1Eclipse ParkN/A72-53W1
129October 3@ Colonels5–2Eclipse ParkN/A73-53W2
130October 4@ Colonels7–3Eclipse ParkN/A74-53W3
131October 5Colonels5–3American ParkN/A75-53W4
132October 6Colonels3–1American ParkN/A76-53W5
133October 7Colonels11–8American ParkN/A77-53W6
134October 9Cowboys13–6American ParkN/A78-53W7
135October 10Cowboys4–3American ParkN/A79-53W8
136October 14 1Browns1–6American Park7,00079-54L1
137October 14 2Browns10–1American ParkN/A80-54W1 :

### 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 | 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 |