# 1897 Cincinnati Reds season

The 1897 Cincinnati Reds season was a season in American baseball. The team finished in fourth place in the National League with a record of 76–56, 17 games behind the Boston Beaneaters.

## Offseason

The Cincinnati Reds were coming off a fairly successful season in 1896. They had been in first place late in the year, but the team struggled badly over the last part of the season. to finish in third place in the National League with a 77–50 record. This marked the second consecutive season that the Reds collapsed at the end of the year.
Player-manager Buck Ewing returned to the club, but would retire from playing and focus on just being the manager. The Reds made a deal in the off-season, as Cincinnati traded away Germany Smith, Chauncey Fisher and $1,000 to the Brooklyn Bridegrooms for Tommy Corcoran. Corcoran was coming off a season in which he hit .289 with three home runs and 73 RBI with the Bridegrooms in 1896. The team also purchased pitcher Ted Breitenstein from the St. Louis Browns for $10,000. Breitenstein was 18–26 with the Browns with a 4.48 ERA in 43 starts in 1896. His best season had been in 1894 when he was 27–23 with a 4.79 ERA, while leading the National League with 50 starts, 46 complete games and 447.1 innings pitched. Breitenstein also led the NL with a 3.18 ERA in 1893 while in St. Louis.

## Regular season
### Season summary

The Reds started the season off hot, winning their first six games, and would remain hot, as they were 19–7 in their first twenty-six games, only half a game behind the first place Baltimore Orioles. At that time, the New York Giants released Jake Beckley, and the Reds immediately signed him to take over first base. Despite their new addition, Cincinnati fell into a slump, winning only eight of eighteen games to fall into third place, 6.5 games behind the first place Orioles. The Reds then snapped out of their losing ways, as they won twelve of their next thirteen games to move back into second. However, they still remained 4.5 games out of first with a 39–18 record. Cincinnati remained in the pennant race until late August, when they went on a ten-game losing streak to fall into fourth place, eleven games out of first. They remained in fourth place for the rest of the season, finishing with a 76–56 record, 17 games behind the Boston Beaneaters.

### Notable performances

Beckley, who the Reds acquired during the season, led the team offensively, batting .345 with seven home runs and 76 RBI, all team highs. Dusty Miller had another solid year, batting .316 with four homers and 70 RBI, while Tommy Corcoran batted .288 with three home runs and 57 RBI in his first year as a Red.
On the mound, Ted Breitenstein led the way, leading the team with a 23–12 record with a 3.62 ERA in 40 games, completing 32 of them. Billy Rhines was solid also, posting a record of 21–15 with a 4.08 ERA, while Frank Dwyer was 18–13 with an ERA of 3.78.

### Season standings

vteNational League :
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
| Boston Beaneaters | 93 | 39 | .705 | — | 54‍–‍12 | 39‍–‍27 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 90 | 40 | .692 | 2 | 51‍–‍15 | 39‍–‍25 |
| New York Giants | 83 | 48 | .634 | 9½ | 51‍–‍19 | 32‍–‍29 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 76 | 56 | .576 | 17 | 49‍–‍18 | 27‍–‍38 |
| Cleveland Spiders | 69 | 62 | .527 | 23½ | 49‍–‍16 | 20‍–‍46 |
| Washington Senators | 61 | 71 | .462 | 32 | 40‍–‍26 | 21‍–‍45 |
| Brooklyn Bridegrooms | 61 | 71 | .462 | 32 | 38‍–‍29 | 23‍–‍42 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 60 | 71 | .458 | 32½ | 38‍–‍27 | 22‍–‍44 |
| Chicago Colts | 59 | 73 | .447 | 34 | 36‍–‍30 | 23‍–‍43 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 55 | 77 | .417 | 38 | 32‍–‍34 | 23‍–‍43 |
| Louisville Colonels | 52 | 78 | .400 | 40 | 34‍–‍31 | 18‍–‍47 |
| St. Louis Browns | 29 | 102 | .221 | 63½ | 18‍–‍41 | 11‍–‍61 |

### Record vs. opponents

1897 National League recordvte Sources: :
| Team | BAL | BOS | BR | CHI | CIN | CLE | LOU | NYG | PHI | PIT | STL | WSH |
| Baltimore | — | 6–6 | 9–3–2 | 9–3–3 | 6–6 | 7–4 | 10–1 | 5–7 | 10–2–1 | 9–3 | 10–2 | 9–3 |
| Boston | 6–6 | — | 9–3 | 8–4–1 | 9–3 | 7–5 | 9–3 | 8–4 | 10–2–1 | 10–2 | 10–2 | 7–5–1 |
| Brooklyn | 3–9–2 | 3–9 | — | 6–6 | 7–5 | 7–5 | 5–7 | 3–9–2 | 6–6 | 7–5 | 7–5 | 7–5 |
| Chicago | 3–9–3 | 4–8–1 | 6–6 | — | 5–7 | 4–8 | 6–6–1 | 5–7–1 | 5–7 | 6–6 | 8–4 | 7–5 |
| Cincinnati | 6–6 | 3–9 | 5–7 | 7–5 | — | 7–5 | 9–3 | 7–5–1 | 8–4 | 5–7–1 | 11–1 | 8–4 |
| Cleveland | 4–7 | 5–7 | 5–7 | 8–4 | 5–7 | — | 5–7 | 3–9 | 9–3 | 6–6 | 11–1–1 | 8–4 |
| Louisville | 1–10 | 3–9 | 7–5 | 6–6–1 | 3–9 | 7–5 | — | 6–6–1 | 3–9 | 4–8–2 | 8–3–1 | 4–8–1 |
| New York | 7–5 | 4–8 | 9–3–2 | 7–5–1 | 5–7–1 | 9–3 | 6–6–1 | — | 7–5 | 8–3–1 | 12–0 | 9–3–1 |
| Philadelphia | 2–10–1 | 2–10–1 | 6–6 | 7–5 | 4–8 | 3–9 | 9–3 | 5–7 | — | 5–7 | 8–4 | 4–8 |
| Pittsburgh | 3–9 | 2–10 | 5–7 | 6–6 | 7–5–1 | 6–6 | 8–4–2 | 3–8–1 | 7–5 | — | 8–4 | 5–7 |
| St. Louis | 2–10 | 2–10 | 5–7 | 4–8 | 1–11 | 1–11–1 | 3–8–1 | 0–12 | 4–8 | 4–8 | — | 3–9 |
| Washington | 3–9 | 5–7–1 | 5–7 | 5–7 | 4–8 | 4–8 | 8–4–1 | 3–9–1 | 8–4 | 7–5 | 9–3 | — |

### Game log

Legend :
| Reds Win | Reds Loss | Game Tied/Postponed |
1897 Game Log: 76–56 (Home: 49–18; Away: 27–38) :
April: 6–1 (Home: 6–1; Away: 0–0)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
1April 22Colts8–7League Park10,0001-0W1
2April 23Colts4–3League Park3,0002-0W2
3April 24Colts4–3League Park5,0003-0W3
-April 25ColtsPostponed (rain); Makeup: April 23
4April 26Spiders6–3League Park3,5004-0W4
5April 27Spiders7–3League Park5,0005-0W5
6April 28Spiders5–0League Park3,0006-0W6
7April 29Pirates7–8League Park4006-1L1
-April 30PiratesPostponed (rain); Makeup: August 4 :
May: 17–10 (Home: 14–4; Away: 3–6)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
-May 1PiratesPostponed (wet grounds); Makeup: August 9
8May 3@ Spiders2–6League Park4,5006-2L2
-May 4@ SpidersPostponed (rain, site change); Makeup: August 5
9May 5@ Spiders3–2League Park2,0007-2W1
10May 6@ Pirates1–3Exposition Park3,1007-3L1
11May 7@ Pirates6–7Exposition Park3,0007-4L2
12May 8@ Pirates1–9Exposition Park8,4007-5L3
13May 9@ Colts2–5West Side Park16,7007-6L4
14May 10@ Colts7–5West Side Park3,1008-6W1
15May 11@ Colts6–5West Side Park1,2009-6W2
16May 12@ Colts1–8West Side Park1,6009-7L1
17May 13Giants7–3League Park3,00010-7W1
18May 14Giants6–5League Park4,00011-7W2
19May 15Giants9–7League Park4,00012-7W3
20May 16Colonels7–6League Park15,00013-7W4
21May 17Phillies3–2League Park4,00014-7W5
22May 18Phillies13–2League Park3,00015-7W6
23May 19Phillies7–6League Park3,00016-7W7
24May 20Orioles11–10League Park7,00017-7W8
25May 21Orioles6–5League Park8,00018-7W9
26May 22Orioles12–10League Park15,00019-7W10
27May 23Bridegrooms4–6League Park7,00019-8L1
28May 24Bridegrooms4–6League Park3,00019-9L2
29May 25Bridegrooms2–6League Park4,00019-10L3
30May 27Beaneaters7–16League Park3,00019-11L4'
-May 28BeaneatersPostponed (rain); Makeup: July 20
31May 29Beaneaters2–1League Park5,00020-11W1
32May 30Senators8–7League Park7,00021-11W2
33May 31 1Senators4–3League Park2,00022-11W3
34May 31 2Senators4–3League Park9,00023-11W4 :
June: 10–6 (Home: 5–0; Away: 5–6)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
35June 2@ Orioles4–10Union Park5,96523-12L1
-June 3@ OriolesPostponed (rain); Makeup: August 30
-June 4@ OriolesPostponed (rain); Makeup: August 27
36June 5@ Phillies6–1National League Park12,48824-12W1
37June 7@ Phillies0–4National League Park3,44924-13L1
-June 8@ PhilliesPostponed (rain); Makeup: August 20
-June 9@ GiantsPostponed (rain); Makeup: August 31
-June 10@ GiantsPostponed (wet grounds); Makeup: September 3
38June 11@ Giants2–1Polo Grounds6,50025-13W1
39June 12@ Beaneaters1–5South End Grounds8,50025-14L1
40June 14@ Beaneaters3–5South End Grounds3,32525-15L2
41June 15@ Beaneaters4–10South End Grounds2,60025-16L3
42June 16@ Bridegrooms15–6Eastern Park2,71426-16W1
43June 17@ Bridegrooms9–1Eastern Park2,52427-16W2
44June 19@ Bridegrooms0–1Eastern Park5,45427-17L1
45June 21Browns8–3League Park2,50028-17W1
46June 22Browns7–3League Park4,00029-17W2
47June 23Browns5–1League Park2,50030-17W3
48June 26Colonels7–1League Park6,00031-17W4
49June 27Colonels4–2League Park8,00032-17W5
-June 28@ BrownsPostponed (rain); Makeup: September 25
-June 29@ BrownsPostponed (rain); Makeup: September 26
50June 30@ Browns3–0New Sportsman's Park2,50033-17W6 :
July: 17–10 (Home: 14–8; Away: 3–2)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
51July 1@ Colonels14–4Eclipse Park1,30034-17W7
52July 2@ Colonels1–4Eclipse Park1,00034-18L1
53July 3@ Colonels12–0Eclipse Park2,00035-18W1
54July 4Orioles5–4League Park10,00036-18W2
-July 5OriolesPostponed (rain); Makeup: July 6
55July 5Orioles8–5League Park11,00037-18W3
56July 6Orioles10–3League Park4,00038-18W4
57July 8Phillies6–3League Park4,00039-18W5
58July 9Phillies7–19League Park2,30039-19L1
59July 10Phillies6–3League Park4,00040-19W1
60July 11Colonels9–4League Park4,20041-19W2
61July 12Giants5–8League Park3,50041-20L1
62July 13Giants5–4League Park4,50042-20W1
63July 14Giants11–6League Park3,50043-20W2
64July 15Senators5–16League Park3,20043-21L1
65July 17Senators14–2League Park4,20044-21W1
66July 18Senators4–3League Park8,00045-21W2
67July 19Beaneaters3–9League Park8,00045-22L1
68July 20 1Beaneaters3–9League ParkN/A45-23L2
69July 20 2Beaneaters12–1League Park10,20046-23W1
70July 21Beaneaters6–10League Park6,00046-24L1
71July 22Bridegrooms7–9League Park3,00046-25L2
-July 24BridegroomsPostponed (rain); Makeup: July 25
72July 25 1Bridegrooms7–4League ParkN/A47-25W1
73July 25 2Bridegrooms11–4League Park14,00048-25W2
-July 26@ ColtsPostponed (schedule change); Makeup: May 12
74July 27@ Colts3–4West Side Park3,80048-26L1
75July 28@ Colts6–3West Side Park4,20049-26W1
76July 30Spiders8–2League Park6,00050-26W2
77July 31Spiders3–6League Park5,50050-27L1 :
August: 12–15 (Home: 9–5; Away: 3–10)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
78August 1Spiders12–5League Park8,00051-27W1
79August 2Pirates9–2League Park3,00052-27W2
80August 3Pirates6–7League Park2,70052-28L1
81August 4 1Pirates14–3League ParkN/A53-28W1
82August 4 2Pirates3–3League Park3,50053-28W1
83August 5Spiders5–4League Park3,00054-28W2
84August 7Colonels5–0League Park4,00055-28W3
85August 8Colonels2–8League Park7,00055-29L1
86August 9 1Pirates5–7League ParkN/A55-30L2
87August 9 2Pirates8–1League Park7,00056-30W1
88August 10Browns8–6League Park2,00057-30W2
89August 11Browns6–5League Park2,00058-30W3
90August 13Colts0–2League Park7,00058-31L1
91August 14Colts9–10League Park7,00058-32L2
92August 15Colts3–2League Park8,00059-32W1
-August 16ColtsPostponed (schedule change); Makeup: August 13
93August 19@ Phillies4–3National League Park2,15460-32W2
94August 20 1@ Phillies2–6National League ParkN/A60-33L1
95August 20 2@ Phillies4–3National League Park4,26361-33W1
96August 21@ Phillies1–8National League Park4,00061-34L1
-August 23@ SenatorsPostponed (rain); Makeup: September 11
97August 24@ Senators9–6Boundary Field3,00062-34W1
98August 25@ Senators0–4Boundary Field1,50062-35L1
99August 26@ Orioles2–3Union Park3,94362-36L2
100August 27 1@ Orioles0–5Union ParkN/A62-37L3
101August 27 2@ Orioles3–5Union Park7,03962-38L4
102August 28@ Orioles2–7Union Park5,60762-39L5
103August 30@ Orioles1–7Union Park3,20562-40L6
104August 31 1@ Giants6–7Polo GroundsN/A62-41L7
105August 31 2@ Giants1–9Polo Grounds11,00062-42L8 :
September/October: 14–14 (Home: 1–0; Away: 13–14)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
106September 1@ Giants7–8Polo Grounds4,10062-43L9
107September 2@ Giants3–3Polo Grounds3,70062-43L9
108September 3 1@ Giants11–1Polo GroundsN/A63-43W1
109September 3 2@ Giants3–13Polo Grounds9,10063-44L1
110September 4@ Beaneaters6–7South End Grounds6,50063-45L2
111September 6 1@ Beaneaters5–3South End Grounds6,50064-45W1
112September 6 2@ Beaneaters2–10South End Grounds12,00064-46L1
113September 8@ Bridegrooms4–2Eastern Park1,12065-46W1
114September 9@ Bridegrooms1–7Eastern Park1,72865-47L1
115September 10@ Bridegrooms4–11Eastern Park1,52165-48L2
116September 11 1@ Senators19–10Boundary FieldN/A66-48W1
117September 11 2@ Senators4–8Boundary Field3,00066-49L1
118September 13@ Senators2–1Boundary Field3,00067-49W1
119September 14@ Senators9–10Boundary Field4,00067-50L1
-September 16@ SpidersPostponed (rain); Makeup: September 18
120September 17@ Spiders3–14League Park70067-51L2
121September 18 1@ Spiders0–6League ParkN/A67-52L3
122September 18 2@ Spiders3–4League Park2,50067-53L4
123September 19Browns5–4League Park2,00068-53W1
124September 21@ Pirates11–3Exposition Park1,50069-53W2
125September 22 1@ Pirates13–2Exposition ParkN/A70-53W3
126September 22 2@ Pirates4–8Exposition Park1,80070-54L1
-September 23@ PiratesPostponed (schedule change); Makeup: September 22
127September 25 1@ Browns7–5New Sportsman's ParkN/A71-54W1
128September 25 2@ Browns8–7New Sportsman's Park3,00072-54W2
129September 26 1@ Browns10–4New Sportsman's ParkN/A73-54W3
130September 26 2@ Browns8–6New Sportsman's ParkN/A74-54W4
131September 27@ Browns4–5New Sportsman's Park50074-55L1
-September 30@ ColonelsPostponed (unknown reason); Makeup: October 1
132October 1@ Colonels3–5Eclipse Park2,50074-56L2
133October 2@ Colonels9–8Eclipse Park1,50075-56W1
134October 3@ Colonels9–7Eclipse Park5,50076-56W2 :

### 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 | Heinie Peitz | 77 | 266 | 78 | .293 | 1 | 44 |
| 1B | Jake Beckley | 97 | 365 | 126 | .345 | 7 | 76 |
| 2B | Bid McPhee | 81 | 282 | 85 | .301 | 1 | 39 |
| SS | Claude Ritchey | 101 | 337 | 95 | .282 | 0 | 41 |
| 3B | Charlie Irwin | 134 | 505 | 146 | .289 | 0 | 74 |
| OF | Eddie Burke | 95 | 387 | 103 | .266 | 1 | 41 |
| OF | Dusty Miller | 119 | 440 | 139 | .316 | 4 | 70 |
| OF | Dummy Hoy | 128 | 497 | 145 | .292 | 2 | 42 |

#### 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 |
| Tommy Corcoran | 109 | 445 | 128 | .288 | 3 | 57 |
| Farmer Vaughn | 54 | 199 | 58 | .291 | 0 | 30 |
| Bug Holliday | 61 | 195 | 61 | .313 | 2 | 20 |
| Pop Schriver | 61 | 178 | 54 | .303 | 1 | 30 |
| Buck Ewing | 1 | 1 | 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 |
| Ted Breitenstein | 40 | 320.1 | 23 | 12 | 3.62 | 98 |
| Billy Rhines | 41 | 288.2 | 21 | 15 | 4.08 | 65 |
| Frank Dwyer | 37 | 247.1 | 18 | 13 | 3.78 | 41 |
| Bill Dammann | 16 | 95.0 | 6 | 4 | 4.74 | 21 |

#### Other 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 |
| Red Ehret | 34 | 184.1 | 8 | 10 | 4.78 | 43 |
| Stub Brown | 2 | 13.0 | 0 | 1 | 4.15 | 2 |
| Heinie Peitz | 2 | 8.0 | 0 | 1 | 7.88 | 0 |