# 1898 Cincinnati Reds season

The 1898 Cincinnati Reds season was a season in American baseball. The team finished in third place in the National League with a record of 92–60, 11.5 games behind the Boston Beaneaters.

## Regular season

The Cincinnati Reds came into the 1898 season with high hopes, and hoping not to have a late season collapse, which had happened the previous three seasons.
The club retained manager Buck Ewing for a fourth season, and made a few player changes in the off-season. Cincinnati was involved in a seven player trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates, as the Reds sent Bill Gray, Jack McCarthy, Billy Rhines, Pop Schriver and Ace Stewart to the Pirates for Pink Hawley, Mike Smith and $1,500. Hawley had a record of 18–18 with Pittsburgh in 1897, posting an ERA of 4.80. His best season was in 1895 with the Pirates, as he was 31–22 with a 3.18 ERA in a National League high 56 games pitched. Smith batted .310 with six home runs and 54 RBI with the Pirates in 1897. He also previously played for the Reds when they were members of the American Association, as he saw limited playing time in Cincinnati from 1886 to 1889. The Reds also acquired Algie McBride, who spent the 1897 season with the St. Paul Saints of the Western League, hitting .381 there. McBride had previous major league experience, appearing in nine games with the Chicago Colts in 1896.
Jake Beckley led the offense, as he hit a solid .294 with a team high four home runs, while earning 72 RBI. Tommy Corcoran led the club with 87 RBI, while Mike Smith hit a team best .342, as well as hitting one home run and driving in 66 runners.
On the mound, Hawley was very solid, going 27–11 with a 3.37 ERA in 43 games pitched. Ted Breitenstein cracked the 20 win plateau, as he was 20–14 with a 3.42 ERA. Frank Dwyer and Bill Dammann each went 16–10.

### Season summary

The Reds got off to a great start, as they posted a record of 18–4 in their first twenty-two games, three games ahead of the second place Cleveland Spiders. Cincinnati remained hot, as their record improved to 27–7, and took a four-game lead over the Spiders, however, a 7–12 slump in their next nineteen games saw their lead dwindle down to one game over the second place Boston Beaneaters.
The Reds held on to first place, as they got hot once again, and took a five-game lead over the Beaneaters with a 65–32 record during the first week of August. The team then fell into a 2–8 slump over their next ten games and found themselves in second place, 3.5 games behind Boston. Cincinnati regained first place, and hung on to it going into the start of September, with a 78–44 record, but a 2–9 mark during their next eleven games saw the Reds fall out of first place for good, as they fell into third, 6.5 games behind the Beaneaters. Cincinnati finished out the season in third place with a 92–60 record, 11.5 games behind Boston.

### Season standings

vteNational League :
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
| Boston Beaneaters | 102 | 47 | .685 | — | 62‍–‍15 | 40‍–‍32 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 96 | 53 | .644 | 6 | 58‍–‍15 | 38‍–‍38 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 92 | 60 | .605 | 11½ | 58‍–‍28 | 34‍–‍32 |
| Chicago Orphans | 85 | 65 | .567 | 17½ | 58‍–‍31 | 27‍–‍34 |
| Cleveland Spiders | 81 | 68 | .544 | 21 | 36‍–‍19 | 45‍–‍49 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 78 | 71 | .523 | 24 | 49‍–‍31 | 29‍–‍40 |
| New York Giants | 77 | 73 | .513 | 25½ | 45‍–‍28 | 32‍–‍45 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 72 | 76 | .486 | 29½ | 39‍–‍35 | 33‍–‍41 |
| Louisville Colonels | 70 | 81 | .464 | 33 | 43‍–‍34 | 27‍–‍47 |
| Brooklyn Bridegrooms | 54 | 91 | .372 | 46 | 30‍–‍41 | 24‍–‍50 |
| Washington Senators | 51 | 101 | .336 | 52½ | 34‍–‍44 | 17‍–‍57 |
| St. Louis Browns | 39 | 111 | .260 | 63½ | 20‍–‍44 | 19‍–‍67 |

### Record vs. opponents

1898 National League recordvte Sources: :
| Team | BLN | BSN | BRO | CHC | CIN | CLV | LOU | NYG | PHI | PIT | STL | WHS |
| Baltimore | — | 5–7 | 8–5–1 | 9–5 | 8–6–1 | 8–6–1 | 9–5 | 10–3–1 | 10–3–1 | 10–4 | 12–2 | 7–7 |
| Boston | 7–5 | — | 11–2 | 9–5 | 9–4–1 | 6–7–1 | 8–6–1 | 10–4 | 10–4 | 9–5 | 12–2 | 11–3 |
| Brooklyn | 5–8–1 | 2–11 | — | 4–10 | 3–11 | 6–7 | 2–10–1 | 3–11 | 6–6 | 9–5–1 | 7–6–1 | 7–6 |
| Chicago | 5–9 | 5–9 | 10–4 | — | 6–8 | 7–7 | 9–5 | 9–5–1 | 6–7 | 7–4–1 | 10–4 | 11–3 |
| Cincinnati | 6–8–1 | 4–9–1 | 11–3 | 8–6 | — | 8–5–2 | 9–5 | 6–8–1 | 7–7 | 12–2 | 12–2 | 9–5 |
| Cleveland | 6–8–1 | 7–6–1 | 7–6 | 7–7 | 5–8–2 | — | 9–5 | 6–8 | 7–7 | 5–8 | 10–3–1 | 12–2–2 |
| Louisville | 5–9 | 6–8–1 | 10–2–1 | 5–9 | 5–9 | 5–9 | — | 6–8 | 4–10 | 4–9–1 | 10–4 | 10–4 |
| New York | 3–10–1 | 4–10 | 11–3 | 5–9–1 | 8–6–1 | 8–6 | 8–6 | — | 6–7 | 5–9–1 | 10–3–2 | 9–4–1 |
| Philadelphia | 3–10–1 | 4–10 | 6–6 | 7–6 | 7–7 | 7–7 | 10–4 | 7–6 | — | 6–8 | 9–5 | 12–2 |
| Pittsburgh | 4–10 | 5–9 | 5–9–1 | 4–7–1 | 2–12 | 8–5 | 9–4–1 | 9–5–1 | 8–6 | — | 9–4 | 9–5 |
| St. Louis | 2–12 | 2–12 | 6–7–1 | 4–10 | 2–12 | 3–10–1 | 4–10 | 3–10–2 | 5–9 | 4–9 | — | 4–10 |
| Washington | 7–7 | 3–11 | 6–7 | 3–11 | 5–9 | 2–12–2 | 4–10 | 4–9–1 | 2–12 | 5–9 | 10–4 | — |

### Game log

Legend :
| Reds Win | Reds Loss | Game Tied/Postponed |
1898 Game Log: 92–60 (Home: 58–28; Away: 34–32) :
April: 9–2 (Home: 7–2; Away: 2–0)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
1April 15Spiders3–2League Park11,0001-0W1
2April 16Spiders1–3League Park5,6411-1L1
3April 17Spiders12–1League Park15,5042-1W1
-April 20PiratesPostponed (cold); Makeup: April 21
4April 21Pirates11–6League Park3,0003-1W2
5April 22Pirates11–0League Park2,4674-1W3
-April 23PiratesPostponed (rain); Makeup: August 28
-April 24OrphansPostponed (rain); Makeup: July 10
6April 25Orphans4–7League Park5004-2L1
7April 26Orphans3–2League Park2,3965-2W1
8April 27Orphans5–3League Park2,4006-2W2
9April 28Spiders5–3League Park1,9007-2W3
10April 29@ Pirates5–2Exposition Park4,2008-2W4
11April 30@ Pirates11–2Exposition Park4,5009-2W5 :
May: 18–5 (Home: 13–5; Away: 5–0)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
12May 1Pirates5–11League Park14,0009-3L1
13May 2@ Pirates7–3Exposition Park80010-3W1
14May 3@ Pirates5–2Exposition Park2,00011-3W2
-May 4BrownsPostponed (rain, site change); Makeup: June 28
-May 5BrownsPostponed (rain, site change); Makeup: June 28
-May 6BrownsPostponed (rain); Makeup: July 3
-May 7BrownsPostponed (rain); Makeup: October 1
15May 8Colonels7–1League Park10,00012-3W3
-May 9@ BrownsPostponed (site change); Makeup: May 9
16May 9Browns5–6League Park1,90012-4L1
-May 10@ BrownsPostponed (rain, site change); Makeup: May 12
-May 11@ BrownsPostponed (site change); Makeup: May 11
17May 11Browns2–1League Park4,00013-4W1
-May 12@ BrownsPostponed (site change); Makeup: May 12
18May 12 1Browns8–5League ParkN/A14-4W2
19May 12 2Browns3–2League Park3,20015-4W3
20May 14Colonels7–1League Park2,50016-4W4
21May 15Colonels4–3League Park6,80017-4W5
22May 19Beaneaters5–4League Park4,80418-4W6
23May 20Beaneaters4–5League Park3,10018-5L1
24May 21Beaneaters3–4League Park4,60018-6L2
25May 22Pirates2–0League Park6,50019-6W1
26May 23Bridegrooms7–2League Park1,90020-6W2
27May 24Bridegrooms3–6League Park1,92520-7L1
28May 25Bridegrooms5–4League Park1,75021-7W1
29May 26Giants12–6League Park2,45022-7W2
30May 27Giants13–4League Park3,34023-7W3
31May 28Giants11–7League Park3,50024-7W4
32May 30 1@ Bridegrooms6–4Washington Park3,90025-7W5
33May 30 2@ Bridegrooms3–2Washington Park5,00026-7W6
34May 31@ Bridegrooms7–2Washington Park1,50027-7W7 :
June: 13–16 (Home: 4–6; Away: 9–10)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
35June 1@ Bridegrooms3–4Washington Park1,50027-8L1
36June 2@ Giants0–3Polo Grounds4,00027-9L2
37June 3@ Giants10–16Polo Grounds3,00027-10L3
38June 4@ Giants5–3Polo Grounds10,00028-10W1
39June 6@ Giants10–1Polo Grounds3,00029-10W2
40June 7@ Beaneaters2–9South End Grounds3,50029-11L1
41June 8@ Beaneaters1–10South End Grounds3,50029-12L2
42June 9@ Beaneaters5–6South End Grounds2,80029-13L3
43June 10@ Beaneaters4–3South End Grounds3,50030-13W1
44June 12@ Colonels4–5Eclipse Park4,00030-14L1
45June 13@ Colonels6–4Eclipse Park40031-14W1
46June 14@ Colonels7–3Eclipse Park1,00032-14W2
47June 15@ Colonels5–1Eclipse Park30033-14W3
48June 16@ Orphans1–9West Side Park3,90033-15L1
49June 17@ Orphans2–1West Side Park5,30034-15W1
50June 18@ Orphans4–10West Side Park9,70034-16L1
51June 19@ Orphans1–10West Side Park22,40034-17L2
52June 20Orioles2–17League Park3,06034-18L3
53June 21Orioles2–4League Park2,20034-19L4
54June 22Orioles3–2League Park2,20035-19W1
55June 23Orioles13–4League Park2,35036-19W2
56June 24Senators8–10League Park1,60036-20L1
57June 25Senators8–5League Park3,10037-20W1
58June 26Senators4–13League Park5,63437-21L1
59June 27Senators2–9League Park60037-22L2
60June 28 1@ Browns3–2New Sportsman's ParkN/A38-22W1
61June 28 2@ Browns5–0New Sportsman's Park2,50039-22W2
62June 29Phillies9–8League Park2,80040-22W3
63June 30Phillies3–17League Park1,80040-23L1 :
July: 22–6 (Home: 12–0; Away: 10–6)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
64July 1Phillies14–2League Park2,20041-23W1
65July 2Phillies8–4League Park2,60042-23W2
66July 3 1Browns7–5League ParkN/A43-23W3
67July 3 2Browns10–7League Park8,20444-23W4
68July 4 1Colonels9–4League Park5,20045-23W5
69July 4 2Colonels11–0League Park5,61246-23W6
70July 7@ Orphans7–5West Side Park2,90047-23W7
71July 8@ Orphans11–8West Side Park2,40048-23W8
72July 9@ Orphans3–5West Side Park6,80048-24L1
73July 10Orphans11–7League Park7,85249-24W1
74July 11@ Orioles4–6Union Park2,81449-25L1
75July 12@ Orioles10–5Union Park2,32750-25W1
76July 13@ Orioles11–6Union Park1,95251-25W2
77July 14@ Orioles5–5Union Park1,27851-25W2
78July 15@ Phillies3–7National League Park3,41251-26L1
79July 16@ Phillies2–6National League Park8,28851-27L2
80July 18@ Phillies5–4National League Park3,87352-27W1
-July 19@ PhilliesPostponed (rain); Makeup: September 19
81July 20@ Senators2–3Boundary Field1,00052-28L1
82July 21 1@ Senators12–6Boundary FieldN/A53-28W1
83July 21 2@ Senators7–4Boundary Field2,00054-28W2
84July 22@ Senators5–1Boundary Field80055-28W3
85July 23@ Pirates3–2Exposition Park2,50056-28W4
86July 24Pirates6–5League Park7,20357-28W5
-July 25@ PiratesPostponed (rain); Makeup: July 26
87July 26 1@ Pirates6–3Exposition ParkN/A58-28W6
88July 26 2@ Pirates2–3Exposition Park4,00058-29L1
89July 28Bridegrooms7–1League Park1,77359-29W1
90July 29Bridegrooms6–5League Park2,40060-29W2
91July 30Bridegrooms8–2League Park3,35061-29W3
92July 31Bridegrooms9–5League Park6,61662-29W4 :
August: 11–14 (Home: 8–9; Away: 3–5)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
93August 2Giants5–7League Park3,35062-30L1
-August 3GiantsPostponed (rain); Makeup: August 4
94August 4 1Giants5–6League ParkN/A62-31L2
95August 4 2Giants5–5League Park4,70362-31L2
96August 5 1Giants5–9League ParkN/A62-32L3
97August 5 2Giants9–1League Park4,58563-32W1
98August 6Beaneaters2–1League Park6,65064-32W2
99August 7Beaneaters4–1League Park12,40065-32W3
-August 8BeaneatersPostponed (rain); Makeup: August 10
100August 9Beaneaters0–8League Park6,00065-33L1
101August 10 1Beaneaters4–7League ParkN/A65-34L2
102August 10 2Beaneaters5–6League ParkN/A65-35L3
103August 12@ Bridegrooms4–3Washington Park50066-35W1
104August 13@ Bridegrooms1–2Washington Park2,30066-36L1
105August 15@ Bridegrooms8–0Washington Park1,50067-36W1
106August 16@ Giants0–4Polo Grounds3,00067-37L1
107August 17@ Giants1–3Polo Grounds3,00067-38L2
108August 18@ Giants0–7Polo Grounds3,00067-39L3
-August 19@ BeaneatersPostponed (rain); Makeup: August 22
109August 20@ Beaneaters1–2South End Grounds10,00067-40L4
110August 22 1@ Beaneaters7–2South End GroundsN/A68-40W1
111August 22 2@ Beaneaters5–5South End Grounds12,00068-40W1
-August 24OriolesPostponed (rain); Makeup: August 26
112August 25Orioles1–14League Park2,65068-41L1
113August 26Orioles10–0League Park2,04469-41W1
114August 27Phillies3–2League Park3,00070-41W2
115August 28 1Pirates9–4League ParkN/A71-41W3
116August 28 2Pirates6–5League Park15,90472-41W4
117August 29Phillies7–8League Park1,80072-42L1
118August 30Phillies1–9League Park1,20072-43L2
119August 31Senators9–5League Park90073-43W1 :
September: 12–14 (Home: 8–5; Away: 4–9)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
120September 1Senators5–4League Park1,12574-43W2
121September 3Senators4–2League Park2,27575-43W3
122September 4Spiders2–0League Park8,70076-43W4
123September 5 1Spiders6–8League ParkN/A76-44L1
124September 5 2Spiders1–0League Park11,09877-44W1
125September 6Orphans9–8League Park7,80078-44W2
126September 7Orphans2–13League Park7,20078-45L1
-September 8OrphansPostponed (Grand Army of the Republic parade); Makeup: September 9
-September 9BrownsPostponed (schedule change); Makeup: October 1
127September 9Orphans6–4League Park3,40579-45W1
128September 10Colonels1–3League Park3,50079-46L1
129September 11Colonels5–9League Park4,50079-47L2
130September 14@ Orioles1–3Union Park2,31679-48L3
131September 15 1@ Orioles1–15Union ParkN/A79-49L4
132September 15 2@ Orioles3–6Union ParkN/A79-50L5
133September 16@ Orioles2–3Union Park2,06379-51L6
134September 17@ Phillies10–9National League Park4,35880-51W1
135September 19 1@ Phillies0–8National League ParkN/A80-52L1
136September 19 2@ Phillies1–9National League Park4,30080-53L2
137September 20@ Phillies7–5National League Park1,70381-53W1
138September 21@ Senators15–3Boundary Field80082-53W2
-September 22@ SenatorsPostponed (rain); Makeup: September 23
139September 23 1@ Senators1–3Boundary FieldN/A82-54L1
140September 23 2@ Senators10–6Boundary Field1,80083-54W1
-September 24@ SpidersPostponed (site change); Makeup: April 28
-September 25@ SpidersPostponed (site change); Makeup: September 25
141September 25 1Spiders5–4League ParkN/A84-54W2
142September 25 2Spiders2–2League Park6,80084-54W2
-September 26@ SpidersPostponed (site change); Makeup: September 26
143September 26Spiders3–4League Park1,20084-55L1
-September 27@ SpidersPostponed (site change); Makeup: September 27
144September 27Spiders9–2League Park1,20085-55W1
145September 28@ Spiders1–4New Sportsman's Park3,00085-56L1
146September 29@ Spiders2–7New Sportsman's Park2,00085-57L2 :
October: 7–3 (Home: 6–1; Away: 1–2)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
147October 1 1Browns4–3League ParkN/A86-57W1
148October 1 2Browns3–7League Park1,24886-58L1
149October 2 1Browns6–2League ParkN/A87-58W1
150October 2 2Browns4–0League Park2,74488-58W2
-October 3@ SpidersPostponed (site change); Makeup: September 25
151October 3 1Browns8–0League ParkN/A89-58W3
152October 3 2Browns7–5League Park60090-58W4
-October 4@ SpidersPostponed (site change, played at New Sportsman's Park); Makeup: September 28
-October 5@ SpidersPostponed (site change, played at New Sportsman's Park); Makeup: September 29
153October 9 1Spiders12–5League ParkN/A91-58W5
154October 9 2Spiders6–6League Park4,88091-58W5
155October 10@ Colonels3–6Eclipse Park1,00091-59L1
-October 11@ ColonelsPostponed (rain); Makeup: October 12
156October 12 1@ Colonels5–2Eclipse ParkN/A92-59W1
157October 12 2@ Colonels1–4Eclipse Park2,87792-60L1
-October 13@ BrownsPostponed (site change); Makeup: October 2
-October 14@ BrownsPostponed (site change); Makeup: October 3
-October 15@ BrownsPostponed (site change); Makeup: October 3 :

### 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 | 105 | 330 | 90 | .273 | 1 | 43 |
| 1B | Jake Beckley | 118 | 459 | 135 | .294 | 4 | 72 |
| 2B | Bid McPhee | 133 | 486 | 121 | .249 | 1 | 60 |
| SS | Tommy Corcoran | 153 | 619 | 155 | .250 | 2 | 87 |
| 3B | Charlie Irwin | 136 | 501 | 120 | .240 | 3 | 55 |
| OF | Algie McBride | 120 | 486 | 147 | .302 | 2 | 43 |
| OF | Dusty Miller | 152 | 586 | 175 | .299 | 3 | 90 |
| OF | Mike Smith | 123 | 486 | 166 | .342 | 1 | 66 |

#### 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 |
| Harry Steinfeldt | 88 | 308 | 91 | .295 | 0 | 43 |
| Farmer Vaughn | 78 | 275 | 84 | .305 | 1 | 46 |
| Bob Wood | 39 | 109 | 30 | .275 | 0 | 16 |
| Bug Holliday | 30 | 106 | 25 | .236 | 0 | 7 |
| Herm McFarland | 19 | 64 | 18 | .281 | 0 | 11 |

### 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 |
| Pink Hawley | 43 | 331.0 | 27 | 11 | 3.37 | 69 |
| Ted Breitenstein | 39 | 315.2 | 20 | 14 | 3.42 | 68 |
| Bill Hill | 33 | 262.0 | 13 | 14 | 3.98 | 75 |
| Frank Dwyer | 31 | 240.0 | 16 | 10 | 3.04 | 29 |
| Percy Coleman | 1 | 9.0 | 0 | 1 | 3.00 | 2 |

#### 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 |
| Bill Dammann | 35 | 224.2 | 16 | 10 | 3.61 | 51 |

#### 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 |
| Jot Goar | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.00 | 0 |
| Mike Smith | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18.00 | 0 |