# 1890 Cincinnati Reds season

The 1890 Cincinnati Reds season was a season in American baseball. The team finished fourth in the National League with a record of 77–55, 10½ behind the Brooklyn Bridegrooms. Directly after the season ended, owner Aaron Stern sold the club to Al Johnson.

## Regular season

After playing eight seasons in the American Association, the Cincinnati Red Stockings jumped to the National League for the 1890 season, and renamed themselves the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds hired Tom Loftus as their new manager. He last managed the Cleveland Spiders in 1889, leading them to a 61–72 record and a sixth-place finish in the National League.
In the off-season, the Reds acquired Lefty Marr from the Columbus Solons for $2000. Marr had hit .306 with a league high 15 triples for the Solons in 1889. He had also appeared in eight games with the Red Stockings in 1886. The team also purchased the contract of pitcher Frank Foreman from the Baltimore Orioles. Foreman was 23–21 with a 3.52 with the Orioles. Cincinnati also signed two 21-year-olds, catcher Jerry Harrington and pitcher Billy Rhines. Joe Knight, who last appeared in the majors with the Philadelphia Quakers in 1884 as a pitcher, was signed to play the outfield.
John Reilly led the club offensively, hitting .300 with team highs with six home runs and 86 RBI. Bid McPhee had a .256 average with three homers and 39 RBI, as well as team highs with 125 runs and 55 stolen bases. Knight led the club with a .312 average with four homers and 67 RBI in his only season in the majors. Rhines led the pitching staff, as he had a 28–17 record with league best 1.95 ERA.

### Season summary

The Reds played their first National League game on April 19, 1890. Despite a home run from Bug Holliday, Cincinnati lost to the Chicago Colts by a 5–4 score. After hovering around the .500 level, as the Reds had a record of 11–11 after twenty-two games, the team went on a 22–2 run to boost their record to 33–13, and take a four-game lead over the second place Brooklyn Bridegrooms. Cincinnati would hold on to their first place lead until going into a slump in which the Reds lost ten of eleven games to fall into fourth place, 5.5 games out of first. By the time the season ended, the Reds had a 77–55 record, finishing in fourth place, 10½ games behind the Bridegrooms.

### Season standings

vteNational League :
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
| Brooklyn Bridegrooms | 86 | 43 | .667 | — | 58‍–‍16 | 28‍–‍27 |
| Chicago Colts | 83 | 53 | .610 | 6½ | 48‍–‍24 | 35‍–‍29 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 78 | 53 | .595 | 9 | 54‍–‍21 | 24‍–‍32 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 77 | 55 | .583 | 10½ | 50‍–‍23 | 27‍–‍32 |
| Boston Beaneaters | 76 | 57 | .571 | 12 | 43‍–‍23 | 33‍–‍34 |
| New York Giants | 63 | 68 | .481 | 24 | 37‍–‍27 | 26‍–‍41 |
| Cleveland Spiders | 44 | 88 | .333 | 43½ | 30‍–‍37 | 14‍–‍51 |
| Pittsburgh Alleghenys | 23 | 113 | .169 | 66½ | 14‍–‍25 | 9‍–‍88 |

### Record vs. opponents

1890 National League recordvte Sources: :
| Team | BOS | BR | CHI | CIN | CLE | NYG | PHI | PIT |
| Boston | — | 6–11 | 8–11 | 11–8 | 13–7 | 11–8–1 | 11–9 | 16–3 |
| Brooklyn | 11–6 | — | 11–9 | 9–7 | 17–3 | 10–8 | 10–8 | 18–2 |
| Chicago | 11–8 | 9–11 | — | 12–8–2 | 13–7 | 13–6 | 8–10–1 | 17–3 |
| Cincinnati | 8–11 | 7–9 | 8–12–2 | — | 13–4 | 14–6 | 11–9 | 16–4 |
| Cleveland | 7–13 | 3–17 | 7–13 | 4–13 | — | 6–12–2 | 5–14–1 | 12–6–1 |
| New York | 8–11–1 | 8–10 | 6–13 | 6–14 | 12–6–2 | — | 6–11 | 17–3–1 |
| Philadelphia | 9–11 | 8–10 | 10–8–1 | 9–11 | 14–5–1 | 11–6 | — | 17–2 |
| Pittsburgh | 3–16 | 2–18 | 3–17 | 4–16 | 6–12–1 | 3–17–1 | 2–17 | — |

### Game log

Legend :
| Reds Win | Reds Loss | Game Tied/Postponed |
1890 Game Log: 77–55 (Home: 50–23; Away: 27–32) :
April: 4–4 (Home: 2–2; Away: 2–2)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
1April 19Colts1–5League ParkN/A0-1L1
2April 21Colts9–4League ParkN/A1-1W1
3April 22Colts3–13League ParkN/A1-2L1
4April 23Colts9–6League ParkN/A2-2W1
-April 24@ AlleghenysPostponed (rain; site change); Makeup: September 11
5April 25@ Alleghenys10–1Recreation ParkN/A3-2W1
-April 26@ AlleghenysPostponed (rain; site change); Makeup: September 12
6April 28@ Alleghenys2–6Recreation ParkN/A3-3L1
7April 29@ Spiders2–3National League ParkN/A3-4L2
8April 30@ Spiders4–0National League ParkN/A4-4W1 :
May: 14–8 (Home: 2–2; Away: 12–6)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
9May 1@ Spiders12–11National League ParkN/A5-4W2
10May 2@ Spiders6–1National League ParkN/A6-4W3
-May 3@ ColtsPostponed (rain); Makeup: May 8
11May 5@ Colts2–2West Side Park1256-4W3
12May 6@ Colts5–6West Side Park1,6356-5L1
13May 7@ Colts5–2West Side Park3867-5W1
14May 8@ Colts9–18West Side Park3907-6L1
15May 9Alleghenys10–5League ParkN/A8-6W1
16May 10Alleghenys11–1League ParkN/A9-6W2
17May 12Alleghenys3–5League ParkN/A9-7L1
18May 13Alleghenys0–4League ParkN/A9-8L2
-May 15@ PhillitesPostponed (rain; site change); Makeup: September 23
19May 16@ Phillies5–1Philadelphia Base Ball GroundsN/A10-8W1
20May 17@ Phillies4–6Philadelphia Base Ball GroundsN/A10-9L1
21May 19@ Phillies9–6Philadelphia Base Ball GroundsN/A11-9W1
22May 21@ Bridegrooms4–19Washington ParkN/A11-10L1
23May 22@ Bridegrooms4–6Washington ParkN/A11-11L2
24May 23@ Bridegrooms7–2Washington ParkN/A12-11W1
25May 24@ Beaneaters7–5South End GroundsN/A13-11W2
26May 26@ Beaneaters4–2South End GroundsN/A14-11W3
27May 28@ Beaneaters0–1South End GroundsN/A14-12L1
28May 29@ Giants7–6Polo GroundsN/A15-12W1
29May 30 1@ Giants3–1Polo Grounds67816-12W2
30May 30 2@ Giants1–0Polo Grounds3,75917-12W3
31May 31@ Giants12–8Polo GroundsN/A18-12W4 :
June: 19–6 (Home: 17–5; Away: 2–1)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
32June 2@ Spiders4–3National League ParkN/A19-12W5
33June 3@ Spiders5–2National League ParkN/A20-12W6
34June 4@ Spiders1–3National League ParkN/A20-13L1
-June 5@ AlleghenysPostponed (site change); Makeup: June 5
35June 5Alleghenys9–1League Park1,20021-13W1
-June 6@ AlleghenysPostponed (site change); Makeup: June 6
36June 6Alleghenys9–5League ParkN/A22-13W2
-June 7@ AlleghenysPostponed (site change); Makeup: June 7
37June 7Alleghenys6–2League ParkN/A23-13W3
38June 9Alleghenys8–2League ParkN/A24-13W4
39June 10Alleghenys9–2League ParkN/A25-13W5
40June 11Alleghenys5–1League ParkN/A26-13W6
41June 12Spiders8–0League Park1,61127-13W7
42June 13Spiders7–5League ParkN/A28-13W8
43June 14Spiders9–0League ParkN/A29-13W9
44June 16Spiders7–3League ParkN/A30-13W10
45June 17Colts3–0League ParkN/A31-13W11
46June 18Colts6–2League ParkN/A32-13W12
47June 19Colts4–2League ParkN/A33-13W13
48June 20Beaneaters2–4League ParkN/A33-14L1
49June 21Beaneaters4–1League ParkN/A34-14W1
50June 23Beaneaters4–12League ParkN/A34-15L1
51June 24Beaneaters0–2League ParkN/A34-16L2
52June 25Giants2–1League Park2,60035-16W1
53June 26Giants8–5League ParkN/A36-16W2
54June 27Giants4–8League ParkN/A36-17L1
55June 28Giants12–3League ParkN/A37-17W1
56June 30Bridegrooms6–8League ParkN/A37-18L1 :
July: 12–15 (Home: 10–5; Away: 2–10)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
57July 1Bridegrooms3–0League ParkN/A38-18W1
58July 2Bridegrooms6–1League Park1,92839-18W2
59July 3Bridegrooms9–6League ParkN/A40-18W3
60July 4 1Phillies2–11League ParkN/A40-19L1
61July 4 2Phillies7–1League Park14,81741-19W1
62July 5Phillies6–9League ParkN/A41-20L1
63July 7@ Phillies3–1Philadelphia Base Ball GroundsN/A42-20W1
64July 8@ Phillies4–9Philadelphia Base Ball GroundsN/A42-21L1
65July 9@ Phillies1–6Philadelphia Base Ball GroundsN/A42-22L2
66July 10@ Bridegrooms3–5Washington ParkN/A42-23L3
67July 11@ Bridegrooms2–9Washington ParkN/A42-24L4
68July 12@ Bridegrooms1–7Washington ParkN/A42-25L5
69July 14@ Giants6–1Polo GroundsN/A43-25W1
70July 15@ Giants3–7Polo GroundsN/A43-26L1
71July 16@ Giants8–12Polo GroundsN/A43-27L2
72July 17@ Beaneaters3–6South End GroundsN/A43-28L3
73July 18@ Beaneaters3–9South End GroundsN/A43-29L4
74July 19@ Beaneaters2–6South End GroundsN/A43-30L5
75July 21Bridegrooms20–11League ParkN/A44-30W1
76July 22Bridegrooms5–16League ParkN/A44-31L1
77July 24Giants7–5League ParkN/A45-31W1
78July 25Giants10–6League ParkN/A46-31W2
79July 26Giants5–1League Park2,10847-31W3
80July 28Beaneaters1–2League ParkN/A47-32L1
81July 29Beaneaters11–3League ParkN/A48-32W1
82July 30Beaneaters0–3League ParkN/A48-33L1
83July 31Phillies8–6League ParkN/A49-33W1 :
August: 15–8 (Home: 8–3; Away: 7–5)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
84August 1Phillies4–5League ParkN/A49-34L1
85August 2Phillies11–3League ParkN/A50-34W1
86August 4Phillies7–5League ParkN/A51-34W2
-August 6@ AlleghenysPostponed (site change); Makeup: August 6
87August 6Alleghenys16–3League ParkN/A52-34W3
-August 7@ AlleghenysPostponed (site change); Makeup: August 7
88August 7Alleghenys23–17League ParkN/A53-34W4
-August 8@ AlleghenysPostponed (site change); Makeup: August 8
89August 8Alleghenys9–6League ParkN/A54-34W5
90August 9@ Spiders4–5National League ParkN/A54-35L1
91August 11@ Spiders9–7National League ParkN/A55-35W1
92August 12@ Spiders2–1National League ParkN/A56-35W2
93August 13Colts4–6League ParkN/A56-36L1
94August 14Colts2–1League ParkN/A57-36W1
95August 15Colts2–9League ParkN/A57-37L1
96August 16Spiders10–0League ParkN/A58-37W1
97August 18Spiders14–3League ParkN/A59-37W2
98August 21@ Giants5–3Polo GroundsN/A60-37W3
99August 22@ Giants3–4Polo GroundsN/A60-38L1
100August 23@ Giants3–7Polo Grounds2,03460-39L2
101August 25@ Bridegrooms4–1Washington ParkN/A61-39W1
102August 26@ Bridegrooms0–3Washington ParkN/A61-40L1
103August 27@ Bridegrooms8–1Washington ParkN/A62-40W1
104August 28@ Beaneaters7–0South End GroundsN/A63-40W2
105August 29@ Beaneaters1–2South End GroundsN/A63-41L1
106August 30@ Beaneaters6–5South End GroundsN/A64-41W1 :
September/October: 13–14 (Home: 11–6; Away: 2–8)
#DateOpponentScoreStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
107September 1 1@ Phillies1–2Philadelphia Base Ball GroundsN/A64-42L1
108September 1 2@ Phillies8–5Philadelphia Base Ball GroundsN/A65-42W1
109September 2@ Phillies12–14Philadelphia Base Ball GroundsN/A65-43L1
110September 4@ Colts4–7West Side Park2,43665-44L2
111September 5@ Colts8–12West Side Park91065-45L3
112September 6@ Colts0–1West Side Park2,97265-46L4
113September 9Spiders4–8League ParkN/A65-47L5
114September 11 1Alleghenys2–0League ParkN/A66-47W1
115September 11 2Alleghenys4–1League ParkN/A67-47W2
116September 12 1Alleghenys7–3League ParkN/A68-47W3
117September 12 2Alleghenys11–1League ParkN/A69-47W4
118September 13Alleghenys6–8League ParkN/A69-48L1
119September 15@ Colts3–6West Side Park1,84769-49L2
120September 16@ Colts2–5West Side Park1,32869-50L3
121September 17@ Colts6–6West Side Park1,54169-50L3
122September 18 1@ Colts4–8West Side Park2,38269-51L4
123September 18 2@ Colts10–5West Side ParkN/A70-51W1
124September 19Phillies5–4League ParkN/A71-51W2
125September 20Phillies9–1League ParkN/A72-51W3
126September 22Phillies5–7League ParkN/A72-52L1
127September 23Phillies4–2League ParkN/A73-52W1
128September 24Bridegrooms1–5League ParkN/A73-53L1
129September 27Giants3–15League ParkN/A73-54L2
130September 29Giants5–4League ParkN/A74-54W1
131September 30Giants5–2League ParkN/A75-54W2
132October 1Beaneaters5–3League ParkN/A76-54W3
133October 2Beaneaters3–7League ParkN/A76-55L1
134October 3Beaneaters8–2League ParkN/A77-55W1
-October 4BeaneatersPostponed (rain); Makeup: October 1 :

### 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 | Jerry Harrington | 65 | 236 | 58 | .246 | 1 | 23 |
| 1B | John Reilly | 133 | 553 | 166 | .300 | 6 | 86 |
| 2B | Bid McPhee | 132 | 528 | 135 | .256 | 3 | 39 |
| SS | Ollie Beard | 122 | 492 | 132 | .268 | 3 | 72 |
| 3B | Arlie Latham | 41 | 164 | 41 | .250 | 0 | 15 |
| OF | Joe Knight | 127 | 481 | 150 | .312 | 4 | 67 |
| OF | Lefty Marr | 130 | 527 | 157 | .298 | 1 | 73 |
| OF | Bug Holliday | 131 | 518 | 140 | .270 | 4 | 75 |

#### 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 |
| Tony Mullane | 81 | 286 | 79 | .276 | 0 | 34 |
| Jim Keenan | 54 | 202 | 28 | .139 | 3 | 19 |
| Hugh Nicol | 50 | 186 | 39 | .210 | 0 | 19 |
| Kid Baldwin | 22 | 72 | 11 | .153 | 0 | 10 |
| Billy Clingman | 7 | 27 | 7 | .259 | 0 | 5 |

### 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 |
| Billy Rhines | 46 | 401.1 | 28 | 17 | 1.95 | 182 |
| Jesse Duryea | 33 | 274.0 | 16 | 12 | 2.92 | 108 |
| Tony Mullane | 25 | 209.0 | 12 | 10 | 2.24 | 91 |
| Frank Foreman | 25 | 198.1 | 13 | 10 | 3.95 | 57 |
| Lee Viau | 13 | 90.0 | 7 | 5 | 4.50 | 41 |
| John Dolan | 2 | 18.0 | 1 | 1 | 4.50 | 9 |