1885 Cincinnati Red Stockings season

Regular season

During the off-season, the Red Stockings hired O. P. Caylor to become the manager of the team, the first time in club history that the club did not have a player-manager. Cincinnati also signed Tony Mullane to a contract. Mullane, who spent the 1884 season with the Toledo Blue Stockings, had a 36–26 record with a 2.52 ERA in 67 starts, striking out 325 batters. Mullane was suspended for the 1885 season for defying his contract, as the Blue Stockings and the St. Louis Maroons, another team he tried to sign with, folded after the 1884 season, and the St. Louis Browns attempted to reclaim Mullane, as he pitched there in 1883. Before the Browns could reclaim him, he signed with the Red Stockings.

Frank Fennelly, who the Red Stockings acquired late in the 1884 season from the Washington Nationals, had a breakout season, hitting .273 with ten home runs and a league high 89 RBI. Charley Jones led the team with a .322 average, and had five home runs and 35 RBI to go along with it, while John Reilly hit .297 with five homers and 60 RBI.

On the mound, nineteen-year-old Larry McKeon led the Red Stockings with 20 wins and a 2.86 ERA in 33 starts, while Will White had eighteen wins and a 3.53 ERA in 34 starts.

Season summary

Cincinnati began the season very well, putting up an impressive 16–8 record in their first 24 games to sit in second place in the league, two games behind the St. Louis Browns. The Red Stockings then began to slump, as they would win only six of their next sixteen games to slip into third place, seven games behind the Browns. On July 1, the Red Stockings acquired Jim Keenan and Larry McKeon, who both jumped from the Detroit Wolverines to join Cincinnati. The Red Stockings improved with their new acquisitions in the lineup, as the team eventually moved back into second place, however, they were too far behind the Browns, and Cincinnati finished the season with a 63–49 record, good for second place, however, they were sixteen games out of first.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Game log

|- style="background:#bbb;" | - || April 18 || Colonels || colspan=8| Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: April 20 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 1 || April 19 || @ Colonels || 4–1 || Eclipse Park || N/A || 1–0 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 2 || April 20 || Colonels || 3–1 || American Park || N/A || 2–0 || W2 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 3 || April 21 || @ Browns || 2–1 || Sportsman's Park || N/A || 3–0 || W3 |- style="background:#bbb;" | - || April 22 || @ Browns || colspan=8| Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: April 23 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 4 || April 23 || @ Browns || 1–2 || Sportsman's Park || N/A || 3–1 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 5 || April 24 || Alleghenys || 6–7 || American Park || N/A || 3–2 || L2 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 6 || April 25 || Alleghenys || 8–2 || American Park || N/A || 4–2 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 7 || April 26 || Colonels || 8–1 || American Park || N/A || 5–2 || W2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 8 || April 28 || Browns || 0–5 || American Park || N/A || 5–3 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 9 || April 29 || Browns || 0–6 || American Park || N/A || 5–4 || L2 |- |- style="background:#fbb;" | 10 || May 2 || @ Colonels || 0–8 || Eclipse Park || N/A || 5–5 || L3 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 11 || May 3 || Alleghenys || 7-6 || American Park || N/A || 6–5 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 12 || May 4 || @ Alleghenys || 3–0 || Recreation Park || N/A || 7–5 || W2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 13 || May 5 || @ Alleghenys || 1–8 || Recreation Park || N/A || 7–6 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 14 || May 7 || Grays || 7-4 || American Park || N/A || 8–6 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 15 || May 8 || Grays || 8-3 || American Park || N/A || 9–6 || W2 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 16 || May 9 || Grays || 4-0 || American Park || N/A || 10–6 || W3 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 17 || May 10 || Grays || 7-6 || American Park || N/A || 11–6 || W4 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 18 || May 12 || Metropolitans || 7-11 || American Park || N/A || 11–7 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 19 || May 13 || Metropolitans || 14-10 || American Park || N/A || 12–7 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 20 || May 14 || Metropolitans || 8-5 || American Park || N/A || 13–7 || W2 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 21 || May 16 || Metropolitans || 7-2 || American Park || N/A || 14–7 || W3 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 22 || May 17 || Orioles || 5-6 || American Park || N/A || 14–8 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 23 || May 19 || Orioles || 13-5 || American Park || N/A || 15–8 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 24 || May 20 || Orioles || 15-2 || American Park || N/A || 16–8 || W2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 25 || May 21 || Orioles || 10-11 || American Park || N/A || 16–9 || L1 |- style="background:#bbb;" | - || May 23 || Athletics || colspan=8| Postponed (rain); Makeup: May 25 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 26 || May 24 || Athletics || 6-7 || American Park || N/A || 16–10 || L2 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 27 || May 25 || Athletics || 7-2 || American Park || N/A || 17–10 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 28 || May 26 || Athletics || 10-5 || American Park || N/A || 18–10 || W2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 29 || May 27 || Athletics || 9-16 || American Park || N/A || 18–11 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 30 || May 30 1 || @ Athletics || 16–9 || Jefferson Street Grounds || N/A || 19–11 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 31 || May 30 2 || @ Athletics || 7–9 || Jefferson Street Grounds || N/A || 19–12 || L1 |- |- style="background:#fbb;" | 32 || June 1 || @ Athletics || 7–9 || Jefferson Street Grounds || N/A || 19–13 || L2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 33 || June 2 || @ Athletics || 8–12 || Jefferson Street Grounds || N/A || 19–14 || L3 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 34 || June 4 || @ Orioles || 1–12 || Oriole Park || N/A || 19–15 || L4 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 35 || June 5 || @ Orioles || 4–3 || Oriole Park || N/A || 20–15 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 36 || June 6 || @ Orioles || 5–21 || Oriole Park || N/A || 20–16 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 37 || June 8 || @ Orioles || 6–5 || Oriole Park || N/A || 21–16 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 38 || June 10 || @ Grays || 6–0 || Washington Park || N/A || 22–16 || W2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 39 || June 11 || @ Grays || 4–6 || Washington Park || N/A || 22–17 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 40 || June 13 || @ Grays || 9–11 || Washington Park || N/A || 22–18 || L2 |- style="background:#bbb;" | - || June 14 || @ Grays || colspan=8| Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: June 15 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 41 || June 15 || @ Grays || 11–9 || Washington Park || N/A || 23–18 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 42 || June 16 || @ Metropolitans || 5–4 || Polo Grounds || N/A || 24–18 || W2 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 43 || June 17 || @ Metropolitans || 3–2 || [Polo Grounds || N/A || 25–18 || W3 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 44 || June 18 || @ Metropolitans || 5–4 || Polo Grounds || N/A || 26–18 || W4 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 45 || June 19 || @ Metropolitans || 10–8 || Polo Grounds || N/A || 27–18 || W5 |- style="background:#bbb;" | - || June 20 || @ Metropolitans || colspan=8| Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: June 19 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 46 || June 22 || Colonels || 1-2 || American Park || N/A || 27–19 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 47 || June 23 || Colonels || 13-2 || American Park || N/A || 28–19 || W1 |- style="background:#bbb;" | - || June 24 || Colonels || colspan=8| Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: June 22 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 48 || June 25 || Colonels || 6-8 || American Park || N/A || 28–20 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 49 || June 26 || Browns || 4-9 || American Park || N/A || 28–21 || L2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 50 || June 27 || Browns || 2-10 || American Park || N/A || 28–22 || L3 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 51 || June 28 || Browns || 8-4 || American Park || N/A || 29–22 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 52 || June 30 || @ Alleghenys || 4–9 || Recreation Park || N/A || 29–23 || L1 |- |- style="background:#fbb;" | 53 || July 1 || @ Alleghenys || 9–11 || Recreation Park || N/A || 29–24 || L2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 54 || July 2 || @ Alleghenys || 4–6 || Recreation Park || N/A || 29–25 || L3 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 55 || July 4 1 || Grays || 5–1 || American Park || N/A || 30–25 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 56 || July 4 2 || Grays || 3–2 || American Park || N/A || 31–25 || W2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 57 || July 5 || Grays || 6–7 || American Park || N/A || 31–26 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 58 || July 7 || Grays || 12–7 || American Park || N/A || 32–26 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 59 || July 9 || Athletics || 4–2 || American Park || N/A || 33–26 || W2 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 60 || July 10 || Athletics || 10–4 || American Park || N/A || 34–26 || W3 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 61 || July 11 || Athletics || 9–8 || American Park || N/A || 35–26 || W4 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 62 || July 12 || Athletics || 6–5 || American Park || N/A || 36–26 || W5 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 63 || July 14 || Metropolitans || 5–2 || American Park || N/A || 37–26 || W6 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 64 || July 15 || Metropolitans || 13–3 || American Park || N/A || 38–26 || W7 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 65 || July 16 || Metropolitans || 5–7 || American Park || N/A || 38–27 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 66 || July 18 || Metropolitans || 8–3 || American Park || N/A || 39–27 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 67 || July 19 || Orioles || 3–0 || American Park || N/A || 40–27 || W2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 68 || July 21 || Orioles || 7–8 || American Park || N/A || 40–28 || L1 |- style="background:#bbb;" | - || July 22 || Orioles || colspan=8| Postponed (rain); Makeup: July 24 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 69 || July 23 || Orioles || 3–2 || American Park || N/A || 41–28 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 70 || July 24 || Orioles || 1–5 || American Park || N/A || 41–29 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 71 || July 26 || @ Colonels || 4–6 || Eclipse Park || N/A || 41–30 || L2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 72 || July 28 || @ Colonels || 1–3 || Eclipse Park || N/A || 41–31 || L3 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 73 || July 29 || @ Colonels || 4–6 || Eclipse Park || N/A || 41–32 || L4 |- style="background:#bbb;" | - || July 31 || @ Browns || colspan=8| Postponed (rain); Makeup: August 3 |- |- style="background:#bfb;" | 74 || August 1 || @ Browns || 4–0 || Sportman's Park || N/A || 42–32 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 75 || August 2 || @ Browns || 3–4 || Sportman's Park || N/A || 42–33 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 76 || August 3 || @ Browns || 3–1 || Sportman's Park || N/A || 43–33 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 77 || August 4 || Alleghenys || 4–1 || American Park || N/A || 44–33 || W2 |- style="background:#bbb;" | - || August 5 || Alleghenys || colspan=8| Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: May 3 |- style="background:#bbb;" | - || August 6 || Alleghenys || colspan=8| Postponed (rain); Makeup: August 7 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 78 || August 7 || Alleghenys || 3–2 || American Park || N/A || 45–33 || W3 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 79 || August 8 || Colonels || 4–3 || American Park || N/A || 46–33 || W4 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 80 || August 9 || Colonels || 10–2 || American Park || N/A || 47–33 || W5 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 81 || August 11 || Colonels || 2–12 || American Park || N/A || 47–34 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 82 || August 13 || @ Browns || 3–2 || Sportman's Park || N/A || 48–34 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 83 || August 15 || @ Browns || 1–4 || Sportman's Park || N/A || 48–35 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 84 || August 16 || @ Browns || 11–3 || Sportman's Park || N/A || 49–35 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 85 || August 18 || @ Colonels || 7–9 || Eclipse Park || N/A || 49–36 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 86 || August 19 || @ Colonels || 5–4 || Eclipse Park || N/A || 50–36 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 87 || August 20 || @ Colonels || 9–1 || Eclipse Park || N/A || 51–36 || W2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 88 || August 22 || Browns || 6–8 || American Park || N/A || 51–37 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 89 || August 23 || Browns || 1–6 || American Park || N/A || 51–38 || L2 |- style="background:#bbb;" | - || August 25 || Browns || colspan=8| Postponed (rain); Makeup: August 26 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 90 || August 26 || Browns || 1–2 || American Park || N/A || 51–39 || L3 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 91 || August 27 || Alleghenys || 2–8 || American Park || N/A || 51–40 || L4 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 92 || August 28 || Alleghenys || 14–6 || American Park || N/A || 52–40 || W1 |- style="background:#bbb;" | - || August 29 || Alleghenys || colspan=8| Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: August 28 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 93 || August 30 || Alleghenys || 10–0 || American Park || N/A || 53–40 || W2 |- |- style="background:#fbb;" | 94 || September 2 || @ Alleghenys || 6–9 || Recreation Park || N/A || 53–41 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 95 || September 3 || @ Alleghenys || 6–5 || Recreation Park || N/A || 54–41 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 96 || September 5 || @ Alleghenys || 6–2 || Recreation Park || N/A || 55–41 || W2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 97 || September 8 || @ Athletics || 7–8 || Jefferson Street Grounds || N/A || 55–42 || L1 |- style="background:#bbb;" | - || September 9 || @ Athletics || colspan=8| Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 11 |- style="background:#bbb;" | - || September 10 || @ Athletics || colspan=8| Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 14 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 98 || September 11 || @ Athletics || 3–10 || Jefferson Street Grounds || N/A || 55–43 || L2 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 99 || September 12 || @ Athletics || 8–3 || Jefferson Street Grounds || N/A || 56–43 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 100 || September 14 || @ Athletics || 6–3 || Jefferson Street Grounds || N/A || 57–43 || W2 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 101 || September 15 || @ Orioles || 1–0 || Oriole Park || N/A || 58–43 || W3 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 102 || September 16 || @ Orioles || 10–9 || Oriole Park || N/A || 59–43 || W4 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 103 || September 17 || @ Orioles || 6–4 || Oriole Park || N/A || 60–43 || W5 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 104 || September 19 || @ Orioles || 6–3 || Oriole Park || N/A || 61–43 || W6 |- style="background:#bbb;" | - || September 20 || @ Grays || colspan=8| Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: September 21 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 105 || September 21 || @ Grays || 3–6 || Washington Park || N/A || 61–44 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 106 || September 22 || @ Grays || 3–2 || Washington Park || N/A || 62–44 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 107 || September 24 || @ Metropolitans || 2–5 || Polo Grounds || N/A || 62–45 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 108 || September 26 || @ Metropolitans || 2–7 || Polo Grounds || N/A || 62–46 || L2 |- style="background:#bbb;" | - || September 27 || @ Grays || colspan=8| Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: September 28 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 109 || September 28 || @ Grays || 10–2 || Washington Park || N/A || 63–46 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 110 || September 29 || @ Grays || 7–8 || Washington Park || N/A || 63–47 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 111 || September 30 || @ Metropolitans || 1–3 || Polo Grounds || N/A || 63–48 || L2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 112 || October 1 || @ Metropolitans || 1–5 || Polo Grounds || N/A || 63–49 || L3 |-

Notable transactions

• July 1, 1885: Jim Keenan jumped to the Red Stockings from the Detroit Wolverines.

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

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

References

References

1. (November 3, 2005). "Reds owners". [[The Cincinnati Enquirer]].
2. [https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/keenaji01.shtml Jim Keenan page at Baseball Reference]