1885 Cincinnati Red Stockings season

1885  Cincinnati Red Stockings
League	American Association
Ballpark	American Park
City	Cincinnati
Owner	George Herancourt [1]
Manager	O. P. Caylor
←  1884 1886  →

The 1885 Cincinnati Red Stockings season was a season in American baseball. The team finished second in the American Association, 16 games behind the St. Louis Browns.

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

v t e American Association	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
St. Louis Browns	79	33	0.705	—	44–11	35–22
Cincinnati Red Stockings	63	49	0.562	16	35–21	28–28
Pittsburgh Alleghenys	56	55	0.505	22½	37–19	19–36
Philadelphia Athletics	55	57	0.491	24	33–23	22–34
Brooklyn Grays	53	59	0.473	26	35–22	18–37
Louisville Colonels	53	59	0.473	26	37–19	16–40
New York Metropolitans	44	64	0.407	33	28–24	16–40
Baltimore Orioles	41	68	0.376	36½	29–26	12–42

Record vs. opponents

1885 American Association record v t e Sources:
Team	BAL	BR	CIN	LOU	NY	PHI	PIT	STL
Baltimore	—	7–9	6–10	7–9	7–6	6–10–1	6–10	2–14
Brooklyn	9–7	—	5–11	10–6	8–8	11–5	6–10	4–12
Cincinnati	10–6	11–5	—	8–8	10–6	9–7	9–7	6–10
Louisville	9–7	6–10	8–8	—	9–7	8–8	6–10	7–9
New York	6–7	8–8	6–10	7–9	—	5–11	8–7	4–12
Philadelphia	10–6–1	5–11	7–9	8–8	11–5	—	10–6	4–12
Pittsburgh	10–6	10–6	7–9	10–6	7–8	6–10	—	6–10
St. Louis	14–2	12–4	10–6	9–7	12–4	12–4	10–6	—

Game log

Legend
Red Stockings Win	Red Stockings Loss	Game Tied/Postponed

1885 Game Log: 63–49 (Home: 35–21; Away: 28–28)
April: 5–4 (Home: 3–3; Away: 2–1) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak - April 18 Colonels Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: April 20 1 April 19 @ Colonels 4–1 Eclipse Park N/A 1–0 W1 2 April 20 Colonels 3–1 American Park N/A 2–0 W2 3 April 21 @ Browns 2–1 Sportsman's Park N/A 3–0 W3 - April 22 @ Browns Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: April 23 4 April 23 @ Browns 1–2 Sportsman's Park N/A 3–1 L1 5 April 24 Alleghenys 6–7 American Park N/A 3–2 L2 6 April 25 Alleghenys 8–2 American Park N/A 4–2 W1 7 April 26 Colonels 8–1 American Park N/A 5–2 W2 8 April 28 Browns 0–5 American Park N/A 5–3 L1 9 April 29 Browns 0–6 American Park N/A 5–4 L2
May: 14–8 (Home: 12–5; Away: 2–3) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 10 May 2 @ Colonels 0–8 Eclipse Park N/A 5–5 L3 11 May 3 Alleghenys 7-6 American Park N/A 6–5 W1 12 May 4 @ Alleghenys 3–0 Recreation Park N/A 7–5 W2 13 May 5 @ Alleghenys 1–8 Recreation Park N/A 7–6 L1 14 May 7 Grays 7-4 American Park N/A 8–6 W1 15 May 8 Grays 8-3 American Park N/A 9–6 W2 16 May 9 Grays 4-0 American Park N/A 10–6 W3 17 May 10 Grays 7-6 American Park N/A 11–6 W4 18 May 12 Metropolitans 7-11 American Park N/A 11–7 L1 19 May 13 Metropolitans 14-10 American Park N/A 12–7 W1 20 May 14 Metropolitans 8-5 American Park N/A 13–7 W2 21 May 16 Metropolitans 7-2 American Park N/A 14–7 W3 22 May 17 Orioles 5-6 American Park N/A 14–8 L1 23 May 19 Orioles 13-5 American Park N/A 15–8 W1 24 May 20 Orioles 15-2 American Park N/A 16–8 W2 25 May 21 Orioles 10-11 American Park N/A 16–9 L1 - May 23 Athletics Postponed (rain); Makeup: May 25 26 May 24 Athletics 6-7 American Park N/A 16–10 L2 27 May 25 Athletics 7-2 American Park N/A 17–10 W1 28 May 26 Athletics 10-5 American Park N/A 18–10 W2 29 May 27 Athletics 9-16 American Park N/A 18–11 L1 30 May 30 1 @ Athletics 16–9 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 19–11 W1 31 May 30 2 @ Athletics 7–9 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 19–12 L1
June: 10–11 (Home: 2–4; Away: 8–7) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 32 June 1 @ Athletics 7–9 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 19–13 L2 33 June 2 @ Athletics 8–12 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 19–14 L3 34 June 4 @ Orioles 1–12 Oriole Park N/A 19–15 L4 35 June 5 @ Orioles 4–3 Oriole Park N/A 20–15 W1 36 June 6 @ Orioles 5–21 Oriole Park N/A 20–16 L1 37 June 8 @ Orioles 6–5 Oriole Park N/A 21–16 W1 38 June 10 @ Grays 6–0 Washington Park N/A 22–16 W2 39 June 11 @ Grays 4–6 Washington Park N/A 22–17 L1 40 June 13 @ Grays 9–11 Washington Park N/A 22–18 L2 - June 14 @ Grays Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: June 15 41 June 15 @ Grays 11–9 Washington Park N/A 23–18 W1 42 June 16 @ Metropolitans 5–4 Polo Grounds N/A 24–18 W2 43 June 17 @ Metropolitans 3–2 [Polo Grounds N/A 25–18 W3 44 June 18 @ Metropolitans 5–4 Polo Grounds N/A 26–18 W4 45 June 19 @ Metropolitans 10–8 Polo Grounds N/A 27–18 W5 - June 20 @ Metropolitans Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: June 19 46 June 22 Colonels 1-2 American Park N/A 27–19 L1 47 June 23 Colonels 13-2 American Park N/A 28–19 W1 - June 24 Colonels Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: June 22 48 June 25 Colonels 6-8 American Park N/A 28–20 L1 49 June 26 Browns 4-9 American Park N/A 28–21 L2 50 June 27 Browns 2-10 American Park N/A 28–22 L3 51 June 28 Browns 8-4 American Park N/A 29–22 W1 52 June 30 @ Alleghenys 4–9 Recreation Park N/A 29–23 L1
July: 12–9 (Home: 12–4; Away: 0–5) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 53 July 1 @ Alleghenys 9–11 Recreation Park N/A 29–24 L2 54 July 2 @ Alleghenys 4–6 Recreation Park N/A 29–25 L3 55 July 4 1 Grays 5–1 American Park N/A 30–25 W1 56 July 4 2 Grays 3–2 American Park N/A 31–25 W2 57 July 5 Grays 6–7 American Park N/A 31–26 L1 58 July 7 Grays 12–7 American Park N/A 32–26 W1 59 July 9 Athletics 4–2 American Park N/A 33–26 W2 60 July 10 Athletics 10–4 American Park N/A 34–26 W3 61 July 11 Athletics 9–8 American Park N/A 35–26 W4 62 July 12 Athletics 6–5 American Park N/A 36–26 W5 63 July 14 Metropolitans 5–2 American Park N/A 37–26 W6 64 July 15 Metropolitans 13–3 American Park N/A 38–26 W7 65 July 16 Metropolitans 5–7 American Park N/A 38–27 L1 66 July 18 Metropolitans 8–3 American Park N/A 39–27 W1 67 July 19 Orioles 3–0 American Park N/A 40–27 W2 68 July 21 Orioles 7–8 American Park N/A 40–28 L1 - July 22 Orioles Postponed (rain); Makeup: July 24 69 July 23 Orioles 3–2 American Park N/A 41–28 W1 70 July 24 Orioles 1–5 American Park N/A 41–29 L1 71 July 26 @ Colonels 4–6 Eclipse Park N/A 41–30 L2 72 July 28 @ Colonels 1–3 Eclipse Park N/A 41–31 L3 73 July 29 @ Colonels 4–6 Eclipse Park N/A 41–32 L4 - July 31 @ Browns Postponed (rain); Makeup: August 3
August: 12–8 (Home: 6–5; Away: 6–3) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 74 August 1 @ Browns 4–0 Sportman's Park N/A 42–32 W1 75 August 2 @ Browns 3–4 Sportman's Park N/A 42–33 L1 76 August 3 @ Browns 3–1 Sportman's Park N/A 43–33 W1 77 August 4 Alleghenys 4–1 American Park N/A 44–33 W2 - August 5 Alleghenys Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: May 3 - August 6 Alleghenys Postponed (rain); Makeup: August 7 78 August 7 Alleghenys 3–2 American Park N/A 45–33 W3 79 August 8 Colonels 4–3 American Park N/A 46–33 W4 80 August 9 Colonels 10–2 American Park N/A 47–33 W5 81 August 11 Colonels 2–12 American Park N/A 47–34 L1 82 August 13 @ Browns 3–2 Sportman's Park N/A 48–34 W1 83 August 15 @ Browns 1–4 Sportman's Park N/A 48–35 L1 84 August 16 @ Browns 11–3 Sportman's Park N/A 49–35 W1 85 August 18 @ Colonels 7–9 Eclipse Park N/A 49–36 L1 86 August 19 @ Colonels 5–4 Eclipse Park N/A 50–36 W1 87 August 20 @ Colonels 9–1 Eclipse Park N/A 51–36 W2 88 August 22 Browns 6–8 American Park N/A 51–37 L1 89 August 23 Browns 1–6 American Park N/A 51–38 L2 - August 25 Browns Postponed (rain); Makeup: August 26 90 August 26 Browns 1–2 American Park N/A 51–39 L3 91 August 27 Alleghenys 2–8 American Park N/A 51–40 L4 92 August 28 Alleghenys 14–6 American Park N/A 52–40 W1 - August 29 Alleghenys Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: August 28 93 August 30 Alleghenys 10–0 American Park N/A 53–40 W2
September/October: 10–9 (Home: 0–0; Away: 10–9) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 94 September 2 @ Alleghenys 6–9 Recreation Park N/A 53–41 L1 95 September 3 @ Alleghenys 6–5 Recreation Park N/A 54–41 W1 96 September 5 @ Alleghenys 6–2 Recreation Park N/A 55–41 W2 97 September 8 @ Athletics 7–8 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 55–42 L1 - September 9 @ Athletics Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 11 - September 10 @ Athletics Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 14 98 September 11 @ Athletics 3–10 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 55–43 L2 99 September 12 @ Athletics 8–3 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 56–43 W1 100 September 14 @ Athletics 6–3 Jefferson Street Grounds N/A 57–43 W2 101 September 15 @ Orioles 1–0 Oriole Park N/A 58–43 W3 102 September 16 @ Orioles 10–9 Oriole Park N/A 59–43 W4 103 September 17 @ Orioles 6–4 Oriole Park N/A 60–43 W5 104 September 19 @ Orioles 6–3 Oriole Park N/A 61–43 W6 - September 20 @ Grays Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: September 21 105 September 21 @ Grays 3–6 Washington Park N/A 61–44 L1 106 September 22 @ Grays 3–2 Washington Park N/A 62–44 W1 107 September 24 @ Metropolitans 2–5 Polo Grounds N/A 62–45 L1 108 September 26 @ Metropolitans 2–7 Polo Grounds N/A 62–46 L2 - September 27 @ Grays Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: September 28 109 September 28 @ Grays 10–2 Washington Park N/A 63–46 W1 110 September 29 @ Grays 7–8 Washington Park N/A 63–47 L1 111 September 30 @ Metropolitans 1–3 Polo Grounds N/A 63–48 L2 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. ^[2]

Roster

1885 Cincinnati Red Stockings
Roster
Pitchers Bill McCaffrey Larry McKeon Bill Mountjoy George Pechiney Gus Shallix Will White		Catchers Kid Baldwin Jim Keenan Jimmy Peoples Phil Powers Pop Snyder Infielders Hick Carpenter Frank Fennelly Bid McPhee John Reilly		Outfielders Jim Clinton Pop Corkhill Charley Jones		Manager O. P. Caylor

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	Pop Snyder	39	152	36	.237	1	19
1B	John Reilly	111	482	143	.297	5	60
2B	Bid McPhee	110	431	114	.265	0	46
3B	Hick Carpenter	112	473	131	.277	2	61
SS	Frank Fennelly	112	454	124	.273	10	89
OF	Charley Jones	112	487	157	.322	5	35
OF	Pop Corkhill	112	440	111	.252	1	53
OF	Jim Clinton	105	408	97	.238	0	34

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
Jim Keenan	36	132	35	.265	1	15
Kid Baldwin	34	126	17	.135	1	8
Phil Powers	15	60	16	.267	0	7
Jimmy Peoples	7	22	4	.182	0	1

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
Will White	34	293.1	18	15	3.53	80
Larry McKeon	33	290.0	20	13	2.86	117
Bill Mountjoy	17	153.2	10	7	3.16	50
Gus Shallix	13	91.1	6	4	3.25	15
George Pechiney	11	98.0	7	4	2.02	49
Jimmy Peoples	2	15.0	0	2	12.00	4
Bill McCaffrey	1	9.0	1	0	6.00	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
Kid Baldwin	2	4.0	0	0	9.00	1

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	8	1	4	1	3.65	12
Jim Keenan	1	0	0	0	1.13	0

References

1. "Reds owners". The Cincinnati Enquirer . November 3, 2005. p. 20. Retrieved September 14, 2020– via newspapers.com.
2. Jim Keenan page at Baseball Reference

External links

• 1885 Cincinnati Red Stockings season at Baseball Reference