1891 Cincinnati Reds season

1891 Cincinnati Reds
League	National League
Ballpark	League Park
City	Cincinnati
Owners	Al Johnson & John T. Brush
Manager	Tom Loftus
Seasons

The 1891 Cincinnati Reds season was a season in American baseball. Shortly before the start of the baseball season, owner Al Johnson sold the club to John T. Brush. The team finished in a tie for last place in the National League with the Pittsburgh Pirates with a record of 56–81, 30.5 games behind the Boston Beaneaters.

Regular season

After a fairly successful first season in the National League in 1890, the Reds looked to improve on their 77–55 record in 1891. The team brought back manager Tom Loftus for a second season.

Cincinnati had a new starting shortstop, as Germany Smith joined the team from the Brooklyn Bridegrooms. The light hitting Smith batted .191 with a homer and 47 RBI with the Bridegrooms in 1890. The Reds would also have third baseman Arlie Latham for the full season, as he had split the 1890 season between the Reds and Chicago Pirates of the Players' League. Latham had some big seasons with the St. Louis Browns of the American Association in the 1880s, leading the league in runs (152) in 1886, and stolen bases (109) in 1888. Veteran pitcher Old Hoss Radbourn joined the Reds after going 27–12 with a 3.31 with the Boston Reds of the Players' League in 1890. Radbourn had a huge season back in 1884 with the Providence Grays, going 59–12 with a 1.38 ERA, 73 complete games and striking out 441 hitters.

Bug Holliday rebounded from a substandard 1890 season by leading the team with a .319 average, nine homers and 84 RBI. Jocko Halligan, who joined the Reds in July, had a .312 average with three homers and 44 RBI in only 61 games. Latham hit .272 with seven homers and 53 RBI, as well as leading the team with 87 stolen bases. Tony Mullane led the pitching staff with 23 victories, while Billy Rhines finished the year 17–24 with a team best 2.87 ERA and 138 strikeouts.

Season summary

The Reds started the season off losing four games in a row to their Ohio rivals, the Cleveland Spiders, which included a 23–4 loss. That set the tone for the season, as wins were scarce, as Cincinnati fell into the National League cellar. The Reds battled back, finishing off the season with a seven-game winning streak to move into a virtual tie with the Pittsburgh Pirates for seventh place. Both teams finished 30½ games behind the pennant winning Boston Beaneaters, but the Reds had a slightly better winning percentage by virtue of having played two more games than the Pirates.

Season standings

National League

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
Boston Beaneaters	87	51	.630	—	51‍–‍20	36‍–‍31
Chicago Colts	82	53	.607	3½	43‍–‍22	39‍–‍31
New York Giants	71	61	.538	13	39‍–‍28	32‍–‍33
Philadelphia Phillies	68	69	.496	18½	35‍–‍34	33‍–‍35
Cleveland Spiders	65	74	.468	22½	40‍–‍28	25‍–‍46
Brooklyn Grooms	61	76	.445	25½	41‍–‍31	20‍–‍45
Cincinnati Reds	56	81	.409	30½	26‍–‍41	30‍–‍40
Pittsburgh Pirates	55	80	.407	30½	32‍–‍34	23‍–‍46

Record vs. opponents

1891 National League record Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
Team	BOS	BRO	CHI	CIN	CLE	NYG	PHI	PIT
Boston	—	15–5	7–13	11–9	11–9	15–5–1	12–7	16–3–1
Brooklyn	5–15	—	7–13	9–10	11–9	8–11	12–8	9–10
Chicago	13–7	13–7	—	14–6	16–4	5–13–1	9–10	12–6–1
Cincinnati	9–11	10–9	6–14	—	7–13	5–13–1	9–11	10–10
Cleveland	9–11	9–11	4–16	13–7	—	6–13–1	10–10–1	14–6
New York	5–15–1	11–8	13–5–1	13–5–1	13–6–1	—	9–10	7–12
Philadelphia	7–12	8–12	10–9	11–9	10–10–1	10–9	—	12–8
Pittsburgh	3–16–1	10–9	6–12–1	10–10	6–14	12–7	8–12	—

Game log

Legend
Reds Win	Reds Loss	Game Tied/Postponed

1891 Game Log: 56–81 (Home: 26–41; Away: 30–40)
April: 2–6 (Home: 2–6; Away: 0–0) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 1 April 22 Spiders 3–6 League Park 4,003 0-1 L1 2 April 23 Spiders 3–6 League Park 2,457 0-2 L2 3 April 24 Spiders 5–6 League Park 1,200 0-3 L3 4 April 25 Spiders 7–23 League Park 1,100 0-4 L4 5 April 27 Colts 1–0 League Park 650 1-4 W1 6 April 28 Colts 6–11 League Park 1,450 1-5 L1 7 April 29 Colts 4–1 League Park 1,300 2-5 W1 8 April 30 Colts 4–7 League Park 500 2-6 L1
May: 10–15 (Home: 9–10; Away: 1–5) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 9 May 1 @ Spiders 3–12 League Park 9,000 2-7 L2 10 May 2 @ Spiders 7–4 League Park 3,000 3-7 W1 11 May 4 @ Spiders 4–9 League Park 1,000 3-8 L1 12 May 5 @ Spiders 10–15 League Park 800 3-9 L2 13 May 6 Pirates 10–5 League Park 724 4-9 W1 14 May 7 Pirates 2–4 League Park 1,351 4-10 L1 15 May 8 Pirates 3–6 League Park 1,348 4-11 L2 16 May 9 Pirates 7–2 League Park 1,735 5-11 W1 17 May 11 Grooms 5–7 League Park 846 5-12 L1 18 May 12 Grooms 7–18 League Park 975 5-13 L2 19 May 13 Grooms 1–2 League Park 850 5-14 L3 20 May 14 Grooms 4–0 League Park 1,300 6-14 W1 21 May 15 Beaneaters 3–6 League Park 1,000 6-15 L1 22 May 16 Beaneaters 8–3 League Park 2,400 7-15 W1 23 May 18 Beaneaters 3–2 League Park 1,988 8-15 W2 24 May 19 Beaneaters 16–7 League Park 1,811 9-15 W3 25 May 21 Giants 4–6 League Park 1,200 9-16 L1 26 May 22 Giants 8–3 League Park 1,376 10-16 W1 27 May 23 Giants 2–7 League Park 1,581 10-17 L1 28 May 25 Phillies 4–2 League Park 847 11-17 W1 29 May 26 Phillies 1–5 League Park 820 11-18 L1 30 May 27 Phillies 16–6 League Park 856 12-18 W1 31 May 28 Phillies 5–6 League Park 200 12-19 L1 32 May 30 1 @ Beaneaters 2–7 South End Grounds 3,100 12-20 L2 33 May 30 2 @ Beaneaters 2–6 South End Grounds 10,908 12-21 L3
June: 10–14 (Home: 2–1; Away: 8–13) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 34 June 1 @ Beaneaters 5–2 South End Grounds 1,721 13-21 W1 35 June 2 @ Beaneaters 10–8 South End Grounds 1,816 14-21 W2 36 June 3 @ Giants 1–11 Polo Grounds 1,745 14-22 L1 37 June 4 @ Giants 2–4 Polo Grounds 1,300 14-23 L2 38 June 5 @ Giants 2–9 Polo Grounds 1,595 14-24 L3 39 June 6 @ Giants 0–4 Polo Grounds 4,692 14-25 L4 40 June 8 @ Phillies 6–3 Philadelphia Base Ball Grounds 3,302 15-25 W1 41 June 9 @ Phillies 9–3 Philadelphia Base Ball Grounds 2,864 16-25 W2 42 June 10 @ Phillies 3–1 Philadelphia Base Ball Grounds 2,552 17-25 W3 43 June 11 @ Phillies 2–1 Philadelphia Base Ball Grounds 2,576 18-25 W4 44 June 12 @ Grooms 2–7 Eastern Park 2,092 18-26 L1 45 June 13 @ Grooms 1–11 Eastern Park 5,281 18-27 L2 46 June 15 @ Grooms 13–9 Eastern Park 1,245 19-27 W1 47 June 16 @ Grooms 3–6 Eastern Park 890 19-28 L1 - June 17 @ Pirates Postponed (rain); Makeup: June 22 48 June 18 @ Pirates 4–3 Exposition Park 1,340 20-28 W1 - June 19 @ Pirates Postponed (rain); Makeup: July 29 49 June 20 @ Pirates 8–13 Exposition Park 1,623 20-29 L1 50 June 22 @ Pirates 3–4 Exposition Park 1,100 20-30 L2 51 June 23 @ Colts 2–5 South Side Park 2,000 20-31 L3 52 June 24 @ Colts 2–8 South Side Park N/A 20-32 L4 53 June 25 @ Colts 2–4 South Side Park 2,100 20-33 L5 54 June 26 @ Colts 7–11 South Side Park 1,900 20-34 L6 55 June 27 Spiders 4–6 League Park 1,541 20-35 L7 56 June 29 Spiders 3–1 League Park 958 21-35 W1 57 June 30 Spiders 4–3 League Park 969 22-35 W2
July: 13–13 (Home: 7–9; Away: 6–4) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 58 July 1 Pirates 4–6 League Park 1,116 22-36 L1 59 July 2 Pirates 0–1 League Park 1,088 22-37 L2 60 July 3 Pirates 6–5 League Park 1,091 23-37 W1 61 July 4 1 Giants 2–3 League Park 3,722 23-38 L1 62 July 4 2 Giants 4–5 League Park 5,113 23-39 L2 63 July 6 Giants 2–1 League Park 1,640 24-39 W1 64 July 8 Grooms 9–5 League Park 1,532 25-39 W2 65 July 9 Grooms 11–6 League Park 1,545 26-39 W3 66 July 10 Beaneaters 2–5 League Park 1,603 26-40 L1 67 July 11 Beaneaters 7–3 League Park 2,934 27-40 W1 68 July 13 Beaneaters 0–6 League Park 1,525 27-41 L1 69 July 14 Phillies 1–9 League Park 1,322 27-42 L2 70 July 15 Phillies 6–4 League Park 1,194 28-42 W1 71 July 16 Phillies 4–2 League Park 1,646 29-42 W2 72 July 17 @ Spiders 8–12 League Park 1,200 29-43 L1 73 July 18 @ Spiders 7–6 League Park 1,250 30-43 W1 74 July 20 @ Spiders 2–1 League Park 1,250 31-43 W2 75 July 22 @ Colts 8–16 South Side Park 1,600 31-44 L1 76 July 23 @ Colts 4–2 South Side Park 1,400 32-44 W1 77 July 24 @ Colts 7–11 South Side Park 3,400 32-45 L1 78 July 25 @ Pirates 1–0 Exposition Park 1,587 33-45 W1 79 July 27 @ Pirates 1–10 Exposition Park 1,250 33-46 L1 80 July 28 @ Pirates 4–0 Exposition Park 775 34-46 W1 81 July 29 @ Pirates 8–2 Exposition Park 1,127 35-46 W2 82 July 30 Colts 0–1 League Park 2,069 35-47 L1 83 July 31 Colts 4–8 League Park 1,864 35-48 L2
August: 7–17 (Home: 4–10; Away: 3–7) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 84 August 1 Colts 4–7 League Park 1,805 35-49 L3 85 August 3 @ Beaneaters 7–0 South End Grounds 2,582 36-49 W1 86 August 4 @ Beaneaters 6–10 South End Grounds 2,009 36-50 L1 87 August 5 @ Beaneaters 1–4 South End Grounds 2,383 36-51 L2 88 August 6 @ Phillies 1–4 Philadelphia Base Ball Grounds 2,897 36-52 L3 89 August 7 @ Phillies 5–13 Philadelphia Base Ball Grounds 2,898 36-53 L4 90 August 8 @ Phillies 1–9 Philadelphia Base Ball Grounds 7,439 36-54 L5 91 August 10 @ Grooms 8–6 Eastern Park 1,222 37-54 W1 92 August 11 @ Grooms 6–8 Eastern Park 821 37-55 L1 - August 12 @ Grooms Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 8 93 August 13 @ Giants 7–4 Polo Grounds 1,695 38-55 W1 94 August 14 @ Giants 1–2 Polo Grounds 1,427 38-56 L1 95 August 15 @ Giants 4–4 Polo Grounds 4,138 38-56 L1 96 August 17 Spiders 3–2 League Park 500 39-56 W1 97 August 18 Spiders 2–6 League Park 961 39-57 L1 98 August 19 Spiders 3–4 League Park N/A 39-58 L2 99 August 20 Pirates 1–2 League Park 708 39-59 L3 100 August 21 Pirates 0–2 League Park 696 39-60 L4 101 August 22 Pirates 1–2 League Park 200 39-61 L5 102 August 24 Giants 2–3 League Park 861 39-62 L6 103 August 25 Giants 12–4 League Park 1,086 40-62 W1 104 August 26 Giants 1–6 League Park 1,136 40-63 L1 105 August 27 Grooms 10–3 League Park 650 41-63 W1 106 August 28 Grooms 8–1 League Park 1,056 42-63 W2 107 August 29 Grooms 4–7 League Park 1,549 42-64 L1 - August 30 Beaneaters Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: August 31 108 August 31 Beaneaters 3–5 League Park 1,412 42-65 L2
September/October: 14–16 (Home: 2–5; Away: 12–11) # Date Opponent Score Stadium Attendance Record Streak 109 September 1 Beaneaters 4–1 League Park 889 43-65 W1 110 September 2 Beaneaters 7–0 League Park 1,106 44-65 W2 111 September 3 Phillies 8–13 League Park 620 44-66 L1 - September 4 Phillies Postponed (rain; site change); Makeup: September 19 112 September 5 Phillies 3–5 League Park 989 44-67 L2 113 September 7 1 @ Giants 8–7 Polo Grounds 1,416 45-67 W1 114 September 7 2 @ Giants 0–6 Polo Grounds 7,209 45-68 L1 - September 8 @ Giants Postponed (unknown reason); Makeup: September 7 115 September 8 @ Grooms 6–4 Eastern Park 759 46-68 W1 116 September 9 @ Giants 3–7 Polo Grounds 1,152 46-69 L1 117 September 10 @ Beaneaters 6–18 South End Grounds 1,668 46-70 L2 118 September 11 @ Beaneaters 3–5 South End Grounds 1,597 46-71 L3 119 September 12 @ Beaneaters 0–9 South End Grounds 3,116 46-72 L4 120 September 14 @ Grooms 11–5 Eastern Park 710 47-72 W1 - September 15 @ Grooms Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 16 121 September 16 1 @ Grooms 0–1 Eastern Park N/A 47-73 L1 122 September 16 2 @ Grooms 8–4 Eastern Park 1,292 48-73 W1 123 September 17 @ Phillies 4–6 Philadelphia Base Ball Grounds 1,491 48-75 L1 124 September 18 @ Phillies 6–11 Philadelphia Base Ball Grounds 1,605 48-76 L2 125 September 19 1 @ Phillies 8–5 Philadelphia Base Ball Grounds N/A 49-75 W1 126 September 19 2 @ Phillies 6–8 Philadelphia Base Ball Grounds 5,455 49-76 L1 127 September 21 Colts 4–5 League Park 884 49-77 L2 128 September 22 Colts 1–4 League Park 906 49-78 L3 129 September 23 Colts 0–9 League Park 800 49-79 L4 130 September 24 @ Spiders 1–5 League Park 1,350 49-80 L5 131 September 25 @ Spiders 8–16 League Park 1,200 49-81 L6 132 September 26 @ Spiders 7–4 League Park 1,800 50-81 W1 133 September 28 @ Pirates 7–5 Exposition Park 1,782 51-81 W2 134 September 29 @ Pirates 7–6 Exposition Park 1,400 52-81 W3 135 September 30 @ Pirates 2–1 Exposition Park 1,147 53-81 W4 136 October 1 @ Colts 6–1 South Side Park 2,000 54-81 W5 137 October 2 @ Colts 17–16 South Side Park 1,200 55-81 W6 138 October 3 @ Colts 15–9 South Side Park 1,000 56-81 W7

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	92	333	76	.228	2	41
1B	John Reilly	135	546	132	.242	4	64
2B	Bid McPhee	138	562	144	.256	6	38
SS	Germany Smith	138	512	103	.201	3	53
3B	Arlie Latham	135	533	145	.272	7	53
OF	Jocko Halligan	61	247	77	.312	3	44
OF	Lefty Marr	72	286	74	.259	0	32
OF	Bug Holliday	111	442	141	.319	9	84

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	75	252	51	.202	4	33
Pete Browning	55	216	74	.343	0	33
Mike Slattery	41	158	33	.209	1	16
Jim Curtiss	27	108	29	.269	1	13
Bob Clark	16	54	6	.111	0	3
Pop Corkhill	1	4	0	.000	0	0
Frank Foreman	1	4	1	.250	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
Tony Mullane	51	426.1	23	26	3.23	124
Billy Rhines	48	372.2	17	24	2.87	138
Old Hoss Radbourn	26	218.0	11	13	4.25	54
Ed Crane	15	116.2	4	8	4.09	51
Jesse Duryea	10	77.0	1	9	5.38	23
Clarence Stephens	1	8.0	0	1	7.88	3

External links

• 1891 Cincinnati Reds season at Baseball Reference