1897 Cincinnati Reds season
Encyclopedia
The 1897 Cincinnati Reds
season was a season in American baseball. The team finished in fourth place in the National League
with a record of 76-56, 17 games behind the Boston Beaneaters
.
with a 77-50 record. This marked the second consecutive season that the Reds collapsed at the end of the year.
Player-manager Buck Ewing
returned to the club, but would retire from playing and focus on just being the manager. The Reds made a deal in the off-season, as Cincinnati traded away Germany Smith
, Chauncey Fisher
and $1,000 to the Brooklyn Bridegrooms
for Tommy Corcoran. Corcoran was coming off a season in which he hit .289 with three home runs and 73 RBI with the Bridegrooms in 1896. The team also purchased pitcher Ted Breitenstein
from the St. Louis Browns
for $10,000. Breitenstein was 18-26 with the Browns with a 4.48 ERA in 43 starts in 1896. His best season had been in 1894 when he was 27-23 with a 4.79 ERA, while leading the National League
with 50 starts, 46 complete games and 447.1 innings pitched. Breitenstein also led the NL with a 3.18 ERA in 1893 while in St. Louis.
. At that time, the New York Giants
released Jake Beckley
, and the Reds immediately signed him to take over first base
. Despite their new addition, Cincinnnati fell into a slump, winning only eight of eighteen games to fall into third place, 6.5 games behind the first place Orioles. The Reds then snapped out of their losing ways, as they won twelve of their next thirteen games to move back into second. However, they still remained 4.5 games out of first with a 39-18 record. Cincinnati remained in the pennant race until late August, when they went on a ten game losing streak to fall into fourth place, eleven games out of first. They remained in fourth place for the rest of the season, finishing with a 76-56 record, 17 games behind the Boston Beaneaters
.
batted .288 with three home runs and 57 RBI in his first year as a Red.
On the mound, Ted Breitenstein
led the way, leading the team with a 23-12 record with a 3.62 ERA in 40 games, completing 32 of them. Billy Rhines
was solid also, posting a record of 21-15 with a 4.08 ERA, while Frank Dwyer
was 18-13 with an ERA of 3.78.
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
season was a season in American baseball. The team finished in fourth place in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
with a record of 76-56, 17 games behind the Boston Beaneaters
1897 Boston Beaneaters season
The Boston Beaneaters won the National League pennant. It was their fourth of the decade and their seventh overall. After the season, the Beaneaters played in the Temple Cup for the first time. They lost the series to the second-place Baltimore Orioles, 4 games to 1.- Regular season...
.
Offseason
The Cincinnati Reds were coming off a fairly successful season in 1896. They had been in first place late in the year, but the team struggled badly over the last part of the season. to finish in third place in the National LeagueNational League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
with a 77-50 record. This marked the second consecutive season that the Reds collapsed at the end of the year.
Player-manager Buck Ewing
Buck Ewing
William "Buck" Ewing was a Major League Baseball player and manager, and is widely regarded as the best catcher of his era and is often argued to be the best player of the 19th century...
returned to the club, but would retire from playing and focus on just being the manager. The Reds made a deal in the off-season, as Cincinnati traded away Germany Smith
Germany Smith
George J. "Germany" Smith was an American Major League Baseball player from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He played primarily shortstop for five different teams spanning 15 seasons. He made his major league debut for Altoona Mountain City of the Union Association in...
, Chauncey Fisher
Chauncey Fisher
Chauncey Burr Fisher was a 19th century Major League Baseball pitcher. He played in the National League from 1893-1901.-External links:*...
and $1,000 to the Brooklyn Bridegrooms
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
for Tommy Corcoran. Corcoran was coming off a season in which he hit .289 with three home runs and 73 RBI with the Bridegrooms in 1896. The team also purchased pitcher Ted Breitenstein
Ted Breitenstein
Theodore P. "Ted" Breitenstein was an American Major League Baseball player from St. Louis, Missouri who pitched from to for the St. Louis Browns/Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds...
from the St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
for $10,000. Breitenstein was 18-26 with the Browns with a 4.48 ERA in 43 starts in 1896. His best season had been in 1894 when he was 27-23 with a 4.79 ERA, while leading the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
with 50 starts, 46 complete games and 447.1 innings pitched. Breitenstein also led the NL with a 3.18 ERA in 1893 while in St. Louis.
Season summary
The Reds started the season off hot, winning their first six games, and would remain hot, as they were 19-7 in their first twenty-six games, only half a game behind the first place Baltimore Orioles1897 Baltimore Orioles season
The Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. After three straight first-place finishes, the Orioles slipped to second place with a record of 90-40, 2 games behind the National League-leading Boston Beaneaters. After the season, the two teams met in what would be the final Temple...
. At that time, the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
released Jake Beckley
Jake Beckley
Jacob Peter Beckley , nicknamed "Eagle Eye", was a Major League Baseball player at the turn of the 20th century. He was born in Hannibal, Missouri.-Professional career:...
, and the Reds immediately signed him to take over first base
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
. Despite their new addition, Cincinnnati fell into a slump, winning only eight of eighteen games to fall into third place, 6.5 games behind the first place Orioles. The Reds then snapped out of their losing ways, as they won twelve of their next thirteen games to move back into second. However, they still remained 4.5 games out of first with a 39-18 record. Cincinnati remained in the pennant race until late August, when they went on a ten game losing streak to fall into fourth place, eleven games out of first. They remained in fourth place for the rest of the season, finishing with a 76-56 record, 17 games behind the Boston Beaneaters
1897 Boston Beaneaters season
The Boston Beaneaters won the National League pennant. It was their fourth of the decade and their seventh overall. After the season, the Beaneaters played in the Temple Cup for the first time. They lost the series to the second-place Baltimore Orioles, 4 games to 1.- Regular season...
.
Notable performances
Beckley, who the Reds acquired during the season, led the team offensively, batting .345 with seven home runs and 76 RBI, all team highs. Dusty Miller had another solid year, batting .316 with four homers and 70 RBI, while Tommy CorcoranTommy Corcoran
Thomas William Corcoran was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for the Pittsburgh Burghers , Philadelphia Athletics , Brooklyn Grooms/Brooklyn Bridegrooms , Cincinnati Reds , and New York Giants . The 5'9" native of Connecticut also played second base sometimes, later in his...
batted .288 with three home runs and 57 RBI in his first year as a Red.
On the mound, Ted Breitenstein
Ted Breitenstein
Theodore P. "Ted" Breitenstein was an American Major League Baseball player from St. Louis, Missouri who pitched from to for the St. Louis Browns/Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds...
led the way, leading the team with a 23-12 record with a 3.62 ERA in 40 games, completing 32 of them. Billy Rhines
Billy Rhines
William Pearl Rhines was a former professional baseball player. He was a pitcher over parts of 9 seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, Louisville Colonels and Pittsburgh Pirates. He led the National League in ERA twice while playing for Cincinnati...
was solid also, posting a record of 21-15 with a 4.08 ERA, while Frank Dwyer
Frank Dwyer
John Francis Dwyer born in Lee, Massachusetts was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball with the Chicago White Stockings , Chicago Pirates , Cincinnati Kelly's Killers , Milwaukee Brewers , St...
was 18-13 with an ERA of 3.78.
Roster
| 1897 Cincinnati Reds | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| valign="top" | Pitchers |
valign="top" | Catchers Infielders |
valign="top" | Outfielders |
valign="top" | Manager |
||||||
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 | 77 | 266 | 78 | .293 | 1 | 44 | |
| OF | 119 | 440 | 139 | .316 | 4 | 70 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 109 | 445 | 128 | .288 | 3 | 57 | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 320.1 | 23 | 12 | 3.62 | 98 | |
| 16 | 95 | 6 | 4 | 4.74 | 21 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 4.15 | 2 | |
| 2 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7.88 | 0 |