1877 Cincinnati Red Stockings

1877 Cincinnati Reds / Franchise: Cincinnati Reds / BR Team Page

Record: 15-42, Finished 6th in National League (1877 NL)

Managed by Lip Pike (3-11), Bob Addy (5-19), and Jack Manning (7-12)

Ballpark: Avenue Grounds

History, Comments, Contributions

The 1877 Cincinnati Red Stockings went bankrupt midway through the season and were dismissed from the league. After not playing any games from June 16th to July 3rd, the franchise was reorganized with a new board of directors and completed the season, and the 1878 season as well. They were 3-14 when they suspended play in June, but played slightly better after the reorganization. It was never made clear whether the new version of the team had been formally accepted into the league, or were simply completing the original Reds' schedule by playing what amounted to exhibition games. At a league meeting after the season, the other five teams voted unanimously not to recognize the results of any of the games played by either Cincinnati team, because the first group had never paid their league fees, and there was no provision in league statutes to admit a team when the season was already under way. At some later point though, this policy was reversed and the results of the games played by the Red Stockings are currently part of the official record, although some researchers dispute the validity of what is in effect a retroactive decision taken by historians and not by league authorities.

Further Reading

• Woody Eckard: "The 1877 National League's Two Cincinnati Clubs: Where They In or Out, and Why the Confusion?", Baseball Research Journal, SABR, Vol. 52 Number 1 (Spring 2023), pp. 80-85.