1902 Cincinnati Reds season
Encyclopedia
The Cincinnati Reds
season was a season in American baseball. The team finished fourth in the National League
with a record of 70-70, 33.5 games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates
.
, the Reds were hoping to return back to respectibility in 1902.
Despite the last place finish, Cincinnati brought back manager Bid McPhee
to lead the club. The team was relativeley quiet during the off-season, as the only major changes were that Harry Steinfeldt
returned to playing third base
, while Erve Beck
, who spent the 1901 season with the Cleveland Blues
of the American League
, took over at second base
. Beck had hit .289 with six homers and 79 RBI with Cleveland.
Sam Crawford
saw his production dip a bit after a breakout 1901 season, but he still batted .333 with three home runs and 78 RBI, while Jake Beckley
continued his steady production, batting .330 with a team high five home runs and 69 RBI. Heinie Peitz
had his best offensive season, hitting .315 with a homer and 60 RBI, while Cy Seymour
hit .340 with two home runs and 37 RBI after his mid-season arrival from the Baltimore Orioles
.
On the mound, Noodles Hahn
was the ace of the staff once again, going 23-12 with a microscopic ERA of 1.77 in 36 starts, completing 35 of them. Bill Phillips
went 16-16 with a 2.51 ERA in 33 starts, while Ed Poole
, acquired by the Reds from the Pittsburgh Pirates
early in the season, went 12-4 with a 2.15 ERA in 16 starts.
. The losses continued to pile up, and after a 27-37 start to the year, the Reds fired manager Bid McPhee
, and replaced him with Frank Bancroft
on an interim basis. Bancroft had last managed in the major leagues with the Indianapolis Hoosiers
in 1889, and he managed the Providence Grays
to a World Series
title in 1884.
Cincinnati also began to make numerous player changes, as John Dobbs
was sent to the Chicago Orphans
for cash, and Erve Beck
was released by the team. The Reds signed free agent Cy Seymour
, who had been released by the Orioles after hitting .268 with three home runs and 41 RBI in 72 games with them. The Reds played better under Bancroft, as they went 9-7 when he was the manager, before the team named Joe Kelley
as player-manager for the remainder of the season. Kelley was acquired by the Orioles during the season, where he hit .311 with a homer and 34 RBI in 60 games. With Kelley as the manager, the Reds finished the season strongly, going 34-26 in their last 60 games, to finish the year with a 70-70 record, good enough for fourth place in the National League
, however, they were 33.5 games behind the first-place Pirates.
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 fourth 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 70-70, 33.5 games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates
1902 Pittsburgh Pirates season
The Pittsburgh Pirates won a second straight National League pennant, by an overwhelming 27.5 game margin over the Brooklyn Superbas. It was the Pirates' first ever 100-win team, and still holds the franchise record for best winning percentage at home .Ginger Beaumont won the batting title with a...
.
Regular season
After finishing in last place for the first time in team history with a 52-87 record in 19011901 Cincinnati Reds season
The Cincinnati Reds season was a season in American baseball. The team finished in last place in the eight-team National League with a record of 52 wins and 87 losses, 38 games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates.- Regular season :...
, the Reds were hoping to return back to respectibility in 1902.
Despite the last place finish, Cincinnati brought back manager Bid McPhee
Bid McPhee
John Alexander "Bid" McPhee was a 19th century Major League Baseball second baseman. He played 18 seasons in the majors, from until , all for the Cincinnati Reds franchise. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in...
to lead the club. The team was relativeley quiet during the off-season, as the only major changes were that Harry Steinfeldt
Harry Steinfeldt
Harry M. Steinfeldt was a third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Cincinnati Reds , Chicago Cubs and Boston Rustlers . Steinfeldt batted and threw right-handed. He was born in St...
returned to playing third base
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
, while Erve Beck
Erve Beck
Ervin Thomas Beck was a Major League Baseball second baseman who played for three seasons. He played for the Brooklyn Superbas in 1899, the Cleveland Blues in 1901, the Cincinnati Reds in 1902, and the Detroit Tigers in 1902....
, who spent the 1901 season with the Cleveland Blues
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
of the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
, took over at second base
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
. Beck had hit .289 with six homers and 79 RBI with Cleveland.
Sam Crawford
Sam Crawford
Samuel Earl Crawford , nicknamed "Wahoo Sam", was a Major League Baseball player who played outfield for the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1957....
saw his production dip a bit after a breakout 1901 season, but he still batted .333 with three home runs and 78 RBI, while 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:...
continued his steady production, batting .330 with a team high five home runs and 69 RBI. Heinie Peitz
Heinie Peitz
Henry Clement "Heinie" Peitz was an American baseball catcher. He played for the St. Louis Browns , Cincinnati Reds , Pittsburgh Pirates , Louisville Colonels , and St. Louis Cardinals...
had his best offensive season, hitting .315 with a homer and 60 RBI, while Cy Seymour
Cy Seymour
James Bentley "Cy" Seymour was an American center fielder and pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1896 through , Seymour played for the New York Giants , Baltimore Orioles , Cincinnati Reds and Boston Braves...
hit .340 with two home runs and 37 RBI after his mid-season arrival from the Baltimore Orioles
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
.
On the mound, Noodles Hahn
Noodles Hahn
Frank George Hahn was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cincinnati Reds and New York Highlanders . Hahn batted and threw left-handed...
was the ace of the staff once again, going 23-12 with a microscopic ERA of 1.77 in 36 starts, completing 35 of them. Bill Phillips
Bill Phillips (pitcher)
William Corcoran Phillips , nicknamed "Whoa Bill" or "Silver Bill," was an American right-handed pitcher and manager in Major League Baseball....
went 16-16 with a 2.51 ERA in 33 starts, while Ed Poole
Ed Poole
Edward Isaih Poole was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played from 1900 to 1904 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, and Brooklyn Superbas. Poole stood at 5' 10" and weighed 175 lbs.-Career:...
, acquired by the Reds from the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
early in the season, went 12-4 with a 2.15 ERA in 16 starts.
Season summary
Cincinnati got off to a rough start, going only 4-12 in their opening sixteen games to quickly find themselves in seventh place, 10.5 games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates1902 Pittsburgh Pirates season
The Pittsburgh Pirates won a second straight National League pennant, by an overwhelming 27.5 game margin over the Brooklyn Superbas. It was the Pirates' first ever 100-win team, and still holds the franchise record for best winning percentage at home .Ginger Beaumont won the batting title with a...
. The losses continued to pile up, and after a 27-37 start to the year, the Reds fired manager Bid McPhee
Bid McPhee
John Alexander "Bid" McPhee was a 19th century Major League Baseball second baseman. He played 18 seasons in the majors, from until , all for the Cincinnati Reds franchise. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in...
, and replaced him with Frank Bancroft
Frank Bancroft
Francis Carter Bancroft was an American manager in Major League Baseball for the Worcester Ruby Legs, Detroit Wolverines, Cleveland Blues, Providence Grays, Indianapolis Hoosiers, and Cincinnati Reds of the National League, as well as the Philadelphia Athletics of the American Association...
on an interim basis. Bancroft had last managed in the major leagues with the Indianapolis Hoosiers
St. Louis Maroons/Indianapolis Hoosiers
300px|thumb|right|1888 Indianapolis HoosiersThe St. Louis Maroons were a professional baseball club based in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1884-1886. The club, established by Henry Lucas, were the one near-major league quality entry in the Union Association, a league that lasted only one season, due...
in 1889, and he managed the Providence Grays
Providence Grays
The Providence Grays were a Major League Baseball team based in Providence, Rhode Island who played in the National League from until . The Grays played at Messer Field in the Olneyville neighborhood. The team won the National League title twice, in and...
to a World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
title in 1884.
Cincinnati also began to make numerous player changes, as John Dobbs
John Dobbs
John Gordon Dobbs was an outfielder in Major League Baseball from -. He was later a minor league manager from -. His career managerial record was 1918-smd.-External links:* *...
was sent to the Chicago Orphans
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
for cash, and Erve Beck
Erve Beck
Ervin Thomas Beck was a Major League Baseball second baseman who played for three seasons. He played for the Brooklyn Superbas in 1899, the Cleveland Blues in 1901, the Cincinnati Reds in 1902, and the Detroit Tigers in 1902....
was released by the team. The Reds signed free agent Cy Seymour
Cy Seymour
James Bentley "Cy" Seymour was an American center fielder and pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1896 through , Seymour played for the New York Giants , Baltimore Orioles , Cincinnati Reds and Boston Braves...
, who had been released by the Orioles after hitting .268 with three home runs and 41 RBI in 72 games with them. The Reds played better under Bancroft, as they went 9-7 when he was the manager, before the team named Joe Kelley
Joe Kelley
Joseph James Kelley was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball who starred in the outfield of the powerful Baltimore Oriole teams of the 1890s.-Career:...
as player-manager for the remainder of the season. Kelley was acquired by the Orioles during the season, where he hit .311 with a homer and 34 RBI in 60 games. With Kelley as the manager, the Reds finished the season strongly, going 34-26 in their last 60 games, to finish the year with a 70-70 record, good enough for 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...
, however, they were 33.5 games behind the first-place Pirates.
Roster
| 1902 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3B | 129 | 479 | 133 | .278 | 1 | 49 | |
| SS | 138 | 538 | 136 | .253 | 0 | 54 | |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 156 | 50 | .321 | 1 | 12 | |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | 269 | 16 | 16 | 2.51 | 85 | |
| 15 | 117.2 | 5 | 6 | 2.98 | 44 | |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 65.1 | 3 | 4 | 3.72 | 20 | |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|