1903 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 74-65, 16½ games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates
.
in which the Reds finished the season at .500 after finishing in last place in 1901
, Cincinnati was looking to continue their improvement.
Joe Kelley
, who took over as player-manager with sixty games remaining during the previous season, began his first full season with the team. During the off-season, forty-year-old outfielder Dummy Hoy
retired. Hoy had played with the Reds from 1894–1897, before returning to the team for his final season in 1902. Twenty-five-year-old Mike Donlin
took over for Hoy. Donlin had appeared in only 34 games with the Reds in 1902, but as a regular with the Baltimore Orioles
of the American League
in 1901, he hit .340 with five homers and 67 RBI.
In his first full season with the team, Donlin hit a team high .351 with seven home runs and 67 RBI, while scoring 110 runs. Cy Seymour
, also in his first full season with the Reds, hit .342 with seven homers and 72 RBI. Jake Beckley
had another solid year, with a .327 batting average, two home runs and 81 RBI. Harry Steinfeldt
hit .312 with six home runs and a club high 83 RBI, while player-manager Kelley batted .316 with three homers and 45 RBI.
On the mound, Noodles Hahn
led the way, going 22-12 with a 2.52 ERA in 34 starts, completing all of them. Jack Sutthoff
was a surprise, going 16-9 with a 2.80 ERA in 30 games after spending the 1902 season in the minors with the Indianapolis Indians
of the American Association
.
cellar, 5.5 games out of first. The Reds rebounded by winning six of their next seven, then they hovered around the .500 in fourth place for pretty much the entire season after that. With their record at 44-43, the team managed to go 30-22 over their last fifty-two games to finish the season in fourth place at 74-65, which was their best record since going 83-67 in 1899, 16.5 games behind the pennant
-winning Pittsburgh 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 74-65, 16½ games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates
1903 Pittsburgh Pirates season
The Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 24th in franchise history. The Pirates finished the season as National League champions, beating the second-place New York Giants by 6½ games. They went on to participate in the 1903 World Series, the first to be played between the champions of the National...
.
Regular season
After a successful 1902 season1902 Cincinnati Reds season
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.- Regular season :...
in which the Reds finished the season at .500 after finishing in last place in 1901
1901 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 :...
, Cincinnati was looking to continue their improvement.
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:...
, who took over as player-manager with sixty games remaining during the previous season, began his first full season with the team. During the off-season, forty-year-old outfielder Dummy Hoy
Dummy Hoy
William Ellsworth Hoy , nicknamed "Dummy," was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for several teams from 1888 to 1902, most notably the Cincinnati Reds and two Washington, D.C...
retired. Hoy had played with the Reds from 1894–1897, before returning to the team for his final season in 1902. Twenty-five-year-old Mike Donlin
Mike Donlin
Michael Joseph Donlin was an American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the St. Louis Perfectos/Cardinals , Baltimore Orioles , Cincinnati Reds , New York Giants , Boston Rustlers , and Pittsburgh Pirates...
took over for Hoy. Donlin had appeared in only 34 games with the Reds in 1902, but as a regular with 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...
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...
in 1901, he hit .340 with five homers and 67 RBI.
In his first full season with the team, Donlin hit a team high .351 with seven home runs and 67 RBI, while scoring 110 runs. 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...
, also in his first full season with the Reds, hit .342 with seven homers and 72 RBI. 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:...
had another solid year, with a .327 batting average, two home runs and 81 RBI. 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...
hit .312 with six home runs and a club high 83 RBI, while player-manager Kelley batted .316 with three homers and 45 RBI.
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...
led the way, going 22-12 with a 2.52 ERA in 34 starts, completing all of them. Jack Sutthoff
Jack Sutthoff
John Gerhard Sutthoff was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played all or parts of six seasons in the major leagues between 1898 and 1905, for four different teams.-External links:...
was a surprise, going 16-9 with a 2.80 ERA in 30 games after spending the 1902 season in the minors with the Indianapolis Indians
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
of the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
.
Season summary
Cincinnati got off to a very slow start, losing eight of their first nine games to quickly fall into 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...
cellar, 5.5 games out of first. The Reds rebounded by winning six of their next seven, then they hovered around the .500 in fourth place for pretty much the entire season after that. With their record at 44-43, the team managed to go 30-22 over their last fifty-two games to finish the season in fourth place at 74-65, which was their best record since going 83-67 in 1899, 16.5 games behind the pennant
Pennant (sports)
A pennant is a commemorative flag typically used to show support for a particular athletic team. Pennants have been historically used in all types of athletic levels: high school, collegiate, professional etc. Traditionally, pennants were made of felt and fashioned in the official colors of a...
-winning Pittsburgh Pirates
1903 Pittsburgh Pirates season
The Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 24th in franchise history. The Pirates finished the season as National League champions, beating the second-place New York Giants by 6½ games. They went on to participate in the 1903 World Series, the first to be played between the champions of the National...
.
Roster
| 1903 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 80 | 307 | 90 | .293 | 1 | 38 | |
| SS | 115 | 459 | 113 | .246 | 2 | 73 | |
| OF | 126 | 496 | 174 | .351 | 7 | 67 | |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 105 | 383 | 121 | .316 | 3 | 45 | |
| 29 | 89 | 22 | .247 | 0 | 9 | |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | 296 | 22 | 12 | 2.52 | 127 | |
| 29 | 246.2 | 14 | 13 | 2.77 | 104 | |
| 30 | 224.2 | 16 | 9 | 2.80 | 76 | |
| 17 | 135 | 8 | 9 | 4.33 | 45 | |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |