Cincinnati Kelly's Killers

The Kelly's Killers were a Major League baseball team that played in Cincinnati, Ohio during the 1891 baseball season. The team played in the American Association, which was a major league from 1882 to 1891.

By contemporary newspaper accounts, the club was mainly referred to as the Cincinnati Reds, the same name as their cross-town rivals in the National League. This in addition to variants on the informal name "Kelly's Killers". It is the latter name, however, by which they are more broadly known today.

The Cincinnati Kelly's Killers were a response by the American Association to fill the void that the Cincinnati Reds had left when the club vacated the league after the 1889 season and again before the 1891 season. The Reds played in the National League for the 1890 season but were losing money and facing bankruptcy. Reds' ownership sold the club to Players' League investor Albert Johnson. Johnson then withdrew his newly acquired Reds club and moved them to the Players' League for the 1891 season. After the Players' League collapsed, Johnson committed the Reds to the American Association.

Meanwhile, the National League placed a new franchise in Cincinnati which was owned by John T. Brush. However, for reasons that are still unknown, Johnson decided to sell his Reds club back to the National League before the start of the season. The National League simply let Brush take control over the Reds as if they never left the league in the first place.

The Association was crushed when the Reds left the league for a second time. The league placed a new franchise in the Queen City to fill the void left by the Reds' departure. The new Association club was owned by Chris von der Ahe, who also owned the St. Louis Browns. His new Cincinnati club would be captained by Mike "King" Kelly, whose major league career began in Cincinnati with the original National League Reds club of the 1870s.

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