In the 1880's and '90's Boston had three baseball clubs named the Reds, and each one only lasted for one season. The first Reds played in the ill-fated Union Association in 1884, it's only year of existence. Despite finishing the season with a winning record, the club ended up in fourth place, some 34 games behind the pennant-winning St. Louis Maroons. The next Reds came along in 1890 as part of another league that only lasted one year, the Players League.
King Kelly, Boston's most popular player of the era, and baseball's first superstar, jumped to the Reds from the Beaneaters, and managed the club to league's only pennant. Kelly hit .326 and played shortstop, catcher and the outfield. The defection of Kelly and other top players of the day gave the league instant credibility. Joining Kelly on the Reds were fellow future Hall of Famers: first baseman Dan Brouthers (who hit .300) and pitcher Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourn (who went 27-12). Towards the end of the season Kelly was offered $10,000 by Al Spalding to return to the N.L.. Kelly reluctantly turned the offer down, only to see the Players League fold a short while later.
When the P.L. collapsed the Reds were transferred to the American Association by club owner Charles A. Prince for the 1891 season. The A.A. Reds weren't able to hold on to Kelly, but did keep Brouthers (who led the A.A. with a .350 batting average) and added right fielder Hugh Duffy (who hit .336). The Reds won the 1891 A.A. pennant by 8.5 games but couldn't compete at the box office with the N.L.'s Beaneaters, who managed to get Kelly back near the end of the season. When the A.A. amalgamated with the N.L. at the end of the year, the Reds were dissolved.