▁the ▁N L , ▁the ▁franch ise ▁( now ▁named ▁the ▁Blues ▁due ▁to ▁their ▁dark ▁blue ▁uniform s ) ▁employed ▁Jim ▁McC orm ick ▁as ▁the ▁manager ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁ace ▁of ▁their ▁pitch ing ▁staff . ▁Cleveland ▁did ▁not ▁fare ▁well , ▁winning ▁just ▁ 2 7   g ames ▁against ▁ 5 5   loss es , ▁with ▁a ▁league - low ▁. 2 2 3   b atting ▁average . ▁The ▁ 1 8 8 0   season ▁was ▁better , ▁however , ▁as ▁the ▁team ▁increased ▁its ▁win ▁total ▁to ▁ 4 7   ag ain st ▁ 3 7   loss es ▁and ▁a ▁tie , ▁McC orm ick ▁winning ▁a ▁league - leading ▁ 4 5   of ▁those ▁vict ories . ▁Over ▁the ▁next ▁two ▁seasons , ▁the ▁team ▁changed ▁the ▁on - field ▁leadership ▁often ; ▁employ ing ▁Mike ▁Mc Ge ary ▁and ▁John ▁Cla pp ▁as ▁player - man agers ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 1 , ▁and ▁Fred ▁Dun lap ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 2 . ▁The ▁changes ▁did ▁not ▁prove ▁effective ▁as ▁the ▁team ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁finish ▁higher ▁than ▁fifth ▁place ▁during ▁that ▁span . ▁The ▁team ▁had ▁their ▁best ▁record ▁and ▁highest ▁win ▁total ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 3   under ▁manager ▁Frank ▁B anc ro ft . ▁On ▁September   1 3 , ▁ 1 8 8 3 , ▁Hugh ▁Daily ▁threw ▁the ▁franch ise ' s ▁l one ▁no - h itter . ▁