The First Place Cincinnati Reds
The First Professional Baseball Team
Well, it's 2013 and the Cincinnati Reds are getting ready for the new season.
However, this website will remain long after this year so even if they are not first in the standings, they will always be first in my mind and memories.
When I was young, the Cincinnati Reds were always my favorite team. They have been the favorites of others, long before I was born. In fact, they were the very first professional baseball team in 1869.
They have moved to many different locations over the years but I remember them best at Riverfront Stadium.
This is a mini-journey of my connection with the Cincinnati Reds, told from my own perspective and some recent photos. I hope you enjoy it!
Panorama of Great American Ballpark, Cincinnati, Ohio
The First Team in Baseball and First Team in My Life
Being the First Team in baseball, the Cincinnati Reds were always the first team to start the season with a home game. This occurred every year until a few years ago.
Growing up, the Cincinnati Reds were rarely on television and most of the games were heard on the Cincinnati AM radio station, WLW, which still broadcasts games to this day.
Rare treats of seeing games on television usually only occurred during the playoffs and during special occasions. Occasionally, they were seen on Saturday baseball.
To actually see them, you needed to go to the games. I went to many games as a child and remember the beginning season at Riverfront Stadium in 1970. Some of the greats of the day are shown below but the best part was to experience the game.
Smoking was allowed in the stadium back then and you could always smell the cigars in the stands. On one occasion, we didn't smell any cigars so we bought some and lit them under our seats so we could smell them.
The Cincinnati Reds have won several World Series championships. The biggest in my memory were from 1975 and 1976, 2 consecutive years of the Big Red Machine. In my opinion, no other team before or since was filled with the most talented players in baseball like Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, Dave Concepcion, Tony Perez and several others. They again won the World Series in 1990 and I remember listening the games while I was in Operation Desert Storm.
Since moving to Arizona, I have the Reds on MLB-TV and watch about every game. I only get to see them in person if I travel to Cincinnati or if they play here in Arizona vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The photos below are from a game that I went to in Late August of 2012 at Chase Field in Arizona.
Please take your time and browse the site, participate and let me know what you think!
Thanks for visiting.
The 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings - First Professional Baseball Team
Me on Television! Checking out the Game at Home that I Recorded - Look for the big red arrow pointed to the Reds cap - I watched this later that night.
Todd Frazier
Cincinnati Reds Fields and Stadiums - All images from Creative Commons
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Important Baseball Websites for you to Enjoy
- MLB.com
The official site of Major League Baseball - ESPN Clubhouse
Home of the Cincinnati Reds on ESPN - History of the Cincinnati Reds
Everything you ever wanted to know about the Cincinnati Reds
Jay Bruce, Zack Cozart & Drew Stubbs
MLB Cincinnati Reds Heritage Banner
Billy Hatcher Going Over Rules of the Game
D-Baxter the Arizona Mascot
Famous Cincinnati Reds Players - All Photos from Creative Commons
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Brandon Phillips at Bat
Cincinnati Reds IQ: The Ultimate Test of True Fandom (History & Trivia)
MLB Cincinnati Reds Authentic On Field Alternate 59FIFTY Cap
Jay Bruce Reaches First
Dusty Baker Managing the Game
Johnny Cueto Talking to the Fans
Cincinnati Reds Mascots - All images from Creative Commons
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The Cincinnati Reds Mascots do the Chicken Dance
Brandon Phillips Makes a Play
