131-476: Great Eight may refer to: The Great Eight (Cincinnati Reds) , the starting lineup for the 1975 Cincinnati Reds Eight Great Lingpas , important figures in the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism The Great Eight (book) , a 2009 book by Olympian figure skater Scott Hamilton "Great 8", a nickname for Russian ice hockey player Alexander Ovechkin whose player number
262-489: A Wheaties box, a cereal he ate as a child. For a time in the 1980s Bench was a commercial spokesman for Krylon paint , featuring a memorable catchphrase: "I'm Johnny Bench, and this is Johnny Bench's bench." In 1985, Bench starred as Joe Boyd/Joe Hardy in a Cincinnati stage production of the musical Damn Yankees , which also included Gwen Verdon and Gary Sandy . He also hosted the television series The Baseball Bunch from 1982 to 1985. A cast of boys and girls from
393-595: A no hitter against the Houston Astros . In 1968, the 20-year-old Bench impressed many in his first full season; he won the National League Rookie of the Year Award , batting .275 with 15 home runs and 82 RBIs. This marked the first time that the award had been won by a catcher. He also won the 1968 National League Gold Glove Award for catchers, which was the first time that the award had been won by
524-664: A 4-for-12 (.333) performance in the NLCS sweep over the Philadelphia Phillies . The World Series provided a head-to-head match-up with the Yankees ' all-star catcher, Thurman Munson . Bench rose to the occasion, hitting .533 with two home runs, while Munson also hit well, with a .529 average. The Reds won in a four-game sweep and Bench was named the Series' MVP . At the post-World Series press conference, Reds manager Sparky Anderson
655-480: A 535-foot (163 m) home run against José Lima . He also broke the major league record for strikeouts in 2004. Although a number of free agents were signed before 2005, the Reds were quickly in last place, and manager Dave Miley was forced out in the 2005 midseason and replaced by Jerry Narron . Like many other small-market clubs, the Reds dispatched some of their veteran players and began entrusting their future to
786-510: A baseball for him and predicted that the young catcher would be a "Hall of Famer for sure!" Williams' prophecy became fact 22 years later in 1989 when Bench was elected to Cooperstown. During a 1968 spring training game, Bench was catching right-hander Jim Maloney , an eight-year veteran. Maloney was once a hard thrower, but injuries had dramatically reduced the speed of his fastball. Maloney nevertheless insisted on repeatedly "shaking off" his younger catcher by throwing fastballs instead of
917-604: A catcher, with 10. In his career, Bench earned 10 Gold Gloves , was named to the National League All-Star team 14 times, and won two Most Valuable Player Awards. He led the National League three times in caught stealing percentage and ended his career with a .990 fielding percentage at catcher and an overall .987 fielding percentage. He caught 118 shutouts during his career, ranking him 12th all-time among major league catchers. Bench also won such awards as
1048-461: A closer had diminished, and no other consistent relievers emerged. Dave Concepción was the sole remaining starter from the Big Red Machine era. Wagner's tenure ended in 1983, when Howsam, the architect of the Big Red Machine, was brought back. The popular Howsam began his second term as the Reds' general manager by signing Cincinnati native Dave Parker as a free agent from Pittsburgh. In 1984 ,
1179-399: A club generally provides most of the equipment and clothing needed for play. However, players are required to supply their gloves and shoes themselves. Many players enter into sponsorship arrangements with shoe manufacturers, but until the mid-1980s, the Reds had a strict rule requiring players to wear only plain black shoes with no prominent logo. Reds players decried what they considered to be
1310-722: A complete game. The Reds won a third NL West crown in 1973 after a dramatic second-half comeback that saw them make up 10 + 1 ⁄ 2 games on the Los Angeles Dodgers after the All-Star break . However, they lost the NL pennant to the New York Mets in five games in the NLCS . In Game 1, Tom Seaver faced Jack Billingham in a classic pitching duel, with all three runs of the 2–1 margin being scored on home runs. John Milner provided New York's run off Billingham, while Pete Rose tied
1441-459: A complete turnover since 1976, except for Fred Norman. In addition to ace starter Tom Seaver , the remaining starters were Mike LaCoss , Bill Bonham and Paul Moskau . In the bullpen, only Borbon had remained. Dave Tomlin and Mario Soto worked middle relief, with Tom Hume and Doug Bair closing. The Reds won the 1979 NL West behind the pitching of Seaver, but were dispatched in the NL playoffs by
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#17328483033081572-504: A core of highly regarded young players in addition to veterans like Parker. However, he was unable to capitalize on an excess of young and highly touted position players including Kurt Stillwell , Tracy Jones and Kal Daniels by trading them for pitching. Despite the emergence of Tom Browning as Rookie of the Year in 1985 , when he won 20 games, the rotation was devastated by the early demise of Mario Soto's career to arm injury. Under Bergesch,
1703-409: A double play by calling him a name. This also led to two more incidents in which play was stopped. The Reds trailed 9–3, and New York's manager Yogi Berra and legendary outfielder Willie Mays , at the request of National League president Warren Giles , appealed to fans in left field to restrain themselves. The next day the series was extended to a fifth game when Rose homered in the 12th inning to tie
1834-460: A dramatic 12th-inning home run off the foul pole in left field to give the Red Sox a 7–6 win and force a decisive game 7. Cincinnati prevailed the next day when Morgan's RBI single won Game 7 and gave the Reds their first championship in 35 years. The Reds have not lost a World Series game since Carlton Fisk's home run, a span of nine straight wins. 1976 saw a return of the same starting eight in
1965-657: A field reporter for NBC / The Baseball Network 's coverage of the All-Star Game from Pittsburgh . After turning 50, Bench was a part-time professional golfer and played in several events on the Senior PGA Tour . He has a home at the Mission Hills-Gary Player Course in Rancho Mirage, California . In 1999, Bench ranked Number 16 on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players. He
2096-469: A fly ball in Game 4, and his play was greatly limited the next year. In 1992 , Quinn was replaced in the front office by Jim Bowden . On the field, manager Lou Piniella wanted outfielder Paul O'Neill to be a power hitter to fill the void Eric Davis left when he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for Tim Belcher . However, O'Neill only hit .246 with 14 home runs. The Reds returned to winning after
2227-452: A game at Dodger Stadium. In 1989 , following the release of the Dowd Report , which accused Rose of betting on baseball games, Rose was banned from baseball by Commissioner Bart Giamatti , who declared him guilty of "conduct detrimental to baseball." In 1987 , general manager Bergesch was replaced by Murray Cook , who initiated a series of deals that would finally bring the Reds back to
2358-521: A goatee. The New York Yankees continue to have a similar rule today, although Yankees players are permitted to have mustaches. Much like when players leave the Yankees today, players who left the Reds took advantage with their new teams; Pete Rose , for instance, grew his hair out much longer than would be allowed by the Reds once he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1979. The Reds' rules also included conservative uniforms. In Major League Baseball,
2489-720: A great dad," according to Bobby, who works in Cincinnati as a production operator on Reds broadcasts. Bench's third marriage, to Elizabeth Benton, took place in 1997. Johnny filed for divorce in 2000 on grounds of marital infidelity. His fourth marriage took place in 2004, to 31-year-old Lauren Baiocchi, the daughter of pro golfer Hugh Baiocchi . After living in Palm Springs with their two sons, Johnny wished to return to South Florida, where he lived from 2014 to 2017. However, Lauren would not relocate to Florida, leading to their divorce. As of 2018, Bench has primary custody of their sons. Bench
2620-435: A lesion from his lung, out of concern that it might be cancerous. The lesion would prove to be benign however, Bench stated in an interview that he was never the same player after the surgery. “They cut the ribs, they cut the bones, they cut the nerves, and so I never was the same player afterwards.” He remained productive, but never again hit 40 home runs in a season. In 1973 , Bench hit 25 home runs and 104 RBI and helped
2751-536: A lineup that came to be known as " the Big Red Machine ." Playing at Crosley Field until June 30, 1970, when they moved into Riverfront Stadium , a new 52,000-seat multi-purpose venue on the shores of the Ohio River , the Reds began the 1970s with a bang by winning 70 of their first 100 games. Johnny Bench , Tony Pérez , Pete Rose , Lee May and Bobby Tolan were the early offensive leaders of this era. Gary Nolan , Jim Merritt , Wayne Simpson and Jim McGlothlin led
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#17328483033082882-483: A losing season in 1991 , but 90 wins was only enough for second place behind the division-winning Atlanta Braves . Before the season ended, Piniella got into an altercation with reliever Rob Dibble. In the offseason, Paul O'Neill was traded to the New York Yankees for outfielder Roberto Kelly , who was a disappointment for the Reds over the next couple of years, while O'Neill led a downtrodden Yankees franchise to
3013-431: A move that proved to be unpopular. Pete Rose, who had played almost every position for the team except pitcher, shortstop and catcher since 1963, signed with Philadelphia as a free agent. By 1979 , the starters were Bench (catcher), Dan Driessen (first base), Morgan (second base), Concepción (shortstop) and Ray Knight (third base), with Griffey, Foster and Geronimo again in the outfield. The pitching staff had experienced
3144-657: A pitching staff that also included veterans Tony Cloninger and Clay Carroll , as well as youngsters Pedro Borbón and Don Gullett . The Reds breezed through the 1970 season, winning the NL West and capturing the NL pennant by sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates in three games. By the time the club got to the World Series , however, the pitching staff had run out of gas, and the veteran Baltimore Orioles , led by Hall of Fame third baseman and World Series MVP Brooks Robinson , beat
3275-445: A promising young outfielder, was shot and killed during a carjack. Following the season, Dan O'Brien was hired as the Reds' 16th general manager on October 27, 2003, succeeding Jim Bowden . The 2004 and 2005 seasons continued the trend of big-hitting, poor pitching and poor records. Griffey, Jr. joined the 500 home run club in 2004, but was again hampered by injuries. Adam Dunn emerged as consistent home run hitter, including
3406-492: A return to glory. Around this time, the Reds would replace their Big Red Machine–era uniforms in favor of a pinstriped uniform with no sleeves. Controversy erupted after the 1992 season when team owner Marge Schott was reported to have racially and ethnically slurred players and business associates, and in a November interview, praised the early efforts of Adolf Hitler . As punishment, Major League Baseball's executive council prevented her from exercising day-to-day oversight of
3537-574: A rookie. He made 102 assists in 1968, which marked the first time in 23 years that a catcher had more than 100 assists in a season. During the Vietnam War , Bench served in the United States Army Reserve as a member of the 478th Engineer Battalion , which was based across the Ohio River from Cincinnati at Fort Thomas, Kentucky . This unit included several of his teammates, among them Pete Rose , Bobby Tolan and Darrel Chaney . In
3668-607: A young nucleus that included Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns . 2004 saw the opening of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame (HOF), which had been in existence in name only since the 1950s, with player plaques, photos and other memorabilia scattered throughout their front offices. Ownership and management desired a standalone facility where the public could walk through interactive displays, see locker room recreations, watch videos of classic Reds moments and peruse historical items, such as
3799-581: Is 8 A nickname for the Théâtre National de Bretagne , in Rennes, France See also [ edit ] [REDACTED] Search for "great eight" , "great 8" , "gr8t" , or "gr8" on Misplaced Pages. All pages with titles containing Great Eight All pages with titles containing Great 8 All pages with titles containing Gr8t All pages with titles containing Gr8 Great (disambiguation) Topics referred to by
3930-592: Is an avid golfer , having played in several Champions Tour tournaments. Bench was interviewed by Heidi Watney of the New England Sports Network during a September 2008 Boston Red Sox game at Fenway Park . While knuckleballer Tim Wakefield was on the mound for the Red Sox, Bench related a story that then-Reds manager Sparky Anderson told him that he was thinking of trading for knuckleballer Phil Niekro . Bench replied that Anderson had better trade for Niekro's catcher, too. On September 17, 2011,
4061-663: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages The Great Eight (Cincinnati Reds) The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati . The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central Division and were a charter member of the American Association in 1881 before joining
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4192-469: Is still a team record. Like the previous decade, the 1900s were not kind to the Reds, as much of the decade was spent in the league's second division . In 1912, the club opened Redland Field (renamed Crosley Field in 1934), a new steel-and-concrete ballpark. The Reds had been playing baseball on that same site – the corner of Findlay and Western Avenues on the city's west side – for 28 years in wooden structures that had been occasionally damaged by fires. By
4323-552: The 1965 amateur draft , playing for the minor-league Buffalo Bisons in the 1966 and 1967 seasons. During the 1967 season, he hit a grand slam against Jim Palmer , who would go on to never allow a grand slam in 19 years in the Major Leagues. Bench was called up to the Reds in August 1967. He hit only .163 , but impressed many people with his defense and strong throwing arm, among them Hall of Famer Ted Williams . Williams signed
4454-499: The Boston Red Sox in the World Series , splitting the first four games and taking Game 5. After a three-day rain delay, the two teams met in Game 6, considered by many to be the best World Series game ever. The Reds were ahead 6–3 with five outs left when the Red Sox tied the game on former Red Bernie Carbo 's three-run home run, his second pinch-hit, three-run homer in the series. After a few close calls both ways, Carlton Fisk hit
4585-534: The Cincinnati Reds , primarily as a catcher . Bench was the leader of the Reds team known as the Big Red Machine that dominated the National League in the mid-1970s, winning six division titles, four National League pennants and two World Series championships. A fourteen-time All-Star and a two-time National League Most Valuable Player, Bench excelled on offense as well as on defense, twice leading
4716-631: The Lou Gehrig Award (1975), the Babe Ruth Award (1976), and the Hutch Award (1981). Bench popularized the hinged catcher's mitt , first introduced by Randy Hundley of the Chicago Cubs . He began using the mitt after a stint on the disabled list in 1966 for a thumb injury on his throwing hand. The mitt allowed Bench to tuck his throwing arm safely to the side when receiving the pitch. By
4847-574: The Milwaukee Brewers for Rick O'Keeffe and Garry Pyka, as well as Rick Auerbach from Texas. The end of the Big Red Machine era was heralded by the replacement of general manager Bob Howsam with Dick Wagner . In his last season as a Red, Rose gave baseball a thrill as he challenged Joe DiMaggio 's 56-game hitting streak , tying for the second-longest streak ever at 44 games. The streak came to an end in Atlanta after striking out in his fifth at-bat in
4978-639: The National League Championship Series , but lost to the Baltimore Orioles in five games in the World Series . Bench had another strong year in 1972 , winning the MVP Award for a second time. He led the National League in home runs (40) and RBI (125) to help propel the Reds to another National League West Division title and won the NL pennant in the deciding fifth game over the Pittsburgh Pirates . One of his more dramatic home runs
5109-469: The Philadelphia Phillies (winning game 3 in their final at-bat) to return to the World Series , where they beat the Yankees at the newly renovated Yankee Stadium in the first Series held there since 1964. This was only the second-ever sweep of the Yankees in the World Series, and the Reds became the first NL team since the 1921–22 New York Giants to win consecutive World Series championships. To date,
5240-496: The Pittsburgh Pirates . Game 2 featured a controversial play in which a ball hit by Pittsburgh's Phil Garner was caught by Reds outfielder Dave Collins but was ruled a trap, setting the Pirates up to take a 2–1 lead. The Pirates swept the series 3 games to 0 and went on to win the World Series against the Baltimore Orioles . The 1981 team fielded a strong lineup, with only Concepción, Foster and Griffey retaining their spots from
5371-558: The Rosie Reds to urge DeWitt to keep the franchise in Cincinnati. The Rosie Reds are still in existence, and are currently the oldest fan club in Major League Baseball. After the 1965 season, DeWitt executed what is remembered as the most lopsided trade in baseball history, sending former MVP Frank Robinson to the Baltimore Orioles for pitchers Milt Pappas and Jack Baldschun , and outfielder Dick Simpson . Robinson went on to win
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5502-553: The St. Louis Cardinals after having taken first place when the Philadelphia Phillies collapsed in September. Their beloved manager Fred Hutchinson died of cancer just weeks after the end of the 1964 season. The failure of the Reds to win the 1964 pennant led to owner Bill DeWitt selling off key components of the team in anticipation of relocating the franchise. In response to DeWitt's threatened move, women of Cincinnati banded together to form
5633-513: The Tucson, Arizona , area would learn the game of baseball from Bench and other current and retired greats. The Chicken provided comic relief and former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda appeared as "The Dugout Wizard." In 1986, Bench and Don Drysdale did the backup contests for ABC 's Sunday afternoon baseball telecasts ( Al Michaels and Jim Palmer were the primary commentating crew). Keith Jackson, usually working with Tim McCarver did
5764-515: The World Series in eight games over the Chicago White Sox . By 1920, the "Black Sox" scandal had brought a taint to the Reds' first championship. After 1926 and well into the 1930s, the Reds were second division dwellers. Eppa Rixey , Dolf Luque and Pete Donohue were pitching stars, but the offense never lived up to the pitching. By 1931, the team was bankrupt, the Great Depression
5895-429: The breaking balls that Bench had called for. When an exasperated Bench bluntly told Maloney, "Your fastball's not popping," Maloney replied with an epithet. To prove to Maloney that his fastball was no longer effective, Bench called for a fastball, and after Maloney released the ball, Bench dropped his catcher's mitt and caught the fastball barehanded. Bench was the Reds' catcher on April 30, 1969 , when Maloney pitched
6026-409: The 1890s, signing local stars and aging veterans. During this time, the team never finished above third place (1897) and never closer than 10 + 1 ⁄ 2 games to first (1890). At the start of the 20th century, the Reds had hitting stars Sam Crawford and Cy Seymour . Seymour's .377 average in 1905 was the first individual batting crown won by a Red. In 1911, Bob Bescher stole 81 bases, which
6157-407: The 1961 National League pennant, holding off the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants , only to be defeated by the perennially powerful New York Yankees in the World Series . The Reds had winning teams during the rest of the 1960s, but did not produce any championships. They won 98 games in 1962, paced by Purkey's 23 wins, but finished third. In 1964, they lost the pennant by one game to
6288-577: The 1975 and 1976 Reds were the last NL team to repeat as champions . Beginning with the 1970 National League pennant, the Reds beat either of the two Pennsylvania-based clubs – the Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburgh Pirates – to win their pennants (they beat the Pirates in 1970, 1972, 1975 and 1990, and the Phillies in 1976), making the Big Red Machine part of the rivalry between the two Pennsylvania teams. In 1979, Pete Rose added further fuel to
6419-710: The 1975 season when he married Vickie Chesser, a toothpaste model who had dated Joe Namath . Four days after they met, Bench proposed, and they were married on February 21, 1975. Quickly, the pair realized they were incompatible, especially after Bench suggested that his wife accept Hustler magazine's offer for her to pose nude for $ 25,000. They broke up at the end of the season (Bench reportedly said to her, "Now I'm done with two things I hate: baseball and you"), divorcing after just 13 months. "I tried. I even hand-squeezed orange juice," Chesser told Phil Donahue in December 1975. "I don't think either of us had any idea what marriage
6550-403: The 1975–76 heyday. After Johnny Bench was able to play only a few games as catcher each year after 1980 due to ongoing injuries, Joe Nolan took over as starting catcher. Driessen and Bench shared first base, and Knight starred at third. Morgan and Geronimo had been replaced at second base and center field by Ron Oester and Dave Collins, respectively. Mario Soto posted a banner year starting on
6681-467: The Big Red Machine, being part of the rivalry when he signed with the Phillies and helped them win their first World Series in 1980 . The late 1970s brought turmoil and change to the Reds. Popular Tony Pérez was sent to the Montreal Expos after the 1976 season, breaking up the Big Red Machine's starting lineup. Manager Sparky Anderson and general manager Bob Howsam later considered this trade to be
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#17328483033086812-483: The Braves benched Aaron, hoping to save him for his record-breaking home run on their season-opening homestand. Then-commissioner Bowie Kuhn ordered Braves management to play Aaron the next day, where he narrowly missed a historic home run in the fifth inning. Aaron went on to set the record in Atlanta two nights later. The 1974 season also saw the debut of Hall of Fame radio announcer Marty Brennaman after Al Michaels left
6943-637: The Cincinnati Reds unveiled a statue of Bench at the entrance way of the Reds Hall of Fame at Great American Ball Park . The larger-than-life bronze statue by Tom Tsuchiya , shows Bench in the act of throwing out a base runner. Bench called the unveiling of his statue his "greatest moment." In 2016, he was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame . He was also the Hall of Fame recipient of
7074-733: The MVP and Triple Crown in the American League in 1966, and led Baltimore to its first-ever World Series title in a sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Reds did not recover from this trade until the rise of the "Big Red Machine" in the 1970s. Starting in the early 1960s, the Reds' farm system began producing a series of stars, including Jim Maloney (the Reds' pitching ace of the 1960s), Pete Rose , Tony Pérez , Johnny Bench , Lee May , Tommy Helms , Bernie Carbo , Hal McRae , Dave Concepción and Gary Nolan . The tipping point came in 1967, with
7205-545: The NL in 1890. The Reds played in the NL West division from 1969 to 1993, before joining the Central division in 1994. For several years in the 1970s, they were considered the most dominant team in baseball, most notably winning the 1975 and 1976 World Series ; the team was colloquially known as the " Big Red Machine " during this time, and it included Hall of Fame members Johnny Bench , Joe Morgan and Tony Pérez , as well as
7336-420: The NL. Upon arriving, however, Caylor and Thorner found that no other owners had accepted the invitation, while even Phillips declined to attend his own meeting. By chance, the duo met former pitcher Al Pratt, who paired them with former Pittsburgh Alleghenys president H. Denny McKnight. Together, the three hatched a scheme to form a new league by sending a telegram to each of the owners who were invited to attend
7467-417: The National League in home runs and three times in runs batted in. At the time of his retirement in 1983, he held the major league record for most home runs hit by a catcher. He was also the first catcher in history to lead the league in home runs. He hit 45 home runs in 1970, which was a single-season record for catchers until Salvador Perez hit 48 in 2021. His 389 home runs and 1,376 runs batted in remain
7598-572: The National League's Most Valuable Player in 1938. By 1939, the Reds were National League champions but were swept in the World Series by the New York Yankees . In 1940, the Reds repeated as NL Champions, and for the first time in 21 years, they captured a world championship, beating the Detroit Tigers 4 games to 3. Frank McCormick was the 1940 NL MVP; other position players included Harry Craft , Lonny Frey , Ival Goodman , Lew Riggs and Bill Werber . World War II and age finally caught up with
7729-793: The No. 2 Monday night games. Bench took a week off in June (with Steve Busby filling in), and also worked one game with Michaels as the networks switched the announcer pairings. While Drysdale worked the All-Star Game in Houston as an interviewer he did not resurface until the playoffs. Bench simply disappeared, ultimately going to CBS Radio to help Brent Musburger call that year's National League Championship Series . Bench would later serve as color commentator CBS Radio's World Series coverage alongside Jack Buck and later Vin Scully from 1989 – 1993 . In 1994, Bench served as
7860-579: The Red Stockings in the spring of 1881 and brought the team to St. Louis for a weekend exhibition. The Reds' first game was a 12–3 victory over the St. Louis club. After the 1881 series proved successful, Caylor and former Reds president Justus Thorner received an invitation from Philadelphia businessman Horace Phillips to attend a meeting of several clubs in Pittsburgh, planning to establish a new league to compete with
7991-670: The Reds became only the second team in MLB history to be no-hit in a postseason game when Philadelphia's Roy Halladay shut down the National League's No. 1 offense in Game 1 of the NLDS . The Reds eventually lost in a three-game sweep of the NLDS to Philadelphia. Johnny Bench Johnny Lee Bench (born December 7, 1947) is an American former professional baseball player. He played his entire Major League Baseball career, which lasted from 1967 to 1983 , with
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#17328483033088122-401: The Reds began to move up, depending on trades and some minor leaguers. In that season, Dave Parker, Dave Concepción and Tony Pérez were in Cincinnati uniforms. In August of the same year, Pete Rose was reacquired and hired to be the Reds player-manager. After raising the franchise from the grave, Howsam gave way to the administration of Bill Bergesch , who attempted to build the team around
8253-410: The Reds did not win under Krivsky, he is credited with revamping the farm system and signing young talent that could potentially lead the team to success in the future. The Reds failed to post winning records in both 2008 and 2009. In 2010, with NL MVP Joey Votto and Gold Glovers Brandon Phillips and Scott Rolen , the Reds posted a 91–71 record and were NL Central champions. The following week,
8384-449: The Reds during the 1993 season. For the 1993 season , manager Piniella was replaced by fan favorite Tony Pérez , but he lasted only 44 games at the helm before being replaced by Davey Johnson . With Johnson steering the team, the Reds made steady progress. In 1994 , the Reds were in the newly created National League Central Division with the Chicago Cubs , St. Louis Cardinals , and rivals Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros . By
8515-513: The Reds finished second four times from 1985 to 1989 . Among the highlights, Rose became the all-time hits leader, Tom Browning threw a perfect game , Eric Davis became the first player in baseball history to hit at least 35 home runs and steal 50 bases, and Chris Sabo was the 1988 National League Rookie of the Year . The Reds also had a bullpen star in John Franco , who was with the team from 1984 to 1989. Rose once had Concepción pitch late in
8646-458: The Reds in five games. After the disastrous 1971 season – the only year in the decade in which the team finished with a losing record – the Reds reloaded by trading veterans Jimmy Stewart , May and Tommy Helms to the Houston Astros for Joe Morgan , César Gerónimo , Jack Billingham , Ed Armbrister and Denis Menke . Meanwhile, Dave Concepción blossomed at shortstop . 1971 was also
8777-534: The Reds rally from a 10 1 ⁄ 2 -game deficit to the Los Angeles Dodgers in early July to lead the majors with 99 wins and claim another NL West Division crown. In the NLCS , Cincinnati met a New York Mets team that won the NL East with an unimpressive 82–79 (.509) record, 16 1 ⁄ 2 games behind the Reds. The Mets boasted three of the better starting pitchers in the NL, future Hall of Famer Tom Seaver , Jerry Koosman , and Jon Matlack . Bench's bottom of
8908-758: The Reds to broadcast for the San Francisco Giants . With 1975, the Big Red Machine lineup solidified with the "Great Eight" starting team of Johnny Bench (catcher), Tony Pérez (first base), Joe Morgan (second base), Dave Concepción (shortstop), Pete Rose (third base), Ken Griffey (right field), César Gerónimo (center field) and George Foster (left field). The starting pitchers included Don Gullett , Fred Norman , Gary Nolan , Jack Billingham , Pat Darcy and Clay Kirby . The bullpen featured Rawly Eastwick and Will McEnaney , who combined for 37 saves, and veterans Pedro Borbón and Clay Carroll . On Opening Day, Rose still played in left field and Foster
9039-455: The Reds, as the team finished mostly in the second division throughout the 1940s and early 1950s. In 1944, Joe Nuxhall (who was later to become part of the radio broadcasting team), at age 15, pitched for the Reds on loan from Wilson Junior High school in Hamilton, Ohio. He became the youngest player ever to appear in a major league game, a record that still stands today. Ewell "The Whip" Blackwell
9170-513: The actual reason had more to do with Kuhn's continued feud with Athletics owner Charlie Finley. On June 15, 1977, the Reds acquired pitcher Tom Seaver from the New York Mets for Pat Zachry, Doug Flynn , Steve Henderson and Dan Norman. In other deals that proved to be less successful, the Reds traded Gary Nolan to the California Angels for Craig Hendrickson; Rawly Eastwick to the St. Louis Cardinals for Doug Capilla ; and Mike Caldwell to
9301-424: The addition of Foster to the outfield giving the offense some added punch. During the season, the Reds compiled two notable streaks: 1.) winning 41 out of 50 games in one stretch, and 2.) by going a month without committing any errors on defense. In the 1975 season , Cincinnati clinched the NL West with 108 victories before sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates in three games to win the NL pennant. They went on to face
9432-481: The appointment of Bob Howsam as general manager. That same year, the Reds avoided a move to San Diego when the city of Cincinnati and Hamilton County agreed to build a state-of-the-art, downtown stadium on the edge of the Ohio River. The Reds entered into a 30-year lease in exchange for the stadium commitment keeping the franchise in Cincinnati. In a series of strategic moves, Howsam brought in key personnel to complement
9563-519: The biggest mistake of their careers. Starting pitcher Don Gullett left via free agency and signed with the New York Yankees. In an effort to fill that gap, a trade with the Oakland Athletics for starting ace Vida Blue was arranged during the 1977–78 offseason. However, then-commissioner Bowie Kuhn vetoed the trade in order to maintain competitive balance in baseball; some have suggested that
9694-404: The boring color choice, as well as the denial of the opportunity to earn more money through shoe contracts. In 1985, a compromise was struck in which players could paint red marks on their black shoes and were allowed to wear all-red shoes the following year. In 1970 , little-known George "Sparky" Anderson was hired as manager of the Reds, and the team embarked upon a decade of excellence, with
9825-495: The championship puzzle together, with the acquisitions of Hal Morris , Billy Hatcher and Randy Myers . In 1990 , the Reds , under new manager Lou Piniella , shocked baseball by leading the NL West from wire-to-wire, making them the only NL team to do so. Winning their first nine games, they started 33–12 and maintained their lead throughout the year. Led by Chris Sabo , Barry Larkin , Eric Davis , Paul O'Neill and Billy Hatcher on
9956-452: The championship, starting with acquisitions of Danny Jackson and José Rijo . An aging Dave Parker was let go after a revival of his career in Cincinnati following the Pittsburgh drug trials . Barry Larkin emerged as the starting shortstop over Kurt Stillwell, who, along with reliever Ted Power , was traded for Jackson. In 1989 , Cook was succeeded by Bob Quinn , who put the final pieces of
10087-428: The city's large German population to support the team. While Hulbert made clear his distaste for both beer and Sunday baseball at the founding of the league, neither practice was against league rules at the time. On October 6, 1880, however, seven of the eight team owners adopted a pledge to ban both beer and Sunday baseball at the regular league meeting in December. Only Cincinnati president W. H. Kennett refused to sign
10218-512: The controversial Pete Rose , the all-time hits leader in Major League Baseball. Overall, the Reds have won five World Series championships, nine NL pennants, one AA pennant and 10 division titles. The team plays its home games at Great American Ball Park , which opened in 2003. Bob Castellini has been the CEO of the Reds since 2006. From 1882 to 2024, the Reds' overall win–loss record is 10,934–10,766–139 (a .504 winning percentage). The origins of
10349-554: The defense of future Hall of Fame second baseman Bid McPhee and the pitching of 40-game-winner Will White , the Reds won the inaugural AA pennant in 1882. With the establishment of the Union Association in 1884, Thorner left the club to finance the Cincinnati Outlaw Reds and managed to acquire the lease on the Reds' Bank Street Grounds playing field, forcing new president Aaron Stern to relocate three blocks away to
10480-486: The end of the season at age 35. Bench had 2,048 hits for a .267 career batting average with 389 home runs and 1,376 RBI during his 17-year Major League career, all spent with the Reds. He retired as the career home run leader for catchers, a record which stood until surpassed by Carlton Fisk and the current record holder, Mike Piazza . Bench still holds the Major League record for the most grand slam home runs by
10611-421: The end of the year, regardless of the team's outcome, to be replaced by former Reds third baseman Ray Knight. Schott did not like Johnson, and she did not approve of Johnson living with his fiancée before they were married. In contrast, Knight, along with his wife, professional golfer Nancy Lopez , were friends of Schott. The team took a dive under Knight, who was unable to complete two full seasons as manager and
10742-450: The field, and by José Rijo , Tom Browning and the "Nasty Boys" – Rob Dibble , Norm Charlton and Randy Myers – on the mound, the Reds took out the Pirates in the NLCS . The Reds swept the heavily favored Oakland Athletics in four straight and extended a winning streak in the World Series to nine consecutive games. This Series, however, saw Eric Davis severely bruise a kidney diving for
10873-416: The field. The starting rotation was again led by Nolan, Gullett, Billingham and Norman, while the addition of rookies Pat Zachry and Santo Alcalá comprised an underrated staff in which four of the six had ERAs below 3.10. Eastwick, Borbon and McEnaney shared closer duties, recording 26, eight and seven saves, respectively. The Reds won the NL West by 10 games and went undefeated in the postseason, sweeping
11004-422: The game against Gene Garber . Rose also earned his 3,000th hit that season, on his way to becoming baseball's all-time hits leader when he rejoined the Reds in the mid-1980s. The year also witnessed the only no-hitter of Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver's career, coming against the St. Louis Cardinals on June 16, 1978. After the 1978 season and two straight second-place finishes, Wagner fired manager Anderson in
11135-513: The game in the seventh inning off Seaver, setting the stage for a dramatic game-ending home run by Johnny Bench in the bottom of the ninth. The New York series provided plenty of controversy surrounding the riotous behavior of Shea Stadium fans toward Pete Rose when he and Bud Harrelson scuffled after a hard slide by Rose into Harrelson at second base during the fifth inning of Game 3. A full bench-clearing fight resulted after Harrelson responded to Rose's aggressive move to prevent him from completing
11266-502: The greatest catcher in baseball history. Born and raised in Oklahoma , Bench is one-eighth Choctaw ; he played baseball and basketball and was class valedictorian at Binger-Oney High School in Binger . His father told him that the fastest route to becoming a major leaguer was as a catcher. As a 17-year-old, Bench was selected 36th overall by the Cincinnati Reds in the second round of
11397-554: The hastily built League Park. The club never placed higher than second or lower than fifth for the rest of its tenure in the American Association. The Cincinnati Red Stockings left the American Association on November 14, 1889, and joined the National League along with the Brooklyn Bridegrooms after a dispute with St. Louis Browns owner Chris von der Ahe over the selection of a new league president. The National League
11528-405: The history of Reds uniforms dating back to the 1920s or a baseball marking every hit Pete Rose had during his career. Robert Castellini took over as controlling owner from Lindner in 2006. Castellini promptly fired general manager Dan O'Brien and hired Wayne Krivsky . The Reds made a run at the playoffs, but ultimately fell short. The 2007 season was again mired in mediocrity. Midway through
11659-408: The homegrown talent. The Reds' final game at Crosley Field, where they had played since 1912, was played on June 24, 1970, with a 5–4 victory over the San Francisco Giants . Under Howsam's administration starting in the late 1960s, all players coming to the Reds were required to shave and cut their hair for the next three decades in order to present the team as wholesome in an era of turmoil. The rule
11790-403: The last three seasons of his career, Bench moved out from behind the plate, catching only 13 games, while primarily becoming a corner infielder (first or third base). The Cincinnati Reds proclaimed Saturday, September 17, 1983 , "Johnny Bench Night" at Riverfront Stadium , in which he hit his 389th and final home run, a line drive to left in the third inning, before a record crowd. He retired at
11921-447: The late 1910s, the Reds began to come out of the second division. The 1918 team finished fourth, and new manager Pat Moran led the Reds to an NL pennant in 1919, in what the club advertised as its "Golden Anniversary." The 1919 team had hitting stars Edd Roush and Heinie Groh , while the pitching staff was led by Hod Eller and left-hander Harry "Slim" Sallee . The Reds finished ahead of John McGraw 's New York Giants and then won
12052-538: The meeting stating that he was the only person who did not attend, and that everyone else was enthusiastic about the new venture and eager to attend a second meeting in Cincinnati. The ploy worked, and the American Association (AA) was officially formed at the Hotel Gibson in Cincinnati. The new Reds – with Thorner now serving as president – became a charter member of the AA. Led by the hitting of third baseman Hick Carpenter ,
12183-551: The midseason firing of manager John McNamara , who was replaced as skipper by Russ Nixon . The Reds fell to the bottom of the Western Division for the next few years. After the 1982 season, Seaver was traded back to the Mets. 1983 found Dann Bilardello behind the plate, Bench returning to part-time duty at first base, rookie Nick Esasky taking over at third base and Gary Redus taking over from Cedeno. Tom Hume's effectiveness as
12314-419: The modern Cincinnati Reds baseball team can be traced back to the expulsion from the National League of an earlier team bearing the same name. In 1876, Cincinnati became one of the charter members of the new National League (NL), but the club ran afoul of league organizer and longtime president William Hulbert for selling beer during games and renting out its ballpark on Sundays. Both were important in enticing
12445-482: The most in Cincinnati Reds history. On defense, Bench was a ten-time Gold Glove Award winner who skillfully handled pitching staffs and possessed a strong, accurate throwing arm. He caught 100 or more games for 13 consecutive seasons. In 1986, Bench was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame . He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989 in his first year of eligibility. ESPN has called him
12576-434: The mound, only surpassed by the outstanding performance of Seaver's Cy Young runner-up season. La Coss, Bruce Berenyi and Frank Pastore rounded out the starting rotation. Hume again led the bullpen as closer, joined by Bair and Joe Price . In 1981 , the Reds had the best overall record in baseball, but finished second in the division in both of the half-seasons that resulted from a mid-season players' strike , and missed
12707-451: The ninth-inning home run off Seaver in the first game propelled the Reds to victory, but Seaver would get the best of the Reds and Bench in the deciding Game 5, winning 7–2 to put the Mets into the World Series against the Oakland A's . In 1974 , Bench led the league with 129 RBI and scored 108 runs, becoming only the fourth catcher in major league history with 100 or more runs and RBI in
12838-399: The only pitcher in major league history to throw back-to-back no-hitters in 1938. Thanks to Vander Meer, Paul Derringer and second baseman/third baseman-turned- pitcher Bucky Walters , the Reds had a solid pitching staff. The offense came around in the late 1930s. By 1938, the Reds, led by manager Bill McKechnie , were out of the second division, finishing fourth. Ernie Lombardi was named
12969-399: The playoffs. To commemorate this, a team photo was taken, accompanied by a banner that read "Baseball's Best Record 1981." By 1982 , the Reds were a shell of the original Red Machine, having lost 101 games that year. Johnny Bench, after an unsuccessful transition to third base, retired a year later. After the heartbreak of 1981, general manager Dick Wagner pursued the strategy of ridding
13100-418: The pledge, so the other owners preemptively expelled Cincinnati from the league for violating the new rules even though they were not yet in effect. Cincinnati's expulsion incensed Cincinnati Enquirer sports editor O. P. Caylor , who made two attempts to form a new league on behalf of the receivers for the now-bankrupt Reds franchise. When these attempts failed, he formed a new independent ball club known as
13231-513: The point of the "C" was removed. The traditional home uniform logo was reinstated in 1967. In 1956, the Redlegs, led by National League Rookie of the Year Frank Robinson , hit 221 home runs to tie the NL record. By 1961, Robinson was joined by Vada Pinson , Wally Post , Gordy Coleman and Gene Freese . Pitchers Joey Jay , Jim O'Toole and Bob Purkey led the staff. The Reds captured
13362-622: The same season. The Reds won the second-most games in the majors (98) but lost the West Division to the Los Angeles Dodgers . In 1975 , the Reds finally broke through in the post season. Bench contributed 28 home runs and 110 RBI. Cincinnati swept the Pirates in three games to win the NLCS , and defeated the Boston Red Sox in a memorable seven-game World Series . Bench struggled with ailing shoulders in 1976 , and had one of his least productive years, with only 16 home runs and 74 RBI. He finished with an excellent postseason, starting with
13493-419: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Great Eight . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Great_Eight&oldid=1225787406 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
13624-539: The season, Jerry Narron was fired as manager and replaced by Pete Mackanin . The Reds ended up posting a winning record under Mackanin, but finished the season in fifth place in the Central Division. Mackanin was manager in an interim capacity only, and the Reds, seeking a big name to fill the spot, ultimately brought in Dusty Baker . Early in the 2008 season , Krivsky was fired and replaced by Walt Jocketty . Although
13755-514: The series at two games each. The Reds won 98 games in 1974 but finished second to the 102-win Los Angeles Dodgers . The 1974 season started off with much excitement, as the Atlanta Braves were in town to open the season with the Reds. Hank Aaron entered opening day with 713 home runs, one shy of tying Babe Ruth 's record of 714. The first pitch Aaron swung at in the 1974 season was the record-tying home run off Jack Billingham. The next day,
13886-426: The seven games were decided by one run. With powerful slugger Reggie Jackson sidelined by an injury incurred during Oakland's playoff series , Ohio native Gene Tenace got a chance to play in the series, delivering four home runs that tied the World Series record for homers, propelling Oakland to a dramatic seven-game series win. This was one of the few World Series in which no starting pitcher for either side pitched
14017-469: The team and the political connotation of the word "red" to mean Communism , but as the New York Times reported, "The political significance of the word 'Reds' these days and its effect on the change was not discussed by management". From 1956 to 1960, the club's logo was altered to remove the term "REDS" from the inside of the " wishbone C " symbol. The word "REDS" reappeared on the 1961 uniforms, but
14148-466: The team of veterans, including third baseman Knight and the entire starting outfield of Griffey, Foster and Collins. Bench, after being able to catch only seven games in 1981, was moved from platooning at first base to be the starting third baseman; Alex Treviño became the regular starting catcher. The outfield was staffed with Paul Householder , César Cedeño and future Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle on Opening Day. Hurdle
14279-455: The team relatively thin on talent. After years of promises that the club was rebuilding toward the opening of the new ballpark, general manager Jim Bowden and manager Bob Boone were fired on July 28. This broke up the father-son combo of manager Bob Boone and third baseman Aaron Boone , and the latter was soon traded to the New York Yankees . Tragedy struck in November when Dernell Stenson ,
14410-484: The team to a group led by Carl Lindner , retaining a minority interest, and never again directed the team's operations. In 1999 , the Reds won 96 games, led by manager Jack McKeon , but lost to the New York Mets in a one-game playoff . Despite an 85–77 finish in 2000 , and being named 1999 NL manager of the year, McKeon was fired after the 2000 season . The Reds did not have another winning season until 2010 . Riverfront Stadium , by then known as Cinergy Field,
14541-455: The time the strike hit, the Reds finished a half-game ahead of the Houston Astros for first place in the NL Central. In 1995 , the Reds won the division thanks to MVP Barry Larkin . After defeating the NL West champion Dodgers in the first NLDS since 1981, however, they lost to the Atlanta Braves . Team owner Schott had decided before the 1995 season that manager Johnson would be gone by
14672-535: The turn of the decade, the hinged mitt became standard catchers' equipment. Having huge hands (a famous photograph features him holding seven baseballs in his right hand ), Bench also tended to block breaking balls in the dirt by scooping them with one hand instead of the more common and fundamentally proper way: dropping to both knees and blocking the ball using the chest protector to keep the ball in front. Bench has been married five times. Once hailed as "baseball's most-eligible bachelor," he shed that distinction before
14803-556: The winter of 1970–1971 he was part of Bob Hope 's USO Tour of Vietnam . In 1970, Bench had his finest statistical season. At age 22, he became the youngest player to win the National League Most Valuable Player Award. He hit .293, led the National League with 45 home runs and a franchise-record 148 runs batted in as the Reds won the NL West Division. The Reds swept the Pittsburgh Pirates in
14934-483: The year a key component of future world championships was acquired, when George Foster was traded to the Reds from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for shortstop Frank Duffy . The 1972 Reds won the NL West in baseball's first-ever strike-shortened season , and defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in a five-game playoff series . They then faced the Oakland Athletics in the World Series , where six of
15065-434: Was also a prominent civic leader. MacPhail began to develop the Reds' minor league system and expanded the Reds' fan base. Throughout the rest of the decade, the Reds became a team of "firsts." The now-renamed Crosley Field became the host of the first night game in 1935, which was also the first baseball fireworks night. (The fireworks at the game were shot by Joe Rozzi of Rozzi's Famous Fireworks.) Johnny Vander Meer became
15196-467: Was an immediate bust, and rookie Eddie Milner took his place in the starting outfield early in the year. The highly touted Householder struggled throughout the year despite extensive playing time. Cedeno, while providing steady veteran play, was a disappointment, unable to recapture his glory days with the Houston Astros . The starting rotation featured the emergence of a dominant Mario Soto and featured strong years by Pastore and Bruce Berenyi , but Seaver
15327-474: Was asked by a journalist to compare Munson with his catcher. Anderson replied, "I don't want to embarrass any other catcher by comparing him to Johnny Bench." Bench bounced back in 1977 to hit 31 home runs and 109 RBI but the Dodgers won two straight NL pennants. The Reds reached the postseason just once more in his career, in 1979 , but were swept in three straight in the NLCS by the Pittsburgh Pirates . For
15458-411: Was controversial, but persisted well into the ownership of Marge Schott . On at least one occasion, in the early 1980s, enforcement of this rule lost the Reds the services of star reliever and Ohio native Rollie Fingers , who would not shave his trademark handlebar mustache in order to join the team. The rule was not officially rescinded until 1999, when the Reds traded for slugger Greg Vaughn , who had
15589-403: Was demolished in 2002 . Great American Ball Park opened in 2003 , with high expectations for a team led by local favorites, including outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. , shortstop Barry Larkin and first baseman Sean Casey . Although attendance improved considerably with the new ballpark, the Reds continued to lose. Schott had not invested much in the farm system since the early 1990s, leaving
15720-470: Was elected in his first year of eligibility, and appeared on 96% of the ballots, the third-highest percentage at that time. Three years earlier, Bench had been inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and his uniform No. 5 was retired by the team. He is currently on the board of directors for the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame. In 1989, he became the first individual baseball player to appear on
15851-411: Was happy to accept the teams in part due to the emergence of the new Player's League, an early failed attempt to break the reserve clause in baseball that threatened both existing leagues. Because the National League decided to expand while the American Association was weakening, the team accepted an invitation to join the National League. After shortening their name to the Reds, the team wandered through
15982-520: Was in full swing and Redland Field was in a state of disrepair. Powel Crosley, Jr. , an electronics magnate who, with his brother Lewis M. Crosley , produced radios, refrigerators and other household items, bought the Reds out of bankruptcy in 1933 and hired Larry MacPhail to be the general manager. Crosley had started WLW radio, the Reds flagship radio broadcaster, and the Crosley Broadcasting Corporation in Cincinnati, where he
16113-470: Was injured all year, and their efforts were wasted without a strong offensive lineup. Tom Hume still led the bullpen along with Joe Price, but the colorful Brad "The Animal" Lesley was unable to consistently excel, and former All-Star Jim Kern was also a disappointment. Kern was also publicly upset over having to shave off his prominent beard to join the Reds, and helped force the issue of getting traded during mid-season by growing it back. The season also saw
16244-428: Was likely his ninth- inning , lead off , opposite field home run in that fifth NLCS game. The solo shot tied the game at three; the Reds won later in the inning on a wild pitch, 4–3. It was hailed after the game as "one of the great clutch home runs of all time." However, the Reds lost the World Series to a strong Oakland Athletics team in seven games. After the 1972 season, Bench underwent surgery to remove
16375-572: Was married for the fifth time in March 2024. While still an active MLB player, he made a cameo appearance as a Kings Island Inn poolside waiter in "I Left My Heart in Cincinnati," a Season 3 episode of The Partridge Family which first aired on January 26, 1973. Bench was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York , in 1989 alongside Carl Yastrzemski . He
16506-545: Was not a starter, while John Vukovich , an off-season acquisition, was the starting third baseman. While Vuckovich was a superb fielder, he was a weak hitter. In May, with the team off to a slow start and trailing the Dodgers, Sparky Anderson made a bold move by moving Rose to third base, a position where he had very little experience, and inserting Foster in left field. This was the jolt that the Reds needed to propel them into first place, with Rose proving to be reliable on defense and
16637-441: Was really like." After returning to Manhattan, Chesser said, "Johnny Bench is a great athlete, a mediocre everything else, and a true tragedy as a person." Before Christmas 1987, Bench married Laura Cwikowski, an Oklahoma City model and aerobics instructor. They had a son, Bobby Binger Bench (named after Bob Hope and Bobby Knight , and Bench's hometown), before divorcing in 1995. They shared custody of their son. "He was, and is,
16768-547: Was renamed the Buster Posey Award for the 2019 season onwards. In 2003, he guest starred on an episode of Yes, Dear as himself, along with Ernie Banks and Frank Robinson . In 2008, Bench co-wrote the book Catch Every Ball: How to Handle Life's Pitches with Paul Daugherty, published by Orange Frazer Press . An autobiography published in 1979 called Catch You Later was co-authored with William Brashler. Bench has also broadcast games on television and radio, and
16899-448: Was subjected to complaints in the press about his strict managerial style. Marge Schott found herself the subject of further controversy when, in May 1996, she reiterated her 1992 praise for Hitler in an ESPN interview. The MLB executive council threatened to sanction her again, but she instead agreed step aside from day-to-day operations through 1998. In 1999, she sold a controlling stake in
17030-946: Was the highest-ranking catcher. Bench was also elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team as the top vote-receiving catcher. As part of the Golden Anniversary of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, Bench was selected to the All-Time Rawlings Gold Glove Team . From the 2000 college baseball season until 2018, the best collegiate catcher annually received the Johnny Bench Award . Notable winners include Buster Posey of Florida State University , Kelly Shoppach of Baylor University , Ryan Garko of Stanford University , and Kurt Suzuki of Cal State Fullerton . The award
17161-500: Was the main pitching stalwart before arm problems cut short his career. Ted Kluszewski was the NL home run leader in 1954. The rest of the offense was a collection of over-the-hill players and not-ready-for-prime-time youngsters. In April 1953, in a political climate increasingly dominated by anti-Communism, the Reds announced a preference to be called the "Redlegs", saying that the name of the club had been "Red Stockings" and then "Redlegs", The team hoped to avoid any association between
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