The Dowd Report is the document describing the transgressions of baseball player and manager Pete Rose in betting on baseball , which precipitated his agreement to a permanent ban from the sport in the United States . The 225-page report was prepared by Special Counsel to the Commissioner John M. Dowd and was submitted to Commissioner Bart Giamatti in May 1989. The report, published in June 1989, was accompanied by seven volumes of exhibits, which included bank and telephone records, alleged betting records, expert reports, and transcripts of interviews with Rose and other witnesses.
169-625: Rose was ultimately placed on baseball's ineligible list in August 1989. The most controversial conclusion of the report, that Rose had bet on baseball games while managing the Cincinnati Reds , was confirmed 15 years later by Rose himself through his autobiography My Prison Without Bars . Dowd later donated the Dowd Report collections to his alma mater, Emory University School of Law , in 2015. This baseball -related article
338-523: A sacrifice fly and a pop-out, and the Pirates were only one out away from going to the World Series. Pinch hitter Francisco Cabrera singled to left, scoring two runners—including Sid Bream , a former Pirate and one of the slowest players in baseball- to win the series for Atlanta. That offseason, Drabek and Bonds became free agents, and the Pirates' internal replacements were insufficient to keep
507-522: A walk-off home run by Mazeroski, a second baseman better known for defensive wizardry. The 1960 Pirates were the only team between 1945 and 2001 to have not succumbed to the so-called " Ex-Cubs Factor " in the postseason. They also became the first team to win a World Series on a home run, a feat later achieved by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1993 , although Joe Carter 's home run came in Game 6 of
676-852: A .414 Series batting average by Clemente. They also thought they had a genuine superstar pitcher (historically rare for the Pirates) in Steve Blass , who pitched two masterful games in the World Series against Baltimore and had excellent seasons in 1968 and 1972. On September 1, 1971, the Pirates made Major League Baseball history by fielding the first all-black/minority starting lineup: second baseman Rennie Stennett , center fielder Gene Clines , right fielder Roberto Clemente , left fielder Willie Stargell , catcher Manny Sanguillén , third baseman Dave Cash , first baseman Al Oliver , shortstop Jackie Hernández , and pitcher Dock Ellis . Manager Danny Murtaugh had never hesitated using minority players in
845-590: A 3–1 deficit to win the 1925 World Series over the Washington Senators , and reached the 1927 World Series before being swept by the New York Yankees , who at that time had built the most dominant team in baseball. The 1927 season was the first for the sharp-hitting combination of brothers Lloyd Waner and Paul Waner , who along with shortstop Arky Vaughan ensured that the Pirates had plenty of Hall of Fame-caliber position players through
1014-484: 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
1183-468: 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 ,
1352-399: 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
1521-796: 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
1690-462: 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
1859-521: A contentious relationship with the Detroit front office ended his 12-year career with the Tigers after a .319 batting average , 306 homers and 1,528 hits . With Greenberg a fearsome, right-handed power hitter, the Pirates' new ownership decided to make Forbes Field a more inviting home run destination. They reduced the previously cavernous dimensions of the left field and left-center-field section of
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#17327754786542028-508: 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,
2197-409: 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
2366-465: 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
2535-422: 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
2704-458: 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
2873-598: 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,
3042-523: A half-interest in the Pirates, then after the season sent nearly all of the Colonels' stars up the Ohio River to Pittsburgh. Since the transaction occurred before the Colonels officially folded, it was structured as a trade; the Pirates sent four relatively unknown players to Louisville. Despite their nickname, the Pirates at least waited until after the season to pull off this blockbuster trade. This
3211-493: A league-low $ 9 million payroll, the 1997 squad —known as the "Freak Show"—remained in contention for the newly created National League Central for most of the summer. The following year, the city pushed through funding for a new, baseball-only stadium on the North Shore. As construction on the new ballpark took place down the street, the Pirates failed to build on their 1997 season. General manager Cam Bonifay sought to have
3380-484: 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
3549-425: 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
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#17327754786543718-423: A marginally winning record and a third-place league mark. Following their best showing in the A.A.—an 80–57 record and a second-place finish—Pittsburgh became the first A.A. team to switch to the older National League in 1887. At the time, William A. Nimick was club president and Horace Phillips manager. The Alleghenys were severely crippled during the 1890 season, when nearly all of their stars jumped to
3887-560: A move in 1884 to higher ground at Union (Recreation) Park . The Alleghenys had limited success during their five years in the American Association. A .500 inaugural season was followed by two inept campaigns, including a disastrous 1884 effort in which the Alleghenys went 30–78 and used five different managers. The next year's team, aided by the signing of many players from the disbanded Columbus Buckeyes , rebounded to
4056-431: 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
4225-518: A mysterious decline in his pitching abilities, posting a 9.85 ERA . To this day, pitchers who suddenly lose the ability to throw strikes are said to have "Steve Blass disease". Blass retired soon after; he has since, for almost two decades, been one of the Pirates' radio and TV announcers. The Pirates made the playoffs in 1974 and 1975, but lost the National League Championship Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers and
4394-473: A number of losing seasons and culminated in a disastrous 1917 campaign, in which the Bucs went 51–103 and Wagner retired. However, the seeds of the next competitive Pirates team had already been planted. Veteran outfielder Max Carey and young players Pie Traynor and Kiki Cuyler , along with a remarkably deep pitching staff, brought the Pirates back into the spotlight in the early 1920s. The Pirates recovered from
4563-676: 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
4732-445: 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
4901-492: 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
5070-599: A schism between the leagues that contributed to the demise of the A.A. Although the Pittsburgh club was never found guilty of wrongdoing, its allegedly "piratical" act gained it the occasional nickname "Pirates" starting in 1891. Within a few years, the nickname caught on with Pittsburgh newspapers. Additional nicknames for the team in the 1890s included the Patriots, the Alleghenies (sometimes shortened to Allies) and
5239-539: A shipment of relief supplies to the victims of an earthquake in Nicaragua . Tom Walker , then- Montreal Expos pitcher and future father of Pirates second baseman Neil Walker , offered to join Clemente that day but Clemente insisted that he stay home. Thus, Roberto Clemente had an influence on the 2013 playoff run. He had reached a milestone by rapping his 3,000th career hit , a stand-up double off Jon Matlack of
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5408-569: A winning team in place for the opening of the new stadium in 2001, but the Bucs lost 93 games in 1998 and again in 2000. In 2001, the Pirates opened a new stadium, PNC Park , featuring a simple concept and strategic usage of the Pittsburgh skyline. General manager Dave Littlefield was installed July 13, 2001, midway through the 2001 season, and began overhauling the team to comply with owner Kevin McClatchy 's dictum to drastically reduce
5577-620: 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
5746-673: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . 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 the NL in 1890. The Reds played in
5915-469: 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
6084-654: Is unlike what happened in 1899 to the Cleveland Spiders and, to a lesser extent, the Baltimore Orioles , who were also part of two-team ownerships. Dreyfuss later bought full control of the team and kept it until his death in 1932. Bolstered by former Colonels shortstop and Pittsburgh native Honus Wagner , along with player/manager Fred Clarke , the Pirates completely dominated the National League, in part because they lost few star players to
6253-447: Is widely credited with inventing the concept of the closer by frequently playing Face late in close games. The 1960 team featured eight All-Stars, but was widely predicted to lose the World Series to a powerful New York Yankees team. In one of the most memorable World Series in history, the Pirates were defeated by ten or more runs in three games, won three close games, then recovered from a 7–4 deficit late in Game 7 eventually to win on
6422-424: The 1947 Pirates , hit 25 home runs (18 at Forbes Field), batted only .249, and then retired from the game. Ralph Kiner —who, as rookie, had led the National League in homers with 23 playing in the old Forbes Field—became the beneficiary of the new left-field configuration, which was quickly renamed " Kiner's Korner ". He slugged 51 home runs in 1947, then followed with seasons of 40, 54, 47, 42 and 37 blasts to lead
6591-574: The Americans defeat the favored Pirates in eight games. Deacon Phillippe pitched five complete games, winning three of them, but Pittsburgh was plagued by injuries and a bad performance from Wagner, who batted only 6-for-27 (.222) in the Series and committed six errors. The Pirates remained one of the premier teams in the National League through the first decade of the 1900s, never finishing lower than fourth (and then, only once), but could not get past
6760-506: 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
6929-496: The Cardinals ). Despite their on-field success, the Pirates struggled to draw fans in the late 1970s, as the steel crisis devastated Pittsburgh's economy and led to a regional population drain. At the same time, payroll costs were rising due to free agency. In 1979, the Pirates had the highest payroll in baseball ($ 4.2 million) but only drew 1.43 million fans, ranking 18th out of MLB's 26 teams. Attendance continued to decline in
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7098-526: The Cincinnati Reds , respectively. The speedy Omar Moreno and the power-hitting Dave Parker joined Stargell in the lineup during this period. After the 1976 season, in which the Bucs finished in second place behind the cross-state Philadelphia Phillies , Danny Murtaugh died. The Pirates struck a trade with the Oakland Athletics in which catcher Manny Sanguillén was sent to Oakland for manager Chuck Tanner . The Pirates would finish second to
7267-562: The Cubs in the final week of the season, thanks to the infamous Homer in the Gloamin . In the 1930s, several teams found sustained success—most notably the St. Louis Cardinals —through the development of farm systems , which provided an endless supply of young, cheap ballplayers. The Pirates were late to developing a farm system and slipped down the standings as a result. Benswanger made comments to
7436-587: 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
7605-456: The New York Mets on September 30, 1972, in what would prove to be his last regular-season at-bat. The Baseball Hall of Fame waived its usual waiting requirement and inducted Clemente immediately. Pittsburgh would erect a statue and name a bridge and park near the stadium after him, as well as a street in the Oakland neighborhood near the former site of Forbes Field. In 1973, Blass suffered
7774-468: 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,
7943-581: The Pittsburgh Burghers of the Players' League . With a decimated roster, the team experienced what is still the worst season in franchise history, going 23–113. The allegiances of Pittsburgh baseball fans also jumped to Players League, leading to trouble at the box office for the Alleghenys. The Alleghenys ended up playing their last 29 home games on the road, and finished the season with a total attendance of about 16,000 fans. Fortunately for
8112-446: 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
8281-604: The Pittsburgh drug trials held in the city that summer saw several Pirate players called to the stand to testify on drug use, and even the Pirate Parrot was implicated for buying cocaine and introducing a few of the ballplayers to a local drug dealer. At the end of the 1985 season, the Galbreath family sold the franchise to the Pittsburgh Associates , a consortium of area businesses determined to keep
8450-586: The Reds , and fell to the eventual world champion in six games. The Bucs were even better in 1991, easily winning the National League East by 14 games, but they once again fell in the NLCS despite taking a 3–2 lead in the series. The young, upstart Atlanta Braves won Games 6 and 7 at Three Rivers Stadium, denying the Bucs' bid for their 10th National League pennant. Despite losing Bonilla to free agency in
8619-632: 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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#17327754786548788-514: 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
8957-531: 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
9126-409: 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
9295-416: The 1930s. Dreyfuss had groomed his son, Samuel, to take over the Pirates upon his death, but Samuel died of pneumonia at age 35 in 1931. When the elder Dreyfuss died the following year, ownership of the Pirates passed on to his widow, Florence . She prevailed upon her son-in-law, William Benswanger , to take over operations as team president. Benswanger inherited a team with a strong foundation that included
9464-407: 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
9633-590: 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
9802-403: 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
9971-514: The 1991–92 offseason, the Pirates won their third consecutive division title and once again faced off against the Braves in the 1992 National League Championship Series . Atlanta took a 3–1 lead in the series, but the Pirates won Games 5 and 6 to force a deciding Game 7 in Atlanta. Drabek pitched into the 9th inning as the Bucs clung to a 2–0 lead; he was removed after the Braves loaded the bases with no outs. Reliever Stan Belinda retired two Braves on
10140-409: The 1993 Series. Mazeroski's homer remains the only walk-off home run in Game 7 of a World Series. The 1960s would continue with extremely solid defensive play by Bill Mazeroski and the great offensive and defensive abilities of Clemente, baseball's first Puerto Rican superstar. Clemente was regarded as one of the game's best all-time hitters, and possessed a tremendous arm in right field. Although not
10309-562: The AA's Philadelphia Athletics . The Athletics failed to include him on their reserve list, and Pittsburgh picked him up. Nonetheless, this led to loud protests by the Athletics, and in an official complaint, an AA official claimed Pittsburgh's actions were "piratical". This incident (which is discussed at some length in The Beer and Whisky League , by David Nemec, 1994) quickly accelerated into
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#173277547865410478-514: The Allegheny Base Ball Club of Pittsburgh, the team was listed as "Allegheny" in the standings, and was sometimes called the "Alleghenys" (rarely the "Alleghenies") in that era's custom of referring to a team by its pluralized city or club name. The team played its games at Exposition Park I & II , located between the present-day site of Heinz Field and the Pirates' current home, PNC Park , before persistent flooding forced
10647-480: The Allegheny was hit hard in 1878 by player defections and competition from other, better-established teams in Pittsburgh, and the club folded. On October 15, 1881, Denny McKnight held a meeting at Pittsburgh's St. Clair Hotel to organize a new Allegheny club, which began play in 1882 as a founding member of the American Association , which had started up to take on the established National League. Chartered as
10816-532: The Alleghenys, the Players' League collapsed after a single season and the players were allowed to return to their former teams. A reorganized Pittsburgh club, formed from a merger of the Alleghenys and the Burghers, recovered the services of several players who had jumped to the upstart league a year earlier. The new owners also signed highly regarded second baseman Lou Bierbauer , who had previously played with
10985-474: 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
11154-434: 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
11323-452: The Braves. By the turn of the century, "Pirates" had become the most popular nickname, and was first acknowledged on the team's uniforms in 1912. The team moved into the reconstructed Exposition Park , built on the site of the previous Exposition parks but now with a capacity of 10,000. The Pirates experience a modicum of success in the early 1890s, finishing just five games back of the pennant-winning Boston Beaneaters in 1893. The rest of
11492-752: 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
11661-516: 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
11830-515: The NL, sharing the home run title with Johnny Mize (1947–1948) and Hank Sauer (1952). Kiner led or co-led the National League in home runs for seven consecutive seasons (1946–1952) and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975. Throughout their history, the Pirates' colors had been red, white and blue, which was standard for baseball teams in the early 1900s. In 1948, the Bucs updated their colors to yellow, black and white, matching
11999-420: 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
12168-579: 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
12337-511: The Phillies once again in 1977, with Parker winning a batting title. It was also in 1977 that the Pirates began wearing yellow and black uniforms with pillbox caps. Stargell would award teammates with "Stargell Stars" on their caps for excellent plays on the field. The following year, the Pirates turned the end of the 1978 season into an impromptu race for the NL East, as they tried to chase down
12506-459: The Pirates competitive into the late 1970s. However, all this was not evident when Rickey (then 73) retired due to ill health in 1955, with the Pirates still struggling to escape the NL basement. "Kiner's Korner", meanwhile, was demolished in 1954, restoring Forbes Field to its previous, pitching-friendly contour. The 1948 team was the only postwar Pirates squad with a winning record until 1958, Danny Murtaugh 's first full season as manager. Murtaugh
12675-554: The Pirates. Robert Nutting replaced McClatchy as majority owner, becoming the sixth majority owner in Pirates history. On July 6, 2007, Kevin McClatchy announced he was stepping down as the Pirates CEO at the end of the 2007 season. On September 7, 2007, Nutting fired general manager Dave Littlefield . The Pittsburgh Pirates began to shape their organizational management team late in the 2007 season. On September 13, Frank Coonelly , chief labor counsel for Major League Baseball,
12844-634: The Pittsburgh area began in 1876, when organizers formed the Allegheny Base Ball Club , an independent (non-league) club, as the ownership group lost their bid in February to join the newly created National League . The now-pro Allegheny played their first game in April of that year. The team joined the minor league International Association in 1877 and posted a decent 13–6 record, featuring future Hall of Fame pitcher Pud Galvin . But
13013-536: 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
13182-626: 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. Pittsburgh Alleghenys The following is a history of the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball . An early mention of "base ball" in
13351-401: 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
13520-410: 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,
13689-509: 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
13858-519: 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
14027-465: 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
14196-767: 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
14365-460: 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
14534-521: 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
14703-424: 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
14872-487: 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
15041-468: 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
15210-404: 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
15379-449: 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
15548-400: 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
15717-484: 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
15886-543: The collapsing Phillies , who ultimately won the division, only to fall short during the final home stand of the season (ironically against the Phillies). Despite this, Parker won another batting title and was named National League MVP to go with it. Adopting the popular song " We Are Family " by the Philadelphia disco group Sister Sledge as their theme song, the 1979 Pirates held off the Montreal Expos to claim
16055-834: The colors of the flag of Pittsburgh . The color scheme was already being used by the city's professional football franchise, the Steelers , and would later be adopted by the Pittsburgh Penguins . While attendance figures at Forbes Field rose to among the top in the NL, the team built around Kiner placed in the first division only once—in 1948—and in 1952 compiled one of the worst records in major league history, winning 42 and losing 112 games (.273) and finishing 54 + 1 ⁄ 2 games out of first place. The new ownership group reorganized during 1950 , when Galbreath, Crosby and Johnson bought out McKinney's investment, and Galbreath became majority owner. His family would control
16224-515: 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
16393-468: The course of the season, 14 players were called up from its Triple-A affiliate. On September 6, manager Lloyd McClendon was fired after 5 losing seasons. On October 11, Jim Tracy was hired as the new manager. The 2006 season got off to a slow start with the Pirates losing their first six games. The Bucs stood at an abysmal 30–60 mark by the time they hosted the All Star Game at PNC Park. During
16562-410: The cramped, wooden Exposition Park, which was prone to flooding from the nearby Allegheny River . The new stadium could seat an additional 7,000 spectators compared to Exposition Park, and was constructed out of concrete and steel, a novel concept at the time. The site was initially labeled "Dreyfuss's Folly" due to its long distance—a 10-minute trolley ride—from downtown Pittsburgh , but the land around
16731-521: The decade was more mediocre, with the club consistently placing in the bottom half of the league. After the 1899 season, the Pirates made what is arguably the best player transaction in franchise history when they picked up nearly all of the star players from the Louisville Colonels . Louisville owner Barney Dreyfuss had been told that the Colonels were slated for elimination when the N.L. contracted from 12 to 8 teams. He secretly purchased
16900-572: 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
17069-533: The destiny of the Pirates for the next 35 years. Galbreath's first major move, the hiring of Branch Rickey as general manager after the 1950 campaign, was initially a great disappointment to Pittsburgh fans. Rickey had invented the farm system with the Cardinals and broken the baseball color line with the Dodgers , building dynasties with each club. In Pittsburgh, though, he purged the roster of its higher-salaried veterans (including Kiner in 1953) and flooded
17238-483: The direction of the team. LaRoche was later traded to the Red Sox in exchange for minor leaguers Hunter Strickland and Argenis Díaz , while Wilson was sent to the Seattle Mariners for shortstop Ronny Cedeño and several minor leaguers. The Pirates also traded Sanchez to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for Tim Alderson. On September 7, the Pirates were defeated by the Chicago Cubs 4–2, clinching
17407-465: The early 1980s as Pittsburgh's economic woes continued and the Pirates slipped down the standings. Claiming massive losses, Galbreath said he was ready to move on from the Pirates after three decades and was looking to sell. Edward J. Lewis of Oxford Development and Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr. made a serious offer to purchase the team in early 1981. Both the cities of New Orleans, Louisiana and Tampa, Florida put packages together to attempt to lure
17576-421: 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
17745-401: 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
17914-406: The field, the Pirates would need a new ballpark to replace the aging Three Rivers Stadium and increase revenue streams; on the field, the Bucs would need to cut payroll, trade players for prospects, and build up the farm system. Leyland, unwilling to endure a rebuild, quit after the 1996 season, being replaced in his capacity by Gene Lamont . At first, the plan seemed to be working: despite fielding
18083-416: 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
18252-448: The first black-Hispanic baseball player (an honor belonging to Minnie Miñoso ), Clemente's charisma and leadership in humanitarian causes made him an icon across the continent. During his playing career, Clemente was often overlooked, but today many consider him to have been one of the greatest right fielders in baseball history. Even with Roberto Clemente, however, the Pirates struggled to post winning marks from 1961 to 1964, and Murtaugh
18421-427: The five elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame's inaugural class , but Wagner was the better player in 1909. Atoning for his bum performance in 1903, he hit .333 to Cobb's .231 as the Pirates took the series in seven games, winning their first world title. The Pirates remained a competitive team in the early part of the 1910s but began to slip down the standings as their stars aged and declined. This downward trend led to
18590-428: The future hall of famer Waner brothers, Vaughan, and player/manager Traynor. Between 1932 and 1938 the Pirates consistently finished in the National League's first division, posting only one losing season during that span. But the club never returned to the World Series in that stretch, finishing in second place three times. In 1938, the Pirates entered September with a seven-game lead for the NL pennant, but were passed by
18759-422: 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
18928-513: 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
19097-401: The game. Pirates broadcaster (and former pitcher) Jim Rooker famously vowed that if the team blew the lead, he would walk home from Philadelphia—a vow he fulfilled after the season while raising money for charity. The Pirates would win the first three NL East titles of the 1990s, but failed to advance to the World Series each time. In 1990 , the Pirates faced off against their old rivals,
19266-565: The group also included entertainer Bing Crosby , Pittsburgh attorney Thomas P. Johnson , and Columbus, Ohio -based real estate tycoon John W. Galbreath . The new owners seemingly scored a coup when they purchased veteran slugger Hank Greenberg from the Detroit Tigers for the 1947 season. The Hall-of-Fame-bound Greenberg, then 36, had led the American League in home runs (44) and runs batted in (127) in 1946 , his first full season after almost five years in military service. But
19435-500: 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
19604-405: 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
19773-408: 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
19942-447: 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
20111-441: The lineup, but even the players took notice when he posted the lineup that day. Blass later recalled, "The thing I remember about it, when he was interviewed afterwards, Murtaugh said, 'I put the nine best athletes out there. The best nine I put out there tonight happened to be black. No big deal. Next question. ' " The sports world was stunned and saddened when Clemente died in a plane crash on December 31, 1972, while accompanying
20280-499: 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 ,
20449-563: 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
20618-419: 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
20787-434: 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
20956-399: 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
21125-399: The park by 30 feet (9.1 m) by moving the bullpens to the base of the old left field wall, behind a new fence that was 335 feet (102 m) from home plate down the left-field line. The shorter porch was immediately dubbed "Greenberg Gardens" in honor of the former Tiger. As events turned out, however, Greenberg's playing career was winding down rapidly. He played only 125 games for
21294-461: The park developed and criticisms were dropped. Spurred by the new ballpark, the Pirates finished first in the National League with a 110–42 record , which as of 2022 remains the best record in franchise history. Pittsburgh faced off against the Detroit Tigers , who were making their third consecutive appearance in the World Series. The series was billed as a matchup between the major leagues' two superstars, Wagner and Ty Cobb . Both men would be among
21463-636: The payroll. Enigmatic but talented third baseman Aramis Ramírez was traded to the Chicago Cubs in 2003 for a fairly minimal return under pressure to dump his $ 6 million salary for 2004, and he proceeded to become a star for the Cubs. Brian Giles was one of the National League 's best hitters for several years, but he and his $ 9 million salary were also traded in 2003 to the San Diego Padres for youngsters Óliver Pérez , Jason Bay , and Cory Stewart . Pirate fans found this trade much more palatable in
21632-692: The pennant. "We Are Family" was elevated from theme song to anthem status (and is still nearly synonymous with the '79 Pirates), with fans chanting "Fam-a-lee!" from the stands. The Pirates faced the Baltimore Orioles again in the World Series , which (like 1971) they won in seven games, on October 17, 1979 . During the 1979 championship season, a Pirate player was designated as Most Valuable Player in every available category: All-Star Game MVP (Dave Parker), NL Championship Series MVP (Willie Stargell), World Series MVP (Willie Stargell), and National League MVP (Willie Stargell, shared with Keith Hernandez of
21801-399: 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
21970-418: 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
22139-527: 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
22308-465: The press that he sought to improve the Pirates by signing African-American players during the 1930s and 1940s, going as far as planning a tryout, but the other owners refused to break baseball's color barrier . In August 1946, the long era of ownership by the Barney Dreyfuss family came to an end when Benswanger sold the team to a syndicate led by Indianapolis businessman Frank McKinney ;
22477-656: The region is found in an issue of the Pittsburgh Gazette from 1857. After the Civil War, baseball was sufficiently popular that the city fielded several amateur teams considered to be strong: the Enterprise, Xantha, and Olympic clubs. The teams often competed at Union Park in what was then known as Allegheny City , across the Allegheny River from Pittsburgh. Recognized professional baseball in
22646-464: The rest of the 1960s. Slugger Willie Stargell became a fixture in the Pittsburgh lineup in the late 1960s, and the Pirates returned to prominence in 1970. Murtaugh returned as manager and the Pirates' home field, Forbes Field , was demolished in favor of the multi-purpose Three Rivers Stadium . In 1970, the Pirates won their first of five National League East division titles over the next seven years, and won their fourth World Series in 1971 behind
22815-501: The rival American League . A .500 team in 1899, the Pirates immediately saw improvement in the new century, finishing with a 79–60 record in 1900 and just 4½ games behind the Brooklyn Superbas . The following season, the Pirates won their first National League title, and followed that up with pennants in 1902 and 1903. Dreyfuss had taken a leading role amongst baseball owners and helped the National League broker peace with
22984-553: 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
23153-406: The second half of the season, however, the Pirates made a successful turnaround and finished the second half with a 37–35 record. This is the first time the Pirates have finished the second half of the season with a winning record since 1992. Third baseman Freddy Sanchez won the National League batting title for the 2006 season with an average of .344. The 2007 season was a year of transition for
23322-521: 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,
23491-426: 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
23660-569: The short run, as Pérez led the majors in strikeouts per inning and Bay won the Rookie of the Year Award in 2004, while Giles put up a subpar season by his standards. After the 2004 season, Jason Kendall went to the Oakland Athletics in a cross-exchange of high-salary players. Illustrating the Pirates' rebuilding efforts, at the close of the 2005 season, the team fielded the youngest roster in baseball, with an average age of 26.6 years. During
23829-517: The stronger Chicago Cubs or New York Giants . In 1908, the Pirates played in Pittsburgh for the first time, as the team's several parks had all been located in Allegheny City , which was a separate city until annexed by Pittsburgh in December 1907. In 1909, the Bucs moved out of their longtime home at Exposition Park to the new Forbes Field in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood. The increasingly large crowds coming to see games overwhelmed
23998-476: 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
24167-483: The team competitive. The Bucs finished with a below-.500 record in 1993, the first of 20 consecutive losing seasons that would become a record for the four major professional North American sports leagues. As the team slipped down the standings in the mid-1990s, the Pittsburgh Associates looked to find a buyer for the team, and rumors once again circulated that the team would be moved. The ownership group
24336-456: The team from relocating. Jim Leyland took over as manager in 1986, and under his guidance the Pirates gradually climbed out of the cellar. They featured young and exciting players such as the "outfield of dreams" consisting of Bobby Bonilla , Barry Bonds , and Andy Van Slyke ; infielders Jay Bell , Steve Buechele , Sid Bream , and José Lind ; catcher Mike LaValliere , and pitchers Doug Drabek , John Smiley , and Stan Belinda . In 1988,
24505-466: 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
24674-457: The team out of Pittsburgh, and the team's future in the city it had called home for more than 100 years seemed seriously in doubt. The 1985 season was one of the lowest points in team history. Amidst rumors that the team would relocate, the Pirates lost 104 games, their most since 1954. Efforts to show fans support like "Ballot by Ballpark" day—in which local media encouraged fans to pack Three Rivers Stadium—did little to move ownership. Meanwhile,
24843-460: 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 ,
25012-484: 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,
25181-525: The team with young players. Many of those youngsters faltered, but those who fulfilled Rickey's faith in them—pitchers Vern Law , Bob Friend and Elroy Face , shortstop Dick Groat , second baseman Bill Mazeroski , and especially outfielder Roberto Clemente , drafted from Brooklyn after his only minor league season (1954)—would form the nucleus of the Pirates' 1960 championship club . Moreover, as in St. Louis and Brooklyn, Rickey put into place one of baseball's most successful farm and scouting systems, keeping
25350-541: The team's only 2008 All-Star Nate McLouth was traded to the Atlanta Braves for prospects Jeff Locke , Charlie Morton and Gorkys Hernández . On June 30, the team dealt Nyjer Morgan and Sean Burnett to the Washington Nationals , as well as sending utility player Eric Hinske to the New York Yankees . This upset some Pirates players, including Adam LaRoche and Jack Wilson , who questioned
25519-456: The third base coach under prior manager Lloyd McClendon from 2003 to 2005. Under Huntington, the team began another round of rebuilding. Prior to the 2008 trade deadline, the Pirates made several deals that sent several accomplished veterans to other franchises: left fielder Xavier Nady and pitcher Dámaso Marte were sent to the New York Yankees in return for José Tábata , Ross Ohlendorf , Dan McCutchen , and Jeff Karstens ; Jason Bay
25688-461: 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
25857-526: The upstart American League, recognizing both leagues as major leagues and instituting one set of rules. With Dreyfuss' 1903 squad well on its way to another NL pennant, he asked Henry Killilea , owner of the American League-leading Boston Americans , if he would be interested in scheduling a postseason series between the champions of each league. That series, recognized as the first modern World Series ever played , saw
26026-492: 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
26195-495: The young team finished 85–75 and seemed ready to compete for a pennant. However, the 1989 season was a major setback, with injuries depleting the squad and leading to a fifth-place finish. Among the low points of the season was a game against rival Philadelphia Phillies in Philadelphia on June 8, 1989 , where the Pirates became the first team in major-league history to score 10 runs in the first inning and nevertheless lose
26364-434: 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
26533-467: 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
26702-411: 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
26871-403: 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
27040-411: 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
27209-533: 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
27378-470: 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
27547-472: Was introduced as the team's new president. On September 25, 2007, the Pirates announced the hiring of Neal Huntington , formerly a scout in the Cleveland Guardians organization, as the team's new general manager. On October 5, 2007, Jim Tracy was fired by the Pirates and replaced by Ottawa Lynx manager John Russell , who was named the new manager a month later. Russell had originally been
27716-550: 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
27885-458: Was only intended to be a short-term steward of franchise to ensure its future in Pittsburgh, but the Associates ended up owning the Pirates for more than a decade. In 1996, McClatchy publishing company chairman Kevin McClatchy led a group of investors to purchase the Pirates for $ 95 million. McClatchy immediately moved forward with a two-pronged plan to return the Pirates to relevance: off
28054-569: Was replaced by Harry Walker in 1965. With Walker, a renowned batting coach, at the helm, and the hitting of Clemente, Matty Alou , Manny Mota and others, the Bucs fielded contending, 90+ win teams in both 1965 and 1966, with Clemente claiming the National League MVP Award in the latter year. However, Pittsburgh had no answer for the pitching of the Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants , and finished third both seasons. In 1967, they fell back to .500, and did not contend through
28223-451: 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
28392-500: 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
28561-578: Was traded to the Boston Red Sox in a three-team deal that brought Andy LaRoche , Bryan Morris , Brandon Moss and Craig Hansen to Pittsburgh. On November 24, the Pirates signed Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel as undrafted free agents, making them the first Indian citizens to sign a contract with any American professional sports team. Both men are pitchers, who were first spotted in the "Million Dollar Arm" contest organized in India by J.B. Bernstein earlier in 2008. The roster teardown continued in 2009, as
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