TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 The Big Red Machine 4 Chapter 2 The First Pros 12 Chapter 3 One Good Decade One Bad 18 Chapter 4 Struggles Stars and the Sixties 26 Chapter 5 Ups Downs and Ups 34 Timeline 42 Quick Stats 44 Quotes and Anecdotes 45 Glossary 46 For More Information 47 Index 48 About the Author 48
CHAPTER 1 THE BIG RED MACHINE
I t seemed unthinkable that the Cincinnati Reds could lose the 1975 World Series They were just too good The team was not nicknamed The Big Red Machine for nothing The 1975 Reds had one of the strongest lineups in base ball history Third baseman Pete Rose would later become Major League Baseball’s MLB career hits leader In 1975 he combined with first base man Tony Perez outfielder George Foster catcher Johnny Bench and second baseman Joe Morgan to strike fear into opposing pitchers They led the Reds to 108 wins that season That was the highest total in the National League NL in 66 years Yet in the sixth inning of the seventh game of the World Series the Reds appeared doomed again Pete Rose was one of the top batters in baseball history He led the NL in Pete Rose was one of the top batters in baseball history He led the NL in hits seven times and finished his career as baseball’s all-time hit leader hits seven times and finished his career as baseball’s all-time hit leader THE BIG RED MACHINE 5
