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
The Reds had a reputa tion of being a powerhouse during the regular season They had made the playoffs in three of the past five years But they fell short of winning the World Series each time Now it appeared they were about to disappoint again They trailed the Boston Red Sox 3 0 in the top of the sixth inning But then the Reds started to look like the team that had Joe Morgan Joe Morgan late He fl Reds second baseman Joe Morgan Reds second baseman Joe Morgan looked odd at the d looked odd at the plate He flapped looked odd at the plate He flapped his left arm like a chicken as he his left arm like a chicken as he awaited the pitch to make certain awaited the pitch to make certain awaited the pitch to make certain awaited the pitch to make certain he kept his elbow up But nobody he kept his elbow up But nobody questioned the results Morgan questioned the results Morgan blossomed into a Hall of Famer upon n blossomed into a Hall of Famer upon his arrival in Cincinnati in 1972 He his arrival in Cincinnati in 1972 He his arrival in Cincinnati in 1972 He scored at least 107 runs and stole scored at least 107 runs and stole an average of 60 bases in the next an average of 60 bases in the next an average of 60 bases in the next an average of 60 bases in the next six seasons He won the NL Most six seasons He won the NL Most Valuable Player MVP Award in both Valuable Player MVP Award in both Valuable Player MVP Award in both 1975 and 1976 Morgan later spent 1975 and 1976 Morgan later spent 1975 and 1976 Morgan later spent 1975 and 1976 Morgan later spent 21 seasons calli g ESPN's 21 seasons calli 21 seasons calling ESPN's 21 seasons calling ESPN's Sunday Sunday Sunday ESPN's Night Baseball Night Baseball Night Baseball f dominated the regular season Their bullpen had shut down the Red Sox’s bats in the fifth Then Perez blasted a two-run home run in the sixth Rose added a single that drove in the tying run in the seventh The score remained tied until the ninth inning Morgan stepped to the plate with run ners on first and second and two outs He proceeded to hit a bloop single up the middle driving in the go-ahead run Reds reliever Will McEnaney then blanked the Sox in the bot tom of the inning Finally the Reds had won their first World Series title since 1940 The parade festivities the following day featured beloved manager Sparky Anderson A Sports Illustrated reporter described the jubilation from early that morning It was a bright joyous day in Cincinnati and the streets 6 CINCINNATI REDS
The Cincinnati Reds celebrate after beating the Boston Red Sox to win the 1975 World Series were already alive with cel ebrants he wrote Flakes of ticker tape calendar pads stationery toilet paper floated lazily from upper-story win dows of downtown buildings By noon townspeople had overflowed Fountain Square Youngsters scaled trees statues fences lampposts to see the parade As the Reds arrived via another route sec retaries in office buildings jumped from their desks and waved from behind windows The writer continued Anderson held his arms aloft and on his arrival at the podium bent to embrace a star tled little boy a gesture that THE BIG RED MACHINE 7
