Scooter Gennett Hits 4 Home Runs

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Ken Griffey Jr.'s Career Highlights

The Big Red Machine: Tony Perez "Big Dog"

Tony Perez broke into the major leagues with the Cincinnati Reds in 1964, but it wasn’t until 1967 that his power started to show. It was a season that he would hit 26 home runs with 102 RBI. His career would see 9 more seasons of 20+ home runs, and the first of 7 seasons of 100+ RBI.

He was a seven time all-star, and won back to World Series Championship with the Big Red Machine in 1975-1976. His career hitting line was .279/.341/.463 with 379 home runs and 1,652 RBI. In 2000, Perez was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. He is a member of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame, and the Reds have retired his #24.

Perez would have productive seasons with the Montreal Expos, and Boston Red Sox. He would make a brief stop with the Philadelphia Phillies before retiring with the Reds in a second stint with the team.

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Joe Adcock: Milwaukee Brave

Joe Adcock broke into the major leagues with the Cincinnati Reds in 1950, but was stuck behind first baseman Ted Kluszewski. Adcock requested a trade, and was sent packing to the Braves.

The hard hitting first baseman would play in the long shadows of Eddie Matthews and Hank Aaron. The trio home run hitters made the Braves middle of the order one the most formidable in all of baseball. The Braves would win the 1957 World Series.

Adcock would hit 336 home runs with 1,122 RBI, and a batting line of .277/.33/.485. He was a two time all-star, and on July 31, 1954, he would slam four home runs in a game against the Brooklyn Dodgers.

At the end of this career he would spend time with the Angels and Indians. It included managing the Indians during the 1967 season to a 75-87 record. His .994 fielding percentage was 3^rd best all-time when he called it a career.

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Dave Concepcion Defensive Wizard

Dave Concepcion was a defensive wizard as the shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds for 19 seasons. He was a solid part of the defense of The Big Red Machine teams of the mid-70’s. Perfecting the bounce throw on the artificial turf. The Reds won the World Series in 1975-1976.

Concepcion was a nine time National league all-star, twice he won the Silver Slugger Award, and 5 time Gold Glove Award winner. His #13 has been retired by the Reds, and he is a member of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Jim Edmonds Career Highlights

Jim Edmonds was known for his spectacular defensive plays. He would win eight Gold Glove Awards over the course of his career. Edmonds was also an offensive weapon for the California Angels and St. Louis Cardinals.

Edmonds had a career hitting line of .284/.376/.527 with 393 home runs, and 1,199 RBI. He was a four time all-star, 2004 Silver Slugger Award, and a member of the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame. He was a member of the 2006 World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals.

Chicago Cubs Great Hack Wilson

The video is of the seven greatest offensive seasons in baseball history. Hack Wilson is the first of the seven.

Hack Wilson was a hard drinking, hard hitting outfielder, quick with his fists,  that made for one the most colorful players of his day. At only 5-6, he would display power not seen in the National League at that time.  Wilson broke in the major leagues in 1923 with the New York Giants. In his official rookie season of 1924, the Giants would win the pennant, but Wilson struggled in the World Series hitting only .233. In May of 1925, Wilson was slumping so badly he lost his job in left field. His slump continued most of the season, and was sent to the minor league Toledo Mud Hens of the American Association.

The Chicago Cubs wallowing in last place would claim Hack Wilson that winter on waivers when the Giants failed to protect him. The Giants right-fielder Ross Youngs at the time offered the prophetic words "They let go the best outfielder I ever played beside, and they're going to regret."

Getting claimed on waivers by the Cubs Wilson would win the center field job, and is his first season on the north side of Chicago, he hit a league leading 21 home runs with 109 RBI. The Cubs went from last to fourth place finishing 10 games over .500.  Over the next three seasons he would hit 30 or more home runs including leading the league in 1927-1928.  The 39 home runs he hit in 1929 would help lead the Cubs to the National League pennant.  In 1930, Wilson would have an offensive season for the ages. He would hit 56 home runs, a first in the National League with a major league baseball record of 191 RBI. The RBI record is believed by many to be a record that will never be broken. He finished the season with a slash line  of .356/.454/.723. 

After the great season of 1930, Wilson's drinking became very heavy. He reported for spring training in 1931 twenty pounds overweight.  He went into a long slump during the season, and the last straw for the Cubs came when he got into a fight with reports on a train in Cincinnati. He was suspended by the Cubs for the rest of the season. He had hit only .261 with 13 home runs. In December the Cubs shipped the troubled outfielder to the St. Louis Cardinals. They in turn traded him the Brooklyn Dodgers. 

He bounced back in Brooklyn during the 1932 season hitting 23 home runs with 123 RBI. His career like his drinking was spiraling out of control. He would retire from baseball in 1935. Wilson died broke in 1948, National League President Ford Frick paid for the funeral when Wilson's wouldn't claim the body.  Wilson would be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979 by the veterans committee. 

In his final interview with CBS Radio Wilson left us with these words of advice: "Talent isn't enough. You need common sense and good advice. If anyone tries to tell you different, tell them the story of Hack Wilson. ... Kids in and out of baseball who think because they have talent they have the world by the tail. It isn't so. Kids, don't be too big to accept advice. Don't let what happened to me happen to you."

The Big Bopper: Lee May

Lee May left his mark on Major League baseball by hitting 20 or more home runs, and driving in 80 runs in 11 consecutive seasons.  During his streak he played for the Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, and Baltimore Orioles.   In 1969, he would hit 38 home runs which was good for third in the National League, and he established a career high for home runs by blasting 39 in 1971. 

The Cincinnati Reds included May in a blockbuster trade to the Houston Astros. The Reds sent first baseman Lee May,  second baseman Tommy Helms, and utility player Jimmy Stewart. The Reds would obtain future Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan, outfielder Cesar Geronimo, and Jack Billingham.  The three players would become significant pieces on the Big Red Machine teams of the mid-70's. 

May continued produced the long ball despite playing in the Astrodome in Houston, one of the hardest places in Major League baseball to hit home runs. He had 29, 28, and 24 before being sent packing to the Baltimore Orioles.  In 1976, he led the American League in RBI with 109, to go with his 24 home runs.  In 1979, at age 36, his streak of 11 consecutive seasons with 20 plus home runs came to a close when he hit only 19. He would hit only 10 more over the course of the next three seasons, and finished his career with the Kansas City Royals.

Big Klu: Ted Kluszewski

​The restrictions on travel during World War II denied the Cincinnati Reds the opportunity to train in sunny Florida. They were relegated to training at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.  The groundskeeper at the time for the Reds, a man named Marty Schwab watched as a big strong hammered baseballs up and over an embankment that players on the big league club weren't doing in training camp that spring.

The Reds had discovered Ted Kluszewski, standout tight end on the Indiana University football team. The Reds anxious to sign the lefthand hitting first baseman were initially rebuffed.  Big Klu didn't want to give up his college eligibility.  He waited to sign with the Reds in 1946, and after two dominating seasons in the minor leagues he got the call to the show.

He went to play 15 seasons in the major leagues, his best four stint was 1953-1956, where was named a National League in each season. In 1954, he hit 49 home runs with 141 RBI, he put together a slash line that season of .326/.407/.642.  Finishing second in the MVP voting to a guy from the New York Giants named Willie Mays. 

He would play 15 years in the major leagues and finish with a career slash line of .298/.353/.498 with 279 home runs and 1028 RBI. He walked 492 times with only 365 strikeouts in 6469 plate appearances. On heard of numbers by today's standards. Injuries took their toll on Big Klu after the 1956 season, and his numbers diminished as a result.  He was the hitting coach for the Big Red Machine teams of the 1970's under Sparky Anderson.

Known for cutting off the sleeves of his shirts to fit his huge biceps, the slugging first baseman was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1962. His #18 was retired by the Reds.

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Ken Griffey Jr.'s 600th Home Run

The Cincinnati Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr, hits a 3-1 pitch off Mark Hendrickson into the seats for his 600th career home run. Griffey is only the sixth player in major league history to hit 600 home runs. The Reds go on to defeat the Florida Marlins 9-4.

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Kyle Farnsworth-Paul Wilson Fight

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Paul Wilson doesn't like an inside pitch, and charges Kyle Farnsworth of the Chicago Cubs. It doesn't end well for Wilson.

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Jimmy Wynn's Tape Measure Shot At Crosley Field

On June 11, 1967. Jimmy "The Toy Cannon" Wynn crushes a tape measure shot at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. He would hit 37 home runs and drive 107 runs during the 67' season.

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Hank Aaron Collects His 3,000th Hit

May 17, 1970. Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves beats out an infield off the Cincinnati Reds Wayne Simpson. Aaron becomes only the 9th player in Major League Baseball history to have 3,000 hits, and the only player with 500 home runs and 3,000 hits.

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Clyde Shoun No-Hits The Braves

May 15, 1944. Clyde Shoun makes his first start of the season for the Cincinnati Reds, he proceeds to no-hit the Boston Braves 1-0. The only run would come off a home run by Chuck Aleno, his only home run of the season.

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Starlin Castro Hits First Home Run

May 7, 2010. Starlin Castro in his first big league at bat hits a home run. He is the sixth Chicago Cub to accomplish that feat. Castro will also drive in six runs in a 14-7 win over the Cincinnati Reds. He became the first player to have six RBI in his first game in the major leagues.

Ross Barnes Hits First Home Run

May 2, 1876. Ross Barnes of the Chicago White Stockings hit an inside-the-park home run against the Cincinnati Reds. It is the first home run in the history of the National League. Barnes would have a triple, single, two stolen bases, and scored four times.

Cubs-Reds Historic Pitching Duel

Top pitcher is Fred Toney, and the bottom is Hippo Vaughn.


May 2, 1917. Fred Toney of the Cincinnati Reds, and southpaw Hippo Vaughn both throw nine innings of no-hit ball in of the greatest pitching duels in the history of the game. In the tenth inning the Reds get on the board when Larry Kopf singles, a error by the Cubs, and an infield hit by Jim Thorpe push across a run, and Toney mows the Cubs down in order in the bottom of the 10th to preserve his no-hitter.

Don Wilson No Hits The Reds

May 1, 1969, Don Wilson no-hits the Cincinnati Reds at Crosley Field 4-0. Jim Maloney of the Reds had no-hit the Astros the day before, and the Reds had pounded Wilson the week before. The no-hitter is the second for the 24 year-old right-hander.

Jack McCarthy Sets Record

April 26, 1905, Chicago Cubs outfielder Jack McCarthy throws out three runners at home plate preserving a 2-1 Cubs victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. All three out resulted in double plays. The 36-year old journeyman outfielder played for Chicago Cubs, Brooklyn Superbas, Cleveland Naps, and the Cincinnati Reds, He finishes with a slash line of .287/.333.365.

Jake Arrieta No-Hits The Cincinnati Reds

April 21, 2016. Jake Arrieta's no-hitter in the 16-0 rout of the Cincinnati Reds is the 15th in Chicago Cubs history. He becomes the third pitcher for the Cubs to register multiple no-hitters. Ken Holtzman did it in 1969, 1971. and Larry Corcoran did it three times in 1880, 1882, and 1884. No Chicago Cubs pitcher has ever hurled a perfect game.