History of the Cincinnati Reds facts for kids

The Cincinnati Reds are a famous Major League Baseball team. They started in the American Association from 1882 to 1889. Since then, they have played in the National League. The Reds are one of only five teams from the 1800s that still play in their original city.

Early Days: The Original Red Stockings (1866–1896)

The 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings team photograph

The team began as the Cincinnati Base Ball Club. They became known as the Cincinnati Red Stockings because they wore red knee socks. In 1869, they became baseball's first fully professional team. The Red Stockings were amazing, winning 130 games in a row in 1869 and 1870. Their winning streak ended when they lost to the Atlantic Club of Brooklyn. Star players included brothers Harry and George Wright.

In 1870, the original Red Stockings team broke up. A new team with the same name joined the National League in 1876. This second Red Stockings team was removed from the league in 1880. This happened because they served beer at games and played on Sundays.

A third Cincinnati team, also called the Red Stockings, started in 1881. They were a founding member of the American Association. This team is the same franchise that plays today. They won their first league championship in 1882. In 1889, the Cincinnati club joined the National League. Around this time, people started calling them simply "Reds." This helped avoid confusion with the Boston team, which was also called "Red Stockings."

Joining the National League for Good (1890–1911)

The Cincinnati Reds logo

The Cincinnati Red Stockings moved to the National League in 1890. This was partly because a new league, the Player's League, was causing trouble for existing leagues. The National League was expanding, so the Reds decided to join the stronger league. This is when the press officially shortened their name to "Reds."

During the 1890s, the Reds signed local players and older veterans. The team didn't finish very high in the standings during this time. At the start of the 1900s, the Reds had great hitters like Sam Crawford and Cy Seymour. Seymour won the batting title in 1905. In 1911, Bob Bescher stole 81 bases, which is still a team record. The team officially put "Reds" on their uniforms in 1911. Their "wishbone C" logo is still used today.

New Home and First World Series Win (1912–1932)

In 1912, Redland Field opened for the Reds. This stadium was later known as Crosley Field. The Reds had actually played baseball on that site for 20 years. By the late 1910s, the Reds started to play much better. In 1919, new manager Pat Moran led the Reds to a National League championship.

The 1919 team had strong hitters like Edd Roush and Heinie Groh. Their pitchers included Hod Eller and Harry "Slim" Sallee. The Reds finished ahead of the New York Giants. Then, they won the World Series against the Chicago White Sox.

However, the "Black Sox Scandal" soon cast a shadow over their first championship. Some White Sox players were accused of fixing the series. For the rest of the 1920s and early 1930s, the Reds struggled. By 1931, the team was in financial trouble because of the Great Depression.

A New Start and Back-to-Back Championships (1933–1940)

Powel Crosley Jr., a successful businessman, bought the Reds in 1933. He hired Larry MacPhail as the General Manager. Crosley also owned a radio station, WLW, which became the Reds' radio home. MacPhail helped build up the Reds' system for developing young players.

The Reds became a team of "firsts" in the 1930s. Crosley Field hosted the first night game in 1935. Johnny Vander Meer became the only pitcher to throw two no-hitters in a row in 1938. The Reds had a strong pitching staff with Vander Meer, Paul Derringer, and Bucky Walters. Their offense also improved. Ernie Lombardi was the National League's Most Valuable Player in 1938. Frank McCormick won the NL MVP in 1940.

By 1939, the Reds were National League champions. They lost to the New York Yankees in the World Series. But in 1940, they won the NL Championship again. This time, they beat the Detroit Tigers 4 games to 3 to win their first World Series in 21 years.

New Stars and Team Name Change (1941–1969)

After World War II, the Reds struggled again. In 1944, Joe Nuxhall pitched for the Reds at just 15 years old. He became the youngest person ever to play in a major league game. This record still stands today. Ted Kluszewski was a big home run hitter in 1954.

In 1954, the Reds changed their name to the "Redlegs." This was due to worries about communism in the country. The name change didn't last, and they became the "Reds" again before the 1959 season.

In 1956, Frank Robinson was named Rookie of the Year. The team hit a lot of home runs that year. In 1957, Reds fans tried to stuff ballot boxes for the All-Star Game. This led to changes in how players were voted into the game.

By 1961, Robinson was joined by players like Vada Pinson and Johnny Bench. The Reds won the 1961 National League pennant. But they lost to the powerful New York Yankees in the World Series. The Reds had good teams throughout the 1960s but didn't win another championship. In 1964, they lost the pennant by just one game.

After the 1965 season, the Reds traded Frank Robinson to the Baltimore Orioles. Robinson went on to win the MVP award in the American League and the "triple crown" in 1966. He also led Baltimore to a World Series title. This trade hurt the Reds for a while.

However, the Reds' system for developing young players started to produce future stars. These included Jim Maloney, Pete Rose, Tony Pérez, Johnny Bench, and Dave Concepción. In 1967, Bob Howsam became the general manager. He made smart trades and helped the team reach its potential. The city of Cincinnati also agreed to build a new stadium downtown. The Reds played their last game at Crosley Field on June 24, 1970. They moved to the new Riverfront Stadium.

The Big Red Machine Era (1970–1976)

Under Bob Howsam, the Reds had a strict rule about how players looked. They couldn't have mustaches, beards, or long hair. This rule aimed to make the team look traditional. Players also had to wear plain black shoes. Later, they were allowed to wear red shoes.

Building a Championship Team (1970–1971)

In 1970, Sparky Anderson became the manager. The Reds began a great decade, becoming known as "The Big Red Machine". They moved into Riverfront Stadium in June 1970. The Reds started the 1970 season by winning 70 of their first 100 games.

The early Big Red Machine had strong hitters like Johnny Bench, Tony Pérez, Pete Rose, and Lee May. Their pitching staff included Gary Nolan and Don Gullett. The Reds easily won the NL West and the NL pennant in 1970. However, they lost to the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series.

After a tough 1971 season, the Reds made big trades. They got Joe Morgan, César Gerónimo, and Jack Billingham. Dave Concepción also became a star at shortstop. In 1971, they also got George Foster, who became a key player for future championships.

Exciting Seasons and Close Calls (1972–1974)

The 1972 Reds won the NL West again. They beat the Pittsburgh Pirates in a close five-game series. Then, they faced the Oakland Athletics in the World Series. Six of the seven games were decided by just one run. The Athletics won the series in Game 7.

In 1973, the Reds won their third NL West title after a big comeback. But they lost the NL pennant to the New York Mets in five games. Game 3 of that series had a fight between Pete Rose and Bud Harrelson. Fans also caused trouble, stopping the game twice.

The 1974 season started with excitement as Hank Aaron was chasing Babe Ruth's home run record. Aaron tied the record against the Reds on Opening Day. He broke it two nights later in Atlanta. The Reds won 98 games in 1974 but finished second to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Back-to-Back World Series Wins (1975–1976)

In 1975, the Big Red Machine lineup was set. The starting players were 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 bullpen, with Rawly Eastwick and Will McEnaney, was very strong.

The Reds won the NL West with 108 victories in 1975. They then swept the Pittsburgh Pirates to win the NL pennant. In the World Series, they played the Boston Red Sox. Game 6 was one of the most memorable baseball games ever. The Red Sox tied the game with a home run in the 8th inning. Then, Carlton Fisk hit a dramatic home run in the 12th inning to win it for Boston. But Cincinnati won Game 7, giving them their first championship in 35 years.

In 1976, the same starting eight players returned. The pitching staff was led by Gary Nolan. The Reds won the NL West by ten games. They went undefeated in the postseason, sweeping the Philadelphia Phillies. They then swept the New York Yankees in the World Series. This made the Reds the first National League team since 1922 to win back-to-back World Series championships.

Changes and Challenges (1977–1989)

After 1976, the Big Red Machine started to change. Popular player Tony Pérez was traded. Star pitcher Don Gullett left. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn stopped a trade for pitcher Vida Blue. But on June 15, 1977, the Reds traded for Mets' star pitcher Tom Seaver.

After the 1978 season, Cincinnati hero Pete Rose left to play for Philadelphia. In his last season as a Red, Rose had a 44-game hitting streak. This was the second-longest streak ever. He also got his 3000th hit that season. Tom Seaver also threw the only no-hitter of his career in 1978.

The Reds won the 1979 NL West with Tom Seaver's pitching. But they lost to Pittsburgh in the playoffs. By 1982, the Reds were not the same team. They lost 100 games that year, a first in team history. Johnny Bench retired a year later.

In 1984, Pete Rose returned as a player-manager. The team started to get better. Rose became baseball's all-time hits leader. Tom Browning threw a perfect game. Chris Sabo was the 1988 National League Rookie of the Year. In 1989, Rose was banned from baseball for "conduct detrimental to baseball."

A New World Title and End of an Era (1990–2002)

Eric Davis in 1990

Wire-to-Wire World Championship (1990)

In 1990, the Reds, led by new manager Lou Piniella, surprised everyone. They started the season by winning their first 9 games and led their division all year. The team had players like Chris Sabo, Barry Larkin, Eric Davis, and Paul O'Neill. Their pitchers included Danny Jackson and José Rijo. The bullpen was known as the "Nasty Boys" with Rob Dibble, Norm Charlton, and Randy Myers.

The Reds defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in the NLCS. Then, they swept the favored Oakland Athletics in four games to win the World Series. This extended the Reds' World Series winning streak to nine games.

Changes and New Uniforms (1991–1999)

The 1991 season was tough for the Reds, as they lost many games. In 1992, the Reds won 90 games but finished second in their division. After 1992, the Reds changed their uniforms. They went back to a sleeveless look, like the Reds wore in the 1960s.

In 1993, Tony Pérez became manager but was soon replaced by Davey Johnson. In 1994, the Reds were leading their new National League Central Division when the season ended early due to a strike.

In 1995, the Reds won the National League Central. Barry Larkin was named the NL MVP. They beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the playoffs. But they lost to the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS.

In 1999, the Reds won 96 games and were close to a playoff spot. They ended up tied with the New York Mets for a Wild Card spot. The Mets won a one-game playoff, ending the Reds' season.

New Ballpark and Recent Years (2003–Present)

After the 2002 season, Cinergy Field was torn down. This made way for the new Great American Ball Park. The new ballpark opened in 2003. Fans had high hopes for the team, with stars like Ken Griffey Jr. and Barry Larkin. But the team continued to lose.

Struggles and New Ownership (2004–2009)

The 2004 and 2005 seasons were similar, with good hitting but poor pitching. Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 500th home run in 2004. Adam Dunn became a powerful home run hitter. In 2006, Robert Castellini became the new owner of the Reds. He hired Wayne Krivsky as the new general manager. Krivsky traded for pitcher Bronson Arroyo, who became a key player.

In 2007, the Reds had a disappointing season. In 2008, Dusty Baker was hired as manager. The team didn't improve much in 2008 or 2009. However, young players like Johnny Cueto and Jay Bruce showed promise.

Return to the Postseason (2010–2013)

In 2010, the Reds signed Cuban pitching star Aroldis Chapman. Chapman threw the fastest recorded pitch in MLB history. Joey Votto was named the National League MVP. The Reds won the NL Central crown, their first playoff spot since 1995. But they were swept by the Philadelphia Phillies in the playoffs.

The Reds had a tough 2011 season. But in 2012, they had a great year, winning 97 games and finishing first in the NL Central. They lost to the San Francisco Giants in the playoffs. In 2013, the Reds made the postseason again as a Wild Card team. They lost the Wild Card Game to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Dusty Baker was fired after this loss.

Rebuilding and New Manager (2014–Present)

The Reds struggled under new manager Bryan Price. From 2015 to 2018, they finished last in their division every year. During this time, the Reds traded away star players like Johnny Cueto, Aroldis Chapman, and Jay Bruce to rebuild the team. In 2018, Price was fired and David Bell became the new manager.

In Bell's first year (2019), the team improved slightly. In the shortened 2020 season, the Reds made the postseason and had their first winning season since 2013. They lost to the Atlanta Braves in the first round. In 2021, the Reds had another winning season. But in 2022, they lost 100 games for only the second time in their history.