Reds Fan Since 1971
I became a Reds fan when I was a kid (as did most of us). I didn't pay much attention to baseball so when my mom was telling me I needed to watch this game because some guy named Rose was about to make history, I wasn't entirely interested. As soon as I began watching though, I became hooked. My parents took me to a game on June 2, 1989. Eric Davis hit for the cycle and the Reds won 9-4. My addiction to baseball grew to epic proportions. The following year the Reds went wire to wire and won the WS. I followed the box scores with fervent passion.
With all of those memories though, by far my favorites have been taking my two little girls to their first Reds games. Watching them experience the game for the first time is priceless. Their eyes would light up when Joey or Jay would come to the plate and they would cheer as loud as a three year old can. I guess watching them enjoy the game takes me back to when I used to watch it as a kid, seeing the game through their eyes.
"You can't sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You've got to throw the ball over the damn plate and give the other man his chance. That's why baseball is the greatest game of them all." -Earl Weaver
It was in the mid 80s. My moms family is from Cincinnati and my uncles had this history of the reds VHS tape. I sat down with them to watch it and I instantly became fascinated with the BRM. Namely Johnny bench. I was actually him for Halloween one year. But I became hooked soon after watching a game at the local bar/grill where my aunt worked and recognized Pete rose from the video.
My favorite reds moment. Sabos two homers in game three if the 1990 works series.
"You can't sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You've got to throw the ball over the damn plate and give the other man his chance. That's why baseball is the greatest game of them all." -Earl Weaver
Unfortunately, I was born in the 90s so I did not get to experience much excitement for professional sports here in Cincinnati. I went to a few Reds games as a kid and remember asking my dad why people were booing Aaron Boone. I also remember the excitement when we got Griffey.
I sort of followed them here and there, but never really cared. It was hard to since they were never expected to do anything. I became a die hard fan in 2010 when I went to a game on a whim because my friend invited to me to go. It happened to be HOF weekend where the Reds hit 3 HRs and pounced the Rockies 8-1. I was hooked. I have been going to games every year since then. I have found it fun to know the ins and outs of the ballpark and all of the fan interaction the players and announcers participate in. I went to a preseason game for the Bengals and found it extremely boring with no fun games or fan interactions.
My greatest Reds memory would have to be that. Just enjoying games with my dad and soon to be wife. Carrying in a soft sided cooler full of drinks and getting the $1 hot dogs before the game. If I had to pick one game, it would be the Pete Rose Ceremony game where Votto hit a walk off homer in extras to win it.
Although, if I was at last night's game, that would surely be up there.
2015 Attendance 2-1 (4/6, 4/7,4/24)
2014 Attendance 1-3 (3/31, 4/12, 8/14)
2013 Attendance: 6-0 (4/3, 4/16, 4/17, 8/3, 8/21, 9/7)
Barry On Baseball Also blogging at Banished to the Pen.
Really cool stuff. I love how all of our stories vary. (Btw, been a few days since i've been here - i'm an RN in a surgical ward and have been throttled lately). But your story reiterates why I think sports allegiances can be so happenstance. For instance, I'm a Reds fan, for reasons mentioned (my father taking me to st louis where I had the opportunity to meet much of the Big Red Machine, etc), Alabama Crimson Tide football - NOT a bandwagon jumper by ANY means - again, my father took me to games, even practices. I used to sell programs at the games, and had the opportunity and met Bear Bryant as a youth - uh, yea, i was hooked - Roll Tide (i realize u osu fans will begrudge this). Dallas Cowboys - I was VERY young when I watched Super Bowl X with my father, but I kept seeing that star on the helmet, and thought it looked soooo damn cool. Not to mention, Roger Staubach is my favorite athlete of all time. Done there. Memphis Tigers basketball - I grew up with a lot of those guys - was a natural thing. (also have a REALLY cool story about a former Memphis basketball coach - one that may surprise many). Anyway, I don't jump ship. My teams, are my teams. and have been for life as far as i can remember. (nba is a different story as i find it hard to even watch - and there's a story behind that as well). Sorry for the long post, and look forward to more.
And who can tell me where Roger Staubach grew up and went to high school?
Why am i a fan? Was watching a game one Saturday morning a little bit hung over and reds were playing someone on TV at GABP. Not being a massive baseball fan but a sports love i was really enjoying it and intrigued by how often they play as well as all the little parts of the game like how often to use your pitchers etc. The next day i found myself looking up how the next game went and reading up about the reds. Next thing i know i was hooked following the games live a work and in the process getting my mate hooked as well.
My greatest memory is yet to happen but it's not too far off, Monday September 2nd will be my first reds game. Got tickets booked halfway between home and first 2 rows from the dugout....I hope we win, i'm already buzzing and can't wait for that day to arrive. I'm going to enjoy the proper baseball experience beer and hotdogs and no doubt get some reds apparel for the game!
DavidMemphis (05-12-2013),New York Red (05-13-2013)
Great stuff Austalian Red! Get a brat too - they're awesome (bratwurst). Another great thing about going to a baseball game in person - you'll see something you've NEVER seen before. Every time.
I started to follow the Reds back in 1961, whether it was due to baseball cards or the fact that at my swim club in Dayton that many fathers had the Reds playing on their Radios.
Frank Robinson 1956. Electrifying player. I was six years old. I can remember sitting in the left field stands one afternoon at Crosley. Frank hit one over the screen in left, hit another line drive off the left center field fence that got to the wall as fast as any ball I've ever seen (to this day), and came running in full tilt to catch a ball at his shoetops. I've seen many great players for the Reds but nobody quite like Frank. The trade still hurts.
Grew up in Cincinnati. My father would take me and my three siblings to Riverfront Stadium. I do not have many specific game memories from when I was that young, but what I do remember was the walk across the bridges that crossed over the highway. When you're just a boy they seem like they're miles long.
Street performers lined the bridges, maybe a man playing "Pink Panther" on a saxophone, or a drumline banging on buckets. I remember dancing to the music with my sister and two brothers...
And then arriving at Riverfront. Your ticket specified which gate in which you entered, sometimes making it quite a trek to get into the stadium. Once inside, you either went to the blue, green, yellow, or red seats. We always had nosebleeds (red seats) so we walked up and around the seemingly endless ramps. Finally, we'd arrive at our section.
Then the walk through the concrete hallway to the view of the field created a lot of excitement. The sound of the crowd would get louder and louder until you got through. The ensuing scene was turf-and-bleacher grand canyon...majestic.
One game (when I was roughly 15) I ran into Tom Browning who signed a ball for me. The signature is now faded, but I'll always have that ball and that memory.
My toddler years were spent in the little town of Germantown, Ohio, in Montgomery County. We made many trips to Reds games (including a bunch during the BRM era). My earliest Reds memory is going to a game with my dad, at Crosley Field. I don't recall a lot of it, but I've always remembered my dad saying, "Son, that's Willie Mays right there". That has stuck in my head all these years later. As an avid baseball card collector and growing Reds fan, my love for baseball skyrocketed quickly.
We attended several games a year up until around 1980 or so when my parents divorced. We were living in Lexington, KY by then and continued to go to occasional games. I continued to play baseball, but got distracted by many of life's other pleasures during my late teen and early twenty years and didn't attend many games. Starting a career, getting married, having kids, getting divorced, etc -- life -- meant some of the other things I loved went on the back burner again for a few years. I ultimately moved to New York on a job transfer, moving me far away from my beloved Reds (and my Wildcats and Bengals).
However, one of my great Reds memories occurred during my years in New York. It was looking like the Reds would win the division in 2010, so I scheduled a quick vacation to come back home -- hoping to see the Reds clinch in person. And sure enough I was there, with great seats on the third base side, the night Jay Bruce hit the walk-off division-clinching homer to deep CF against the Astros. I've attended many, many live sporting events in my lifetime, but few have ever been as exciting as that moment.
I've been back in my homeland of Lexington for a couple years now and am fortunate to be able to catch a few games a season again. Life is back to normal and my love for the game is as strong as ever.
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