Ok, somebody talk to me about the 72 World Series. On paper it looks like a pretty rad series -- 7 games, 6 won by one run, not to mention an exciting playoff series with the Pirates. But I never hear people talk about it like they do 75 and 76. Is that just because the Reds lost in 72 or because it was the first days of the Big Red Machine or was it really just not as great a series as it sounds?
I'd love to hear thoughts from people who remember it.
There is no such thing as a pitching prospect.
We all would like to forget about Brooks Robinson.
that was 1970.Originally Posted by Johnny Vander m
It was a disappointing loss to the A's for the fans and players. I don't like game 6 of the 75 World Series either. I much prefer game 7.
Sure Gene Tenace too... who was most of ours first glimpse at a 3 true outcome player.
The 72 series was hard for me because I was a Tigers fan and that was their last hurrah with all the boys from the 60's
The playoffs between Oakland and the Tigers drained me and the series was a highlight of the team I hated (A's) with a team that was a gaining legendary status. At the time though the A's owned the nation press with the mustache payoffs, Vida Blue and Reggie and Charlie O. Therefore most of the country remembers Charlie dancing on the dugout more than the Reds losing.
You are right. it was 1970. But still like to forget about him.
"Everyone likes to be the bride, not the bridesmaid". That'd be my guess, but I don't know.
I remember the catch against the fence by Joe Rudi and Gene Tenace hitting 4 HR's and getting the MVP after hitting 5 HR's all year. I was only 9 yrs old but I can remember how awful I felt after game 7. Does anybody remember the details about JB and Fingers (I think) and starting to walk him intentionally but then fooling him by throwing strike 3?
More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves me.
I think the Reds spent the bank against the Pirates in the NLCS. They actually were down to the final two outs and were looking at an exit. Remember, the '72 Pirates were defending World Champions, Johnny Bench had a spot on his lung, and Ross Grimsley was arguably the Reds' ace pitcher.
After Bench hit an opposite field home run and Bob Moose's 15 seconds of fame of a wild pitch, and a young, not-as-we-know-now, George Foster scampered home from third.
The A's were the epitomy of the '70's "me" generation. Branch Rickey taught Bob Howsam that the Reds needed to be professional, clean cut, and a "throwback" as it were to the "50's" to values of the Midwest.
The A's played up on a "little-ball" theory - the Reds' offensive bats for the most part were silent, and Gene Tenace from southern Ohio stole the show, never to repeat what he did.
Out of all the championships that the Reds had, I would think that the '72 Reds has to be the biggest woulda-coulda-shoulda in the losses they had.
To respond to woy - the '72 Tigers would have probably made that city's day. The rust-belt, industrial cities were sharply declining and the Tigers would have been some sunshine (if they had made the Series) to the foggy haze of riots, factory shutdowns, and the economic depreesion over Detroit if only for a moment. It was probably for a Tigers fan, the last shot at glory for Kaline, Cash, McAuliffe, Lolich, Freehan and Stanley.
Billy Martin made the '72 Tigers scrappy before scrappy was cool.
Last edited by Heath; 05-16-2006 at 12:11 PM. Reason: Edited for Freehan - how did I miss him?
Some people play baseball. Baseball plays Jay Bruce.
But...but..but..the Red Sox won the greatest game in World Series history, they had to have won the World Series, right????
Some people play baseball. Baseball plays Jay Bruce.
That was in Game 3, which the Reds won, 1-0, anyway.
There were, however, a few positives from the series. Game 4 and Game 5 were two of the mose dramatic games the Reds have ever played. Jack Billingham pitched 13 innings without giving up an earned run; he still holds the record for lowest career ERA in WS play (25 1-3 innings, one earned run). Pete Rose had a leadoff homer in Game 5 on the first pitch.
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Oh how I hated Gene Tenace and Joe Rudi! Thanks VP for bringing back all those memories!
Heath is right, all the passion was against the Pirates and the team that faced the A's was spent and all emotion and passion was drained. I remeber I kept waiting for them to play the way the had all season and my if my foggy memory serves, I recall the announcers mentioning that the Reds were playing almost as on automatic.
I was at game 7, high up in the red seats in rightfield -- got a great look at Rudi scaling the leftfield wall to rob Menke (or Rose?). A 3-2 nailbiter that had the Reds frustrated at every turn. Went home to see the Bengals lose 15-12 to the Rams when Horst Muhlman botched an easy field goal (or perhaps more than one).
For many years I considered it the worst day of my life.
I laugh now!
And for the Reds to play on "auto-pilot" and take it to seven (with a blow win in game 6) was pretty impressive. Plus, they were down 3-1 at one point as well.
In '70 they were happy to be there.
In '72 they got mad.
In '73 the Mets had all their pitchers healthy and their hitters were hot.
In '75 they KNEW they had to win it all
In '76 they were on auto pilot or "team confidence" like Joe Morgan used to say.
Last edited by Heath; 05-16-2006 at 12:18 PM.
Some people play baseball. Baseball plays Jay Bruce.
They did, the attendance that year wa sthe 3rd best to date in the history of the franchise.. a great year for Tiger Fans (who didn't know that Billy Martin was killing their future pitching) I went to a mess of games that year including the clincher for the title and the 15 K playoff game by Joe Coleman.To respond to woy - the '72 Tigers would have probably made that city's day.
Don't forget the A's were without Reggie. That is one reason their offense was even more non-existent but for freakin' Tenace.
"Rounding 3rd and heading for home, good night everybody"
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