What is the most powerful baseball memory from your childhood?

[Razor Shines]

I was 8, but I remember watching all four games of the 1990 World Series. That and the day Jr. was traded to Reds are my strongest fan memories.

My strongest playing memory from when I was a kid would probably be when I threw my first no-hitter. I was 11 playing at Irvington Little League. I was on the Dodgers and we were playing the mighty Pirates. I thought it was so cool the way Little League was done back then when for your 10, 11 and 12 year old seasons you were on the same team. It felt like the Pros.

[Edskin]

My first STRONG memory of baseball was when Rose passed Ty Cobb...that's when I decided to root for the Reds, even though I can't stand Rose now.

But I think the memory that stuck with me the most and probably really gave birth to my love of baseball was the 1986 World Series. I know it's sort of cliche', but I was a kid and pretty impressionable at the time-- and that Series left quite and impression.

My all-time FAVORITE memory? Oddly enough, it wasn't 1990-- it was 1999-- that whole summer was special for me (personally and because of the Reds). I certainly hope the Reds can someday surpass the success of the 1999 team, but I'm not sure I'll ever ENJOY a summer as much as that one.

[Degenerate39]

More whippersnappers!

Don't worry I'll stay off your lawn

[GoReds33]

I was born in '92, and missed all the good stuff.

My first Reds memory was the last game at Riverfront. We had a luxury suite all to ourselves. All the food we could eat, and a foul ball hit off the window. It was a day I will never forget.

Another great one was watching Barry Larkin take groundballs. It was toward the end of his career, and he was coming off an oblique injury, IIRC. We always got to the park early to try and get autographs, and watch some BP. Then Larkin came out and took groundballs for about 20 minutes. I don't think he missed one, and he did it with such grace. It seems subtle, but it was a great moment.

[Always Red]

I was born in '92, and missed all the good stuff.

The great thing about baseball is that there will always be more good stuff.

[dabvu2498]

I was 8 when Pete came back as player-manager and we were at his 1st game back. That 1st at bat was pretty sweet. My playing memory was a loss. District Finals my sophmore year. We blew a 4 run 7th inning lead and my best friend made an error that allowed the winning run to score. And he is still my best friend.

[westofyou]

I have about 5 myself a prior to age 11, then I have a bevy from 12-16

#1 - Age Five my first game of catch with my dad, he heaved a long one and I stuck my glove out and magically the ball fell in the web.. I felt powerful, like never before... magic.

#2 - One afternoon in October my babysitter was going crazy, it seems the Tigers had won the World Series, from the way everyone acted in the neighborhood I gathered this was a good thing.

#3 - 1971 AS game, everyone was in it and I can still see Jackson's' HR from where I was sitting, not the replay.

#4 - 5th Grade, I was a pretty good player, played every position but first, and caught the majority of the season, I loved catching it was a great place to learn about the game.

#5 - I was at the 1972 AL East clinching game at Tiger Stadium and words can describe what that was like.. except I was not allowed to run on the field and get a piece of grass.

[Patrick Bateman]

Ken Griffey Jr's Walk off inside the park homer against the Cards in one of those ugly seasons was exciting.

My best memory was probably being at the 2000 opening day... Griffey's first game, and expectations of being a good team. All downhill since then.

[Raisor]

Playing-
Being involved in a "hidden ball" trick that actually worked. I was playing 1B, and the other team was being obnoxious about stealing so we did some shennigans.

Watching-
Being at the Kingdome for a last game of a three or four game sweep of the Tigers in 84. So little went well for the M's back in the 80's that we took what we could get.

[BCubb2003]

The first game I attended in person, I saw Henry Aaron hit a home run.

I attended the second game where Barry Larkin hit something like five home runs in two games.

I was at the game when Pete Rose lost it with the ump and got a six-month suspension.

The Reds-Orioles World Series probably sticks in my mind the most, even more than the Reds-Red Sox series.

[IowaRed]

I don't think there was a single moment although I could list 20 with no problem. I think it was the whole process of falling in love with the game and the Reds between the ages of about 7-14. It started in the early 70's and Pete, Johnny, Joe, Davey and the rest were my absolute idols and still are. I still remember checking the TV Guide to see which game we were going to see that Saturday. Being in Iowa it was rarely the Reds but I still remember how it felt when they were on.

Meeting Sean Casey and having him hold my daughter while we videotaped and took pictures was a family highlight but wasn't really baseball action. As everybody knows, he couldn't be a nicer guy and went out of his way for us. I believe it was at the last Fuji Film fans on the field day or whatever it was called.

Playing is easy. First round of districts in high school. I played SS and led off, the 2nd pitch of the game I hit over the left center field wall at the Univ. of Iowa's baseball diamond. We held on to win 2-1, they showed it and interviewed me on the local news that night. Unfortunately that has been lost or was taped over but we did have it on video at one time

[MWM]

Had to be 4192. That's a day I'll never forget.

Playing? Probably a throwing error I made at SS in the 16th inning against Midland when I was 16. It cost us the game.

[Gallen5862]

My Favorite early Reds moments were watching the Big Red Machine win back to back World Series.

My favorite moment playing was in little league. There was a 5 run rule per inning. There was an exception that on the play the 5th run scored the runners on base could keep running and if they scored the runs would count. our team had scored four runs and bases were loaded. I was on first base. The batter hit a infield single and the 5th run scored. The other team thought inning was over and put the ball on the mound. Our coach kept telling us to run. The other team started laughing and ran into the dugout. All four of us scored. The other team complained because our extra 3 runs scored. The Umpire reminded them of the exception lol.

[HokieRed]

Seeing Frank Robinson for the first time in 1956. He was playing left field, my dad and I were sitting in the left field stands for a weekend afternoon game. Robinson homered, hit a hard line drive double off the left center field wall, and made a terrific running catch coming in hard on a line drive. The Reds have had a lot of great players since then but, for me, there's never been another one with so much dominating presence in the game as Frank Robinson.

[cumberlandreds]

1972 game five of the NL playoffs. Johnny Bench's leadoff home run in the 9th inning of the deciding game five. This home run tied the game and the Reds won it later in the inning. This was my first big moment of being a Reds fan. I can remember getting really excited and when Bench hit it out my dad jumped up out of his chair and gave a big clap of his hands. He rarely got this excited over a sports event. I knew then it must be big! This seemed to start a string of great things for me as a fan of the Reds in a special era for them.
Playing the game I just wasn't any good at all so I don't really have a great moment memory of that.