Riverfront Remembered: A Film By Cam Miller

[westofyou]

Really looking forward to this. Funny that a lot of things that immediately pop up in my head did pop up in my head and then 1 minute later I saw others post about them (such as cans, bottles and alcoholic beverages are not permitted in the stadium).

From a baseball aesthetic point of view, I hated that stadium. It was among the worst I've ever seen a ballgame in. But on the flip side some of my best childhood memories are of that place, and those are precious.

My grandfather was a long-time season ticket holder in the BRM era, and he'd take me to games in the 80s and early 90s. Oftentimes we wouldn't even need to buy tickets. He knew some of the fellas at the gate. "Slide right in here. Get in here. Get in here ... " and the next thing I know we're in. Then we'd head behind the plate, plaza level green section, where his long-time pal Jimmie would be stationed as an usher. Slip Jimmie a few bucks, and we had some seats wiped off and ready to go.

Later on when we did have to buy tickets it was $3 top six (eventually $5 top six). Then sit anywhere in the green level that was open. A few times before batting practice we'd have to temporarily exchange our stub for a "blue seat pass" during BP. Only rule was you had to return by the start of the game. It was on the honor system, but we always honored it cause I didn't want to screw it up for future games. Later during the game we'd always check the ramp down to the blue seats. Oftentimes an usher would guard it, but if he left his post we'd haul ace down the ramp to the blue seats and it was like finding premium seat freedom.

As for baseball aesthetic it had all the charm and warmth of an ash tray

[OldFashionedRed]

I thought it was quite charming.

[westofyou]

I thought it was quite charming.

Baseball wise the game on the turf was great, plus technology wise it was all new and flashy. But was not a "ballpark" as much as it was a "Stadium" That said any place that is your first park is something to keep in awe, this wasn't mine though.

[mth123]

I'm not all that "romantic" about the stadium the game is played in. If it wasn't fr everyone telling me how awful those multi-use stadiums were, I'd have probably never noticed. I get that the turf and the underlying concrete surface were terrible for players health, but as a fan, I didn't know that until people started talking about it. It was baseball and I loved watching and attending. The stadium itself didn't really make much difference to me.

[Roy Tucker]

During the early 90’s, I worked for a company that had *great* seats at Riverfront. They were 4 rows back from the field and at the home plate end of the Reds dugout. We would have a yearly drawing where 24 of us would get four seats at the location for 4 games each. They were awesome.

One of the more interesting parts was that we were just across the aisle and 4 rows back from where Marge Schott and her entourage sat. People would line up at the top of the aisle and ushers would let them come down and visit with Marge at the half innings. So we saw all these people come down. Sitting so close, a couple times the ushers let my 2 daughters go visit Marge. They took their American Girl dolls down and sat with Marge for a couple innings. I was starting to worry if we were going to get my girls back.

I asked them what they talked about and the girls said it was like talking to Grandma. Just talked about stuff. One thing they both said was that Marge smelled like cigarettes really bad. But Marge was really nice to my girls.

[Reds Freak]

For some reason, a simple picture like this makes the nostalgia hit like a ton of bricks. Those section signs, the ramp up, the ticket takers. A few other random memories...

-I loved walking on that pedestrian bridge from downtown to the stadium with those signs marking historic moments in team history. All the anticipation of going to the game, I could almost burst on that bridge we were so close. After the game, there'd be a guy on the bridge selling carnations for $1 out of a bucket.

-My parents from time to time would get tickets in the first row of the red seats right behind home plate, which I thought were fantastic seats. My dad was teaching me how to keep score one game in those seats. We were looking down at the scorecard and missed a pitch and next thing you know a foul ball hits the empty seat next to us and bounces down to the green seats. I was so mad but it taught me to never take my eyes off the action.

-Hard to believe Riverfront was only in use for 32 years. GABP is already half that old but hardly has any endearing memories especially outside the 2010 and 2012 teams. I'm not in love with GABP but I hope it lasts longer than 32 years and at some point hosts some better memories.

[Roy Tucker]

My first game st Riverfront was the 1970 All Star game. My dad was in the advertising business and got 2 tickets from McGregor sporting goods. I was a long haired hippie at the time but still a Reds fan. I took my 8 yr old brother to the game because my dad didn’t want to drive down from Centerville (where I went to high school).

All the dignitaries were at the game including President Richard Nixon. As an anti-war hippie, when he was introduced before the game is stood on my chair and booed him loudly. I certainly got the hairy eyeball from several people dumitting by us.

The game ended with Pete Rose plowing over Ray Fosse and my brother and I were excited beyond belief. It was so cool and the crowd was abuzz even after the game.

I got to see NLCS games there in 1976 and 1990. We were at game 3 of the 1995 NLDS when Mark Lewis had a great game and beat the Dodgers. We had the Marge seats for that game and all the dignitaries were at the game (governor, senators, mayor, etc) sitting next to us. Also saw Game 2 of the 1976 World Series. That was the game where the temp got below freezing but Bowie Kuhn refused to put on a coat. Also was at the 1999 play-in game where Al Leiter pitched the game of his life.

[Ky Fried Redleg]

First game I ever attended I had yellow seats. Sat in those maybe one time after that.

Here's a few other seats that stand out that I had in the time I went to old Riverfront:

Best seats I ever had were green seats behind home plate. My oldest brother worked at Seagrams in Lawrenceburg. He was high up there and had access to their season tickets just about anytime he wanted them. I used them a few times. Just a great view. They were ion the last row of that section, IIRC You could actually see the pitches break from those seats. I can remember seeing Bob Knepper pitch and he was breaking stuff off the table for a few innings, But when he started tiring the ball started rolling and hanging as it came in. Esasky got a hold of one those hangers and hit a pure laser beam into the yellow seats in LF. One of the most satisfying things happened one time in regards to those seats. As you all know the ushers could be real pains. I was by myself one time and sat down in my seat. One these ushers came up and real smugly said "let me see your ticket". I knew he was just itching to throw me out of there. So I just as smugly handed him the ticket and he got this look of shock on his face and just said "have a good evening young man". I was laughing inside really hard about that.

Myself and almost my entire family at the time were in 1st row of the LF seats on the July 1, 1973 doubleheader when we got the HR ball off Dave Lopes bat. We sat just above Pete Rose and I can remember he kept looking back up at us after that HR. I guess he was surprised it didn't bounce back out on the field.

Me and my brother sat in the CF green seats for the 1988 all star game. Not very good seats but it was just a thrill being there for such a high profile event.

I sat in the red seats quite a bit. The lower part of the Red seats really weren't bad. Especially if you were behind home plate. Very good view from there. But when you were really high you couldn't judge a fly ball or hardly tell what was going on. When I was really young and we sat up there I was scared of falling.

The first year the blue seats were open in RF I had tickets to a doubleheader against the Cardinals. They were pretty good seats. You felt like you very close to the field.

My first Reds' game was very close to your first Reds' game, I believe. Mine was August 20, 1971. We sat up high in the Red seats back behind home plate. During batting practice every fly ball that was hit appeared to me to be going out of the ballpark. Many were just shallow pops to the outfield. lol

[Ron Madden]

Hey Roy, I was at game 1 of the '73 playoffs vs the Mets and game 2 of the '79 playoffs vs the Pirates

[goreds2]

I remember buying "Top 6" Tickets for $3 in riverfront. It was a seat in one of the Top 6 rows. You could look down and see the whole field from above. I loved sitting there and it was so cheap. I was able to buy those all the way through the 90s. .

They were awesome behind home plate.

[cumberlandreds]

My first Reds' game was very close to your first Reds' game, I believe. Mine was August 20, 1971. We sat up high in the Red seats back behind home plate. During batting practice every fly ball that was hit appeared to me to be going out of the ballpark. Many were just shallow pops to the outfield. lol

Yes mine was the next day. You had to watch the outfielders reactions from up in the red seats to know where the ball was going. If you just looked at the ball you thought every one of them was a home run., August 21st

[foster15]

I'm not all that "romantic" about the stadium the game is played in. If it wasn't fr everyone telling me how awful those multi-use stadiums were, I'd have probably never noticed. I get that the turf and the underlying concrete surface were terrible for players health, but as a fan, I didn't know that until people started talking about it. It was baseball and I loved watching and attending. The stadium itself didn't really make much difference to me.

When comparing Riverfront to GAB, I agree with you. But when comparing Riverfront to Crosley, I don't. Crosley had a feel and smell to it that when I think hard enough, I can re-create in my mind. Crosley felt and was historic. It felt real. GAB feels like a fake Crosley. Crosley gave you opportunities to talk to players and get autographs. You could talk to the pitching coach while his starter was warming up right next to him. It just felt like more than being a spectator.

To me it's like they created GAB to try and feel like old time baseball. But it doesn't. It's like the difference between going into a big house that's 150 years old and feeling the ghosts compared to visiting a created haunted house on Halloween.

Riverfront as a ballpark wasn't anything special. But the teams they put on the field through it's history were so that definitely puts it above GAB to me. Plus, I have more memories from Riverfront than both Crosley and GAB. I was at the very first game at Riverfront when we lost to Braves, Aaron hit the first homer and Sparky immediately became the first manager to get ejected from there. I also attended game 2 of 1970 WS, Game 5 of 1975 WS and games 1 of both 1990 NLCS and 1990 WS. I was there when Ray Knight hit two homers in the same inning(one a grand slam) and also attended the greatest double-header of my life which was a Reds game on hat day followed by a Rod Stewart concert we decided to go to as we were walking back to the car. Lots of Reds caps at that concert. I also attended a concert at the stadium that had Eddie Money, Steve Miller and Eagles.

[Ron Madden]

I loved Crosley Field! From a baseball aesthetic point of view I prefer both Crosley Field and GABP to Riverfront but that in no way diminishes my many wonderful memories of Riverfront Stadium.

[Jaysland Red]

I will always have fond memories of Riverfront. It’s where I saw my first ever game of baseball (living in England, I’d never even seen it on TV) and where I fell in love with baseball and the Reds. I remember reading an article when part of the stadium had been demolished during the construction of GABP in which fans were saying they much preferred the stadium with the new gap in it because of the views it gave, with some joking about why did they need the new stadium at all now Riverfront had been improved like that!

[mth123]

When comparing Riverfront to GAB, I agree with you. But when comparing Riverfront to Crosley, I don't. Crosley had a feel and smell to it that when I think hard enough, I can re-create in my mind. Crosley felt and was historic. It felt real. GAB feels like a fake Crosley. Crosley gave you opportunities to talk to players and get autographs. You could talk to the pitching coach while his starter was warming up right next to him. It just felt like more than being a spectator.

To me it's like they created GAB to try and feel like old time baseball. But it doesn't. It's like the difference between going into a big house that's 150 years old and feeling the ghosts compared to visiting a created haunted house on Halloween.

Riverfront as a ballpark wasn't anything special. But the teams they put on the field through it's history were so that definitely puts it above GAB to me. Plus, I have more memories from Riverfront than both Crosley and GAB. I was at the very first game at Riverfront when we lost to Braves, Aaron hit the first homer and Sparky immediately became the first manager to get ejected from there. I also attended game 2 of 1970 WS, Game 5 of 1975 WS and games 1 of both 1990 NLCS and 1990 WS. I was there when Ray Knight hit two homers in the same inning(one a grand slam) and also attended the greatest double-header of my life which was a Reds game on hat day followed by a Rod Stewart concert we decided to go to as we were walking back to the car. Lots of Reds caps at that concert. I also attended a concert at the stadium that had Eddie Money, Steve Miller and Eagles.

I loved Crosley field, probably my best day as a fan was watching the reds sweep a double header from the Cubs on Ball Day one year or the time they swept the Braves on the day Hank Aaron got his 3000th hit (winning a game they were down 6-3 in the ninth with Bench and May hitting back to back HR to tie it and eventually winning in extra innings). But as a fan, what I cared about was the team. They could have played on the kickball diamond drawn on grade school parking lot and I wouldn't have cared.