Charles “Bumpus” Jones throws a no-hitter in his Major League debut (October 15, 1892): Charlie Jones made his Major League debut on the last day of the 1892 season. In his only appearance of the season, the Reds rookie defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-1 issuing four walks and allowing no-hits. The Pirates scored an unearned run on an error. Jones made his final big league appearance on July 14, 1893. He finished his career with a 2-4 record and a 7.99 ERA.
Johnny Vander Meer’s two consecutive no-hitters (1938): On June 11, 1938, Johnny Vander Meer no-hit the Boston Braves in a 3-1 win. Four days later, he repeated the feat against Brooklyn. The Dodger fans openly supported Vander Meer as the game moved into the late innings. After the double event, Vander Meer pitched 3 2/3 additional hitless innings to set a record. To date, no one has surpassed his 21 2/3 consecutive hitless innings.
Reds: 2 Tigers: 1(October 8, 1940 Game 7 World Series): Cincinnati and Detroit battled to a seventh game in 1940. Detroit led 1-0 behind Bobo Newsom until the bottom of the 7th inning when the Reds scored two. Paul Derringer held the lead and the Reds won their first title since 1919.
The Moose Wild Pitch (October 11, 1972 Game 5 NLCS): The defending World Champion Pirates led the Reds 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth of Game 5 of the NLCS. Johnny Bench led the inning off with a game tying shot off Dave Giusti. With two on and two out, and Bob Moose on the mound for the Bucs, George Foster scored on a wild pitch. The Reds won the game 4-3 and the pennant three games to two.
The Big Red Machine finally breaks through (October 22, 1975 Game 7 World Series): The Reds led the Red Sox three-games-to-two heading back to Fenway for Game 6. The Sox won a spectacular battle in extra innings on Carlton Fisk’s home run. It seemed that Boston had the momentum. In Game 7, Boston raced out to an early 3-0 lead. The Reds scored two in the sixth to make it a game. In the seventh, Tony Perez tied the game with a solo shot. The teams remained tied until the ninth when Joe Morgan won the World Series with a single to center scoring the winning run. It was the Reds first title in 35 years.
Sweep! (October 21, 1976 Game 4 World Series): The Reds coasted through the 1976 postseason winning all seven games. In Game 4 of the World Series, the Big Red Machine pummeled the Yankees. Johnny Bench slammed two homers in the 7-2 win. Manager Sparky Anderson stirred some controversy earlier in the week when he claimed it was not fair to compare anyone to Johnny Bench. It was meant as a compliment to Bench, but New Yorkers took it as a slam against Thurman Munson.
Pete Rose’s 44 game hitting streak (1978): It started on June 14, 1978 with a two hit game against the Cubs. It did not end until August 1. Pete Rose became the first person to seriously challenge Joe Dimaggio’s 56 game hitting streak when he extended it past 40. The streak ended at 44 games and sixty-six hits when Gene Garber struck out Rose. Garber leapt for joy and that particular at-bat is what he will be remembered for.
4192 (September 11, 1985): On September 11, 1985, Pete Rose surpassed Ty Cobb to become baseball’s all time hit leader. Between Cobb’s retirement and Rose’s accomplishment, only Hank Aaron (3771) and Stan Musial (3630) came within striking distance of 4000 hits. The Riverfront Crowd roared for their hometown hero. Steve Garvey called it the loudest ovation he had ever heard (and Garvey was present for Reggie Jackson’s three homers at Yankee Stadium). Rose admits he did not know what to do and finally broke down.
Browning’s Perfect (September 16, 1988): Tom Browning won 20 games as a rookie and a World Series in 1990. In between, he tossed a perfect game against the eventual World Champion Dodgers. Adding to the drama, the Reds only scored one unearned run on Tim Belcher. Browning finished the perfect performance in the ninth by retiring Rick Dempsey, Steve Sax, and pinch hitter Tracy Woodson.
Rijo trumps Stewart (October 20, 1990 World Series Game 4): The Reds led their division wire-to-wire in 1990 and upset the Pittsburgh Pirates in the NLCS. They led the World Series against the heavily favored World Champion A’s three-games-to-none. Oakland led early in Game 4. As the game progressed, Reds starter Jose Rijo seemed to get stronger. Eventually, he emphatically rallied the troops. The Reds responded with two in the eighth to take the lead. Randy Myers pitched the 9th for the save and the Reds achieved the improbable by sweeping the A’s. Jose Rijo won the World Series MVP award with two wins and a microscopic 0.59 ERA.
