Home Page    All-Time Teams    Player Pages    StatsCenter    Ultimate Games    Hall of Fame    World Series    Ask The Expert    Columns    Features    Franchise Pages    Message Boards    Our Staff    FAQ    TBP Newsletter Search Our Site Match AllAny term in section [ All ] All-Time Teams Columns FAQ Features Franchise Pages Future Player Pages StatsCenter Ultimate Games

In 1970, 1972, 1973, 1975, and 1976, the Big Red Machine rolled their way into the post-season. In 1970 - Sparky Anderson's rookie season as manager - the Orioles stopped them in the World Series. In '72 the Oakland A's defeated the Reds in a tight seven-game classic. In '73 the Reds were toppled by the Mets in the NL Playoffs, which featured a fight between Rose and Bud Harrelson. 

Finally in 1975 the Reds put it all together, combining speed, power, defense, solid starting pitching, and an outstanding bullpen. The Reds won 108 games - the most in the NL in 70 years. In the playoffs they rolled over Philadelphia in three straight (Rose batted .357) and advanced to face the Red Sox in the World Series.

The '75 Fall Classic was one of the most exciting in history. The Reds were a powerful offensive team, built around their "great eight" - Rose, MVP Joe Morgan, Ken Griffey, Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, George Foster, Davey Concepcion, and Cesar Geronimo. The Sox had rookie MVP Fred Lynn, Carl Yastrzemski, and Luis Tiant. Several future Hall of Famers performed in the tense series.

Rose had his best World Series, batting .370 (10-for-27) with five walks. After losing the historic Sixth Game, the Reds won Game Seven, earning their first title in 35 years. They followed with another Series victory in 1976, cruising past the Phils and Yankees, winning all seven of their post-season games.

After those victories, the Reds took their place among the great teams of all-time. The Big Red Machine was compared to the 1927 Yankees, the DiMaggio/Gehrig Yankees, the A's of 1929-1931, the Mantle-Era Yankees, Musial's Cardinals, and the 1972-1974 A's.

The Reds seemed poised to add to their flag collection, with several more pennants, especially after acquiring Tom Seaver in 1977. But the trade of Perez prior to the '77 season was the nail in the coffin of the Big Red Machine. The team lost their position in first place to the Dodgers in 1977-1978, and when Rose signed with the Phillies as a free agent in 1979, the reign was truly over. Sparky Anderson was fired following the 1978 season, seemingly because he had the audacity to finish in second place.

In '79 under John McNamara, the team rebounded to win the NL West before losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the playoffs. In 1981 the Reds managed the best record in the National League but the player strike (which resulted in a split-season format) cost them a post-season birth. Bench, Concepcion, Foster, and Griffey were still in place, but Joe Morgan had been shipped away. 

Finally in 1982 the wheels really fell off the Big Red Machine when the team lost 101 games to begin a three-year slide of losing seasons. Not until Pete Rose returned as player/manager late in 1984 did things begin to turn around.