10 historical facts about the Cincinnati Reds baseball team

1. Name: The original name of the Cincinnati Reds baseball team was the Cincinnati Red Stockings. The team initially formed in 1863, but did not become a professional team with all 10 players being paid a salary for playing until 1869, making the Reds the first professional baseball team in history.
2. Changes: The team did not drop the word "Stockings" from its name until 1890 when it officially became titled the Cincinnati Reds. Why the name change? Some historians argue about this, but the big switch for the Reds that year was the team moved from the now-defunct American Association into the National League. That move probably prompted the name change.
3. Another name: Yep, the Reds were known under another name at one time. For the 1953 to 1958 seasons, the team was known as the Cincinnati Redlegs. Why? Because of the fears of Communism in the 1950s and the association of the color red with Communism.
4. Stolen bases: Which player has the record for stolen bases in one season with the Cincinnati Reds? That would be Bob Bescher who stole a team-record 81 bases all the way back in 1911. Unfortunately forBescher, he did not hold the stolen base record for the year 1911 for the sport as a whole. That record goes to the infamous Ty Cobb then of the Detroit Tigers. Cobb had 83 stolen bases that year.
5. Home runs: The year is 1977. The player is George Foster. The number of home runs he earned that year? 52. And it still stands as a team record all these years later.
6. The field: Until 1970, the Reds played home games on one particular field in Cincinnati, Ohio. From 1884 to 1901, the field at the corner of Findlay Street and Western Avenue was known as League Park. In 1902, major improvements were made to the park and it became known as the Palace of the Fans until 1911. Then, beginning in 1912, the Reds had a major baseball park to play in, Redland Field, which in 1934 would be renamed Crosley Field. In 1970, the ballpark was torn down and the Cincinnati Reds moved to Riverfront Stadium, which later was known as Cinergy Field.
7. The new field: In 2003, the Great American Ballpark opened in Cincinnati to the Reds. The new ballpark was so huge that during construction part of the old Cinergy Field actually had to be demolished. Believe it or not, the name of the ballpark comes from the Great American Insurance Group.
8. World Series champs: The Reds have won the World Series a total of five times. The years: 1919, 1940, 1975, 1976, and 1990.
9. Victory and defeat: The biggest win the Reds have had over another team came in 1911 when the Reds defeated the Boston Braves 26-3. Unfortunately, the biggest defeat is more recent. In 2009, the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Reds 22 to 1.
10. The Big Red Machine: During the 1970s, the Cincinnati Reds were nicknamed the Big Red Machine, originally by the Cincinnati Enquirer newspaper. And the nickname was definitely earned. From 1970 to 1976, the Reds won two World Series titles, five National League Western Division titles, and four National League pennants.

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