Remember the first time you walked into Riverfront/Cinergy with grass on the field?

 

Mine was the green rug first, but when the grass was installed and a section of the park had been removed, I actually liked it better than GABP. There really wasn't a bad seat at Riverfront and I have sat in just about every section, my favorite being the green and yellow sections.

To me Crosley Field looked like heaven come down on earth . Green !!!!!!

 

But I can remember when it just wasn't as well manicured as the parks are today. I remember some dead grass sections around home plate back in the day.

1986 Reds v Cubs, Esasky and Parker went yard. I remember that day vividly b/c my Dad made us come inside and eat, so our friends had to go home. He then filled us in to let us know that we were going to the "opera," but it was a baseball show so we had to take our gloves. I was very angry b/c I didn't do the opera at the age of 6. I complained the whole way until we walked up to the gate. Then I saw the turf, and life as a sports fan was never the same.

I was four years old - so that would have made it 1985. Pete Rose used to somewhat-regularly visit an elderly neighbor of ours and he gave her tickets all the time. She never went to the games, so she'd pass them on to my Dad. It was a Sunday afternoon game - I remember because Dad and I went to church the day before so we wouldn't miss mass. I grew up 3 doors down from Dixie Highway, so we took the #1 bus all the way to Dixie Terminal and walked over the foot-bridge to Riverfront. It was my first ride on the bus as well. Just me and Dad all afternoon. Big day.

I remember going to a few games at "The Jake" and even the old stadium when we lived in Cleveland, but I couldn't tell you much about them.

 

The first game I remember really well was when we moved to Cincinnati, my dad took my brother and I to the Reds/Indians game at Cinergy. I was by the Indians dugout and I think it was Charles Nagey who threw me a ball when heading in from BP. Some old dude with a backpack snagged it from me and walked away. I probably looked like I was about to cry because I thought getting a baseball would be the coolest thing. That's when Jim Thome threw me a ball, then asked me to throw it back with my sharpie and he'll sign it. I've always thought he must of saw me standing there looking devastated. Maybe he didn't. Either way when he threw it back I just stood there, about to crap my pants, staring at it. Some old ladies behind me told me to thank "Mr. Thome" but he was already gone. Wish I could of because I don't know about any you, but when your a kid, getting any autograph at the game, especially your first, it was surreal. I remember running back up to our seats and could hardly breathe telling my dad and showing him the ball.

I remember going to a few games at "The Jake" and even the old stadium when we lived in Cleveland, but I couldn't tell you much about them.

 

The first game I remember really well was when we moved to Cincinnati, my dad took my brother and I to the Reds/Indians game at Cinergy. I was by the Indians dugout and I think it was Charles Nagey who threw me a ball when heading in from BP. Some old dude with a backpack snagged it from me and walked away. I probably looked like I was about to cry because I thought getting a baseball would be the coolest thing. That's when Jim Thome threw me a ball, then asked me to throw it back with my sharpie and he'll sign it. I've always thought he must of saw me standing there looking devastated. Maybe he didn't. Either way when he threw it back I just stood there, about to crap my pants, staring at it. Some old ladies behind me told me to thank "Mr. Thome" but he was already gone. Wish I could of because I don't know about any you, but when your a kid, getting any autograph at the game, especially your first, it was surreal. I remember running back up to our seats and could hardly breathe telling my dad and showing him the ball.

 

Very cool. Wouldn't surprise me that Thome noticed.

I was four years old - so that would have made it 1985. Pete Rose used to somewhat-regularly visit an elderly neighbor of ours and he gave her tickets all the time. She never went to the games, so she'd pass them on to my Dad. It was a Sunday afternoon game - I remember because Dad and I went to church the day before so we wouldn't miss mass. I grew up 3 doors down from Dixie Highway, so we took the #1 bus all the way to Dixie Terminal and walked over the foot-bridge to Riverfront. It was my first ride on the bus as well. Just me and Dad all afternoon. Big day.

 

Hey, we did the very same thing my buddies and I. Grew up in Lewisburg, couple doors down from St. John's.

I remember going to a few games at "The Jake" and even the old stadium when we lived in Cleveland, but I couldn't tell you much about them.

 

The first game I remember really well was when we moved to Cincinnati, my dad took my brother and I to the Reds/Indians game at Cinergy. I was by the Indians dugout and I think it was Charles Nagey who threw me a ball when heading in from BP. Some old dude with a backpack snagged it from me and walked away. I probably looked like I was about to cry because I thought getting a baseball would be the coolest thing. That's when Jim Thome threw me a ball, then asked me to throw it back with my sharpie and he'll sign it. I've always thought he must of saw me standing there looking devastated. Maybe he didn't. Either way when he threw it back I just stood there, about to crap my pants, staring at it. Some old ladies behind me told me to thank "Mr. Thome" but he was already gone. Wish I could of because I don't know about any you, but when your a kid, getting any autograph at the game, especially your first, it was surreal. I remember running back up to our seats and could hardly breathe telling my dad and showing him the ball.

 

Clyde probably still has the ball too.

There was nothing better than buying a $4.95 "Top 6" ticket, then moving to the front row of the red seats. I used to go to 20 games a year for the price of one game now.

With the boy scouts in 1967 or 1968. Game went in to extra innings and Pete Rose scored to win the game.

I believe that my mother said that I was 6yrs. old, My family took me to see the Reds, rode the train from Ashland, KY. to Cincy / Crosley Field.

July 22, 1980. Reds 4 Phillies 3 at Riverfront.

 

I had family that lived in Louisville and they were Reds fans.

 

I remember getting to Riverfront early and the gates hadn't opened yet. To kill time, my parents timed me running around the outside of Riverfront. Twice. Not sure I would let my 8 year-old do that today, but hey, they knew what they were doing.

 

Me and some other kids asked Tom Seaver for an autograph as he left the field after batting practice ended and he was a real Richard.

 

As for the game, Mario Soto outpitched Steve Carlton. Bob Boone hit the game's only home run. Ray Knight had a double and triple for the Reds. Pete Rose led off and played first for the Phils. Johnny Bench had two hits. Tug McGraw pitched the final two innings of relief for the Phils.

 

All kind of future Hall of Famers in that game. Bought a plastic Cubs helmet after the game. Thought the Jumbrotron was the neatest thing. The Phils went on to win the World Series that year.