My very Reds' game was August 20, 1971. The Reds played the Purates at Riverfront. That season was a pretty forgettable one for the Reds but one that a 8-year old boy from SE Kentucky will never forget.

 

I had saved up for the trip for months that year. I kept the money I had saved in one of my pawpaw's old King Edward cigar boxes. I wrote "Cincinnati Trip" across the box. I think I had saved 30 plus dollars by the time August rolled around.

 

I remember when I first saw that big round stadium in the distance. We were passing over the bridge heading into Cincy. I was mesmerized. My heart was beating so fast that I put my hands over my heart, thinking that might slow the beating just a bit.

 

I will never forget the first time I set foot on the concourse inside the stadium. I felt as if I had stepped onto holy ground. It seemed as if I had stepped into a dream of my own device. I had listened to the games all year long, and had even written a letter to Al Micheals. The letter started: "Deal Owl." However, nothing could have prepared me for the first time my eyes gazed down upon that magical green turf where my idols made their living. The heart was racing out of control by now.

 

Our seats were not great, but it didn't matter. We were sitting high up in the red box seats, the top level at Riverfront. I think the tickets were $3.00 each, but to the 8 year-old they were priceless. We watched batting practice from our nosebleed seats behind home plate. Every ball that was hit appeared to me to be heading for a landing spot beyond the home run fence. "That's out of here!," I exclaimed, only to watch most of the flies settle unceremoniously into the glove of an outfielder or Tommy Helms out beyond second base.

 

The game was great, of course. The good guys won 6-0 behind a four-hit, complete game shutout by Ross Grimsley. Perez hit his 22nd homer of the season in the first with a man aboard off of Bruce Kison to give the Reds a quick 2-0 advantage that they never relinquished. I think I wet my pants as "Doggie" rounded the bases. The Reds added another run in the third and three more in the seventh to round out the scoring.

 

"The Big Bopper," Lee May, who had three hits in the game, would soon be gone, as would Tommy Helms. This would make the way for Perez to move from third to first, Rose to move from the outfield to third and Morgan, Griffey, and Geronimo to emerge on the scene and form the nucleus of the Big Red Machine.

 

Overall, 1971 was pretty uneventful and mostly forgettable for most Reds' fans, with the exception of one little 8-year old KY boy who took his transistor to bed with him so he could listen to Al Micheals call the 11:05pm West Coast games. Yes, that being the same little boy that saved his coins all summer in anticipation of making the magical 170 mile trek north to watch his heroes play a game he will never forget on a summer night in August of '71 that will live in his memory forever.

Catching a foul ball hit by Hal Morris in 1998 I believe. Pretty fun game but they lost to the Padres.

That it's never happened before.

1988, took my son, who was 7 at the time. We got there early, just as the Reds were coming off the field from batting practice. I asked Danny Jackson to toss my son a ball, and he did.:thumb:

 

My first game was at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, 1964. Orioles vs. Indians.

Pete Harnisch and Griffey Jr. homered...long rain delay, but we stuck it out to see the Reds win!!!

Some drunk guy a couple rows behind us yelling, "C'mon Archie" every time Ken Griffey came up to bat.

Almost 48 years ago as a 12 year old boy,got to see my first ML game, the year 1962 at Cincinnati the old ball park.I recall that the Reds won the game over the Cards I think,on a nice summer night.My dad really enjoy the game,a big Red fan himself,oh those were the days.

Now my son goes with me to a baseball game from time to time.

Getting spanked by my dad... :lol:

 

Not sure if it was my first game, but it is the one I remember... :idunno:

Here were the starting lineups of my first game.

 

Pirates @ Reds --- August 20, 1971

 

Pirates:

 

Cash 2B

Clines RF

Robertson 1B

Stargell LF

Sanguillen C

Hebner 3B

Oliver CF

Alley SS

Kison P

 

Reds:

 

Rose RF

McRae LF

May 1B

Perez 3B

Bench C

Foster CF

Helms 2B

Concepcion SS

Grimsley P

A couple of interesting tidbits about my first game. Some guy by the name of Bill Mazeroski made a pinch hitting appearance, going 0-1.

 

The first base umpire that night was John McSherry, the same man who died of a massive heart attack on the same field on the Reds' Opening Day in 1996.

Edited March 31, 201016 yr by the mathemagician

I don't remember the date but I'm pretty sure I was 7 years old in 1971 when the Reds played the Dodgers. My first memory is the burst of green of the turf. First time ever seeing astroturf. I sat on the 3B side. Lee May bopped one out of the park.

My first game was in 1977 , Reds playing the Cards and I was 9 years old . The most that I remember was how much I was in awe of the stadium once we got to out seats . Just to see my heroes Rose , Morgan and Bench in person . Bench and Concepion hitting Hrs .

Here were the starting lineups of my first game.

 

Pirates @ Reds --- August 20, 1971

 

Pirates:

 

Cash 2B

Clines RF

Robertson 1B

Stargell LF

Sanguillen C

Hebner 3B

Oliver CF

Alley SS

Kison P

 

Reds:

 

Rose RF

McRae LF

May 1B

Perez 3B

Bench C

Foster CF

Helms 2B

Concepcion SS

Grimsley P

 

I used to love the 70s Pirates lineup. However, I don't remember "Alley."

The reds were playing the Phillies. My uncle came to my first game with me and my dad. He's the kind of uncle who loved to tease and annoy me when I was younger. A certain amount of fans got a free reds hat as they came into the park. Myself and my dad got a reds hat, my uncle said no thanks, pulled a Phillies hat out of his back pocket and put it on. This infuriated me of course.

 

I don't remember who won but I do remember desperately wanting to catch a foul ball.

July 1980.

 

We got there early for the Reds and Phils. I remember my grandfather timing me on how long it would take to run around the outside of Riverfront. I was 8.

 

Bought a plastic Cubs helmet. They beat the Giants that day at Wrigley.

 

I remember how green the turf was.

 

Mario Soto beat Steve Carlton by a run. Bob Boone hit the only home run. Tug McGraw pitched two innings of relief I think.

 

Cool night.