The Big Four Era

Lore & Background

The nickname is generally credited to sportswriter Bob Hertzel of The Cincinnati Enquirer, who used it in his coverage of the Reds during the 1969 season, but gained prominence in reference to the 1970 team. Future Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson, whose major league managerial career began with the Reds' 1970 season, headed the Big Red Machine, which at its peak featured Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Tony Pérez, and was supported by Dave Concepción, George Foster, César Gerónimo and Ken Griffey, Sr. The team won six National League West Division titles, four National League pennants, and two World Series titles. They are one of only a few National League teams to win back-to-back World Championships, joining the 1907 and 1908 Chicago Cubs and the 1921 and 1922 New York Giants.

In Their Own Story

The air inside Riverfront Stadium was thick with humidity and anticipation on that October night in 1975. The crowd roared as Johnny Bench stepped up to the plate, his bat heavy in his hands against the Boston bullpen. A pitch came in low; he drove it deep into the right-field corner, a shot that seemed to carry the hopes of every Reds fan in Ohio. As the ball cleared the fence, Pete Rose was already rounding first base, grinning wildly, while Joe Morgan slid home with a look of pure triumph. In that moment, under the bright lights, the Big Four weren't just players; they were the heartbeat of a city.

Reader's Guide

The eight players most frequently referenced as members of the Big Red Machine include baseball's all-time hit leader in Rose; three Hall of Fame players in Bench, Pérez and Morgan; six National League MVP selections; four National League home run season leaders; and three NL Batting Champions. Between them, these eight players collectively won 25 Gold Glove awards and made 63 All-Star Game appearances. The starting lineup of Rose, Morgan, Pérez, Bench, Concepción, Foster, Griffey, and Gerónimo (collectively referred to as the 'Great Eight') played 88 games together during the 1975 and 1976 seasons, losing only 19.

Did You Know?

• The Big Red Machine averaged over 95 wins a season between 1970 and 1979, with a total record of 953 wins and 657 losses.
• The core of the Reds team had the best record in the Major Leagues in 1981, but did not make the postseason because of the split-season playoff format due to the 1981 players' strike.
• The Big Red Machine's archrivals were the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the two teams often competing for the NL West division title.