Cincinnati Reds' 10 National League Pennants

Lore & Background

The 1961 pennant was the Reds' first in 21 years. They won the National League with a 93–61 record, four games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers, but lost the World Series in five games to the New York Yankees. The Reds were managed by Fred Hutchinson and played home games at Crosley Field. They were the last team to win the NL in the 154-game schedule era before the league expanded to 162 games the following year.

In Their Own Story

The air inside Riverfront Stadium is thick with humidity and anticipation. It is October 1975, and the roar of the crowd seems to vibrate through the very soles of the players' cleats. Johnny Bench steps up to the plate, gripping his bat with a familiarity born of thousands of at-bats. The pitcher winds up, the ball leaves his hand, and time slows. As the crack of the bat echoes across the diamond, sending the ball soaring toward center field, the realization hits: this is it. Another step toward immortality for the Big Red Machine.

Reader's Guide

The 1961 Reds were led by NL MVP Frank Robinson (37 HR, 124 RBI, .323 average) and Vada Pinson (.343 average, 208 hits). Starting pitchers included Joey Jay (21 wins), Jim O'Toole (19 wins), and Bob Purkey (16 wins). Third baseman Gene Freese contributed 26 home runs and 87 RBI. The team clinched the pennant on September 26 with a 6–3 win over the Cubs and a Dodgers loss.

Did You Know?

• The Reds' turnaround from 67 wins in 1960 to 93 wins in 1961 was orchestrated by new general manager Bill DeWitt.
• Owner Powel Crosley Jr. died of a heart attack on March 28, 1961, just 13 days before the season started.
• The Reds swept a three-game series in Los Angeles on August 15–16, 1961, outscoring the Dodgers 19–2 to take the lead in the pennant race.
• Jerry Lynch led the National League in pinch hits for the second straight season with 19.