2.28.11 BY:MSR
MEMORIES
ROBINSON REMINISCES My earliest
memories of The Cincinnati Reds involve the following: I had a plastic
replica batting helmet (the type Pete Rose always wore without an ear flap
protector). I personalized it by writing in pencil my favorite Red's jersey
number on the underside bill of the helmet. The number was 41, Tom Seaver. I
remember wearing that helmet all the time, especially when I was at bat in
the back yard awaiting a tennis ball thrown underhand towards a make shift
plate by my Dad. This must have been 1981 or 1982. I was six or seven years
old. Pete Rose had already left for Philadelphia and to be quite honest, I
don't actually remember him in a Reds uniform until he came back during the
1984 season. Anyway, so Tom Seaver was my favorite Red at the time of that
replica batting helmet but he left soon after because I remember erasing
that #41 and replacing it with the #36. I remember circling that number
several times to empower its permanence. The number 36 belonged to Mario
Soto, the star pitcher of the Cincinnati Reds during a dismal period of Reds
baseball in the early eighties. I wish I still had that old plastic batting
helmet because I must have written about ten different favorite players'
numbers under the brim of that lid.
My earliest memories of the Reds were not during a glorious time for the
ball club. I idolized a team that adults at the time couldn't stand or
tolerate because they had been so used to winning. Pete Rose was a Philly.
Tony Perez an Expo. Griffey was a Yankee. Sparky was a Tiger. All the glory
had gone and Dick Wagner didn't leave much behind. Let’s face it, the
Cincinnati Reds had little success in the early eighties. I didn't know any
better. I thought Paul Householder and Duane Walker were fabulous
outfielders. Little did I know that they couldn't compare to Foster and
Geronimo. Though they lost a lot of games, I worshipped my Reds. Eddie
Milner was so fast and so was Gary Redus. Ron Oester was a slick fielding
2nd baseman with a good bat but I wasn't comparing him to Joe Morgan because
I never saw Morgan play. I thought Nick Esasky and "Sleepy" Dan Driessan
were swell first basemen but I had no idea how much Tony Perez contributed
to "The Big Red Machine." Davey Concepcion and Johnny Bench were at the end
of their respective careers but I didn't realize they weren't what they used
to be. I had no idea. I do remember Bench trying to play third or first base
and not doing so well at it. Then an upswing for the organization seemed to
occur. Two home town players returned to build a new team to be proud of.
It all started with "The Cobra" coming to Cincinnati, Dave Parker. A
devastating hitter for the Pittsburg Pirates came to Cincinnati where he
grew up. I remember he had to shave his beard and take out his ear ring was
a big deal. I think I was nine or ten years old. Number 39 was now written
inside that batting helmet. Parker was an instant success in a Reds uniform,
especially at the plate. I was a left-handed batter as well as Parker and I
remember mimicking his ferocious swing. I was not permitted to mimic his
outfield play. He was a little too flashy and hot dog in the field. He would
like slap his mitt towards a fly ball and it didn't always work out so well,
but he had a rifle for an arm. He was a right fielder. What a cannon. No
base-runner attempted to take third with the ball in Parker's secure hand
ready to be unloaded. Dave Parker will remain one of my favorite players of
all time. Later in 1984 another home town hero returned with a much bigger
impact and I became forever fascinated with his style of play through pure
determination.
I remember having two huge posters on my wall about this time. I was only
allowed to have two but they were enormous to me. The kind of posters with
the white border and an action shot picture framed within. On the top left
of the pictures were the names of these sport legends; Ken Anderson and Pete
Rose. I was enthralled that both these heroes donned the same jersey number
14. So much so that later in High School baseball I chose the number 28
because I wanted to exude twice as much effort as my baseball hero
exemplified on the diamond. A good idea, but a very difficult goal to
attain. Anyway, I become completely dedicated to the Reds, even more so than
ever before. Pete Rose, a former Red and local legend, came back to the city
I adored. He came back as a player/manager to bring his brand of "hustle"
back to the Queen City. He had a tremendous, immediate impact and would go
on to become a living legend as "The Hit KIng."
