Cincinnati Reds - The Psychedelic Years (1960-1969)

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1960

1963

1967

Decade

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Titles:

Top Reds Players of the Sixties

1961 - National League Champs (Lost to Yankees in World Series)

Pitchers:

Ballpark:

Jim Maloney (35.33) - 60

Crosley Field

Jim O'Toole (20.88) - 52

Bob Purkey (17.68) - 44

Team Name:

Joey Jay (12.93) - 40

Reds

Sammy Ellis (8.13) - 26

Joe Nuxhall (12.08) - 18

Owners:

Milt Pappas (5.77) - 16

Powel Crosley (1960-1961)

Jim Brosnan (4.91) - 13

Bill DeWitt (1961-1966)

Gary Nolan (11.14) - 13

Syndicate led by Francis Dale incl. Louis Nippert & William J Williams (1966-69)

John Tsitouris (2.7) - 12

Ted Abernathy (8.97) - 11

General Managers:

Bill McCool (6) - 10

Gabe Paul (1960)

Mel Queen (4.82) - 8

Bill DeWitt (1961-1966)

Bill Henry (5.12) - 6

Bob Howsam (1967-1969)

Don Notebart (4.86) - 3

Managers:

Catchers:

Fred Hutchinson (1960-64)

Johnny Edwards (8.67) - 40

Dick Sisler (1954-65)

John Bench (10.67) - 28

Don Heffner (1966)

Don Pavletich (4.77) - 7

Dave Bristol (196-69)

First Basemen:

Hall of Famers:

Gordon Coleman (7.27) - 34

Pete Rose (Pending)

Lee May (8.73) - 28

Frank Robinson

Deron Johnson (6.64) - 25

Johnny Bench

Tony Perez

Second Basemen:

Tommy Helms (3.28) - 15

Rookie of the Year:

Pete Rose (1963)

ShortStop:

Tommy Helms (1966)

Chico Cardenas (14.84) - 46

Johnny Bench (1968)

Eddie Kasko (6.68) - 15

MVP

Third Base:

Frank Robinson (1961)

Tony Perez (15.08) - 29

No Hitters:

Outfield:

Jim Maloney (1965)

Vada Pinson (41.07) - 116

George Culver (1968)

Frank Robinson (40.33) - 94

Jim Maloney (1969)

Pete Rose (30.23) - 55

Tommy Harper (9.34) - 42

Cy Young:

Alex Johnson (6.49) - 21

None

Bobby Tolan (5.36) - 17

Wally Post (5.78) - 9

Notable Events:

1960 - Cincinnati has had only two winning seasons in the previous sixteen as the

Sixties open. After another woeful season in 1960, the Reds turn things around

1966 - In one of the worst trades in baseball history, the Reds

big time and only have one aberrent sub .500 season for the rest of the decade.

trade Frank Robinson to the Orioles for Milt Pappas. Cincinnati's

The seeds were sown for a successful Sixties run in the Fifties. Cincinnati only

management teams were never comfortable with Robinson, an

contended in '61 and '62, while in the rest of the Sixties they were above .500 but

outspoken black man, as the face of their team. Particularly in

weren't a contender. The team was talented, but young, and the pitching was spotty.

the racially charged times of the Sixties.

The '60 Cincinnati roster,had a number of impact players moving forward:

You'll remember that the Reds were slow to integrate back in the Fifties.

□ Frank Robinson, 24, Future Hall of Fame outfielder, traded away in 1966

□ Vada Pinson, 21, one of the game's top centerfielders, starred for Reds thru '68

1966 - DeWitt sells to a local consortium led by Francis Dale

□ Gordon Coleman, 25, slugging 1B stolen from Cleveland in a '59 trade

along with Louis Nippert and William J Williams. They will own the

□ Leo Cardenas, 21, one of the top shortstops of the Sixties with the Reds

Reds and take turns running the club until 1984 when they sell out to

□ Tony Gonzalez, 23, centerfielder - lost in a bad trade to the Phillies

Marge Schott. Bob Howsam becomes GM

□ Jose Azcue, 20, catcher sold to Braves - one that got away

□ Claude Osteen, 20, huge mistake - lefthander traded for Dave Sisler

1967 - Johnny Bench 19, is a rookie. He was a 2nd round pick in the '65 draft

□ Orlando Pena, 26, righthander traded to Houston for Ken Johnson

□ Jim Maloney, 20, righthander becomes the Reds ace for the rest of the decade

1967 - Gary Nolan 18, is a rookie. He was a 1st round pick In the '66 draft

□ Jim O'Toole, 23, lefthander has five big seasons before hurting his arm

Nolan turns 19 during the season and wins 14 games.

□ Bob Purkey, 30, righty obtained in a trade with the Pirates two years earlier

1968 - Hal McRae 22, is a rookie. He was a 6th round pick in the '65 draft

1960 - Bill DeWitt, a savvy veteran baseball exec is hired as GM, taking over from

Gabe Paul. With a nice nucleus in place, DeWitt makes a couple of deals for

1969 - Jim Maloney, the Reds ace of the decade, tosses his

veterans that pay off in 1961, picking up infielders Don Blasingame and Gene Freese.

second career no hitter

1961 - Joey Jay, 25 year old righthander, is obtained from the Braves along with

1969 - Bernie Carbo 21, is a rookie. He was a 1st round pick in the '65 draft

Juan Pizarro for shortstop Roy McMillan. Jay comes out of nowhere to win twenty

games back to back. Meanwhile, the Reds let Pizarro slip thru their fingers to Chicago.

1969- Speedy young centerfielder Bobby Tolan, 23, is obtained from the

This was a terrible trade for the Braves as they dealt two future aces for an aging SS

Cards for aging centerfielder Vada Pinson

1961 - Powel Crosley dies in March. GM Bill DeWitt buys the club from the Crosley

The seeds for the Big Red Machine of the Seventies are sown in the Sixties

estate at the end of the season. Winning the pennant didn't hurt the sales price for

Here's a list of the remarkable string of signings that the three high quality

Crosley's heirs. Crosley came in a winner and left a winner, not so much in between

Reds GM's of the Sixties put togeither:

□ 1960 - Tony Perez - Gabe Paul

1961 - The Reds win the National League title making a twenty seven game jump in

□ 1960 - Pete Rose - Gabe Paul

the standings. The young nucleus was improving, particularly first baseman Gordon

□ 1960 - Tommy Harper - Gabe Paul

Coleman and lefty Jim O'Toole, who won nineteen. Plus the new acquisitions of

□ 1961 - Lee May - Bill DeWitt

Jay, Freese and Blasingame all contributed to the huge leap in performance

□ 1965 - Bernie Carbo - Bill DeWitt

□ 1965 - Johnny Bench - Bill DeWitt

1961 - Cincinnati gets beat by the Yankee juggernaut of that year in the World

□ 1965 - Hal McRae - Bill DeWitt

Series. No shame in that, it was a special Yankee team.

□ 1966 - Gary Nolan - Bill DeWitt

□ 1967 - Dave Concepcion - International Free Agent - Bob Howsam

1962 - Outfielder Tommy Harper, 21, is a rookie. He was signed in 1960

□ 1967 - Wayne Simpson - FA draft 1st round - Bob Howsam

□ 1969 - Ross Grimsley - FA draft (2nd phase) 1st round - Bob Howsam

1963 - Pete Rose, 22, is a rookie. He was signed in 1960

□ 1969 - Don Gullett - FA draft 1st round - Bob Howsam

□ 1969 - Ken Griffey FA draft - 29th round - Bob Howsam

1964 - Tony Perez, 22, is a rookie. He was signed in 1960

□ 1969 - Dan Driessen - amateur free agent - Bob Howsam

1965 - Lee May, 22, is a rookie. He was signed in 1961