The Reds have won the World Series five times in their history. Most people might be old enough to remember the 1990 victory, and some might know that they won it all in 1940...the 1919 title might be a bit tainted due to the Black Sox scandal...but when people are asked to think of a championship winning Cincinnati team, everyone immediately thinks of the Big Red Machine that won the 1975 and 1976 titles. As a result, it's no surprise that a majority of their legends hail from that dominating back-to-back title run.
#1 - Fred Hutchinson
Hutchinson was a WW2 era pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, making the rounds managing from team to team after his playing career. He was managing the Reds' minor league team in Seattle when they fired their Manager in July of 1959 and plugged Fred in at the controls. He helped them finish more respectably in the standings and was given a longer leash to work in future seasons. By 1961 that leash was at its end and it became put up or shut up time. Under his guidance, the Reds surged into first place and pulled off an incredible and improbable pennant.
That 1961 World Series unfortunately pitted Hutchinson and the Reds against one of the greatest teams of all time: the '61 Yankees. After the thrashing by the M&M Boys, Hutchinson came back the next year to begin the process of building Cincinnati's own entry to the greatest of all time discussion. However, by 1964 Hutchinson was diagnosed with cancer, and after multiple trips to the hospital, officially surrendered his managing duties after the season. A few weeks later he died, and the Reds retired the number of their courageous Manager. 10 years later, the work that Hutchinson began came to fruition as the Big Red Machine began to terrorize the National League and claim two World Series Championships.
#5 - Johnny Bench
Let's get one thing straight, Yogi Berra is the greatest Catcher of all time. And while very few can hold a candle to him and his 10 rings, Johnny Bench is indeed one of those men...with seven candles held in one hand just because he can. At the time of his retirement, he had the most Home Runs for a Catcher ever (326) and in a single season (45 in 1970). Both records have since fallen, but stand as a testament to his offensive ability as well as his 10 Gold Gloves back up his defensive chops. The 1968 NL Rookie of the Year and 14 time all star, Bench took home the NL MVP award in both 1970 and 1972 before leading the Big Red Machine to their 1975 and 1976 championships (winning the series MVP in '76 as well).
#8 - Joe Morgan
The Big Red Machine won two World Series titles, and the NL MVP for both the '75 and '76 championship seasons was Hall of Famer Joe Morgan. From 1972 to 1979, Morgan joined the Reds after a trade with the Astros and was an all star each season as well as gaining Gold Gloves five times.
#10 - Sparky Anderson
Sparky Anderson's playing career began in 1959....and it turned out to also end in 1959. The next few years were spent in the minors, where it was noticed he made a more effective leader than a player and the transition was made. Before he could start the 1970 season as a coach for the Angels, the Reds plucked him to be their manager, and in his first attempt at managing in the big leagues, Anderson helmed the Reds to a 100 win season and the NL pennant. He got the team back to the World Series again a couple years later, but they were bested by the beginning of an Athletics trio of titles.
The Big Red Machine won Anderson his third pennant, but this time Sparky was on the winning side as the Reds topped the Red Sox and claimed their first title since 1940 after an incredible 108 win season. They turned around the next year and swept everyone in their way to make it back-to-back titles. Father time and an emerging Dodgers team prevented Cincinnati from getting back to the World Series, and Anderson found himself dismissed, but the immediate and sustained impact he had on an all time great run earned him his number retirement.
#11 - Barry Larkin
Barry Larkin spent his entire 19 year career in Cincinnati. 12 of those seasons were all star worthy, and while Ozzie Smith was the defensive standard of that era, Larking set the standard offensively with 9 Silver Sluggers while grabbing three Gold Gloves of his own. He helped the Reds win the 1990 World Series, and insisted the team stay competitive when it looked like the championship window was closing in the years after. He won the 1995 MVP and was named Captain in '97.
#13 - Dave Concepcion
Concepcion was another member of the Big Red Machine's "Great Eight" holding down at Shortstop during their '75-'76 titles runs. Along the way he went to 9 all star games and gained 5 Gold Gloves. The Silver Slugger didn't exist until 1980, but he still managed to get a couple of them for himself before his skills tapered off with age. And when the end was near, despite nearing the NL record for most games at SS, he put the team first and prepped a young Barry Larkin to take over for him.
#14 - Pete Rose
Most of the Reds players here are in the Hall of Fame, and Pete Rose SHOULD be one of them. Regardless of your opinion of if his ban should or should not have been lifted, I do believe his *lifetime* ban has been served and he should at least get posthumous induction. Rose is the all time leader in not only Hits (4,256) but also Game Played (3,562). Pete played in Cincinnati from 1963-1978, then returned in 1984 as a Player-Manager. He retired from playing after 1986 and remained as Manager until his ban in 1989. As Manager, he built what would ultimately win the World Series the following year. As a Reds player, Charlie Hustle was a 15 time all star, 1963 Rookie of the Year, '75 and '76 World Champion (1975 WS MVP), 2 time Gold Glove winner, 3 time batting champion and the 1973 MVP. While the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown has barred him (an interesting situation since the Hall of Fame is not officially in the purview of Major League Baseball) the WWE has him in the Celebrity Wing of their Hall of Fame...so you're technically not wrong when you say Pete Rose is a Hall of Famer, just remember to firmly plant your tongue in your cheek when you say it.
...And despite his lifetime ban, Rose found ways into MLB stadiums, such as in 1999 to represent on the "All Century Team", the 2015 all star game in Cincinnati, and of course for his number retirement in 2016.
#18 - Ted Kluszewski
Big Klu was a prolific power hitter for the Reds (or Redlegs) for 11 years between 1947 and 1957. He claimed that his biceps were so massive, that he had to cut off his sleeves to swing comfortably. A power hitter with a rare skill to avoid striking out, he led the league in Home Runs in 1954, which was one of his four all star seasons. After his playing days, he returned to Cincinnati as a hitting coach, and just happened to be the man responsible for the hitters during the Big Red Machine days of the 1970s that led to the 1975 and 1976 titles.
#20 - Frank Robinson
Reds fans aren't too fond of being reminded of one of the most foolish trades in history. An 8 time all star with Cincinnati, Robinson debuted in 1956. Most of his accomplishments occurred after his trade to Baltimore, including World Series glory, but he did help the Reds claim the 1961 pennant. That year was also when he won the NL MVP, allowing him to go on to become the first player to win the award in both leagues when he won it again right after his trade.
#24 - Tony Perez
Big Doggie Tony Perez was yet another member of the legendary Big Red Machine that claimed the '75 and '76 championships. He was a 7 time all star in his Reds career from 1964-1976. Manager Sparky Anderson stated he was the heart and soul of the Big Red Machine, and reference to his trade after the 1976 championship as to why the team never again was able to make it back to the World Series. As either the teams 1st Baseman or 3rd Baseman, Perez proved to be one of the big RBI guys for not just the Reds but in all of baseball. After his career, Perez returned to coach for the Reds in 1990 when they won another title, then went on to briefly manage them in 1993. In 2000, he was voted into the Hall of Fame, but before he went to the Cooperstown ceremony, he stopped by Cincinnati in May that year for his number retirement ceremony.
