Every city has their moments in sports. With Xavier's great season this year and the collapse of the Bengals this post-season, it made me think about some of the most important moments in the city of Cincinnati's history. These are my picks, in no particular order, for the most important moments in Cincinnati sports history.
1. 4192
Every Cincinnatian knows the meaning behind this number. In fact, every baseball fan should know what it means. On September 11, 1985, Pete Rose lined a single into left-center field at Riverfront Stadium. This was no ordinary hit, it was hit number 4,192. At that moment, Pete Rose broke a seemingly unbreakable record: the most hits in MLB history. He surpassed the legendary Ty Cobb. A standing ovation and a delay occurred in Cincinnati that night as Pete Rose, a hometown guy, became a legend.
2. Rose Is Banned For Life
1989 was not a good year for Cincinnati sports fans. Pete Rose was bound for Cooperstown on the first ballot. "Charlie Hustle" played the game like no other. He remains the "Hit King" to this day, but reports came across throughout the year that Pete Rose had broken a rule: he illegally bet on his team while he was the manager. The Dowd Report was filed in May, as Pete denied the allegations. Unfortunately, it became too much. On August 24, 1989, he accepted a lifetime ban from the game. The Hall of Fame acknowledges all bans and didn't allow Rose to enter the hall. Our hero had fallen. To this day, Rose fights for reinstatement and fails. HIs most recent attempt was in 2015. He finally came clean in 2004, when he admitted to betting on baseball. At least Commissioner Manfred has allowed Rose to be enshrined in the Reds' Hall of Fame and his #14 was retired.
3. Super Bowls XVI And XXIII
Ask any Bengals fan and they will say that they should have won the Super Bowl twice. The Bengals became champions of the AFC in 1981 and 1988. They played the San Francisco 49ers twice in the Super Bowl. Both times, Joe Montana happened. When Super Bowl XVI was played in January 1982, the Bengals had a shot and failed to win their first Super Bowl title. In January 1989, the Bengals played again, this time with their best record ever (which has since been tied in 2015). Unfortunately, a late 92-yard drive from Joe Montana led the 49ers to victory. The Bengals haven't been back to the big game since Super Bowl XXIII.
4. The Freezer Bowl
To get into Super Bowl XVI, the Bengals had to beat the Chargers in the 1981 AFC Championship Game. This game is remembered for one reason other than the Bengals' win: it was cold. The temperature of the game at Riverfront Stadium was -9° F, already cold enough, but the windchill was -59° F, making it the coldest game in terms of windchill in NFL history. It was especially difficult for the Chargers to deal with, as they typically play in sunny San Diego. The week before, they had played in Miami where it was 88° F.
5. Wire-To-Wire In 1990
While 1989 was not a great year for Cincinnati sports, 1990 was. The Bengals made the playoffs for the last time until 2005. However, it is mostly remembered for the 1990 Cincinnati Reds' wire-to-wire season. While most Reds fans remember that they opened the season on the road (which is sacrilegious here in Cincinnati), the rest of the season was memorable. Under first-year manager Lou Piniella, the Reds were in first place for the entire season, wire-to-wire. Led by Hall of Famer Barry Larkin, the Nasty Boys, Jack Armstrong, José Rijo, Billy Hatcher, and others, they beat the Pirates in the NLCS in six games. They faced the Oakland Athletics, the defending champions, in the World Series, but the Reds persevered. Billy Hatcher had a series-record seven consecutive hits, going 9-12 in the series, while Rijo won games one and four as the Reds completed one the biggest World Series upsets ever. They swept the A's to win their fifth and most recent title. Rjio was named series MVP as the magical season got its finishing touches.
6. The Hit Heard Round The 'Nati
The 2005 Cincinnati Bengals team shocked everyone. They went from winning two games in 2002 to winning 11 games and the AFC North in 2005, a very quick turnaround. They were lead by former Heisman winner and first overall pick Carson Palmer. It was the Bengals' first playoff appearance since the 1990 season, so the city was naturally ecstatic. The hype was made even worse by who the Bengals were facing: their dreaded rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, disaster struck the Bengals on the first play of scrimmage. As Palmer hurled a 60+ yard pass to Chris Henry, Steeler Kimo von Oelhoffen hit Palmer's knee. Palmer went down and stayed down. We held our breaths. Palmer was carted off and the Steelers went on to win not only the game, but Super Bowl XL. The game defines the Bengals in the playoffs: close but no cigar. At least von Oelhoffen apologized for the hit.
7. The Hits Heard Round The 'Nati
When it was announced that Cincinnati would host the 2015 MLB All-Star Game, the city decided to put on a show. From a logo with a mustache (cool, right?) to the block party and the game itself, the event was a major success for the city. The most memorable thing was the Home Run Derby. Todd Frazier was in it, representing the hometown Reds. The previously named game ambassador and starter was selected to participate. He did not disappoint. In a new format, Frazier defied the odds and clubbed 44 total home runs, winning one of the most exciting home run derbies in the event's history. He became the first person to win it in his home ballpark since 1990. The city cheered for Frazier the whole way as he became a representative for the city. It's unfortunate that the Reds had to trade him away this off season.
8. The Big Red Machine Goes Back To Back
The Cincinnati Reds of the 1970s may well be the greatest team assembled of all time. With a cast including Pete Rose, Dave Concepión, Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, and manager Sparky Anderson, they dominated the National League. Their classic lineup is referred to as the "Great Eight." They won five NL West titles and four NL pennants from 1970-1976, averaging 98 wins through that stretch. In 1975, they were finally able to win the World Series, beating the Boston Red Sox in seven games. This was one of the best series ever. The next year, the team swept the Yankees, cementing their legacy as one of the best teams to ever play.
9. UC Basketball Goes Back To Back
Cincinnati doesn't have a professional basketball team anymore. The Sacramento Kings used to play here as the Cincinnati Royals, but that was years ago. However, our college basketball is pretty good. The University of Cincinnati and Xavier University, while not major powers, are usually in the NCAA Tournament. The best moment for either school came when the UC Bearcats won back to back titles in the 1960-1961 and 1961-1962 seasons, defeating Ohio State both times. This was also after losing one of their best athletes of all time, Oscar Robertson, to the NBA in the 1960 Draft.
10. Basket-Brawl
UC and XU, being only about four miles away, are natural rivals. So, they meet every year in the Crosstown Shootout. Usually, the hostility is left to the fans of the two rivals, although some small moments do come up in the game. 2011 took it to the limit. At the end of the game at Xavier's Cintas Center, the game wasn't close. After a Xavier layup, players got the home crowd into it and some jawing started to occur. Then, a fight started and players got ejected and suspended. The rivalry was almost ended because of the incident, but it stayed alive. The next two games took place on a neutral site, but it has since returned to the campuses. Needless to say, both teams probably want to forget the incident.
11. The Walk-off To End All Walk-offs
The 2010 Cincinnati Reds were much like the 2005 Cincinnati Bengals: the unexpected champions of a division. Nobody expected them to finish too well, but they defied the odds. While I could have chosen the Reds-Cardinals brawl, Aroldis Chapman's debut, or Joey Votto winning the MVP for this moment, I went with this one. On September 28, 2010, the Reds won the NL Central and their first playoff appearance since 1995. It was 2-2 going into the bottom of the ninth. Jay Bruce stepped into the box. The first pitch from Astros lefty Tim Byrdak he saw, he took, and drove over the center field wall. The Reds were the champions of the Central! Bruce was mobbed by his teammates at home plate as the city of Cincinnati went into a frenzy. I remember hopping down the stairs after hearing Marty Brennaman's radio call to celebrate with my family. While the Reds were swept in the NDLS (no Reds fans wants to remember being no-hit in the playoffs), getting back into the playoffs was important enough and doing it this way was extremely special.
Did I miss any moments? While these aren't all of the big moments in the history of Cincinnati sports, they are definitely up there. Things like Ken Griffey returning home and the other two Reds World Series victories are also great moments that the city has.
