1981 – Four-time Gold Glove Award winner Cesar Gerónimo is traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the Kansas City Royals for a minor league prospect, German Barranca.
On January 8, 1981, outfielder/first baseman Larry Biittner becomes the first free agent ever signed by the Cincinnati Reds. Since free agency had been instituted in 1976, the often-conservative Reds were the only team to refuse to enter the market. It does not go well when the 35 year-old first baseman/outfielder bats only .213…
The Padres become the first team in baseball history to have three players to steal more than 50 bases in a season when both Jerry Mumphrey and Ozzie Smith swipe their 50th sack in a 5-3 extra-inning loss to Cincinnati. Fellow Friar Gene Richard, who will lead the club with 61 stolen bases, reached the milestone at the end of last month.
1980 – At Montreal, the Expos beat the Reds, 5 – 4, with Fred Norman getting the win over Mario Soto. Ron LeFlore of the Expos steals his 62nd base in the 7th inning and the Montreal scoreboard notes that the first stolen base was 115 years earlier. As LeFlore stands off base reading the message, he is tagged out.
July 12, 1980 San Francisco Giants Jack Clark goes 5-9 with 2 homers and 4 RBI in a double header sweep of the Reds at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati. The Giants bang out 17 hits in the nightcap as seven different players record multi-hit games. [jetpack_subscription_form title=”Join the Community” subscribe_text=”We bring you cool stories about…
On July 4, 1980, at Riverfront Stadium, Nolan Ryan of the Houston Astros collects his 3,000th strikeout during an 8-1 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. “The Express” fans Cesar Geronimo, becoming the fourth major league pitcher to reach the milestone. Ironically, Geronimo was also Bob Gibson’s 3,000th career strikeout victim six years earlier. Despite the milestone,…
Ray Knight of the Cincinnati Reds hits two home runs in the 5th inning – including a grand slam – to lead the Reds to a 15 – 4 rout of the New York Mets.
39-year-old Pete Rose steals second base, third, and home in one inning for the Phillies. The last National League player to pull this feat had been Jackie Robinson in 1954.
1980 – Nolan Ryan ‘s first win as an Astro comes in an 8-0 victory over Cincinnati. It’s the initial dividend from baseball’s first million-dollar-per-year contract. Ryan fans seven and walks six in seven innings. Jose Cruz is the star with three hits and five RBIs, including a bases-loaded triple in the first inning.
In his first major league start, Charlie Leibrandt of the Cincinnati Reds shuts out the Atlanta Braves, 5 – 0, at Riverfront Stadium.
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