On February 2, 1999 San Diego Padres’ outfielder Greg Vaughn becomes the first player traded in major league history after hitting 50 home runs during the season. The slugger is dealt to the Cincinnati Reds, along with Mark Sweeney for Reggie Sanders, Damian Jackson, and Josh Harris. Vaughn spent one season in Cincinnati hitting .245…
In the Reds’ 4 – 1 victory over Pirates, two sets of brothers appear in the same lineup for the first time in major league history. Stephen Larkin plays first, Bret Boone is at second, Barry Larkin is at short and Aaron Boone plays third making up the all-brother infield. Aaron Boone’s 3-run homer gives Brett Tomko (13-12) the complete game victory. Stephen Larkin is a career minor leaguer with a pacemaker and had a new one installed in August after his old one had a hiccup. Stephen hit .228 with three home run and 31 RBI in 80 games with the AA Chattanooga Lookouts this year.
On June 21, 1998 The Cincinnati Reds start an outfield against the Houston Astros consisting of Dmitri Young, Mike Frank and Chris Stynes. Yup, for you movie buffs, that would be Young, Frank and Stynes. It is still a horror for the Reds as they lose their 8th straight, 4 – 2. Pete Schourek is the complete game winner. The losing streak will reach 10…
1996 – Houston batters Cincinnati, 13-5, on 18 hits. Sean Berry has three hits and five RBIs. Derek Bell has four hits while four other Astros enjoy multi-hit evenings.
1996 – Longtime umpire John McSherry collapses and dies from a heart attack on Opening Day at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium, in the 1st inning of a game between the Reds and Expos, which is cancelled. The 51-year-old McSherry had umpired in the National League for 26 seasons. Reds owner Marge Schott hits a low point with her insensitive remarks, blaming the late umpire for spoiling the team’s opening day celebrations.
The Seattle Mariners trade second baseman Bret Boone and pitcher Erik Hanson to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for P Bobby Ayala and catcher Dan Wilson.
On May 7, 1995, former major leaguer Gus Bell dies at the age of 66. As the patriarch of a three-generation baseball family, Bell reached the 100-RBI mark four times while starring for the Cincinnati Reds. His son, Buddy, and his grandsons, David and Mike, later played in the major leagues.
The Braves trade OF Deion Sanders to the Reds in exchange for OF Roberto Kelly and minor league P Roger Etheridge.
At Riverfront Stadium, in a game that is not embraced by the local fans or Cincinnati owner Marge Schott, the new season begins with the first Sunday night opener ever played in major league history. On a frigid Easter Sunday evening, the Cardinals beat the Reds in the controversial contest, 6-4, in front of the smallest opening day crowd in the ballpark’s 24-year history.
1993 – Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott returns to take over the day-to-day operations of the Reds following her nine-month suspension for using racial and ethnic epithets.