The Cincinnati Reds

Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....

 season was a season in American baseball

Baseball

Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

. It consisted of the Reds winning the National League

National League

The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...

 pennant with a record of 93-61, four games over the runner-up Los Angeles Dodgers

1961 Los Angeles Dodgers season

The Los Angeles Dodgers finished in second place in the National League with a record of 89-65, four games behind the Cincinnati Reds. 1961 was the fourth season for the Dodgers in Los Angeles. It was also the Dodgers final season of playing their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum,...

, but losing the World Series

1961 World Series

The 1961 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Cincinnati Reds , with the Yankees winning in five games to earn their 19th championship in 39 seasons. This World Series was surrounded by Cold War political puns pitting the "Reds" against the "Yanks"...

 in five games to the New York Yankees

1961 New York Yankees season

The New York Yankees season was the 59th season for the team in New York, and its 61st season overall. The team finished with a record of 109-53, eight games ahead of the Detroit Tigers, and won their 26th American League pennant. New York was managed by Ralph Houk. The Yankees played their home...

. The Reds were managed by Fred Hutchinson

Fred Hutchinson

Frederick Charles Hutchinson was an American professional baseball player, a major league pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. He also was a manager for three major league teams...

, and played their home games at Crosley Field

Crosley Field

Crosley Field was a Major League Baseball park located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was the home field of the National League's Cincinnati Reds from 1912 through June 24, 1970, and the original Cincinnati Bengals football team, members of the second and third American Football League...

. The Reds were also the last team to win the National League in the 154-game schedule era, before going to a 162-game schedule a year later

1962 Major League Baseball season

This was the first 162-game schedule for the National League, as they added the Houston Colt .45s and the New York Mets to their lineup, as the NL returned to New York City, after a four-year absence...

.

Offseason

• December 3, 1960: Billy Martin
  Billy Martin
  Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times...
  
   was purchased from the Reds by the Milwaukee Braves
  Atlanta Braves
  The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
  
  .
• December 14, 1960: Joe Azcue
  Joe Azcue
  José Joaquín Azcue López is a former Cuban professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Athletics, Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, California Angels and Milwaukee Brewers. Nicknamed "The Immortal Azcue", he was known for his...
  
   was purchased from the Reds by the Milwaukee Braves
  Atlanta Braves
  The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
  
  .
• February 24, 1961: Frank House was purchased from the Reds by the Baltimore Orioles
  Baltimore Orioles
  The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
  
  .
• Prior to 1961 season: Lou Jackson was acquired from the Reds by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Regular season

On June 8, Frank Thomas of the Milwaukee Braves was the fourth of four consecutive batters who hit home runs against the Reds. Eddie Mathews

Eddie Mathews

Edwin Lee "Eddie" Mathews was an American Major League Baseball third baseman. He is regarded as one of the greatest third basemen ever to play the game.-Early life:...

 and Hank Aaron hit the first two home runs off pitcher Jim Maloney

Jim Maloney

James William Maloney is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with the Cincinnati Reds and California Angels...

, and Marshall Bridges

Marshall Bridges

Marshall Bridges was an American professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1959-1965 for the St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, New York Yankees and Washington Senators. He was born in Jackson, Mississippi.A strong left-handed pitcher blessed with an excellent...

 gave up the last two to Joe Adcock

Joe Adcock

Joseph Wilbur "Billy Joe" Adcock was an American first baseman and right-handed batter in Major League Baseball, best known for his years with the powerful Milwaukee Braves teams of the 1950s, whose career included numerous home run feats...

 and Thomas. This was the first time that this feat had been accomplished in major league history.

Roster

1961 Cincinnati Reds
Roster
Pitchers		Catchers Infielders		Outfielders Other batters		Manager Coaches

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos	Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
C		76	204	42	.206	0	10
CF		154	607	208	.343	16	87
RF		153	545	176	.323	37	124

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
	74	198	61	.308	5	24
	52	145	27	.186	2	14
	61	132	35	.265	2	5

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
	29	136.1	9	10	3.96	75
	15	83	6	2	3.25	42

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
	27	94.2	6	7	4.37	57
	22	62.2	1	3	7.76	36

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	W	L	SV	ERA	SO
	53	10	4	16	3.04	40
	47	2	1	16	2.19	53
	24	1	1	2	4.42	32
	13	0	1	0	7.84	17

1961 World Series

AL New York Yankees

1961 New York Yankees season

The New York Yankees season was the 59th season for the team in New York, and its 61st season overall. The team finished with a record of 109-53, eight games ahead of the Detroit Tigers, and won their 26th American League pennant. New York was managed by Ralph Houk. The Yankees played their home...

 (4) vs. NL Cincinnati Reds (1)>

Game	Score	Date	Location	Attendance
1	Reds – 0, Yankees – 2	October 4	Yankee Stadium	62,397
2	Reds – 6, Yankees – 2	October 5	Yankee Stadium	63,083
3	Yankees – 3, Reds – 2	October 7	Crosley Field Crosley Field Crosley Field was a Major League Baseball park located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was the home field of the National League's Cincinnati Reds from 1912 through June 24, 1970, and the original Cincinnati Bengals football team, members of the second and third American Football League...	32,589
4	Yankees – 7, Reds – 0	October 8	Crosley Field Crosley Field Crosley Field was a Major League Baseball park located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was the home field of the National League's Cincinnati Reds from 1912 through June 24, 1970, and the original Cincinnati Bengals football team, members of the second and third American Football League...	32,589
5	Yankees – 13, Reds – 5	October 9	Crosley Field Crosley Field Crosley Field was a Major League Baseball park located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was the home field of the National League's Cincinnati Reds from 1912 through June 24, 1970, and the original Cincinnati Bengals football team, members of the second and third American Football League...	32,589

Awards and honors

• Fred Hutchinson
  Fred Hutchinson
  Frederick Charles Hutchinson was an American professional baseball player, a major league pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. He also was a manager for three major league teams...
  
  , Associated Press NL Manager of the Year
• Frank Robinson
  Frank Robinson
  Frank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
  
  , National League Most Valuable Player
• Vada Pinson
  Vada Pinson
  Vada Edward Pinson, Jr. was an American center fielder and coach in Major League Baseball. Pinson played in the major leagues for 18 years, from 1958 through 1975, and his greatest seasons were with the Cincinnati Redlegs/Reds, for whom he played from 1958–68.Pinson combined power, speed and...
  
  , Outfield, National League Gold Glove

Farm system

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Topeka, Tampa