14 Forever
Cincinnati Reds vs. San Diego Padres (National League)
Great American Ballpark-Cincinnati, OH: What a day for fans of Pete Rose! And what a weekend, for that matter. We were lucky enough to be in attendance when the Reds retired Pete Rose’s #14 on Sunday. It was a hot day, but worth to be in the presence of some of the greatest players in history, including Rose, Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, and Barry Larkin. His induction into the Reds Hall of Fame, and his jersey retirement were a long time coming, so the crowd was pretty hot for Pete, also. Rose gave a great speech, and was very humble, and thankful to his teammates, manager Sparky Anderson, and especially to the fans. Here is the video I took of his speech:
Here are some more photos of the ceremony. The Hit King looks calm and cool as always, even in the 95 degree heat! I like the one where he’s about to give Bench a good bro-hug!
After the ceremony, the game got underway. It was a good one for Reds starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani. He pitched eight scoreless innings, while scattering only five hits, and struck out five. DeSclafani even knocked in a run to help his own cause! Closer Tony Cingrani came into the game to close the door, and ensure Cincinnati’s first shut-out of the season.
Another big winner of the day, was Mr. Redlegs during the mascot race:
The Reds were led offensively by Jose Peraza, who went 2-4 with a run scored and a stolen base. Catcher Tucker Barnhart pitched in as well, going 2-3 with a walk and an RBI double. Jay Bruce also added a solo home run in the win. FINAL: Reds 3, Padres 0.
Despite the heat, it was a fun day at Great American Ballpark. I’m glad I was there to witness Charlie Hustle’s jersey retirement, and a rare Reds win. I was only able to score tix for the upper level to this game, but made sure my buddy and I were in the first row, so I was able to get some decent photos. On my way home, I went up and down the dial, but just couldn’t find WKRP on the radio…
Video and photos property of Minoring In Baseball
Minoring In Baseball 
Wow, awesome photos!!! And what a great game to attend, with all the Reds greats there!
Thanks, it was an awesome baseball experience!
I am “liking” this post because of your game recap … and the wonderful photos of the mascot race (and what is that running with Mr. & Ms. Redlegs? A rat??). But, I’m one of those people who wrinkle my nose at Pete Rose. I understand why people love him, but his inability to understand why this is an issue for some of us just frustrates me. That said, I think the Reds do owe him the honor of retiring his number and I’m glad they honored him so well. (And, I’m glad you were there!)
First off, I honestly have no idea what the heck ‘Gapper’ actually is! I prefer the baseball head mascots, too. Second, I do understand fans disdain for Rose. After reading his autobiography, and ones by guys like Denny McLain, I think whatever these guys have inside them that makes them so amazing on the field, makes them unable to cope outside of the game. I was more stoked to see Johnny Bench, though, as I used to love watching him on the ‘Baseball Bunch’ on Saturday mornings when I was little. I do respect what Rose accomplished on the field, however, and how he played the game to win.
-Mike