Today in Cincinnati Reds history…
1932: The Reds acquire “Sunny” Jim Bottomley from the Cardinals in exchange for Estel Crabtree and Ownie Carroll. Bottomley was a former MVP for St. Louis — and an eventual Hall of Famer — but he was on the tail end of a great career. As noted by Redleg Journal:
[Bottomley] proved to be another of the over-the-hill, overpaid former stars acquired by the Reds from other clubs in the 1920s and 1930s. That group included Harry Heilmann, Bob Meusel, George Kelly, Babe Herman, George Grantham, Mark Koenig, Dazzy Vance, Chick Hafey, Kiki Cuyler, Wally Berger, and Al Simmons. Crabtree, who hailed from Crabtree,
Ohio, played for the Reds again during World War II
Bottomley hit .265/.311/.392 in his three-year stint for the Reds. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974 by the Veteran’s Committee.
Sources: Redleg Journal, Cincinnati Enquirer archives.
100 years from now: Today in Reds history, they did nothing.
Baseball’s first professional franchise went 65-0 in 1869 and after a few winning years won the American Association pennant in 1882. The AA was considered major league in those days before the American League was established in 1901. Then the Reds had a long period of drought (37 years) until they won the pennant and WS in 1919. The Series was tarnished by the Black Sox gambling scandal.
That 1869 team is not the same team. THAT team moved to Boston, later becoming the Braves. THIS team was formed as a new franchise later, and then kicked out of the national league. The rest is true.
I have not heard that quote, but I had been thinking the same thing based on observations.
I check in almost daily for Reds news (which is lacking in this part of the country), and appreciate getting my fix. How do 3 days go by before any note about the Cozart deal making an appearance . . . and that in a comment? I was a Cozart fan even before he could hit. I wish him well.
12/17/18 trade: Homer Bailey 21M,22M,25M owed over the next three seasons. Traded for Adrian Gonzales 22M, Scott Kazmir 18M, Brandon McCarthy 12M.
Reds get out from under 22 million for 19′ and 25 million in salary for 20 season, but pay 52 million in 2017. Preparing to compete in 2019! Reds may still look to flip Kazmir and McCarthy.
Too late, AGon released.