The Cincinnati Reds unveiled their 2019 plans for a season-long celebration of 150 years of professional baseball in the Queen City. Plans include a number of throwback uniforms…including the awesome blue 1911 uniforms. I never wanted to see the 1995 uniforms again, but most of these are very cool. (You can see the uniforms in the picture above, and in the second video below.)
First, take a look at the slick announcement video.
The Reds proudly commemorate the 150th anniversary of professional baseball in Cincinnati during the 2019 season. pic.twitter.com/PO2JX4NU7G
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) November 5, 2018
Now check out the press conference, unveiling of the uniforms, and the mention that you can buy all the “150” merchandise you want. I bet we’ll even get sweet new bobbleheads!
The Cincinnati Reds announce plans to celebrate the 150th anniversary of baseball’s first professional team. https://t.co/ywmt1n8Ub3
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) November 5, 2018
Click here and you can scroll through pictures of each of the throwback uniforms that the Reds will be wearing on the field in 2019.
I’m acting a little cynical above — and, well, guilty as charged — but the Reds really do go first class on stuff like this. They celebrate the club’s history and their fans better than any other organization. It won’t have even a tiny bit of impact on attendance, but as a Reds history junkie, I’m looking forward to seeing the celebration all season long.
Some reactions:
It's mind-blowing how good the Reds are at literally everything except putting a winning baseball team on the field.
— Chad Dotson (@dotsonc) November 5, 2018
Modest proposal: Celebrate with a $150 million major league payroll. A million for each year. https://t.co/zRIE8yrDE1
— Steve Mancuso (@spmancuso) November 5, 2018
The Cincinnati #Reds are reportedly interested in free agent pitchers Patrick Corbin, Dallas Keuchel, and J.A. Happ among othershttps://t.co/iSkOjhHd0B pic.twitter.com/4KNkcQWlkU
— Doug Gray (@dougdirt24) November 5, 2018
(In other words, this is all good fun, but let’s not let it distract from the fact that the Reds really need to put a good team on the field soon if they want fans to return.)
In other news. The reds no longer have anyone left in the organization from the Bruce and Chapman deals. Rookie Davis and Dilson Hererra opted for free agency.
An insignia on the current uniform would do it for me to acknowledge the 150th. anniversary of the Reds as MLB’s oldest franchise. The former uniforms could stay in the museum, and the Bell era Reds as an improved team should get major billing.
Meh. No more gimmicks, please. Reds, just go out and win more than last year and act like you have a clue on how to manage a baseball institution.
It should be 149 yrs.because they didn’t play last yr.
The All Star game in 2015 obstructed the start of the Red’s rebuild. Let’s hope the 150th. anniversary does not do the same to the end of the rebuild.