The Cincinnati Reds made peace with their most mistreated icon Saturday night, retiring his number and rekindling his love. Seven years to the week after he was abruptly discharged from his managerial duties, Perez returned to Cinergy Field as the object of adoration.

        If there were any hard feelings to be found, they involved the lump in Perez's throat. His greatest day is still ahead of him — Perez will be inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame on July 23 — but this night, he said, “is close.”

Tony Perez receives a replica of his No. 24. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        “I was hurt, but they've made it up to me,” the Big Dog said Saturday afternoon, dressing for work with the Florida Marlins. “Everybody's been so nice to me. I've forgotten about (getting fired). It's all behind me.”

        What the Reds didn't recognize in 1976 — and what they soon learned to their sorrow — was that Tony Perez was a grown-up, a man of quiet dignity in a clubhouse of extra-large egos. He wasn't the sort to brood over imagined slights, or to nurse grudges even when he had the grounds. He was the kind of person whose presence keeps other people in their place.

        The Reds traded him too soon, and probably abbreviated their '70s dynasty in the process. They would later see the wisdom in bringing him back, only to announce his retirement without consulting him. They eventually ended his managing career after only 44 games. But if he ever took any of this personally, the feeling quickly passed. Tony Perez could never stay mad at Cincinnati.

Fans greet Perez with a standing ovation. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

        “It's like coming back home,” he said. “I played the first game in this stadium, and I played my last game here. Every time I come out on the (dugout) step and look out, there are a lot of memories.”

        Most of the memories are warm and many of them are magical. Joe Nuxhall, among others, believes Perez is the only Reds player who was never booed during the Riverfront/Cinergy era. Perez was so popular, so respected and so reliable, that booing him would have been harder than heckling the parish priest in the middle of Sunday Mass.

        Former Reds manager Dave Bristol, who presided over the development of the Perez RBI machine, struck a nerve when he said: “If the game goes long enough, Tony Perez will find a way to win it.”

        Bristol came back for Saturday's ceremonies, as did Johnny Bench, Lee May and 38,744 spectators. Eduardo Perez took a day off from playing minor-league ball in Memphis to share the day with his dad.

Perez is flanked by wife Pituka, sons Victor and Eduardo, and Johnny Bench. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

        Jim Bowden, the Reds general manager who fired Perez, was invited to take part in the on-field ceremonies, but declined.

        “I didn't want to be there as a reminder of him getting fired after 44 games,” Bowden said. “I didn't think that was the classy thing to do.”

        Reds announcer Marty Brennaman made the introductions, and touched on the statistical highlights of Perez's playing career. Tony Simms, of the Ohio Commission on Latino Affairs, presented Perez with a proclamation. Then John Allen, the club's chief operating officer, ordered the unveiling of the replica uniform in left field.

        “Everybody here knows how I feel — how I feel for Cincinnati, for you fans, for the city, for the ballclub,” Perez said when he stepped to the microphone. “I want to thank everybody for this great day.”

Perez chokes up. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        He had promised to be brief “because we've still got a game to play,” and the weather forecast was ominous. A persistent shower Saturday afternoon raised concerns that both the game and the number retirement might have to be postponed. But the rains relented long enough for Tony Perez to get his due, express his gratitude and throw out a ceremonial first pitch.

        He had not chosen the No. 24 when he came up to stay in 1965. It was assigned to him.

        Perez liked the number because it was the feast day of the patron saint of his hometown in Cuba. He would bring such distinction to the number that the Reds elected to retire it rather than accommodate Ken Griffey Jr., who had worn the same number in Seattle.

        Perez's No. 24 is the Reds' sixth retired number, and it hangs near the landing place of many of his 379 home runs.

        Asked if he had ever struck that spot Saturday night, Perez hunched over, peered through a press-box window and said, “I don't know. Probably.”

        Then he stood straight up and smiled.

        “It looks pretty good,” he said.

        Tim Sullivan welcomes your E-mail at tsullivan@enquirer.com.

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