Barry Larkin, wearing '70s replica uniform, lays a rose on third base in honor of Pete Rose. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

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        The most decorated baseball team of all-time, the 1975-1976 Reds, did Saturday night what the wrecking ball will do in two years. They brought the house down.

        “I didn't think this one would get to me, but it did,” said former Big Red Machine manager Sparky Anderson.

        The absence of Pete Rose — who wasn't allowed to attend because he has been banned from Baseball for his gambling associations — detracted somewhat from the ceremony, but not overwhelmingly so.

        That's because various Reds, past and present, as well as Reds broadcaster Marty Brennaman and the organization itself, made sure Rose got his due on the video board, in introductions and during a neatly choreographed on-field maneuver.

        The applause was thunderous as, one-by-one, the greatest Reds team ever — one that had All-Stars at seven of eight positions and won consecutive World Championships — was introduced and lined up on the first-base line at Cinergy Field before the start of the Reds-Twins game.

Tony Perez greets fellow Hall of Fame electee Sparky Anderson as Hall of Famers Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan look on. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        All along, everybody said this Big Red Machine reunion was for the fans. And it was, as the rooters — about 40,000 strong and on their feet — roared their welcome to their gray-haired heroes of 25 years ago.

        They crowded into the blue and green and low-level red seats as close to the railing as they could get, and they cheered as loudly as they could.

        “It was terrific,” said former center fielder Cesar Geronimo. “The only thing that would have made it better is if Pete was here. But they did all they could do to honor him, and that was great.”

        The loudest applause of all came when Rose's image appeared on the giant video board at 6:29 p.m. during a film of Reds highlights. The fans roared their approval again following the introductions of the Big Red Machine when master of ceremonies Brennaman said:

        “No, we haven't forgotten. No.14 should be here and isn't.”

        Fans also chanted “Pete! Pete! Pete!” during various parts of the ceremony, but never became unruly.

        There were Big Red Machine fans — and Rose fans, too — between the white lines, in the private boxes and on the dugout steps.

Marge Schott hung Rose's jersey in a private box. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

        Marge Schott, the former Reds chief executive officer, hung Rose's jersey — with No.14 facing the field — on the inside of her private box at Cinergy. She could be seen adjusting it to get it just right about five minutes before the ceremony began. She peeked around it, made sure some of the fans had noticed it, then departed up the steps.

        No doubt smiling.

        One of the biggest smiles during the Big Red Machine's introductions belonged to Ken Griffey Sr., the Reds coach and former right fielder. Obvious, too, was the beaming smile of his son, Ken Griffey Jr., watching from the dugout.

        “The Swing” isn't all Junior inherited from his dad.

        The perfect Saturday evening — warm, just as it was when the Big Red Machine started heating things up every June — brought out the best in everybody.

Lined up for introductions: Cesar Geronimo, George Foster, Dave Concepcion, Ken Griffey, Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

        Among the highlights were the present-day Reds wearing their 1975 uniform pants uncharacteristically high to show off the bright red hose of their predecessors.

        Another was captain Barry Larkin detouring slightly from his usual trot to shortstop to plant a single rose on third base symbolizing his idol's absence.

        “Somebody called my attention to it, and that was nice,” Morgan said. “There's no doubt Pete should have been allowed to be here. That's just the way it is. It's unfortunate he couldn't be. We all wish he could have been.”

Foster | ZOOM |

Concepcion | ZOOM |

Bench | ZOOM |

        The Reds organization made sure No.14's absence didn't go unrecognized. They left third base vacant when the other Reds old-timers had taken their positions around the field just before the game began.

        Larkin, however, took it to another level when he laid the rose on third base. The video-board operator must have known it was coming: the image of the single rose appeared clear as day on the big board.

        Not everybody saw it, but thousands did, and they roared.

        Another nice touch: the big red Zamboni machine parked in right field. It was a machine that worked overtime in the mid-1970s on sucking rainwater out of the turf before the days of high-tech drainage. The Reds' all-time single-season attendance is still 2.6 million in 1976; much of it is owed to the Zamboni.

        Among those wishing Rose could have joined them was Johnny Bench, who received perhaps the loudest reception of the evening, although Morgan, Tony Perez, David Concepcion, Anderson, Ken Griffey Sr. and Don Gullett each ranked a close second.

Players and officials join in team photo. GM Bob Howsam wears his familiar red sport coat. SET AS WALLPAPER: Click for bigger image, then right click to Set As Wallpaper 800x600 | 1024x768

        Concepcion, looking resplendent in a gray suit, with flecks of silver in his hair, was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame along with Anderson as part of the pre-game ceremony.

        They both threw out ceremonial first pitches. Appropriately, Concepcion bounced his pitch to catcher Bench. It was reminiscent of those famous one-hop throws to first base that Concepcion patented on the Astroturf during difficult plays from shortstop.

        Bench was asked by reporters after a noon luncheon honoring the Big Red Machine what he thought of the 1975-76 Reds finally being allowed to take the field as a group, including former general manager Bob Howsam, who had been banned from a similar appearance years ago.

        “Not everybody is here,” Bench noted. “Pete should be here. This day isn't honoring him, it's honoring the team.”

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