Riverfront Stadium was only 3 1/2 years old and already had hosted two World Series and an All-Star game when it went national again, this time on Opening Day.

        The occasion was the attempt of the Atlanta Braves' Henry Aaron to tie and break Babe Ruth's career home run mark of 714.

COMING UP

The countdown of Cinergy's great moments resumes Friday with Nos. 9 and 8; Saturday, Nos. 7 and 6 will run. A commemorative section to be published Sunday, Sept. 22 - the date of the last regularly scheduled Reds game at Cinergy - will count down Nos. 5 through 1.

        Aaron, who had ended the 1973 season with 713 career home runs, wanted to hit his 714th and 715th in Atlanta, but commissioner Bowie Kuhn ordered him into the lineup against Cincinnati April 4, 1974.

        “It would be easier to take my friends over to see where (the tying and record-setting home runs) landed if I hit them in Atlanta,” Aaron said with a smile.

        The focus of Greater Cincinnatians on the anticipated event was shattered when, a day earlier, tornadoes devastated Sayler Park. Tornadoes also ripped into Green Township, Elmwood Place, Roselawn, Sharonville and Butler County.

        There was some question whether Opening Day would be held as scheduled. But, as Cincinnati city manager Robert Turner said: “This (Opening Day) is a very big thing in the minds of Cincinnatians.”

        Vice President Gerald Ford took a fly-over tour of the damaged areas on his way to the ballpark, then threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Reds catcher Johnny Bench.

        On the mound for the Reds was Jack Billingham, who the previous year had won 19 games. He said he didn't care if Aaron hit four homers off him on Opening Day “as long as we win the game.”

        There were 52,454 fans in the stands, a sellout. Those in the outfield seats hoped No. 714, and No. 715, would be hit to them. Memorabilia collectors already had made public offers of $2,000 for No. 714 and $15,000 for No. 715.

        There were 23 Cincinnati police officers stationed in the left-field area, to alleviate the risk of anybody getting hurt in a scramble. Officer Clarence Williams was stationed behind the left-field wall.

        In the the first inning, with two men on base, Aaron stepped into the batter's box. Bench said to him: “Good luck, and congratulations.”

        It was a premonition. Aaron took three balls and a called strike. Billingham then tried to get a sinkerball by Aaron for strike two.

        “It was a good pitch, but not good enough to get Henry Aaron,” Bench said.

        Aaron drove it over the 375-foot mark in left center (“Wow, his first swing!” said left fielder Pete Rose), where the ball smashed off the concrete facing and took one hop into the waiting hands of Williams.

        “I thought about keeping it,” Williams said. “I'd be lying if I didn't admit it.”

        Billingham scooped up a handful of dirt and threw it.

        “The record didn't bother me,” Billingham later said. “That it was a three-run homer did.”

        Reds manager Sparky Anderson marveled.

        “That shows you how good the guy is,” Anderson said. “He's supposed to be under all that pressure, and the first swing he hits it out.”

        After Aaron circled the bases, Reds second baseman Joe Morgan walked to the mound.

        “We'll get to them - don't worry,” he told Billingham.

        After Aaron had crossed home plate - where Bench shook his hand - Bench, too, approached the mound.

        “Three runs won't beat us,” he told Billingham.

        There was a ceremony at home plate. Ford told Aaron it was “a great day for you and a great day for baseball.” Aaron was given plaques by officials of the Braves and Reds.

        “Somebody said the ceremony went six or seven minutes,” said Billingham. “To me, it felt like a lifetime.”

        But Morgan and Bench were right. The Reds overcame a 6-2 disadvantage. The key blows were a Tony Perez three-run home run in the eighth inning, a Rose RBI single in the ninth to tie it and a Rose two-out double in the 11th to set up the winning run.

        “Tying the record is great, but breaking it is another thing,” Aaron said after the game ... Some of the edge was rubbed off because we lost the game.”

        Epilogue: Four days later, in Atlanta, Aaron broke the record

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