By Kevin Kelly
Enquirer staff writer

When three Reds officials visited with him about becoming the team's next general manager, Bob Howsam knew exactly what he wanted in a contract.

"I said, 'I want a contract for three years, and if I can't do the job, you're not going to have to fire me. I'll leave,' " Howsam recalled Saturday. "The main reason I came (to Cincinnati) is because I had the opportunity to fail on my own or be successful. ... It turned out to be a wonderful opportunity."

Regarded as the architect of the Big Red Machine, Howsam will be inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame along with retired Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Sr. and 19th century pitcher Will White during a pregame ceremony today at Great American Ball Park.

"Athletes get butterflies for any major event," said Griffey, who batted .303 in 1,224 games with the Reds from 1973-1981. "The opportunity to be in the Reds Hall of Fame is a sweet taste."

The Reds won six division titles, four National League pennants and two World Series championships during Howsam's tenure as general manager from 1967-78 and 1983-84.

He also served as the team's president and chief operating officer from 1973-78 and 1983-85.

"I tell fellas who ask me now about winning that you must balance your ballclub," Howsam said. "To me that's the key. George Weiss of the Yankees and Branch Rickey, I had the good fortune to work under both of them in certain ways, (they) showed me how to balance a ballclub. I'll tell you that's the key to winning."

The Reds drafted Griffey in the 29th round of the 1969 free agent draft, and he went on to play eight of his 19 major-league seasons with Cincinnati.

Griffey batted .305 and .336 as the team's everyday right fielder during the 1975 and 1976 championship seasons.

"George Foster and I were added to that lineup," Griffey said. "They moved Pete (Rose), which I think was a genius move on (Howsam's) part, from left field to third base.

"It just went from there. ... We put it together those two years and ended up winning."

White won at least 30 games in a season five times during a career that spanned 1877-1886. He ranks as the Reds' all-time leader in seven categories including wins (227), losses (163), complete games (389) and games started (396).

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E-mail kkelly@enquirer.com