What Is the Starting Lineup for the Big Red Machine?
Throughout the 1970s, the Cincinnati Reds were known as “The Big Red Machine.” In 1976, the starting line up known as the “Great Eight,” consisting of Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, Dave Concepcion, George Foster, Ken Griffey and Cesar Geronimo, became the greatest line up statistically in history.
In 1976, the “Big Red Machine” and their “Great Eight” were the first National League team to win the World Series two consecutive years in a row since the 1921 and 1922 New York Giants. Their regular season record of 102 wins and 60 losses placed them 10 games ahead of the second place Los Angeles Dodgers. Joe Morgan won the National Leagues Most Valuable Player Award. After defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Championship Series, The “Great Eight” beat the New York Yankees in four straight games to win the World Series. Seven of the “Great Eight” made the National League All Star team; five as starters and two as reserves;
Starters:
(Bench, Catcher)
(Morgan, Second Base)
(Rose, Third Base)
(Concepcion, Shortstop)
(Foster, Outfield)
Reserves:
(Perez, First Base)
(Griffey, Sr., Outfielder)
Johnny Bench won the Babe Ruth Award and the World Series Most Valuable Player, while Pete Rose won the Roberto Clemente Award. The “Great Eight” also set the all time franchise attendance record with 2,629,708 fans.
