The Redlegs-A temporary team name used to distinguish themselves from Communists during the Red Scare, who were also known as "Reds." The Nasty Boys—the bullpen trio of Rob Dibble, Norm Charlton, and Randy Myers who guided the Reds to a World Series victory in 1990. The Redbirds- another temporary name used by the Cincinnati Reds during the 1950s when they played in St. Louis. The Cardinals- the current name of the St. Louis baseball team.
See also: Redlegs or Redbacks?
The Redlegs were a class of poor whites who resided in colonial Barbados, St. Vincent, Grenada, and other Caribbean islands. The term "Redlegs" may also apply to the Cincinnati Reds baseball club from 1953 to 1958. They won two National League pennants but lost in the World Series each time.
In Barbados, the Redlegs were a social group that participated in the island's slave trade market. They purchased and sold slaves, as well as bred horses for sale at public markets. The name "Redleg" came from the fact that they wore clothes made from old red uniforms seized from British soldiers.
In St. Vincent and Grenada, the term "Redleg" refers to a type of small horse-drawn carriage used by wealthy residents. These carriages were usually painted red with white trim.
There is some evidence that "redleg" can also refer to an Irish immigrant working on a railroad line. In this context, "redleg" would be someone who works for little pay but with great enthusiasm. This usage of the word "redleg" dates back to at least 1877.
In April 1953, the Reds stated their preference to be known as the "Redlegs," claiming that the club's previous names had been "Red Stockings" and then "Redlegs." The American League team now plays its home games at Cincinnati's Redland Stadium.
The name "Reds" was first used by newspapers across Ohio and Indiana in reference to a black-on-white baseball game played between the cities of Cincy in 1869 and 1870. The game is believed to have been inspired by the color line that divided the country at the time, with the white teams wearing red balls and the black teams wearing blue ones. Today, both cities are part of the modern-day state of Ohio.
The original "Reds" were a pro ball team based in Cincy who became famous for their outstanding outfield of the early 20th century: Johnny Rawlings, Billy Werber, and/or Joe Kelley. The team disbanded after one season, but the name "Red Legs" or "Red Legs McQueen" was taken up by various other amateur teams throughout Ohio. In 1903, a new professional team was formed in Cincy under the name "Red Legs" - they remained there until 1907, when they moved to St. Louis where they remain today as the Cardinals.
The team dropped the "Reds" off their home jerseys in 1956 and replaced it with a Mr. Redlegs insignia on the road suit. Mr. Redlegs lasted only one year, as the club switched to a simple "C" on both its home and away shirts in 1960, before reintroducing "Reds" in 1961.
The name change was part of an effort by owner Bob Bennett to make his team more appealing to fans. The Reds had been known as the Black Pirates prior to 1956, when they changed their name in an attempt to appeal to white fans. The new moniker didn't work; the team's attendance fell by over 10,000 fans per game while they were known as Mr. Redlegs.
So after one season, the team returned to their original name of Reds.
Today's players wear Mr. Redlegs on their batting helmets, but back then they wore "Redbirds" logos on their helmets. In 1997, the club renamed itself after merging with the Chicago Cubs. The new name: Cincinnati Reds.
Even though there was no link between professional baseball and Communism during the McCarthy period, the team was anxious that their traditional club moniker would be associated with the Communist menace and the Cold War, so they formally changed their name to the "Cincinnati Redlegs." The new name came about after the team's owner, Edward Bennett Williams, received a license plate from the State of Ohio with the words "Red Legs Good" on it. He liked this nickname for his baseball team and had it turned into a hat logo.
The name "Redlegs" originated with the nickname given to the original Cleveland Indians because of the color of their uniforms. The word "red" was used throughout most of baseball's early history to describe any number of things including but not limited to: players who could play defense (especially short stop); players who were strong hitters; players who were fast runners.
In 1876, the Cincinnati Reds became the first National League team to go beyond being named after a city when they adopted the name "Reds" after the American Civil War battle site in Kentucky. The choice of name was said to represent courage and loyalty to one's country. However, some historians believe the team chose this name to avoid confusion with another team that had been playing in Cincinnati since 1870 under the name "Red Stockings."
Jump to navigation. Jump to search for The Big Red Machine is a nickname for the Cincinnati Reds baseball team that dominated the National League from 1970 to 1979 and is widely recognized as being among the best in baseball history. The Reds won four National League Pennants and two World Series during this period.
The nickname came about because of the teams's color, which was originally red but is now blue. However, it also referred to the players' behavior on the field, where they would often fight each other during play. This sometimes led to complaints by fans that they could not see the ball because of all the action taking place on the field. Finally, one manager decided to start calling his players "the Red Men" to help him motivate them before games started. Soon after, everyone else followed suit and the Reds' current nickname was born.
In 1970, the Reds began what would become a long-running series with the Baltimore Orioles called The Crosstown Clash. In these games, the winner was awarded the Pennant; if the teams were tied at the end of the season then a playoff game would be played between them. This series continued until 1984 when it was canceled due to security concerns caused by the Watergate Scandal. During this time, the Reds won 12 Pennants vs. 7 for the O's.
The Great Red Machine Navigate to the next page. Go to the search for The Cincinnati Reds baseball club, known as the Big Red Machine, dominated the National League from 1970 through 1979 and is largely regarded as one of the finest in baseball history.
Six National League West Division championships, four National League pennants, and two World Series championships were won by the squad. Between 1970 and 1979, the squad averaged more than 95 victories each season, finishing with a cumulative record of 953 wins and 657 defeats.
Copyright © 2020 - 2023 Sportsmanist Inc.
