Opening Day

 April 1^st…. to many people this is a perfect day to play as many practical jokes on your friends and loved ones as possible. To reds fans April 1, 2013 means a new season is set to begin.

I have spent my last few posts talking about all the good the Cincinnati Reds do for their fans and their community, but this post will be about what baseball and the Cincinnati Reds do for me.

Growing up baseball was my life, I would have played all year around if I could (thanks Ohio) I absolutely love the game. There is a time in a baseball player’s life when you realize you either have what it takes to make it to the next level or you simply do not.

In my case I did not have the talent to play in college or at any other level so I am stuck as a spectator, even though I still throw the ole baseball around every once and a while. The sport kept me grounded, humble and it taught me responsibility and to me most importantly, it taught me to be a teammate and look out for those who share the field with you.

I see the Reds team of today and it reminds me how much I miss the game and the comradely I had with my teammates, but it also reminds me how much I love watching the team in Cincinnati take the field.

I always complain to my dad that I haven’t seen my favorite team win a championship, he always replies: “you were sitting on my lap as a one year old when they won a championship in 1990”! I always laugh and reply: “If only I could remember.”

I would love to see nothing less than the Reds to win a championship this season but in the mean time I will enjoy the 162-game season, one game at a time. I don’t have many hobbies in life except spending time with family and friends but to me being a die-hard Reds fan is my hobby.

Being in the Reds stadium gives me a since of comfort and relaxation. Seeing the game I love so much being played by great players, there is not a better stress reliever in the world to me.

Hope to see some of you in Cincinnati on April 1st. Go Reds!!

The Reds Community

When or if you think of the Cincinnati Reds, you think of a baseball team and maybe the players that make up the team, but what about the city of Cincinnati itself? Yes, that is where the team is located but it is not what the city and people of Cincinnati can do for the Reds, but what the Reds can do for Cincinnati and its residents.

Cincinnati is rare in the fact that baseball has been part of its culture for more than 130 years. Baseball runs deep in the neighborhoods in Cincinnati and the Reds Community Fund is actively searching for neighborhoods, but most importantly the kids in those neighborhoods to help and support.

Since its start in 2001, the Reds Community Fund has used baseball as a way to reach out to kids around the Cincinnati area. As a non-profit organization, the Community Fund makes every effort to create programming that connects underserved children with baseball, while forming fundraising programs that connect baseball with the community.

The community fund helps build and restore baseball fields and complexes around Cincinnati, down to Louisville and even in Dayton. A series of inspired, baseball-themed fundraising events and programs provides some of the necessary funding. The 2013 schedule features returning events such as "Redlegs Run " "Reds Baseball Camps" "Father's Day Catch," "Marty Brennaman Golf Classic," "Redsfest Poker," and "Split The Pot" raffle at all 81 home games. For dates and times of these events please refer to Reds.com.

The next time you think of the Cincinnati Reds hopefully it is not just baseball that comes to mind. With helping inner-city programs and giving kids other options as to how they spend their time, I cannot say enough good things about the Reds Community Fund and the people that make it a success for “Reds Country.”

If you would like to donate to or learn more about the Reds Community Fund you can visit reds.mlb.com/cin/community/.

Reds Hall of Fame and Museum

If you have not seen a Reds game in person, trust me it’s a good time! But if it is the history of the Cincinnati Reds you are interested in, you are in luck, you can experience both the same day if you wish. The Reds Hall of Fame and Museum is a skip and a jump from the main entrance of the stadium and is known to put on a good showing for fans.

The first Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony was conducted over 50 years ago on July 18, 1958 at the Reds old stadium, Crosley Field. Since the first inductions, the Reds Hall of Fame location had been all most non-existent until the Reds owner Powel Crosley and the Sports Committee of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce gave it a permanent home at 100 Joe Nuxhall Way, again feet from the stadium (Great American Ballpark).

The Cincinnati Reds were the second baseball team to form a Hall of Fame; the Cleveland Indians Hall started in 1951, but it soon went under, making the Reds Hall of Fame the oldest team Hall of Fame in baseball.

The Hall of Fame also gives tours of Great American Ballpark throughout the 162 game baseball season. This is a great way to get a behind the scenes look at the Reds locker room, the press boxes and even a visit to the dugout. The tours are guided differently depending on if the Reds are playing the day you plan on taking your tour, so plan ahead.

For information on the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum visit cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/cin/hof/index.jsp. Here you will find detailed directions to the Hall of Fame, a way to plan your trip accordingly and you may find some Reds history thrown around.

Reds Country

More than likely if you are a sports fan choosing your favorite team growing up was easy. Either you grew up loving a random team that caught your interest or maybe you fell in love with your team because of proximity or family heritage.

Growing up in South West Ohio for me it was easy to cheer on the Reds every year, from the good to the bad. But is it just South West Ohio that feels this way? Of course not, there are Reds fans mixed in all over the country with different stories as to why they root for the team in Cincinnati.

It does not matter what state you live in, if you love the Cincinnati Reds you are a part of “Reds Country.” But what exactly is “Reds Country?” As mentioned in my last post the imaginary territory lines extend from Southern Indiana, down into Kentucky and Tennessee, even in to West Virginia. If you did not know, there are no pro baseball teams in these respected states, so latching on to a rich and storied franchise like the Cincinnati Reds can be an easy decision to make for a baseball fan.

What do the Reds do to accommodate all these fans that stretch across “Reds Country?” The Reds Caravan, presented by Cincinnati USA Regional Tourism Network. The caravan which happens every winter, usually beginning at the end of January, makes 15 fan stops in four states covering more than 2,800 miles over four days. There are Northern, Southern and Western “legs” of the tour stopping in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia, with different Reds stars and personalities making appearances along the way. At each stop fans have the opportunity to get autographs, ask questions and see their favorite Reds off the field.

All caravan stops are free to the public. I can’t think of a better way to thank Cincinnati Reds fans for their love and support than to give them a wonderful way to connect with the people they cheer for.

Reds players and personalities ready for the fans. (Jan. 27 2013)

Over 2,000 fans pack the National Air Force Museum to see their Favorite Reds. (Jan. 27 2013)

Cincinnati Reds Culture

Professional baseball was born in Cincinnati in 1869 when the "Red Stockings" took the game by storm on their way to a perfect 57-0 record. Over the years baseball has become the national pastime, and the Reds have established themselves as one of the game's most storied franchises. With championships in 1975 and 1990, the Reds dugouts have been graced with the presence of greatness. The team of 1975, also known as the "Big Red Machine" brought us Pete Rose (the all-time hit king) and Johnny Bench (clubs all-time home run leader). The team of 1990 had an array of talented players but most fans remember one in particular, Barry Larkin. He became the first major league shortstop to join the 30-30 club when he had 33 home runs and 36 stolen bases in 1996. In 2012 the National Baseball Hall of Fame inducted Larkin into their halls. Following his induction, the Reds organization dedicated a whole weekend to him (Aug. 24-26, 2012) with tributes and highlights, concluded by the retirement of Larkin's #11 jersey, and the legend tossing out the first pitch that Sunday.

The ground work of this historic franchise was laid out by the previous generations of players and fans for us to enjoy today.

The Cincinnati Reds are more than just a baseball team. To citizens of the queen city the Reds bring excitement along with an abundance of great memories. The team belongs to the people of Cincinnati in a sense, people buy the tickets, fill the seats and make the noise, but the fan base extends further than the tri-state area. Southern Indiana, most of Kentucky, even parts of West Virginia and Tennessee cheer on the club, this is an extension of what is known to most fans as "Reds Country."