Cincinnati Reds History: The 1990 Wire-to-Wire World Series Champions

In the history of Major League Baseball, only five teams have been wire-to-wire World Series Champions. That is, the team was in first place every day of the regular season and, of course, won all postseason series, if applicable, in addition to the Fall Classic. One of those teams was the 1990 Cincinnati Reds.

It was quite a reversal of fortune for the ballclub. The Reds were one of the top teams of the 1970s. They won back-to-back World Series titles in 1975 and 1976 and were known as the Big Red Machine.  The early 1980s, though, were spent at, or near, the bottom of the standings. They finally managed to turn things around in 1985 with a second-place finish. 

They finished in second place the next three seasons as well, before stumbling in 1989 and finishing fifth with a record of 75 and 87. However, a series of moves during that time helped the Reds, somewhat secretly, build a championship team that would stun the baseball world.

In 1990, Lou Pinella took over as manager after Pete Rose was relieved of his duties in that role. A lockout of the players by the owners pushed the start of the season back one week, meaning the Reds, who traditionally start the entire Major League Baseball season, had Opening Day pushed back to April 17. As such, they started with two series on the road against Houston and Atlanta, respectively. They swept both and won on Opening Day to push their record to 7-0.

Some of the more memorable players from the 1990 team included Todd Benzinger, Barry Larkin, Chris Sabo, Billy Hatcher, Paul O'Neill, and the Nasty Boys. The latter was the trio of relief pitchers Rob Dibble, Norm Charlton, and Randy Myers. 

Between them, the Nasty Boys combined for 44 saves (Dibble with 11, Charlton with 2, and Myers with 31). Their nickname came from the lyrics of Janet Jackson’s 1986 hit  "Nasty” (US #3).  It was also a play on the Detroit Pistons' "Bad Boys" name that was used during that team’s 1989 NBA Championship season. 

The 1990 Reds got off to a fast start. They went 41–21 through 62 games. However, they split the remaining 100 games 50–50 to end up with a 91–71 record, still good enough to finish five games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Reds clinched the National League West division on Saturday, September 29 in a rain-shortened, seven-inning 3 to 1 home loss to the San Diego Padres. The Dodgers lost to the Giants the same day, mathematically clinching the division for Cincinnati with four games remaining.

In the League Championship series the Reds faced the Pittsburgh Pirates, led by Barry Bonds, Andy Van Slyke, and Bobby Bonilla. The Reds triumphed in six games, which propelled them to the World Series, where they faced the Oakland A’s, the 1989 World Champions. 

The A’s had complied a Major League-best 103-59 record and dispatched the Boston Red Sox in four games in the American League Championship Series. They were heavy favorites to beat the Reds.

In the series, Reds manager Lou Pinella faced his old friend Tony La Russa. The two were once teammates for Tampa’s American Legion Post 248. 

The series began on October 16, 1990, at old Riverfront Stadium. The Reds won the first game 7-0. The following night’s contest was much closer, with the Reds coming out on top 5 to 4, as they walked it off in the bottom of the 10th inning. Joe Oliver hit a single down the third base line that drove in Billy Bates.

Game 3 was played Friday night in Oakland. The Reds made easy work of the A’s, winning 8 to 3. Game 4, the following night, was a little closer with the A’s holding a one-run lead through the bottom of the seventh. However, the Reds scored in two in the top of the eighth inning to capture the game and series. It was the fifth, and last, time the Reds won the World Series.