Why?
2007-08-24 14:07:23 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Baseball
Cincinnati was the home of the first professional team in 1869. Although the current Reds are the 4th incarnation, Cincinnati is still the "ancestral home" of Major League Baseball.
ESPN defecated on holy ground 10-15 years ago when they petitioned for a Sunday night game to take place before the Reds 12:15 PM Monday start, but the Queen City is still the traditionally looked upon as the official starting point of the season.
2007-08-24 16:25:06 · answer #1 · answered by pricehillsaint 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Typically yes. Cincinnati has, for decades, opened at home, and for a long time had the earliest start time, allowing the Reds to open the season, as it were. This was in recognition of the city having the original professional team, in 1869 (baseball existed before then but this was the first team to get regularly paid, and the guys played baseball as their primary occupation). That 1869 team does not have direct operational lineage with today's Reds -- and since it was the only pro team, there was no league to speak of -- but traditions used to run deep in baseball.
The "earliest starting time" thing got dumped years ago, as did the "open the season" aspect once ESPN decided it wanted a Sunday night game before the traditional Opening Day on Monday.
The Reds have opened on the road only once since divisional play began in 1969 -- the 1990 season, when the first week of the schedule was bypassed in order to allow enough spring training time following a camp lockout by the owners. The games from that first week were made up, scattershot, all season long (many oddball, one-game road trips, and the usual open day after the All-Star Game was booked solid), with a few tacked on to the end of the season, so that instead of closing on Sunday like usual, everything ended on a Wednesday. The Reds opened in Houston (winning 8-4 in 11; Biggio, playing catcher, went 0-6).
2007-08-24 19:11:49 · answer #2 · answered by Chipmaker Authentic 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes!!! Especially in the past it was always tradition that the season always began with Reds game. Now that more money with ESPN and MLB that the first game is a Sunday night game to open the season. I believe part of the old tradition was based on that the Reds are the oldest team in
baseball. Hopefully a true Reds fan can give you a better answer.
2007-08-24 14:26:15 · answer #3 · answered by search4knowledge 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes, since they are the oldest professional team dating back to 1869. They even have an opening day parade.
However, they aren't always the first team to play in the year anymore.
2007-08-24 19:08:52 · answer #4 · answered by david_morgan28202 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since they were the first Major League team, it's just become a tradition.
2007-08-24 14:46:04 · answer #5 · answered by Dave 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes. I don't know how it got started, but it's just become a tradition. And I believe it's always a day game too.
2007-08-24 14:14:54 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
ok i forget why...but i know they do...i think its that they were first major league team a 100 million years ago so they get the nod to be home every year...and also arent they the first game too????
2007-08-24 14:28:16 · answer #7 · answered by TheBostonBuckeye 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋