The 1975 Cincinnati Reds, also known as the "Big Red Machine," are not just one of the most memorable teams in baseball history—they are unforgettable. While the Reds dominated the National League from 1972 to 1976, it was the '75 team that surpassed them all, winning 108 games and beating the Boston Red Sox in a thrilling 7-game World Series. Led by Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson, the team's roster included other legends such as Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Tony Pérez, Ken Griffey Sr., and Dave Concepción. The 1975 Reds were notably disciplined and clean-cut, which distinguished them from the increasingly individualistic players of the day.
 The Great Eight commemorates the people and events surrounding this outstanding baseball team with essays on team management and key aspects and highlights of the season, including Pete Rose's famous position change. This volume gives Reds fans complete biographies of all the team's players, relives the enthralling 1975 season, and celebrates a team that is consistently ranked as one of the best teams in baseball history.
 

"To understand how a complete organization in baseball works, a full treatment of all parts of the team must be considered, and this lively volume fulfills that task."-Richard Loosbrock, Journal of Sport History

"In Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, and Pete Rose, the Cincinnati Reds boasted some of the biggest stars of the 1970s. But the Big Red Machine was a true team effort, and this fascinating book gets to the essence of the Machine—and its back-to-back World Series triumphs—by examining even its most minute components. A superbly in-depth look at one of the greatest teams of all time, this is essential reading for any baseball fan."—Dan Epstein, author of Big Hair and Plastic Grass: A Funky Ride through Baseball and America in the Swinging '70s

 

Mark Armour is the author of Joe Cronin (Nebraska, 2010) and coeditor of Pitching, Defense, and Three-Run Homers: The 1970 Baltimore Orioles (Nebraska, 2012).