ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, April 2, 1997 TAG: 9704020053
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Jack Bogaczyk
DATELINE: CINCINNATI
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
I went to a basketball tournament, and a baseball game broke out.
After three weeks of dribbles at the NCAA, I was looking Tuesday for some more big bounces - and Riverfront Stadium has new artificial turf.
Uh, sorry. The big bowl aside the Ohio and the Suspension Bridge - the span really isn't named for Marge Schott - is now called Cinergy Field, after a power company.
Makes dollars, but no sense.
There is no better place to watch Opening Day than in Cincinnati, where the professional game began 129 seasons ago. It's marked by a parade, rampant illness among businessmen after their power lunches and teeming truancy.
It's truly a circus atmosphere. Never before have I seen groundskeepers, wearing tuxedos, on the field with brooms and shovels, trying to clean up Clydesdale and elephant dung from near the bullpen.
Thus explains the term ``foul territory.''
On June 1, 1869, the Red Stockings won their first opener over the Mansfield (Ohio) Independents, 48-14. Fortunately, no one kept earned-run averages then. The Stockings then won their next 129 games.
The 1997 Reds opened with an 11-4 win over Colorado, but they aren't likely to match that impressive start in the last century - and not just because they have 15 of their first 21 games away from River ... er, Cinergy.
There did seem a new energy to Cincinnati baseball this season on a sunny, 61-degree day. It was modeled in a familiar uniform behind the cage during batting practice.
It was Johnny Bench, the Hall of Fame catcher. He's a new Reds consultant, not to mention an icon, one of only two men to have his retired uniform number (5) displayed on the left-field wall.
That painting in itself says something. With Schott suspended from active ownership duties, managing executive John Allen has seen to it that there's more new and bright at you-know-where than the spongy turf.
Hamilton County voters have approved funding for new stadiums for the Reds and Bengals, but there's a squabble about who will get what built where, and who will get it built first. Sounds like some synergy would be useful.
The Reds also are trying to rebuild their fan base - Opening Day brought 54,820 to a packed park - with old faces, too. Manager Ray Knight's coaching staff includes Don Gullett, Ken Griffey (the old one), Ron Oester, Dennis Menke, Tom Hume and Joel Youngblood - ex-Reds all, like Bench, from the glory years.
``What has to be brought back is the integrity of the Cincinnati Reds,'' Bench said. ``There is a lot of history here. If baseball is going to come back, here and elsewhere, it has to accentuate the positives.
``There are a lot of people around here who grew up with the Big Red Machine. The Big Red Machine [with World Series titles in 1975 and '76] was a huge rage. People like to remember the good times.''
At this opener, they also recalled a sad time - the Opening Day a year ago when umpire John McSherry collapsed and died behind home plate.
Every player in the game is wearing a 50th anniversary patch commemorating Jackie Robinson's breaking of the sport's color line. Reds centerfielder Deion Sanders had his own tribute - pants bloused just below the knee, lots of outer red sock showing - the way Jackie and his peers proudly wore the uniform.
It was a gorgeous day, and the only labor problems were those of truly Rockie starter Kevin Ritz, who allowed four runs - a Willie Greene homer, a triple, a double, two singles and two walks - in the bottom of the first.
``Why do you think we listen to music from the '60s?'' asked Bench, creeping up on 50. "How many times have you heard your parents say they don't make music like that anymore.
``You like that kind of music, the oldies, because you remember when you enjoyed it. The history here can carry over to the players today. You don't demean or try to erase the good times.
``Maybe a kid will come to the ballpark and see `Bench 5' on the uniform. Or, maybe he'll say, `Hey, there's Don Gullett,' or `There's Ken Griffey.'''
Or, there's Ken Griffey Jr.'s dad. But at least there's a generational connection for a sport that has just keeps fouling balls off its instep.
Bench is correct. Maybe if we all - players, management, fans, umpires - can remember what baseball once was, that would be a good start to making it that way again.
It's a new season. Hope springs eternal, sort of like a cowhide-covered sphere on new artificial turf.
LENGTH: Medium: 82 linesby CNB