While the city gets ready for Opening Day–traditionally a day for skipping work, watching a truly one-of-a-kind parade, and cheering on our beloved Reds to victory 47% of the time–in this strange time, we are all looking forward to a new baseball season.
“I’m looking forward to seeing fans in and around the ballpark wearing their favorite Reds gear and feeling connected to one of the great traditions that brings the community together,” says Rick Walls, executive director of the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum. “The great tradition that is Opening Day in Cincinnati brings excitement and hope to the region that this could be the year that the hometown Reds bring home a championship.”
With each championship comes a new pennant. The concept of a baseball team winning a pennant is well known to sports fans. But what exactly is a “pennant” and when did baseball teams decide to start chasing them? What were the first pennants made from and in what sport did they make their debut?
Root the Reds Home presented by Dinsmore is a new exhibition of Reds souvenir pennants and stadium banners highlighting the origins of pennants and their evolution over the years. This exhibition also highlights the origins of pennants and their evolution over the years.
“It’s hard to choose a favorite pennant, but the one from 1919, the year the Reds won their first World Championship, stands out to me – for its significance, the wool material, and the fact that it is the oldest pennant we possess,” says Walls.
You can see the 1919 pennant along with more than 200 historic Reds pennants from the team’s championship seasons plus other banners from memorable events such as the 1988 All-Star Game in Cincinnati and the Reds’ tour of Japan in 1978.
“Fans will recognize some of the pennants perhaps from their own personal collections, maybe hanging on the wall in the basement or tucked away in storage somewhere,” says Walls. “They’ll be surprised by the number of pennants on display, which is nearly every pennant ever made related to the Reds, and the fact that the large championship banners hanging from the ceiling are the actual banners that hung at Riverfront Stadium.
“If you have a pennant that isn’t on display, we’d love to hear about it!” says Walls.
–Tricia Suit