Six days after they bid farewell to Crosley Field, the Cincinnati Reds christened Riverfront Stadium on June 30, 1970, launching the most prosperous era in the city’s sports history.
The stadium had a long and storied history of memorable moments: three World Series championships, the Freezer Bowl and Pete Rose’s 4192 hit among others.
But, 50 years later – and nearly two decades after it was torn down – Riverfront Stadium doesn’t command the nostalgia of its predecessor.
It was a different sort of ballpark, a $45 million upgrade, a multi-sport bowl with four levels of seats, a home for both the Reds and the Bengals that looked much like Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers Stadium or any number of others.