Entering the 1979 season, the Big Red Machine was on life support. The Cincinnati Reds team that had been so dominant throughout the 1970s was gasping for air and needed a miraculous run during the second half of the season in order to make a run at the postseason.
Tony Perez was preparing for his third season with the Montreal Expos, hometown legend Pete Rose signed a free agent deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, Hall of Famer Sparky Anderson had been fired after two consecutive second-place division finishes and the team’ architect, Bob Howsam, handed the reigns to Dick Wagner.