1869
Baseball’s first all-professional team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, combine to hit 169 home runs in the club’s 57 official games. Shortstop George Wright led the team with 49.
The Long Ball: Reds Home Run Timeline
May 2, 1876
Charley Jones hits the first home run for the first Reds franchise to play in the National League.
May 19, 1877
Outfielder Lip Pike hits four homers to become the first player playing for a Reds team to lead a league in home runs. The homer that came on September 6 is believed to be the first over-the-fence home run hit by a player in a Reds uniform.
May 1, 1880
Cincinnati catcher John Clapp’s inside-the-park homer is the first home run hit on Opening Day in Cincinnati..
May 19, 1882
On May 19, third baseman Hick Carpenter hits the first home run in the statistical history of the current Reds franchise. Carpenter’s homer was one of five hit by the American Association champion Reds that season.
1883
The Reds combine for a league-best 34 home runs, the first time a Reds team leads a league in home runs.
1883
The Reds combine for a league-best 34 home runs, the first time a Reds team leads a league in home runs.
1884
First baseman “Long John” Reilly hits eleven home runs and is the first player in franchise history to top the league in homers. The year before, Reilly had become the first Reds player to hit for the cycle.
1887
On Opening Day, Reds outfielder George Tebeau becomes the first player in franchise history to hit a home run in his first major league at-bat.
1889
Outfielder Bug Holliday establishes a new single-season franchise home run record with 19.
1890
On Opening Day, Bug Holliday hits the first home run for the Reds since the team’s move from the American Association to the National League.
1892
The first Red to lead the National League in home runs, outfielder Bug Holliday’s 13 homers tops the circuit.
September 26, 1897
First baseman Jake Beckley becomes the first Red to hit three home runs in a game.
1902
The Palace of the Fans opens and, on April 25, second baseman Erve Beck hits the first home run by a Red at the new ballpark.
July 31, 1911
Outfielder Johnny Bates hits the last home run by a Red at the Palace of the Fans.
April 12, 1912
Shortstop Jimmy Esmond hits the first home run by a Red at newly-opened Redland/Crosley Field.
June 2, 1921
In Redland/Crosley Field’s tenth season, outfielder Pat Duncan hits the first over-the fence home run at the ballpark.
1930
Outfielder Harry Heilmann ties Bug Holliday’s 1889 franchise record for home runs in a season with 19.
1938
The Reds hit 110 home runs as a team, marking the first time the club had reached the century mark in home runs. Outfielder Ival Goodman finishes the season with 30 homers, making him the first Reds player to reach both the 20 and 30 home run plateaus in a single season.
1938
On August 11, catcher Ernie Lombardi breaks “Long John” Reilly’s franchise career home run record when he hits his 70th homer as a Red. Reilly’s record had stood since 1884.
October 3, 1940
In the third inning of Game 2 of the World Series, outfielder Jimmy Ripple becomes the first Red to hit a postseason home run.
October 7, 1940
In the eighth inning of World Series Game 6, Bucky Walters becomes the first Reds pitcher to hit a postseason home run.
April 15, 1941
First baseman Frank McCormick’s two-home run day is the first multi-homer Opening Day game for a Red.
May 31, 1942
Outfielder and Cincinnati native Clyde Vollmer becomes the first Red since 1887 to hit a home run in his first major league plate appearance. Vollmer hit the first pitch he saw for a solo homer in the third inning of the Reds’ 3-0 victory over the Pirates at Crosley Field.
1948
Outfielder Hank Sauer sets a new single season franchise home run record with 35.
August 16, 1953
First baseman Ted Kluszewski sets a new single season franchise record when he hits his 36th home run. “Big Klu” finishes the year with 40 homers.
May 9, 1954
Ted Kluszewski belts career home run #121 to break Ernie Lombardi’s franchise career home run record.
July 13, 1954
Ted Kluszewski is the first Red to homer in an All-Star Game.
1956
Frank Robinson leads the 1956 Reds and ties the then-record for home runs by a rookie with 38.
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1956
The Reds tie the then-major league record for home runs by a team in a season with 221. Pinch-hitter Smoky Burgess hit the record tying homer in the eighth inning of the season’s penultimate game. The major league record was broken by the Yankees in 1961 but the ’56 club’s mark was not surpassed by a Reds team until the 2005 Reds hit 222 homers.
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1961
Jerry Lunch sets a franchise record with five pinch-hit home runs in a season
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October 9, 1961
Frank Robinson and Wally Post homer in the Reds’ loss to the Yankees in the decisive fifth game of the 1961 World Series. It is the first multi-homer postseason game in Reds history.
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June 10, 1965
Frank Robinson becomes the first player to hit 300 career home runs as a Red.
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August 30, 1966
Pete Rose becomes the first Reds switch-hitter to homer from both sides of the plate in the same game.
1969
The Reds hit a league leading 171 home runs. The club repeats as the league’s home run leader in 1970, the only time the Reds have led the league in homers in consecutive seasons.
June 24, 1970
First baseman Lee May hits the last home run at Redland/Crosley Field.
July 1, 1970
Second baseman Tommy Helms hits the first home run by a Red at Riverfront Stadium.
August 11, 1970
Tony Pérez’s grand slam is the first home run to reach the upper deck red seats at Riverfront Stadium.
August 11, 1970
Tony Pérez’s grand slam is the first home run to reach the upper deck red seats at Riverfront Stadium.
1970
Johnny Bench sets a new franchise record for home runs by a right-handed hitter when he belts a league leading 45. Bench is the first Red to lead the league in home runs since 1954.
October 4, 1970
Outfielder Bobby Tolan hits the first playoff home run in Reds history in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Pirates.
October 11, 1972
Johnny Bench ties the fifth and decisive game of the 1972 NLCS with a ninth inning home run.
July 1, 1973
Backup catcher Hal King’s walk-off home run against the Dodgers sparks the Reds to the division title.
October 6, 1973
Johnny Bench hits the first walk-off home run in Reds postseason history in a 2-1 victory over the Mets in Game 1 of the NLCS.
October 9, 1973
A day after he sparked a bench-clearing brawl by getting into a fight with Bud Harrelson, Pete Rose hits the game winning home run in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the NLCS.
April 4, 1974
On Opening Day, Reds pitcher Jack Billingham surrenders career home run #714 to Hank Aaron of the Braves. The homer tied Babe Ruth’s then major league record for career home runs.
October 16, 1975
Tony Pérez hits two home runs in Game 5 of the World Series to become the first Red with a multi-homer postseason game.
October 22, 1975
Tony Pérez’s two-run home run in the sixth inning sparks the Reds to a 4-3 comeback victory in Game 7 of the World Series.
1976
The Reds lead the National League with 141 home runs.
October 12, 1976
George Foster and Johnny Bench hit back-to-back solo home runs to ignite a game winning rally in the pennant-clinching third game of the NLCS.
October 21, 1976
Johnny Bench’s two home runs are decisive in the Reds’ Series-clinching victory over the Yankees.
1977
George Foster sets a new single season franchise record with 52 home runs.
1978
George Foster leads the NL in home runs for the second straight season. He is the only Reds player to lead the league in homers in consecutive seasons
August 22, 1979
Johnny Bench hits career home run #325 to break Frank Robinson’s franchise record.
August 22, 1979
Johnny Bench hits career home run #325 to break Frank Robinson’s franchise record.
July 15, 1980
Johnny Bench breaks Yogi Berra’s record for career home runs by a catcher.
September 17, 1983
Johnny Bench hits the last of his Reds career record 389 home runs on Johnny Bench Night at Riverfront Stadium.
1984
Fireworks follow Reds home runs at the ballpark for the first time, a tradition that remains in place today.
1985
Outfielder Dave Parker wins the inaugural All-Star Game Home Run Derby.
October 4, 1986
Tony Pérez’s 379th and final career home run ties the then-record for most home runs hit by a Latino player.
1987
With 37 home runs and 50 stolen bases, outfielder Eric Davis becomes the first Red in the 30-home run/30 stolen base club.
October 16, 1990
Eric Davis hits a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning of Game 1 of the 1990 World Series to spark the Reds to a World Series sweep of Oakland.
October 19, 1990
Chris Sabo becomes the third Red to hit two home runs in a World Series game.
1991
The defending World Champion Reds’ lead the NL with 164 home runs.
October 6, 1995
Pinch-hitter Mark Lewis hits the first postseason grand slam by a Red in Game 3 of the National League Division Series.
1996
With 33 home runs and 36 stolen bases, Barry Larkin is the second Red ever and the first shortstop in major league history to join the 30-home run/30 stolen base club.
September 4, 1999
The Reds set a National League record by hitting nine home runs in a game.
September 22, 2002
Third baseman Aaron Boone hits the last home run at Riverfront Stadium/Cinergy Field.
April 2, 2003
Outfielder Austin Kearns is the first Red to hit a home run at Great American Ball Park.
June 20, 2004
Outfielder Ken Griffey, Jr. hits career home run #500.
August 10, 2004
Outfielder Adam Dunn hits the longest home run in Great American Ball Park history. The shot sailed outside of the ballpark and is estimated to have travelled 535 feet.
April 4, 2005
Third baseman Joe Randa hits the first walk-off Opening Day home run by a Red.
2005
Shortstop Felipe López sets a new single season franchise record with 23 home runs by a switch-hitter.
2005
The Reds set a new franchise record for team home runs with 222.
2007
Second baseman Brandon Phillips hits 30 home runs and steals 32 bases to becomes the third Red in baseball’s 30-home run/30 stolen base club.
2007
Adam Dunn sets a new franchise record with his fourth season of 40 or more home runs.
May 7, 2008
First baseman Joey Votto is the first Reds rookie to hit three home runs in a game.
June 9, 2008
Ken Griffey, Jr. hits career home run #600.
September 28, 2010
Outfielder Jay Bruce hits a walk-off home run to clinch the NL Central Division title for the Reds.
2010
The Reds lead the NL with 188 home runs.
March 31, 2011
Catcher Ramón Hernández hits the second Opening Day walk-off home run in Reds history.
September 12, 2011
Third baseman Juan Francisco hits the second 500-plus foot home run in Great American Ball Park, a 502-ft. shot that landed on the sidewalk outside the ballpark.
2015
Reds third baseman Todd Frazier wins the MLB All-Star Game Home Run Derby in front of a hometown crowd.
June 6, 2017
Second baseman Scooter Gennett becomes the first Red to hit four home runs in a game.
August 2019
Outfielder Aristides Aquino sets an NL record and ties the overall franchise record with 14 home runs in a month.
September 4, 2019
Michael Lorenzen becomes the first player since Babe Ruth to earn a victory, play in the outfield and hit a home run in the same game.
2019
The Reds set a new franchise record for team home runs with 227.
April 30, 2021
First baseman Joey Votto becomes the third Red in history to hit 300 home runs while playing for the Reds.
June 6, 2021
Outfielder Jesse Winker sets a club record by hitting three home runs in a game for the second time in a season.
July 24 – July 30, 2021
Joey Votto sets a franchise record by homering in seven straight games.
September 10, 2021
With career home run #325, Joey Votto passes Frank Robinson and moves into second place on the Reds career home run list.
June 14 – July 8, 2023
The Reds set a new franchise record for consecutive games hitting at least one home run. The Reds homered 45 times over the 22-game span.
2023
The Reds led the major leagues and set a franchise record with 68 home runs hit by rookie players. The Reds also set a new franchise record with 11 players with at least ten home runs in a single season.