Riverfront Stadium (now known as Cinergy Field) stands on the bank of the Ohio River. Visible from neighboring Kentucky, it is yet another circular, multi-purpose stadium with artificial turf and symmetrical outfield fences. Opened in 1970, the 52,392-seat stadium has already hosted five World Series, and was the first baseball stadium with the now-standard "cut out" infield (dirt only in sliding areas around the bases), as well as the first to post metric distances on the outfield fences.

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Despite its small foul territory and hard playing surface it does not favor batters over pitchers. The stadium itself sits atop a large underground parking garage, meaning most fans enter the stadium from below. The original home plate, imported from Cincinnati's now defunct Crosley Field, was replaced in 1997. An April 17, 1976 game was delayed when a large swarm of bees descended on the field. (SCL)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » June 30, 1970: A sellout crowd of 51,050 is on hand for the dedication of Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium, rushed to completion so the Reds can host the All-Star game. There is no electricity in the refreshments areas, and the scoreboard occasionally misfires. but Hank Aaron doesn't misfire as he hits the park's first home run. The Braves win, 8–2. » July 1, 1970: The Reds top the Braves, 9–2, as Tommy Helms becomes the first Red player to go deep at Riverfront Stadium. Helms' homer, which hits the LF pole just above the wall, is his only homer of the year. » July 14, 1970: At Riverfront Stadium, the National League wins its 8th straight All-Star Game, a thrilling 12-inning 5–4 victory in Cincinnati. Pete Rose crashes into Cleveland catcher Ray Fosse to score the controversial winning run on Jim Hickman's single. Fosse, who never had the ball, hurts his right shoulder and is taken to the hospital. The game is scoreless until the 6th, with the NL limited to three hits in the first eight innings. In the 9th, the NL tees off on Catfish Hunter, driving in three runs to tie. Dick Dietz hits a leadoff home run in the inning. Claude Osteen pitches the 10th for the win. » October 10, 1970: Baltimore overcomes a 3–0 deficit to beat the Reds 4–3 in the World Series opener at Riverfront Stadium as Boog Powell, Ellie Hendricks, and Brooks Robinson contribute home runs to the winning effort. The Jackson Five sing the National Anthem. » April 5, 1971: In 45 degree weather, the Reds play their first opener at Riverfront Stadium, dropping a 7–4 decision to the Braves. The Reds make six errors, three by 3B Woody Woodward. The win goes to 6' 6" reliever Cecil Upshaw, who missed last season after almost losing the ring finger on his pitching hand. Upshaw was dunking a basketball and his hand got entangled in the net causing the injury. » May 28, 1971: At Riverfront Stadium, Don Gullett (10 IP) and Clay Carroll combine to beat the Astros, 1–0, in 13 innings. Lee May hits a single to drive in the game-winner. » June 4, 1971: At Riverfront Stadium, the Reds recover from being no hit to roll over the Cards, 12–0. Ross Grimsley pitches his first ML shutout and is backed by a 17 hit attack. George Foster and Tony Perez each have four hits. » July 2, 1972: The Reds score eight runs in the 8th to defeat the Dodgers, 12–2, at Riverfront Stadium. Tony Perez' 3-run homer is the big blow. » July 29, 1972: The Padres take 17 innings but finally edge the Reds, 4–3, at Riverfront Stadium. » August 7, 1972: Eddie Mathews takes over as Braves manager following the dismissal of Luman Harris. Things don't change as the Reds squash the Braves, 9–1, at Riverfront Stadium. » August 8, 1972: At Riverfront Stadium, the Reds beat the Dodgers, 2–1, in 19 innings. The Dodgers use 5 pitchers and the first four (John, Brewer, Richert, and Perranoski) strike out 22 batters to tie a NL record. The 5th, Pete Mikkelson, fans no one in the defeat to Pedro Borbon. Joe Hague’s single drives in pinch runner Ted Uhlaender to end the marathon. » September 16, 1972: Following the Reds-Padres game at Riverfront Stadium, "This is your Life" host Ralph Edwards surprises Johnny Bench as the catcher is the featured guest on the program. With cameras rolling, Bench's family and friends appear as Edwards narrates the show. » June 13, 1973: At Riverfront Stadium, Cards pitcher Rick Wise loses a no hitter when the Reds Joe Morgan singles with one out in the 9th. Wise finishes with a one-hit 8–0 win. Wise pitched a no-hitter over the Reds in 1971. » July 26, 1973: In the first of two at Riverfront Stadium, the Reds beat the Braves, 5–3. Despite a homer and four singles by Pete Rose in the nitecap, the Reds lose 6–4. » April 4, 1974: At Riverfront Stadium, in his first swing of the season, Hank Aaron hits a 3-run home run off Jack Billingham as the Braves lose to the Reds 7–6 in 11 innings. It comes on a 3–1 pitch. It is home run 714 for Aaron to tie him with the Babe and Hank is greeted by Bowie Kuhn and Vice-president Gerald Ford. The Reds, trailing 6–2 in the 8th, get a 3-run homer from Tony Perez, tie in the 9th on an RBI-double from Rose, and win it in the 11th when Rose scampers home from 2B on a wild pitch by Buzz Capra. » April 20, 1974: At Riverfront Stadium, the Big Red Machine rolls over the Padres, 11–0. The Reds will win the opener tomorrow over the Giants 10–1, before losing the nitecap. » May 7, 1974: At Riverfront Stadium, the Reds Fred Norman strikes out 13 Cardinals, but loses, 1–0. The Birds score their only run in the 9th on Norman's throwing error. » May 15, 1974: At Riverfront Stadium, Reds pitcher Roger Nelson has his no-hitter broken up by Bobby Bonds, who clubs a 2-run homer in the 8th. Chris Speier homers in the 9th for the other Giants hit and Nelson finishes with a 4–3 win. » July 25, 1974: At Riverfront Stadium, Tony Perez caps a five run Reds rally in the 9th by hitting a two out, two strike home run. The Reds rally to top the Giants, 14–13. » July 28, 1974: The Reds whip the Padres, 14–1, at Riverfront Stadium. » April 22, 1975: The Reds again use a 9th inning rally to win, 5–4, over the Giants at Riverfront Stadium. Morgan scores the winner after cruising into 3rd on a wild pitch and deliberately drawing a throw from C Marc Hill. Hill heaves the ball over 3rd and Morgan scores. » June 28, 1975: At Riverfront Stadium, George Foster hits a 2-out 2-run homer in the 10th inning to give the Reds a 6–4 win over the Padres. » October 15, 1975: At Riverfront Stadium, Luis Tiant throws 163 pitches in winning his 2nd game 5–4, and evening the Series at two games apiece. » June 2, 1978: At Riverfront Stadium, Johnny Bench comes off the bench to pinch hit with two outs in the 9th and the Reds trailing the Pirates, 2–1. With a runner on, Bench presses his first ever pinch home run and the Reds win, 3–2. » August 30, 1978: The Reds are rained out at Riverfront Stadium for the first time since the Stadium opened in 1970. The 2nd half of a twinbill was rained out on July 18, 1971, but no rain checks were issued. » May 4, 1980: At Riverfront Stadium, Junior Kennedy's grand slam gives the Reds a 5–4 win over the Cubs. » May 27, 1980: In the 3rd inning at Riverfront Stadium, Don Sutton serves up consecutive homers to Ken Griffey, George Foster, and Dan Driessen. The homer outage is good for five runs in the Reds 6–1 win over the Dodgers. » April 5, 1982: After astronauts Joe Engle and Richard Truly toss out the first ball at Riverfront Stadium, the Reds open with a 3–2 loss to the Cubs, called after eight innings on account of rain. » July 20, 1982: In the 3rd inning of a 3–1 loss to the Pirates at Riverfront Stadium, a 21-year-old woman jumps from the red seats landing 35 feet below. Her death is ruled a suicide. » September 17, 1983: A record regular-season crowd of 53,790 packs Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium on Johnny Bench Night, and the retiring superstar responds with a 2–run home run and a single. But the Reds lose to Houston 4–3. » September 11, 1985: Pete Rose becomes baseball's all-time hit leader, singling to left center off Eric Show in the first inning of the Reds' 2–0 win over San Diego. His 4,192nd career hit breaks Ty Cobb's record before 47,237 fans at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium. Rose had tied the record at Wrigley Field on September 8th with a single off the Cubs' Reggie Patterson in a game that was later suspended due to darkness, enabling Rose to break the record at home. » July 12, 1988: After being maligned by the press as an unworthy All-Star starter, A's catcher Terry Steinbach hits a solo home run and a sacrifice fly to lead the American League to a 2–1 victory at Riverfront Stadium and is named the game's MVP. » March 14, 1993: The Reds announce that Schottzie 02, the St. Bernard owned by Reds president Marge Schott, is being banned from the field at Riverfront Stadium for the season. » April 1, 1996: At Riverfront Stadium, umpire John McSherry calls time from behind the plate and collapses on the field with a massive heart attack and dies. The popular McSherry, a veteran of 21 seasons, had been suffering from a series of medical problems, aggravated by his weight of 328 pounds. The game, just seven pitches old between the Reds and Expos, is called, though owner Marge Schott feels otherwise: "Snow this morning and now this. I don't believe it. I feel cheated. This isn't supposed to happen to us, not in Cincinnati. This is our history, our tradition, our team. Nobody feels worse than me." Schott, who will later apologize, says it with flowers instead. But the Dayton Daily News will report on the 28th that the flowers she sends were given to her by television station covering the Reds. » April 12, 1996: Reds fans are again able to get out of town scores at Riverfront Stadium. In a cost-cutting move, owner Marge Schott had canceled the score-reporting service to save the month fee of $350. » June 6, 1998: Hall of Fame 2B Joe Morgan has his uniform retired by the Cincinnati Reds in a ceremony at Cinergy Field. » September 22, 2002: In the final game to be played at Cinergy Field (the former Riverfront Stadium), the Phillies top the hometown Reds, 4–3. » December 29, 2002: Cinergy Field, the former Riverfront Stadium, is demolished. The former home of the Cincinnati Reds was opened in 1970. The site will become the western concourse of Great American Ball Park and will include the Reds' Hall of Fame when it opens in 2004.