During the 1970s, the Pacetti Hotel and the Cincinnati Reds baseball team shared owners: Louis and Louise Nippert. The Cincinnati socialites had previously held minor ownership of the Reds, but acquired a majority stake in the team in 1973. During this time, the team would visit the Pacetti Hotel each year during Spring Training. The hotel’s caretakers, Ann Caneer and Billy Joe Potts, organized parties for the team featuring live music, fishing off the dock, oyster shucking, and all the sea food they could eat. These years would be the most successful in the franchise’s history, and the team would be forever remembered as the Big Red Machine.
Reds team enjoying a picnic on the lawn of the Pacetti Hotel, c. 1975
The Reds’ General Manager Bob Howsam was willing to gamble on a young and inexperienced manager named Sparky Anderson. Howsam had worked with Sparky before, and knew of his charismatic personality and man-management capabilities. Before long, the gamble would pay off. Sparky was able to create one of the greatest lineups in baseball history.
With Pete Rose as captain and players like Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan to inspire the team, Sparky Anderson became both the youngest team manager in baseball and one of the most successful. In his 1970 season, Sparky led the team to 102 wins, and they were dubbed the Big Red Machine, a name they kept throughout Sparky’s tenure.
Louis Nippert (left) and Bob Howsam (left center) standing next to Ann Caneer (right center) and Billy Joe Potts (right), caretakers of the Pacetti Hotel
Sparky Anderson’s genius lay in his understanding of his team and of the game itself. His carefully chosen starting lineup for the 1975 and 1976 seasons consisted of eight men who, during those seasons, played 80 games together and lost only 16. The players came to be known as The Great 8, and when these men played together, they were extremely hard to beat. They won World Series championships in both 1975 and 1976, aided by a roster of able pitchers that included Pedro Borbon, Clay Carroll, Jack Billingham, Rawly Eastwick, Will McEnaney, Gary Nolan, Don Gullett, Fred Norman, and Pat Darcy.
In 1970, Sparky had asked Pete Rose to be the Reds’ team captain. Rose agreed and showed himself to be an excellent choice. Five years later, Sparky asked Rose, who was a two-time Gold Glove winning outfielder, if he would mind moving to third base. Rose understood the reason and agreed. The change enabled Anderson to move George Foster off the bench and into left field, the position vacated by Rose. George Foster was a strong hitter, a skill needed by the team, and Foster completed the lineup which consisted of Johnny Bench, catcher; Tony Perez, first base; Joe Morgan at second base; Pete Rose, third base; Dave Concepcion, shortstop; George Foster in his new position in left field; Cesar Geronimo in center field; and Ken Griffey, Sr., in right field.
Sparky Anderson at the Pacetti Hotel with caretaker Ann Caneer
All eight members of The Great 8 are in the Cincinnati Reds’ Hall of Fame. Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, and Joe Morgan are also in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Ultimately, the Reds won pennants in 1972, 1973, 1975, and 1976, winning the World Series in 1975 and 1976. Anderson was named Manager of the Year in 1972 and again in 1974.
The Reds seemed almost invincible, but change was unavoidable. In 1977, Bob Howsam retired, and Sparky was fired by Dick Wagner, who had replaced Howsam asgeneral manager. The Big Red Machine Era was coming to an end, but their legacy lives on today as one of the best teams in baseball history.
Johnny Bench (left) fishing off the dock of the Pacetti Hotel with caretaker Billy Joe Potts
