Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame: a quick review of a great place!

Recently my travels found me in the Florence, KY area. In reality, the town is an across-the-river bedroom community of Cincinnati, Ohio. The people were friendly, the restaurants were great, and the weather was wet!

The rainy disposition of the days made indoor activities mandatory, and I KNEW where I wanted to head because I had read quite a bit about the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame, AND the new statue of Johnny Bench unveiled this summer.

Let me say it clearly: it was worth the trip, the time and the ten spot to get in!

Be prepared if you visit to pay for parking. It runs $1 per half hour either on the street (lots of quarters) or in the garage.

My visit found me completely alone in the Hall save for a very friendly maintenance man who really knew his baseball. My Royals logo jacket prompted a few discussion points and the Reds employee had a firm grasp on the history of the boys in blue!

But the displays of the Reds Hall is what makes the experience worthwhile. As the oldest professional ball club around, the Reds have a history unlike any other. And they pay homage to just about every era from their 150 years! To be sure the weight of the displays are from more modern times (the Big Red Machine and forward), but that is normal for a team’s Hall of Fame. They need to cater to the current and burgeoning fan base.

The artifacts were well presented and plentiful, and there were several interactive items for the “hands on” visitor. Your entry into the Hall is through the Special Exhibits gallery which currently features Johnny Bench, “Baseball’s Greatest Catcher” is the name of the exhibit, and rightly so.

I only had my iPhone camera with me instead of my normal photographer, and so the pictures aren’t the greatest. But, hopefully, there is enough here to spur your interest and a visit when you are in that area. You will be easily rewarded if you go!