SIDNEY — The annual Foundation Banquet at Lehman Catholic High School has featured some major sports figures over the past four decades, some with ties to baseball. Legendary managers Sparky Anderson and Tom Lasorda have visited the Sidney campus, along with a former Detroit Tigers owner better known for his pizza prowess (Tom Monaghan), and a former president of that same team who was synonymous with football (Bo Schembechler). Joining that group on Saturday night was Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame radio voice Marty Brennaman, about to head to spring training for season number 43.
Before the formal festivities, the Virginia native talked about baseball. After many trades of veteran players in the past 16 months, the team is now in a youth movement.
“We probably won’t be very good in 2016, should improve in 2017, and could be very good in 2018 with an outstanding starting rotation that could be the best in baseball,” he firmly stated. “The process would be helped if we could trade a few more veterans but (there are barriers to trading some of those guys).”
A week earlier he’d been on the road with the team’s winter caravan to meet Reds fans.
“The way we were greeted, you’d think we’d won 98 games last season instead of losing that many,” he said. Four different groups of team personnel annually canvass all of Reds country over a long weekend in recognition of “the Reds being a true regional franchise. The Sidneys, Piquas, and Troys are important to us.”
Brennaman worked 31 seasons with the late Joe Nuxhall, and that duo had a special relationship from the ballpark to television commercials to off-season ocean cruises. “Marty and Joe on the radio” became iconic in Reds country. Brennaman still loves to tell stories of road trips where Nuxhall was either pranked or wasn’t knowledgeable on a widely known subject. Both came into play one night in Chicago when Brennaman went out for dinner and Nuxhall remained at the hotel.
When the two got back together later that same night, Nuxhall couldn’t wait to tell Brennaman that he’d met the son of a Cincinnati newscaster in the hotel bar.
“He grew up in Cincinnati and loved to listen to us,” Nuxhall said to his cohort. “What a nice guy. I enjoyed meeting Nick Clooney’s son.” Brennaman asked if the guy’s name was George and it was.
Brennaman responded that George was not only Nick’s son but also one of the world’s best known actors. Nuxhall thought Brennaman was “messing with him” once again and that George Clooney was not really famous. “The old left hander” inquired of a couple other folks before he realized he was being told the truth.
Brennaman expressed pleasure that his good friend and Cincinnati legend Pete Rose will be inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame this summer.
“No, this isn’t Cooperstown but it’s a big deal that will make for a special weekend (in late June),” he continued. “If he’d come clean about his gambling back in 1989 I believe he’d be in the National Baseball Hall of Fame by now. He’s a different guy than he was in 1989. I hoped he’d get a conditional reinstatement (from his suspension) but Commissioner Rob Manfred wouldn’t do it.”
How much longer will Brennaman and his “…and this one belongs to the Reds” victory declaration remain a part of our summers? “I feel great and want to keep working,” said the almost-74-year-old. “When I do retire, I’ll do it quietly after a season. There will be no farewell tour.”
Lehman Catholic High School reported Brennaman drew a record crowd for the Foundation Banquet.
