Cincinnati Reds 1975 Replica World Series Ring Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Cincinnati Reds 1975 Replica World Series ring. 

Cincinnati Reds Replica Pete Rose Statue Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Cincinnati Reds replica statue of Pete Rose.

2017 Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum Pete Rose Bobblehead Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a 2017 Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum Pete Rose bobblehead.

Anthony DeSclafani Bobblehad Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Cincinnati Reds Anthony DeSclafani bobblehead.

Cincinnati Reds Iron Man Bobblehad Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Cincinnati Reds bobblehead of Iron Man.

Bobblehead Page Update

#Bobblehead Page Update @ https://t.co/f6kg2Fon2e with a new #Reds Bobblehead#bobbleheadaddicts #bobblehof #letsgoreds #ATOBTTR #14forever pic.twitter.com/AoapW8TJdm

— Cincy Fan Zone (@CincyFanZone) June 27, 2017

Photo Page Update

Photo page update @ https://t.co/BpNFc1Sowh with #reds and #FCCincy pics#MLS2Cincy #14forever #letsgoreds #ATOBTTR #MLS #MLB #USL pic.twitter.com/kIHSfjbgZc

— Cincy Fan Zone (@CincyFanZone) June 20, 2017

Triple Bobble Weekend

 Do you like the Cincinnati Reds? Do you like Marvel super heroes? Do you like bobbleheads? Well then this Saturday is the day for you as you can attain not one, not two, but three bobbleheads for your sports memorabilia collection. Here’s how.

The Reds will be hosting the Atlanta Braves for a three game series on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It also happens to be the second and final Marvel super hero weekend of the year, meaning you can receive a bobblehead of Iron Man if you purchase a special ticket package. These ticket packages cost more than regular tickets, and it is only through these packages that you receive the Iron Man bobblehead.

The day you want to purchase your ticket package for is Saturday as it is also Anthony DeSclafani  bobblehead day. Should you get to the game early enough, you will get one of 20,000 Anthony DeSclafani  bobbleheads the Reds are giving to fans. It is a pretty sweet deal that can net you two new bobbleheads. But wait, there’s more!

The Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum will also be giving away a bobblehead that weekend. The bobblehead will be of the “Hit King” and Cincinnati native and Reds legend Pete Rose. Only 6,000 Reds Hall of Fame bobbleheads are made, and Rose will only be given away during the month of June.

So what are your plans for this Saturday? Hopefully after reading this post, you will be heading to Great American Ball Park for some Reds baseball and bobbleheads. I am planning on getting both Iron Man and DeSclafani, but I am still on the fence about the Rose bobble. I am a huge fan of Charlie Hustle, but I already have three Rose bobbles so this one will have to be significantly different in order for me to add it to my collection. If you do not have a Rose bobblehead however, this is your chance to add a bobblehead of not only him but of Iron Man and Anthony DeSclafani  to your collection as well.

Go Redlegs!

Crosley the "Vintage" Cincinnati Reds Bobblehead Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a "vintage" Cincinnati Reds Crosley bobblehead.

2017 Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum Bobbleheads Preview

The Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum have announced what bobbleheads they will be giving to fans during the 2017 season. For the first time since 2012, the Reds Hall of Fame will be giving out six bobbleheads as opposed to the usual five. This series of Reds nodders will feature players from a few different eras that celebrate the rich history of the Cincinnati Reds franchise. In this post, I will discuss the six bobbleheads that the Reds Hall of Fame will be giving away and share my thoughts on them.

The first bobblehead the Reds Hall of Fame will be giving out is Leo Cardenas. The former Reds shortstop from the 1960s will be given out during the month of April. Known as “Chico” and “Mr. Automatic,” Cardenas was a four time All-Star and is an excellent choice to be featured as a bobblehead.

The second bobblehead of the 2017 season will be given out during the month of May and will showcase former Reds second baseman Tommy Helms. The 1966 Rookie of the Year was a huge fan favorite, and many members of Reds Country were sad to see him dealt to the Houston Astros for future hall of famer Joe Morgan. While Morgan has been featured as a bobblehead many times, Helms has never been immortalized as a Reds nodder, and it is good to see the Reds Hall of Fame honor Helms with a bobblehead.

The third nodder will be of Pete Rose, and it shall be distributed in June. I am not excited for this bobblehead. Don’t get me wrong. I am a huge fan of Pete Rose. Charlie Hustle is undoubtedly the biggest baseball star to emerge from the Queen City, and I firmly believe he deserves to be in the hall of fame. That being said, I think the Reds should have chosen somebody else for the bobblehead. Rose has been featured on a Reds bobblehead every year since 2014. Instead of once again showcasing Rose, the team could have picked somebody who has not been featured such as Jose Rijo or Aaron Boone.

Fourth will be former Reds second baseman Ron Oester. The 2014 Reds Hall of Fame inductee is a Cincinnati native and was a member of the 1990 team that won the World Series. Despite losing his starting role to Mariano Duncan, Oester was a key pinch hitter and sported a batting average of .299. I think he is a solid choice to be featured as a bobblehead, and I plan on adding it to my collection.

Fifth in the Reds Hall of Fame series of bobbles is Dave Parker. Known as “The Cobra,” Parker was a fan favorite who won multiple awards during his playing days. He was a seven time All-Star, the 1978 National League MVP, and earned two World Series rings with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Oakland Athletics. I got to meet him at Redsfest 2016, and I was able to easily see why he was a fan favorite. I think I am the most excited for his bobblehead, and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

The sixth and final bobblehead of the year will feature former outfielder and 1977 National League MVP George Foster. Known for his powerful bat, Foster was instrumental in helping the Big Red Machine win back-to-back World Series Championships in 1975 and in 1976. The Reds Hall of Fame previously gave out a bobblehead of Foster in 2012, but it was a mini bobblehead that did not match the size of most modern nodders. Should this bobblehead be a regular sized nodder, I will add to my collection to replace the 2012 mini bobblehead.

That is the line up for the 2017 Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame series of bobbleheads. Overall, it is a solid series that features four players that have never been immortalized as a nodders. While I would have preferred to see two other players take the place of the already featured Rose and Foster, the selections of Cardenas, Oester, Helms, and Parker are stellar nonetheless. I plan on visiting the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum this season to add some of these Reds bobbleheads to my collection. Stay tuned for those unboxing videos!

Go Redlegs!

Reds Bobbles vs. Reds Hall of Fame Bobbles 2016

For the past few weeks, I have been going over the bobbleheads that the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum and the Cincinnati Reds gave to fans in 2016. Since I got every bobblehead that both the team and the hall of fame gave away to fans, I thought I would compare the lines of nodders and determine who had the better series of bobbles. I will look at the players featured, the appearance of the bobbles, and the overall quality of the nodders in determining which bobblehead series reigns supreme for 2016.

For players featured, the Cincinnati Reds introduced the bobblehead versions of two players who had not been immortalized as nodders in Zack Cozart and Eugenio Suarez. There were also three repeat player bobbles that had a unique twist to differentiate them from years past. They were nodders of Vottomatic who is the superhero version of Joey Votto, a Cincinnati Reds / Seattle Mariners Ken Griffey Jr. double bobblehead, and a Star Wars X-Wing pilot Mr. Redlegs bobblehead. The Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum gave out bobbleheads of Gary Nolan, Jack Billingham, Jim Maloney, Lee May, and Pete Rose. For everybody but Rose, this was their bobblehead debut. The Rose bobble was of him being inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame while the other bobbles featured the Reds legends in their playing days. Since the Reds Hall of Fame featured more new players as bobbles than the Reds, I’m giving this round to the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum.

Next we will take a look at the overall appearance of the nodders. The bobbleheads that the Reds gave away looked great. Suarez and Cozart are in traditional Reds uniforms, Vottomatic is in a superhero outfit, Ken Griffey Jr. is featured in both his Reds and Mariners uniform, and the Star Wars Mr. Redlegs bobblehead features the mustached mascot of the Reds in an X-Wing spaceship. The Reds Hall of Fame bobbles feature the players in traditional Reds uniforms based on the era that the players were from with the Rose bobblehead featuring Rose in his red hall of fame induction jacket. Based on the uniqueness of the appearances of the Reds bobbleheads, I’m giving this round to the Reds.

With both the Reds and the Reds Hall of Fame claiming a point apiece, this round will determine which bobbleheads were of better quality as well as who is the bobblehead champion of 2016. The overall quality of the Reds bobbleheads was pretty good. The paintjobs on the players were decent for the most part and the heads bobbled pretty well. However, the paintjobs on the bases could have been better as the lettering for the names of the players looked a little splotchy on some bobbles. Also, the bats that are held in the hands of the Griffey Jr. bobble were pretty loose and would fall out easily. The Reds Hall of Fame bobbles feature quality paintjobs on both the players and the bases. The bat in Lee May’s hands fit snuggly, and Rose’s foot screw into the base to keep the bobble in place. Therefore, the quality round goes to the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum.

Based on a final score of 2-1, the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum gave out the better line of bobbleheads in 2016. The players were featured were mostly new, and the quality of the bobbles were topnotch. The Reds bobbles had the better look, but the repeat players and shabby paintjobs on the bases and the loose bats on the Girffey Jr. bobblehead were the factors that gave the title of bobblehead champ to the Reds Hall of Fame. That is not to say that the Reds bobbles are bad as they are in fact really nice, but the Reds Hall of Fame bobbles were just better overall. If you are a Reds fan, I suggest picking up both lines of bobbleheads for your collection.

Go Redlegs!

Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum 2016 Bobbleheads Review

With the month of August coming to an end, so to are the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum bobblehead giveaways. The Reds Hall of Fame gave out five bobbleheads this year. One bobblehead per month was given out to everybody who bought a general admission ticket to the Reds Hall of Fame on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from April to August. Every month I went to the Reds Hall of Fame and got the new bobblehead that they were giving out and in my opinion, this was the best line of bobbles the Reds Hall of Fame has ever produced. 

The first bobblehead they gave out this baseball season was of former Reds pitcher Jim Maloney. The nodder looks great and features Maloney in the classic pinstripe uniform that the Redlegs used to wear. The stance is of Maloney pitching, and the bobblehead has a great look overall.

The second nodder was of former Reds slugger Lee May. With May being known as the “Big Bopper,” this bobblehead was molded to showcase his slugging ability by having May hold a bat. It’s a simple bobblehead, but it still looks nice and is a great piece of Reds memorabilia.

Third on the list of bobbles was a special Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame induction Pete Rose nodder. This bobble featured the legendary “Hit King” in a red suit jacket standing in front of the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum logo. This was given out in June, the month that Pete Rose was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame, and it was the only bobble that year that had to be screwed into the base. This was the third bobblehead of Rose that the Reds have given out in the past three years, but considering how this was a Reds Hall of Fame induction bobble, I thought it was cool enough to get for my collection.

The fourth bobblehead of the year was of former Reds pitcher Jack Billingham. Like Maloney, the bobblehead of Billingham features him in the midst of his pitching motion, and the bobble pulls it off pretty well. Unlike the Maloney bobblehead, the nodder of Billingham is meant to be viewed from the side as that is where his name is on the base.

The fifth and final bobblehead the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum gave away with the price of admission in 2016 was of Gary Nolan. Being another pitcher, the Reds Hall of Fame could have had Nolan in the midst of his pitching motion like Billingham and Maloney. Thankfully they decided to go with a different pose and had Nolan simply standing on the base with his hand on the ball in his glove. It is different enough to separate it from the other Reds pitching bobbles yet similar enough to display that he is a pitcher.

In conclusion, the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum 2016 bobblehead line is a great series of nodders that every Reds fan should have in their collection. All but Rose had not yet been featured as bobbles, and the quality of these nodders is top notch. Hopefully next year’s line of bobbles is just as good!

1976 Cincinnati Reds World Series Championship Replica Ring Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes an SGA 1976 Cincinnati Reds World Series Championship replica ring.

Photo Page Update

Photo Page Update @ https://t.co/JzwEdxiFEu With #14Forever Weekend Pics#Reds #SDvsCIN #LetsGoReds #MLB #CHCvsCIN pic.twitter.com/JZJ0335GZI

— Cincy Fan Zone (@CincyFanZone) June 26, 2016

Induction Celebration

One of the biggest injustices in sports is the exclusion of baseball legend Pete Rose from being on the ballot for induction into the baseball hall of fame. His career is nothing short of legendary as he garnered multiple awards, won three World Series Championships, and immortalized himself as Major League Baseball’s “Hit King.” Unfortunately, Rose broke a cardinal rule in MLB by betting on baseball and has been banned from the league. As a result, he is not eligible for induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. However, the Cincinnati Reds announced that they will induct him into the team’s hall of fame, and they have a great weekend planned for the event.

The fun starts on Friday June 24 as the Reds take the field for their second of a four game series against the San Diego Padres. All fans in attendance will receive a 1976 Cincinnati Reds team photo, and the Reds will wear their 1976 throwback uniforms. There will also be a special pregame ceremony that will feature members of the 1976 World Series Championship team as well as a postgame fireworks show. If you bought a special ticket package for Friday’s game, you will also receive a replica 1976 Cincinnati Reds World Series Championship ring.

Saturday is the day of the actual Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony in which Rose will be inducted during a pregame ceremony. All fans in attendance will also receive a poster that features every Topps baseball card showcasing Rose as a member of the Redlegs. There is a picture of the poster online, and it looks very cool.

Sunday is the final day of the induction weekend. Not only is it “Family Sunday” at the ballpark, but it is also when Rose will have his number officially retired by the team. The retirement will happen before the game during a ceremony, and all fans in attendance will receive a free Pete Rose number retirement print. Kids 14 and younger will also receive a free wall decal of Devin Mesoraco.

The Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum is also honoring Pete, but they are doing it all throughout June. On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, everybody who purchases a ticket for the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum will receive a free limited edition Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame induction Pete Rose bobblehead. I went and got mine the first day they gave them away, and it is easily a bobblehead that every Reds fans should try to attain.

As you can see, the Reds have a lot of stuff planned. Throwback uniforms and a replica World Series ring on Friday, the induction ceremony on Saturday, the number retirement ceremony on Sunday, and a free bobblehead of Pete, while supplies last, all weekends in June from the hall of fame and museum. I am going on Friday and will be getting the replica World Series ring. I wish I could go to all three games, but one out of the three isn’t bad, especially when the Reds are going all out to honor Charlie Hustle. Hopefully the team can sweep the Padres for him.

Go Redlegs!

Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame Induction Pete Rose Bobblehead Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame Induction Pete Rose bobblehead.

Bobblehead Page Update

Bobblehead Page Update @ https://t.co/f6kg2Fon2e With a New #Reds Nodder#BobbleHOF #BobbleheadAddicts #MLB #Sports pic.twitter.com/0HNSBtZtPK

— Cincy Fan Zone (@CincyFanZone) June 15, 2016

Photo Page Update

Pic Page Update @ https://t.co/yzF6TznxxM With #WSHvsCIN Pics#Reds #Nationals #MLB #LetsGoReds #ATOBTTR #NBA #NHL pic.twitter.com/q3Tm41Xpwc

— Cincy Fan Zone (@CincyFanZone) June 4, 2016

Holiday Pickups 2015

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shows what he picked up over the holidays.

Induction Injustice

What a horrible two days for Cincinnati sports fans. On Sunday, my beloved Cincinnati Bengals not only lost to their AFC North division rival the Pittsburgh Steelers, but they also lost quarterback Andy Dalton for a few weeks due to a fractured thumb. As if that was not bad enough, Rob Manfred, the commissioner of Major League Baseball, announced on Monday that he would not lift the ban from baseball on Cincinnati Reds legend Pete Rose thus essentially nullifying any hope that the “Hit King” might one day take his rightful place in the hallowed halls of Cooperstown. So why am I talking about these two topics?

With next week being the week of Christmas, I will be uploading two blog posts this week. Each will discuss either the Dalton injury or the continuation of Rose’s ban from baseball. Not jovial topics for Cincinnati sports fans during the “most wonderful time of the year,” but topics important enough to warrant discussion from me. This post is about Pete Rose’s continued banishment from Major League Baseball and the Hall of Fame.

I want to start this post by saying that I am a diehard fan of the Cincinnati Reds and believe that Pete Rose deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. He had a career that many dream about and few actually achieve, and his accomplishments on the field are nothing short of legendary. I understand that Rose broke the rules established by Major League Baseball in regards to gambling. I understand that Rose agreed to and accepted the banishment from baseball and lied about his gambling for years. I understand that Rose has apparently not learned from his banishment as he continues to gamble on sports including baseball. What I cannot accept is the hypocritical nature of Major League Baseball.

MLB promotes fantasy sports gambling companies such as FanDeul and Draft Kings. They are fantasy sports sites in which users can gamble on baseball. This is clearly the pot calling the kettle black. MLB has a firm stance on being against gambling yet it promotes fantasy sports gambling companies and in turn receives revenue from these promotions.

Also, former big league stars such as Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds, and Mark McGwire used performance-enhancing drugs during their playing days. This tainted the sport of baseball much like the Black Sox Scandal did in 1919. The outcomes of baseball games during the “steroid era” were in doubt not because of gambling like what the 1919 Chicago White Sox did, but because these “sluggers” were helping their teams win by cheating and not by talent. However, these cheaters are not banned from MLB and are still eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame while Rose, whose accomplishments on the field were due to pure baseball talent, is not.

In conclusion, I think it is completely ridiculous that Rose does not have the chance to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. While I understand MLB’s rule on gambling, I do not understand how it promotes fantasy sports gambling and allows former players who used performance-enhancing drugs to still have the opportunity for Hall of Fame induction. In my opinion, Rose does not even have to be let back into MLB. He should just have the opportunity to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. I believe that the commissioner could have asked to have Rose placed on the ballot. If he receives the necessary amount of votes to get in, great. If he does not, at least he was given the opportunity. The decision by the commissioner to uphold the ban pretty much guarantees that the “Hit King” will never be enshrined in Cooperstown and proves that MLB is a hypocritical baseball entity.