The 1976 World Series is one of the most memorable in baseball history, as the Cincinnati Reds swept the New York Yankees in four games to claim the fourth championship in franchise history.
The Big Red Machine was a dominant force throughout the 1970s, and their performance in the 1976 World Series solidified their place as one of the greatest teams of all-time.
The Reds were led by a formidable lineup that included future Hall of Famers Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, and Tony Perez, as well as All-Stars Pete Rose and Ken Griffey.
Remembering the Reds 1976 World Series sweep over the Yankees.
The Cincinnati Reds won 102 games during the 1976 regular season and finished 10 games ahead of the second-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West.
The Yankees won the American League East with a record of 97-62, with a roster that included future Hall of Famers Thurman Munson and Catfish Hunter.
Game 1 of the World Series was a duel between the Reds' Don Gullett and the Yankees' Doyle Alexander. The Reds took the lead in the third inning thanks to a sacrifice fly from Pete Rose to score Dave Concepcionin and went on to win 5-1.
Game 2 was a close one, going into the ninth inning tied at three with two outs Tony Perez would line a pitch from Catfish Hunter to left field scoring Ken Griffey to win the game in walk-off fashion 4-3, and take 2-0 series lead.
The series shifted to Yankee Stadium for Game 3, but the change of venue did little to help the Bronx Bombers. The Cincinnati Reds scored early and often, and eventually winning 6-2 and taking a commanding 3-0 series lead.
In Game 4, Johnny Bench would absolutely demolish the New York Yankees, hitting two home runs and driving in five. The Reds would take home the Commissioner's Trophy for the second straight year beating the Yankees 7-2. Bench won MVP honors.
The Cincinnati Reds outscored the New York Yankees 22-8 over the four games, and their pitching staff held New York's lineup to a .222 batting average. The Reds were a complete team, with a potent offense, strong pitching, solid defense, and they proved to be too much for the Yankees to handle.
In the years since the 1976 World Series, the Big Red Machine has remained a beloved team among baseball fans. Their dominance in the 1970s, and their performance in the 1976 World Series cemented their place in baseball history as one of the greatest teams of all-time.