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Subject: Mount Rushmore of Cincinnati sports figures
Message: Summer’s here. The Reds are puttering along and can’t hit again. Things aren’t super exciting in Cincy sports right now. Just wondering: Who’s on your Mt. Rushmore of Cincinnati sports figures?
Reply: Lots of ways to define this, but I’m taking your question to mean my all-time personal favorite Cincinnati sports figures. So this is a subjective list. I want to be clear about that, because there are folks on my Cincinnati sports Mount Rushmore who wouldn’t necessarily make a “top 4 greatest Cincinnati sports figures of all-time” list.
Now then, here goes:
Baseball Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Brennaman
Like so many of you, I grew up listening to Marty and Joe. Unlike many of you, though, I didn’t get to watch the Reds on TV or go to a game on a whim, having grown up in rural Southeast Ohio. So the Hall of Fame radio broadcaster played a big part in my Reds experience. And I loved Marty’s call-’em-like-I-see-’em style. Loved it, and still do.
I’ve had the privilege of getting to know Marty in my career. And I’ve always appreciated that he’s the same, genuine truth-teller whether on- or off-air. He’d never say something about a player, manager, anyone on-air that he wouldn’t say to that person’s face. I respect that so much.
Generations of Reds fans do, too. Marty has always appreciated the fans. He’s always been accessible to fans and media. He helps a lot of people. I recently heard him speak at a Scouting America fundraiser. Of course, Marty is a talented broadcaster and storyteller. But his honesty and community support are big reasons why he remains one of the most influential figures in Reds history.
Cincinnati Reds center fielder Eric Davis
Davis was a key member of the Reds when I fell in love with baseball in the mid-1980s. I saw a little of myself in all of my favorite athletes growing up – except Davis. He was everything I wasn’t. He could do everything on the field, the quintessential five-tool player. And I marveled at that.
I have no doubt Davis would’ve been a Hall of Famer if he’d stayed healthy. But he was a key figure in the Reds’ 1990 World Series championship, and to me, he represents the kind of greatness not seen around here much anymore.
Unfortunately, only my generation of baseball fans fully appreciate Davis, who still grinded through 17 big league seasons. He’s overshadowed by the Big Red Machine members, Barry Larkin and Joey Votto to most casual Reds fans, and that’s a damn shame.
Cincinnati Bearcats guard Steve Logan
Nick Van Exel, Danny Fortson and Kenyon Martin were the superstar players of the Bob Huggins era at the University of Cincinnati. But Logan was the heart-and-soul of Bearcats basketball under Huggins. Logan was a classic overachiever, a hard-nosed, Huggins-type guy. Logan was undersized and a little pudgy, but he earned everything on hard work, determination and a you’re-not-going-to-beat-me attitude.
Logan had the killer instinct. He wanted the ball in close games. And he was a winner, leading the Bearcats to two top-10 finishes and the NCAA Tournament all four of his seasons.
I covered the game in which Logan outscored the entire Southern Miss team. Logan scored 41 points. Southern Miss had 37. He drained eight 3-pointers and was making fall-away shots, driving the lane at will, making baskets with defenders in his face. Amazing night at Shoemaker Center in 2002, his senior year. He earned All-American that season and is ranked No. 3 all-time in scoring at UC behind Oscar Robertson and Sean Kilpatrick.
Baseball ‘Hit King’ Pete Rose
I mean, isn’t Rose on every list like this?
It wasn’t talent and athletic ability that made Rose baseball’s all-time hits leader. We love him as a ballplayer because he gave us hope that we could achieve greatness by consistently showing up and always hustling and working hard.
His poster was one of four that I had on my bedroom wall growing up, along with Davis, Larry Bird and Bernie Kosar.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Pete Rose among ‘Mt. Rushmore’ of Cincinnati sports legends | Williams
Reporting by Jason Williams, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
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