The World Series between the
Oakland Athletics and the Reds featured friends at the managerial level. Athletics manager
Tony La Russa and Reds manager
Lou Piniella were old friends and teammates from their
Tampa American Legion Post 248 team.
Cincinnati Reds owner
Marge Schott, who was drunk at the time, made a major verbal slip-up when she dedicated the 1990 World Series to
"our women and men in the Far East" (Schott meant to say Middle East). In the first inning of Game 1, Reds center fielder
Eric Davis hit a home run in left center that nearly hit the CBS television studio where anchor
Pat O'Brien was sitting. Also in Game 1, Billy Hatcher helped out offensively in a big way by starting his streak of 7 straight hits in the series (after a walk in the 1st). José Rijo settled in after the early lead and cruised to a surprise Cincinnati victory. The following day, the headline of the
Cincinnati Post newspaper captured the city's surprise with the headline, "DAVIS STUNS GOLIATH." During Game 2, Reds pitcher
Tom Browning's pregnant wife Debbie went into labor during the game. Debbie left her seat in the fifth inning to drive herself to the hospital. As the game went on, the Reds wanted Browning ready to pitch just in case the game went well into extra innings. Thinking that Browning was en route to a nearby hospital, the Reds had their radio broadcaster
Marty Brennaman put out an
All Points Bulletin on Browning, a bulletin that was picked up by
Tim McCarver on CBS television, who passed it along in the ninth inning. Game 4 was a pitchers' duel between Dave Stewart and José Rijo (the Game 1 starters) that eventually culminated in the Reds sweeping the series. The A's got on the board in the first when Willie McGee doubled and Carney Lansford singled him in. The game remained 1–0 until the 8th when the Reds finally got to Stewart. Barry Larkin singled up the middle, Herm Winningham followed with a bunt single, and
Paul O'Neill reached on a throwing error by Stewart that loaded the bases. Glen Braggs's groundout and Hal Morris's sacrifice fly gave the Reds a precious 2–1 edge which was preserved by both Rijo, who at one point retired 20 straight batters. Randy Myers, one of the Nasty Boys, appeared in relief and got the final two outs. The
1990 World Series would be the Reds 5th championship but would also be remembered as one of the biggest upsets in baseball history. Until 2020, this was the last
World Series to be scheduled to begin play on a Tuesday, and the only since
1984. The schedule called for the seven-game series to be held Tue-Wed, Fri-Sat-Sun, Tue-Wed. Games 5, 6, and 7, however were not necessary.
Highlights The three primary members of the bullpen;
Norm Charlton,
Randy Myers, and
Rob Dibble (who threw a fastball in excess of 99 mph) were known as the "
Nasty Boys" – and wouldn't let the A's score against them in nearly nine innings of work. Media talk of a forthcoming A's dynasty led Reds fans to call their own team the "dyNASTY." Reds outfielder
Billy Hatcher set a
World Series record with seven consecutive hits, going 3-3 in the Game 1, then going 4-4 in Game 2 In addition, Hatcher's .750 batting average, (9 for 12), broke a mark for a four-game World Series that was previously set by
Babe Ruth (.625 in
1928). Both records still stand as of 2024.
Cincinnati Reds' pitcher
José Rijo became the second
Dominican born player to earn
World Series MVP honors, thanks to his 2 wins in the series, where he did not let the A's score a run, ending with a series ERA of 0.59. The first Dominican born to earn World Series MVP honors was
Pedro Guerrero of the
Los Angeles Dodgers.
Matchups Game 1 October 16, 1990, at
Riverfront Stadium in
Cincinnati Game 2 October 17, 1990, at
Riverfront Stadium, in
Cincinnati Game 3 October 19, 1990, at
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum in
Oakland, California Game 4 October 20, 1990, at
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum in
Oakland, California :mlb.com coverage of Game 4
Composite Box 1990 World Series (4–0): Cincinnati Reds (N.L.) over
Oakland Athletics (A.L.) ==Awards and honors==