1973 Cincinnati Reds season
| 1973 Cincinnati Reds | ||
|---|---|---|
| National League West champions | ||
| League | National League | |
| Division | West | |
| Ballpark | Riverfront Stadium | |
| City | Cincinnati | |
| Record | 99–63 (.611) | |
| Divisional place | 1st | |
| Owners | Louis Nippert | |
| General managers | Bob Howsam | |
| Managers | Sparky Anderson | |
| Television | WLWT (Charlie Jones, Wes Parker) | |
| Radio | WLW (Al Michaels, Joe Nuxhall) | |
| ||
The 1973 Cincinnati Reds season was the 104th season for the franchise in Major League Baseball, and their 4th and 3rd full season at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati. The Reds won the National League West with a Major League-best record of 99–63, 3+1⁄2 games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers, before losing the NLCS to the New York Mets in five games. The Reds were managed by Sparky Anderson, and played their home games at Riverfront Stadium.
The season started well but entered a slump, which ended on July 1, 1973, when third-string catcher Hal King hit a season-changing home run, pinch-hitting a walk off home run in the bottom of the ninth with the score at 3-1 Dodgers, two on base, and the count at 2 balls and 2 strikes. The play was credited with turning the season around, and the Reds ended the season by winning the division. The Cincinnati Enquirer called the home run one of the most dramatic in Reds history.