Tombstone
Born: 1966
Affiliation Change: 1975 (Modesto A’s)
First Game: April 19, 1966 (W 6-2 @ Fresno Giants)
Last Game: September 2, 1974 (W 5-2, W 13-12 vs. Salinas Packers)
California League Champions: 1966 & 1972
Stadium
Del Webb Field
Opened: 1955
Ownership & Affiliation
Owners:
- 1966-1967: Joe Gagliardi
- 1968-????: Bill Giahos
Major League Affiliations:
- 1966: Kansas City Athletics
- 1967-1974: St. Louis Cardinals
Attendance
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Source: The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (1st ed.), Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, 1993
Background
The Modesto Reds were a Class A minor league baseball team in the California League from 1966 to 1974. Contrary to what you might expect, the Reds were not a farm club of the Cincinnati Reds. Rather “Reds” was a traditional name for Modesto ball clubs, dating back to the original Reds of the California State League (1914-1915) and a prior Postwar incarnation of the Reds that operated from 1946-1961.
In 1966 Modesto was a Kansas City Athletics affiliate and from 1967 through 1974 the Reds were part of the St. Louis Cardinals’ system. Both Major League parents had terrific farm systems and a parade of future Major Leaguer stars spent time in Modesto during the latter-day Reds era.
1966: Trio of Future Hall-of-Famers
Serving the Athletics in 1966, Modesto had an incredible roster that included three future Hall-of-Famers in Rollie Fingers, Reggie Jackson and Tony LaRussa along with future Oakland A’s All-Stars Dave Duncan and Joe Rudi. The 1966 Modesto squad won the California League championship.
In 1968, the Modesto Reds featured three future National League All-Stars in outfielders Jose Cruz and Willie Montanez and catcher Ted Simmons. Pitcher Pedro Borbon, who would win two World Series titles with the Cincinnati Reds in the mid-1970’s, was also on this unusually deep (for Class A) ball club.
Al “The Mad Hungarian” Hrabosky pitched for Modesto as a 19-year old first round draft pick in the summer of ’69. He went 8-2 in Modesto and was in the Majors a year later, where the colorful closer would stay for 13 seasons.
A weak-hitting third baseman named Bob Forsch spent parts of two summers in Modesto in 1969 and 1970. In 1970 Forsch hit a meager .149 with 21 strikeouts in 47 at-bats. The following year the Cardinals converted Forsch to pitcher. During a 16-year career in the Majors, Forsch would win 168 games, pitch two no-hitters, and win a World Series with the Cards in 1982.
One of Forsch’s teammates on the 1970 Modesto team was 21-year old outfielder Bake McBride. McBride won the 1974 National League Rookie-of-the-Year award in St. Louis and played in the Bigs for 10 seasons.
19-year old pitcher John Denny went 7-5 for Modesto in 1972. A decade later Denny won the National League Cy Young Award for the Philadelphia Phillies, helping lead that club to a World Series visit.
1975: Shift To Oakland Farm Club & Name Change
In 1975 Modesto shifted back to the Athletics minor league system after eight seasons with St. Louis. With the change in parents the club was renamed the Modesto A’s that spring. The California League franchise continues to play in Modesto today. The ball club has been known as the Modesto Nuts since its most recent (2005) re-branding.
Modesto Reds Shop
Links
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4 Responses
I spent many nights at Del Webb Field watching the 1966/67 Modesto Reds. You’ve captured several memorable highlights but here are a few more. For instance, Sparky Anderson was the manager of the 1967 Reds. Rollie Fingers in 1966 went by the name Roland ‘Bo’ Fingers (not Rollie). Dave Duncan set a California League record in ’66 with 46 HR’s. Reggie Jackson hit 21 HRs that year, although he did not join the team until graduating from ASU so did not play a full season. Skip Lockwood was an infielder with the ’66 Reds but made it to the big leagues ultimately as a pitcher with the Mets.
Me and my younger brother was in the dugout the night are day I don’t remember in 66 I do remember getting wet from all the champaign getting throne in the. Air
I remember seeing Pedro Borbon kicked back and chatting with the worker in the concessions stand when Borbon was pitched for the Reds in 1967. Three years later he was in the World Series for the Cincinnati Red.
Our neighbor use to work for Rainbo Bread in Modesto and Rainbo use to sell tickets to the Modesto A’s in the late 70s.The tix that didnt sell during the weekdays we would get from him and they were good for Sunday afternoon games,what a blast.I remember watching Derrel Woodard,Mike Davis,Rickey Henderson,and so many more.A teammate of mine was one of the bat boys.. Thanks for the Memories..In my eyes it will always be Del Webb Field..Thanks