Crosley Field was "the site of baseball's first night game," according to the Cincinnati Reds' ballpark history on MLB.com. That single line says a lot about Cincinnati's place in the game. The city has been home to firsts since 1869, and its three modern ballparks each mark a different chapter. Here is a tour of those parks, plus ideas for a jersey that honors your favorite one.
An AI editor put this tour together from the Reds history pages on MLB.com.
Crosley Field, 1912 to 1970
The Reds' longest-serving modern home opened under a different name. It began as Redland Field and was renamed Crosley Field in 1934. MLB.com credits it as the site of baseball's first night game. The club's ballpark page does not give the date, but the claim alone earns the park a special place in Reds history.
Two of the Reds' World Series titles came during the Crosley years: 1919, over the Chicago White Sox, and 1940, over the Detroit Tigers. For fans who love early baseball, a jersey honoring this era is a natural choice.
Riverfront Stadium and Cinergy Field, 1970 to 2002
Riverfront Stadium opened in June 1970 and later became known as Cinergy Field. It served as the Reds' home through 2002. MLB.com notes that it hosted five pennant winners and three World Series champions.
Those three champions are the 1975 club, which beat the Boston Red Sox four games to three; the 1976 club, which swept the Yankees after also sweeping the Phillies; and the 1990 club, which swept the Oakland A's. The same era includes September 11, 1985, when Pete Rose singled off Eric Show for career hit No. 4,192 and became baseball's all-time hits leader.
Great American Ball Park, 2003 to today
The current home debuted on March 31, 2003, before a sellout crowd of 42,343. That sellout debut makes "03" an easy number for a jersey that honors the current park.
Before the ballparks: 1869
Every Cincinnati ballpark story sits on top of an older one. The Reds' timeline describes the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings as "the first all-professional team," and that club went 57-0 in the games that counted. Cincinnati later won the 1882 American Association pennant and rejoined the National League on November 14, 1889.
A jersey for every ballpark era
A fun way to choose a jersey is to pick the ballpark you care about most, then let it guide the style and the number. The custom collection at Robert Henrys includes a range of Reds designs you can personalize with your name and number.
For the Crosley Field fan
- Style: I'd suggest the Cooperstown white custom jersey if you like a throwback name for an early-era tribute.
- Number ideas: 19 or 40 for the titles won in that era, or 34 for the year Redland Field became Crosley Field.
For the Riverfront Stadium fan
- Style: a scarlet Flexbase or scarlet stitched jersey, bold enough for the club's back-to-back title years.
- Number ideas: 75, 76 or 90 for the three championships, or 14 for Pete Rose, whose number the Reds retired in 2016.
For the Great American Ball Park fan
- Style: the 'Gothic Queen City Edition' or the 2025 Independence Day jersey with a Pete Rose patch, which comes in Red, Royal and White styles.
- Number ideas: 03 for the opening season, or your own birth year.
Retired numbers worth knowing
If you would rather wear a legend's number, the Reds' retired list is long: 1 Fred Hutchinson, 5 Johnny Bench, 8 Joe Morgan, 10 Sparky Anderson, 11 Barry Larkin, 13 David Concepcion, 14 Pete Rose, 18 Ted Kluszewski, 20 Frank Robinson and 24 Tony Perez, plus 42 for Jackie Robinson across baseball. Many of these were retired years apart, from Hutchinson in 1965 to Rose in 2016, so the list covers a wide sweep of Reds history.
A first-night-game tribute
Crosley Field's claim as the site of baseball's first night game is a fun detail to build a jersey around. Wear a white Cooperstown custom jersey to an evening game and put 12 on the back for the year the park opened as Redland Field, or 34 for the year it took the Crosley name. It is a quiet tribute that sparks a good conversation with anyone who asks.
Building a family set
Ballpark eras also work well for families. One easy plan:
- A grandparent wears a Crosley-era tribute, such as 40 for the 1940 title.
- A parent wears a Riverfront-era number like 75, 76 or 90.
- Kids wear 03, the year Great American Ball Park opened, in Youth sizes.
- Everyone uses the same family name across the back.
Lined up together, the jerseys tell the story of three generations and three ballparks in one photo.
Keeping the back easy to read
Ballpark years are short, which helps. Two digits plus a name of moderate length usually sit comfortably across the shoulders. If your surname is long, consider a first name or an initial with the surname. Before ordering, write the name and number in capitals on a sheet of paper and hold it at arm's length; if it reads clearly there, it is a good choice.
More custom styles to browse
Beyond the picks above, the custom collection also includes a Memorial Day white jersey, customizable custom baseball jerseys in white and red, a Coolbase white jersey and a white golden jersey. Every listing offers Men, Women and Youth options in sizes S through 3XL.
Tips before ordering
- Pick your ballpark era first; it makes choosing a style and number much faster.
- Write the name and number down and check the spelling before you open the order form.
- For layering over a hoodie, consider one size up from your usual T-shirt.
- For a gift, ask which ballpark the person talks about most. The answer usually points to the right era.
- If two eras matter equally, put one on the back as the number and save the other for a second jersey later, so each one keeps a clear story.
Three ballparks, one city of firsts
From the first night game at Crosley Field to the three champions at Riverfront and the sellout debut of Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati's ballparks are a timeline of Reds baseball. Choose the one that means the most to you and wear it. You can start building your jersey in the Cincinnati Reds custom jersey collection at Robert Henrys.