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Give It Up for Queen City 

You’ve got to hand it to Cincinnati. The city practically invented baseball as we know it today, and for well over a hundred years, it’s been a mainstay in the national sports spotlight. How does this small but proud city maintain all that buzz? 

A little bit of loyalty, a little bit of winning, and a whole lot of love for the Bengals, Reds, and FC Cincinnati.

History Runs Deep In Cincinnati 

You can’t talk about the history of baseball without starting in Cincinnati. 

This city gave us the first professional baseball team — the Cincinnati Red Stockings. The franchise debuted back in 1866, with a team of ten salaried players. To date, they are the only professional baseball team ever to play a perfect season. 

They popularized long socks on the field and, naturally, served as the origin for some team up in Boston. The Red Stockings folded in 1871, but the gap was filled in 1890, introducing today’s still standing Cincinnati Reds.

The Reds have won five World Series championships, most recently in 1990, but they’ve gotten tantalizingly close to more trophies over the last decade. Stay patient, Ohio. The Reds will bring home the bacon sooner than later.

Depending on who you’re asking, Cincinnati is also home to the Bengals and FC Cincinnati, both in football leagues. Win or lose, Cincinnati fans are some of the most devoted out there, and you’ve gotta love the city for its spirit.

Lost History of Cincinnati 

Some history runs deep, certainly, and some has gone the wayside when it comes to Cincinnati sports. The city has played host to beloved teams like the APFA’s Celts, its first professional football team, the Kids, the indoor soccer team of the 1970s, and the Stingers, the WHA kings of the Riverfront Coliseum.

If you grew up in Cincinnati, you might remember some of the city’s finest sports moments for these now-defunct teams. And while they may not be still selling tickets, these franchises will always live on in our hearts — also our closets, if you pick up some of these soft, vintage t-shirts.

Cincinnati really is holy ground when it comes to sports, and we’re chomping at the bit for our next visit to the home of the 513.