---
product_id: 27377988
title: "Before the Machine: The Story of the 1961 Pennant-Winning Reds Paperback – April 1, 2011"
brand: "mark j. schmetzergreg rhodes"
price: "R$285"
currency: BRL
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 8
url: https://www.desertcart.com.br/products/27377988-before-the-machine-the-story-of-the-1961-pennant-winning
store_origin: BR
region: Brazil
---

# Before the Machine: The Story of the 1961 Pennant-Winning Reds Paperback – April 1, 2011

**Brand:** mark j. schmetzergreg rhodes
**Price:** R$285
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Before the Machine: The Story of the 1961 Pennant-Winning Reds Paperback – April 1, 2011 by mark j. schmetzergreg rhodes
- **How much does it cost?** R$285 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.com.br](https://www.desertcart.com.br/products/27377988-before-the-machine-the-story-of-the-1961-pennant-winning)

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- mark j. schmetzergreg rhodes enthusiasts

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## Description

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## Images

![Before the Machine: The Story of the 1961 Pennant-Winning Reds Paperback – April 1, 2011 - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61rh9RmgXZL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    Three for the Summer
  

*by L***N on Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2011*

I would argue that there was never a better time for a young boy to be a Reds fan than the 1961-64 seasons in Cincinnati.  Not only was the National League playing baseball at its highest level, the Reds were right in the mix with the other great teams in the league.From 1960-64, five different teams won the pennant and went on to meet the hated Yankees in the World Series.  For those interested in the 1961 season, when the Reds turn to win came up, there are two excellent books available.  "Pennant Race" was written by Jim Brosnan in 1962 based on a diary the Reds relief pitcher kept during the 1961 season.  Brosnan's first book, "The Long Season" was a best seller written about his adventures during the 1959 season where he started with the Cards and finished with the Reds.  As a Reds fan my favorite was always "Pennant Race" as I attended my first game at Crosley Field in 1961 and as an 11 year-old was caught up in the pennant fever that overtook the town and the surrounding areas in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Brosnan's book was insightful, humorous, and true and has had the effect of keeping the team forever young, still playing in the memories of Crosley Field for a boy of 11, now turned 60, in the 50th anniversary of that great season.It was with mixed feelings that I began to read, "Before the Machine-The story of the 1961 Pennant-Winning Cincinnat Reds"(2011), by Mark J. Schmetzer.  The truth is I enjoyed the book very much.  Instead of the day-to-day limitations of a diary, the reader is given a broader picture of the season, both on and off the field, and from the  viewpoints of mangement and coaches as well as the players, in most cases well past 1961 when the season could be put into perspective.  "Before the Machine" also covers spring training and the World Series, neither of which is addressed by Brosnan. Schmetzer's book is very readable, with great information about how the 1961 team was assembled so that it could go from 6th in 1960 to 1st one year later. "Before the Machine" also addresses the pennant fever that swept the area for the 1st time since 1940.The third book,"Fred Hutchinson and the 1964 Cincinnati Reds"(2010), by Doug Wilson, tells the heart-breaking story of Hutch's battle with terminal cancer and the Reds loss of the pennant on the final day of the season.  There is never an attempt to equate the two, but both are put in perspective as Hutch's life story is woven into the great story of the Reds fight back from a seemingly lost season with ten games to go, to being a lock to win and then watching that slip away.  Wilson's book gives the 61 season its' due and blends that year into the three years that followed.  There is a reason that 10 Reds from the 1961 team are in the Reds Hall of Fame and the Hutchinson's #1 is retired and hung on the wall of Great America Ball Park.Enjoy these books as these are excellent books in their own right, and when grouped together, make  a fine Summer for reading. All are available from Amazon and Wilson's book is a bargin on Kindle.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    Remembering the 60s Reds
  

*by D***E on Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2011*

This is a great read for anyone who grew up a Reds fan in the 60s and 70s.  Jim Brosnan painted a great picture of the inside of the 1961 Reds in Pennant Season.  But this book gives a much bigger picture look at that season, what led up to it and what followed.  It describes what was happening in SW Ohio at that time and the culture of the period (Ruth Lyons, the WLW network, Crosley Field sun deck, Waite Hoyt stories, traveling to games from the surrounding 3 state area).  More than just a story of that team and season, the book is a look at a different time and place.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    GOOD BOOK, GREAT CONDITION
  

*by P***4 on Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2024*

AS ADVERTISED.

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*Product available on Desertcart Brazil*
*Store origin: BR*
*Last updated: 2026-02-01*