On This Day in History: Cincinnati Reds Make Iconic Broadcasting Hire

On this date, January 21, 1974, the Cincinnati Reds hired Marty Brennaman for radio play-by-play. The 31-year-old was calling games for Virginia Tech football and basketball, while also calling games for the ABA's Virginia Squires in 1973, before landing the job in Cincinnati. He replaced who became another legendary broadcaster, Al Michaels. Michaels' contract ended following the 1973 season; he left to join the San Francisco Giants television and radio crew and eventually provided commentary for the Olympics and the NFL.

Brennaman joined Joe Nuxhall to form an iconic broadcasting duo that called Reds games together from 1974 through 2004, when Nuxhall retired.

Throughout his tenure with the Reds, the duo called some iconic moments in the franchise’s history. He witnessed the "Big Red Machine" of 1975-1976, Hank Aaron's record-breaking home run, a perfect game, Pete Rose setting the all-time hit record, the 1990 World Series, Jay Bruce clinching the division on a walk-off home run, and so much more.

The Hall of Famer was known for his signature, "and this one belongs to the Reds," that became an iconic soundbite for Reds victories and is currently the team's hashtag on social media. He painted a picture for the listener that gave them a visual unlike many. He retired from broadcasting on September 26, 2019, saying, "nobody has a better gig.”

The Reds unveiled a statue on September 6, 2025, to commemorate his legendary career behind the microphone. Tommy Thrall is the team's current play-by-play announcer, alongside Jeff Brantley and Chris Welsh.