Editor’s note: The Reds Decade Tournament games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur. For this tournament, the rules include a three-man pitching rotation that starts over with each best-of-three game series. If a real life starter is not in the rotation, he can be used in relief. Cincinnati squads that did not made the post-season are featured in this event as one team from each decade from the 1910s to the 1980s were selected.
Johnny Vander Meer tossed a four-hitter as the 1948 Cincinnati Reds won 5-1 over the 1986 Cincinnati Reds in the opening round of the Reds Decade Tournament.
Vander Meer (1-0) allowed a single in the third to Eddie Milner. The lefty gave up three more hits in the fourth to allow a run on a RBI single by Bo Diaz. Dave Parker and Buddy Bell collected the other singles.
A solo homer by Bobby Adams in the first inning off 1986 starter Bill Gullickson got the scoring underway for the 1948 squad.
The 1948 team added three more runs in the third on a two-run blast by Ray Lamanno, while Vander Meer raced home when Adams hit into a double play.
Ted Kluszewski drove in the final tally for the 1948 team with a single in the fifth.
Gullickson went seven innings surrendering a dozen hits. Ted Power pitched the eighth giving up a hit.
Ken Raffensberger gets the start in the second contest of the best of three-game series for the 1948 team, while Tom Browning will be on the mound for the 1986 squad.
First Round Schedule and Results
(Best two out of three)
1911 Reds vs. 1955 Reds (5-4, 1911 Leads 1-0)
1934 Reds vs. 1977 Reds (3-7, 1977 Leads 1-0)
1948 Reds vs. 1986 Reds (5-1, 1948 Leads 1-0)
1924 Reds vs. 1964 Reds