Longtime Reds fan reflects on the ups and downs he's seen throughout the years

CINCINNATI — When you're a Reds fan, you're used to the ebbs and flows of baseball. Sometimes the Reds are good, but other times you're coming to the ballpark just for dollar hot dog night.

Lifelong Reds fan Charles DeMaris, has seen it all. He went to his first Reds game in 1974 when he was just 5 years old.

"That's the first time I remember going to games and walking in and everything being so huge and all the different colors," DeMaris said.

His first Opening Day game wasn't until much later, in 1993. After that experience, he said he's been going to the Opening Day game ever since.

"The best ones are the walk off home runs of course, 94 was a walk-off home run, the other years I don't member, the Joe Randa and the year the catcher did it, Herandez I think was his name, 9th inning," he said.

DeMaris has been with the team through rain, snow, blazing heat and even elephant poop.

Cincinnati Reds

"It (the Opening Day Parade) would come in and it would go around the field and an elephant decided to relieve himself in left field... so they (grounds crew) were out there with a shovel and this big pile of elephant poop off the field," DeMaris said. "It left a stain on the astroturf the whole game and the left fielders, every time the guys would take the field between innings they were like stepping around it"

DeMaris was also there for the sad memories, like in 1996 when beloved umpire John McSherry suffered a fatal heart attack at the beginning of the game.

"I was sitting right behind home plate when John McSherry turned around, I saw him walking toward me and collapse. They didn't announce right away that he died, but everybody knew," DeMaris said. "When they finally told everybody the game's rescheduled for the next day and everybody left and nobody was talking, people were just silent."

This year, DeMaris is sitting right behind home plate and is excited to experience what the 2023 season has to offer.

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