Joe was one of the most exciting MLB players in the 1970s. As a Reds fan, I can’t begin to say how much joy I had watching him play. He was a vital cog in the vaunted Big Red Machine. The 1975-76 Reds were some of the greatest teams in baseball history.
I think Joe developed into the quality player he was....because he was around so many stars.
That 76 team was one of the greatest teams in major league baseball. It simply ran like a nuclear powered steam roller crushing every team they played. The Big Red Machine was me and my brothers teams growing up in the mountains if eastern Kentucky. If we were lucky Mom and Dad would save and we would go to one game a year in Cincinnati, one of the highlights of our summers. RIP Joe!