The Cincinnati Reds

In the first half of the twentieth century, the Cincinnati Reds -- though only rarely dominant on the field -- exerted considerable influence over the world of organized baseball. The creation of the World Series, baseball's first "de facto" commissioner, nighttime baseball beneath the lights, radio broadcasts, and modern groundskeeping -- all innovations in major league baseball that can be attributed to the Cincinnati Reds. The 1919 Reds played in one of the most infamous sporting events ever, winning the World Series over the scandal-ridden Chicago "Black Sox." They returned to the Fall Classic in 1939 and 1940 without controversy, winning the championship in '40. This is the era of The Palace of the Fans and Crosley Field, of a 15-year-old pitcher turned Cincinnati legend, and of Hall of Famers Ed Roush, Eppa Rixey, and Ernie Lombardi.