Todd Benzinger, the first baseman who caught the final out of the Cincinnati Reds’ 1990 World Series championship, died October 21 at the age of 63, the Reds announced Thursday morning. The team said he will be remembered with great affection and gratitude for his place in one of the most memorable chapters in franchise history.
“The Cincinnati Reds are saddened by the passing of former first baseman and 1990 World Series champion Todd Benzinger,” the team said in its statement. “Our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, former teammates and all who knew and loved him.” The Reds did not announce a cause of death.
Benzinger was born in Dayton, Kentucky, and graduated from New Richmond High School in Clermont County. He played parts of three seasons for the Reds from 1989 to 1991, and his catch of a foul pop for the final out against Oakland sealed the 1990 sweep — still the last championship the Reds have won.
Across a nine-season major league career from 1987 to 1995, Benzinger also played for the Boston Red Sox, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants. He played most of his career at first base and also saw time in the outfield.
After his playing days, Benzinger stayed close to the game and to the Reds. He managed the Dayton Dragons, the Reds’ Class A affiliate, in 2009 and 2010, and coached girls’ basketball at Loveland High School from 2006 to 2008. He was also known for contributing at the youth level around southern Ohio.
Benzinger remained a fixture for Reds fans long after retirement. The team noted he stayed closely connected through the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum and the Reds Community Fund, attended Redsfest many times, joined the Reds Caravan and Fantasy Camp, and took part in the Reds Legends Remember program. He judged costumes at the Hall of Fame’s “Hall”-o-ween celebration in 2025 and had been scheduled to appear at this year’s event on October 24.
For a generation of Reds fans, Benzinger’s raised glove in Oakland is one of the enduring images of the wire-to-wire 1990 season. The club’s statement called him a regular and gracious presence at fan events, known for his warmth with supporters who remembered that October night 36 years ago.
Photo: redlegsfan21, CC BY-SA