Thanks, Greg. That also echo's Jason's thoughts. I guess we might be looking at an early big red machine era pennant.

Well perhaps I stand corrected on the timing by a couple of years. The combination of the super stiff "felt" and that version of "Running Man" Mr. Red are more indicative of the '70s to me personally.

Here is a great article on Mr. Red, as he evolved through the years, with very specific timelines. Link directly below...

https://uni-watch.com/2015/08/24/rad...tudy-3-mr-red/


So 1968 is when the Running Man Logo first officially appeared. But I can assure you that Crosley Field was still loaded with souvenirs, pennants and epherma of the more classic version of Mr. Red all the way through the 1968 season (see the guy pictured, as well as two links below...)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1968-Housto...MAAOSw0TxdUJJo

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1968-CINCIN...4AAOSwsAdeRMYl

Awesome Banner, regardless of the exact year. But if similar ones were created for other teams, you'd think we would have seen at least one other example. So it might remain a mystery until another one surfaces!

I grew up in Ohio and hated the Big Red Machine. I was in a bar at Ohio University, waving with Carlton for that HR to stay fair. I was about the only one. My Giants whupped the Reds in the first MLB game I ever attended. :D

That's funny Rob...


Our family moved from SF to Cincy in 1967. If not for that move, I would be right there with you. I always liked the Giants, even as a Reds fan.

But gotta say the night of that Fisk Home Run was a "Bottom 3" for me... well, for about 24 hours, anyway. :rolleyes:

These days, I would love to see the Reds take down the Cubs/Cardinals/Brewers!

Interesting stuff Mark and thanks for sharing. It's definitely possible it's from the 70's but by the aged look of it in person, I would guess late 60's or early 70's. Good point about not seeing other teams in this style though. We may never find the answer...

Who came first? Mr. Red ... or Mr. Met?

I'm guessing Mr. Red. If so, how do Reds fans feel about such a blatant copy of their mascot?

Hate him!

Mr. Met is a blatant imposter who came along over a decade later. :mad:

Mystery marks
 

A few months ago we debated the meaning of certain marks found on 1970s pennants: namely "VET" and "M." Nobody really had a clear answer. My opinion then, as now, is that these were likely concessionaire's marks rather than maker's marks.

The below Dodgers pennant was made in the late 1960s, early 1970s. It exists in three different variants. The first shows the ASCO maker's mark. My presumption is ASCO made all variants of this pennant. Three other variations exist: blank; "VET"; and "M."

I just bought the "M" variant. The owner shared with me, in passing, that he/she purchased it in the 1970s at Riverfront Stadium.

I recall baseball Rob owning a similar Giants pennant bearing the same "M" thereon. He's also from Ohio. Might this "M" have been an Ohio retailer?


Unfortunately for my theory, it appears that Riverfront Stadium's concessionaire was Sportservice when it opened in 1970. And, to my knowledge, Sportservice never utilized a concessionaire's mark resembling an "M".

So whatever this "M" means, it may have something to do with Ohio. And that "VET" one may, in fact, have something to do with Veteran's Stadium/Philadelphia after all.

Speaking of concessioner's marks. This is what they looked like in 1936.