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Tony Perez was a vital cog in the Big Red Machine of the 1970s. He helped Cincinnati reach the postseason in five of the first seven years of the 1970s. He also played into October with the 1983 Phillies.

Perez’s finest performance in a postseason series came in the ’72 World Series. Against the Oakland A’s Perez went 10-for-28 with a pair of doubles and four walks. His on-base percentage was a team-leading .500 while his slugging percentage was a robust .522.

The A’s beat the Reds in a thrilling tilt. Six of the seven games were decided to by one. If Cincinnati had found a way to win just one more it’s likely Perez would’ve been the Series MVP. Instead the honor went to Oakland’s Gene Tenace.

Shown here is a letter from baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn. The game’s head man writes about the virtues of the showcase event.

“The World Series is the premier event of American Sports.

“No other event has been able to capture it’s special appeal or match its magnificent history.”

The Hall of Fame executive later writes of the 1971 seven-game thriller. His final sentence alludes to the Fall Classic that Perez dominated.

“To our loyal fans, I dedicate the 1972 World Series.”

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The Cincinnati Reds were the National League’s winningest teams of the 1970s. Known as the Big Red Machine, they won six division titles, four pennants, and two World Series titles. From 1970-1979 the averaged more than 95 wins per season.

Built by GM Bob Howsam, the Reds the Reds boasted future Hall of Famers at multiple position and Cooperstown-bound manager Sparky Anderson. Their zenith came in 1975 and ’76 when the won back-to-back titles.

The ’75 team won 108 games and finished 20 games ahead of the second-place Dodgers. Cincinnati swept Pittsburgh in the NLCS then defeated Boston in a thrilling seven-game Fall Classic.

A month after their triumph, Cunard Cruise Lines put together a promotional tour for the world champs. They offered an all-expenses-paid luxury cruise for Howsam, Anderson, players Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, Pete Rose, and announcer Marty Brennaman. To earn their keep, each man did a presentation and fielded questions from those who attended.

Shown here is the baseball itinerary from that cruise. It is signed by all seven Reds and authenticated by Beckett. Perez is described in the itinerary, “Tony Perez – First Base; led World Series in home runs and RBI’s”.

Perez’s presentation is described thusly, “PARA NUESTROS PASAJEROS QUE HABLAN ESPANOL – A special bi-lingual [sic] meeting with Tony Perez, Marty Brennerman [sic], and others will be held. This will be a question and answer session about major league baseball in North America and the role of Latin America players.”

Other presentations included the following:

“INSIDE THE WORLD SERIES – The inside story of the 1975 World Series from scouting the potential opponents to playing the games. Lean about Sparky Anderson’s pitching rotation strategy; front-office planning and the players’ tactics and reactions.”

“BUILDING A BALL CLUB – Bob Howsom [sic], Sparky Anderson, and Marty Brennerman [sic], discuss how a team is put together; the influence of astro turf, recruiting, drafting, scouting, trading; from front office to dugout.”

“BASEBALL COMMUNICATIONS – (Signs and Signals) – the secrets of signs to and from the coaches such as ‘take’ vs. ‘hit’, ‘bunt’ vs. ‘hit’, and ‘steal’ (what about Joe Morgan on his own?). Defensive players station themselves according to the pitch called for.”

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Tony Perez hit 379 career home runs. One of the most memorable was long ball #372. It was a pinch hit grand slam that broke a 3-3 tie and put the Reds ahead to stay. The homer also made the 42-year old Perez the oldest player ever to hit a grand slam in a major league game.

The record-breaking clout came on May 13, 1985 at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium off of Phillies pitcher Dave Rucker.

Shown here is a 1985 Topps Record Breaker Card highlighting Perez’s accomplishment. The slugger has added his signature across it.

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Honus Wagner remains one of the greatest players in baseball history. One of the first five inductees into Cooperstown in 1936, Wagner became the oldest player to hit a grand slam on July 29, 1915.

In a contest at Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field, the 41-year-old Wagner came to bat in the eighth inning with the bases loaded. He send an offering by Brooklyn’s Jeff Pfeffer into the alley in left-center field and circled the bases for an inside-the-park grand slam home run.

Wagner held the record for 70 years until Tony Perez broke it in 1985.

Shown here is a handwritten letter from Wagner to Hall of Fame executive Ford Frick. Dated April 25, 1935, the letter thanks Fick for Wagner’s lifetime pass

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In 1985 Tony Perez slugged a grand slam home run one day shy of his 43rd birthday. By doing so he replaced Honus Wagner as the oldest man in baseball history to hit a grand slam. Wagner’s mark stood the test of time, lasting 70 seasons.

Perez’s tenure at the top spot was more short-lived. Six years after Tony replaced Honus, Carlton Fisk outdid them both. On October 3, 1991 Fisk hit his 4-run homer at 43 years, 283 days of age.

Shown here is a ticket stub for a fan to witness an even bigger homer by Fisk – his walk-off shot in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series. For more on the homer and Fisk, click here.

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Tony Perez spent 23 years in the big leagues on his way to a Hall of Fame career. His numbers are impressive. The two-time World Series champ finished with 2,732 hits, 505 doubles, 379 homers, and 1,652 RBI.

One of the players who passed him on the hits and doubles list is Brewers Hall of Famer Robin Yount. This lineup card is from May 17, 1991 in a game featuring the Yount’s Milwaukee Brewers. The Brew Crew’s skipper Tom Trebelhorn has autographed the bottom of the card.

Yount is penned in the cleanup spot as the centerfielder. The two-time MVP went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. The two-base hit was the 506th of Yount’s career, passing Perez. Yount moved into a tie on the career doubles list with Yankee legend Babe Ruth.

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As a member of the Florida Marlins’ front office, Tony Perez routinely traveled with the club. This picture was taken on August 11, 1998 when the Marlins beat the Dodgers 8-6 for one of their 54 wins in the 108-loss season.

Three years later, Perez took over as the Florida skipper and helped them to a 54-60 record. Perez piloted the Reds eight years earlier for the first 44 games of the 1993 season.

For his career, Perez’s teams posted a 74-84 win-loss record.

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It’s only fitting that Tony Perez signed this Hall of Fame stationary in red after spending each of his seven All Star campaigns in Cincinnati. Driving in 90 or more runs in twelve seasons, Perez tallied seven years with at least 100 RBI. During the 1970s, only teammate Johnny Bench totaled more than Perez’ 954 RBI during the decade.

Despite impressive career numbers, Perez had to wait until his ninth year of eligibility to reach the Hall of Fame. with 77.2% of the vote, Perez became the first Cuban-born player voted in by the BBWAA in 2000.