Reds Hall of Fame establishes Gene Bennett Chapter in Portsmouth

Press Release

The Reds Hall of Fame and Museum presented by Dinsmore is proud to announce the establishment of the Gene Bennett Reds Hall of Fame and Museum Chapter. The new chapter is named in honor Bennett, a native of Wheelersburg, Ohio, who spent 58 years in the Reds organization as a player, scout cross-checker and Special Assistant to the General Manager.

Among the players scouted and signed by Bennett were Reds Hall of Famers Don Gullett, Barry Larkin and Chris Sabo plus Paul O’Neill, one of the stars of the 1990 World Champion Reds. Bennett died in 2017 at the age of 89.

The Gene Bennett Chapter was formally established in a ceremony in front of the Portsmouth baseball mural on Saturday, July 27. Bennett’s daughter, Cathy, and other members of the Bennett family were in attendance along with Reds Hall of Famer Ron Oester.. After the ceremony, the chapter hosted a Reds Watch Party at the Portsmouth Buffalo Wild Wings (Reds vs. Tampa Bay Rays)

The Gene Bennett Chapter combines the previously established Hall of Fame chapters in Portsmouth, Ironton, Morehead, Kentucky, and Huntington, West Virginia. This Gene Bennett Chapter is part of the Reds Hall of Fame Chapter network that includes Lexington, Indianapolis, Grove City, Northeast Ohio, Dayton, Wally Post in North Eastern Ohio, Joe Nuxhall Chapter in Hamilton/Fairfield.

The Reds Hall of Fame and Museum Chapters are a network of Reds fans and baseball enthusiasts who come together to help promote the past, present and future of baseball, all while being a member of the best team Hall of Fame in the country. The Chapters support and promote the mission of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum: Celebrating Greatness, Preserving History and Providing Inspiration. This is reinforced with functions for members of the Chapter in outlying areas in Reds Country attended by representatives from the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum with special guests including baseball authors, sportswriters or sports hosts and/or former Reds players.

Chapter functions occur all year long. For more information and visit, https://www.mlb.com/reds/hall-offame/membership/local-chapters