A major cylinder during when the Big Red Machine was going full throttle..... a player of great consistency and remarkable longevity spanning 23 years, earned HOF honors in 9th year on the ballot....the Cuban earned his call up with Cincy based on outstanding work in AAA San Diego in 1964....initially a part-timer at 1st base....Shifts to the left side of the infield in 1967, resulting in boom in offensive production....his 102 runs driven in that year began a string of 14 straight years of 73 RBIs or better....His rise was essential in making Reds recover from the Frank Robinson trade debacle....steps up his game in 1969 and 1970 launching 77 homers and averaging 125 RBIs....1971 was solid at the plate although the Reds faulted....Downside was a bit brutal at the hot corner led NL in errors three straight years 1968-70.....even though he cut down on miscues, a return to 1st base was in order....although the 1972 Topps card assumed he would continue at third base....switch was flawless.... Perez ran a string of 100+ RBI campaigns in 1973 to 1975....Despite winning two WS rings in 1975 and 1976 was traded to Montreal in a surprise transaction....Reds going with youth also they also stopped going to the Fall Classic for a while.....Montreal years were solid, giving veteran leadership to floundering franchise....acquired by the Red Sox via Free Agency....Employed as a DH, at age 38 showed a flash of numbers put turned in decade earlier; 25 home runs, 105 RBI at the start third decade of play....downgraded to part timer from 1981 on but was able to contribute....logged in two more season in Boston, a stop in Philly, a dividend being his last World Series, and a three year return to the Cincy....stayed in baseball as a coach, manager, and executive....soft spoken and smiling was popular with fans and teammates alike.
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