Thursday, April 01, 1999

Council paves way for Bench, Munoz streets

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Names may appear near new stadiums

BY HOWARD WILKINSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer

| Enlarged, extended map |

        Some day, Cincinnati sports fans could be walking into the new football and baseball stadiums from streets named after two of the city's legendary sports figures — the Reds' Johnny Bench and the Bengals' Anthony Munoz.

        Two Cincinnati City Council members — Democrat Todd Portune and Republican Jeanette Cissell — submitted a motion at Wednesday's council meeting proposing that the two sports heroes be honored by naming the two street extensions to the new stadiums after them. “These are not only two great heroes in their sports, but two men who have contributed a lot to this community in many other ways,” Mr. Portune said.

        Mr. Bench, as a catcher for the Big Red Machine of the 1970s, and Mr. Munoz, as a tackle for the Bengals in the 1980s and 1990s, are both considered by many baseball and football experts to be the best who ever played their positions.

        The Portune-Cissell motion was referred to the city's “committee on names,” a group made up of city officials who recommend street names to city council. No other council members raised any objections.

        “I don't see any reason the committee won't want to do this,” Mr. Portune said.

        Construction of the new Paul Brown Stadium for the Bengals will include an extension of Elm Street past Fort Washington Way and winding around the east side of the stadium.

        The two council members want to name that extension after Mr. Munoz, who was inducted into the hall of fame last year. The stadium will be ready in August 2000.

        Johnny Bench Boulevard would be an extension of Main Street, running along the west side of the Reds' ball park. Mr. Bench, too, is a member of his sport's hall of fame. The stadium may be ready in 2003.

        Anthony Munoz Place and Johnny Bench Boulevard would be connected by Pete Rose Way, another street named after a Cincinnati sports legend.

        Mr. Portune said both sports legends “were very honored, very humbled by the idea.”

       

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