Cincinnati Reds bid adieu to longtime scout Gene Bennett

The Cincinnati Reds’ family is mourning the passing of longtime scout Gene Bennett, who joined the organization in 1952 as a player.

Gene Bennett was a scout for the Cincinnati Reds as most of the Big Red Machine players were found and signed to contracts. He was also the scouting supervisor for the Reds beginning in 1975 when they were trying to stay competitive as the Big Red Machine aged. Much like a coaching tree or a family tree, the players that Bennett signed tell the story of his scouting tree in the best way possible.

The most notable signing of Bennett’s career was that of Hall of Famer Barry Larkin. Larkin grew up in Cincinnati before attending the University of Michigan. He was…