The Cincinnati Enquirer

Kids from Madisonville and Over-the-Rhine got to see a Reds game - some of them, their first - Thursday, thanks to the team's owner.

About 30 kids went with 30 Cincinnati police officers. The trip was a repeat of an event last year, but this time the tickets were free - from Reds owner Carl Lindner. He heard about last year's trip, when the officers paid, and donated 65 tickets this time.

"It was very cool of him to do that,'' said District 2 Officer Ryan Hudson. "That was really nice."

The officers, from Districts 1 and 2, got another break when Metro donated a bus for transportation. They thought they'd only have to pay for snacks and souvenirs, but learned they might be able to be reimbursed by the federal Weed and Seed grant District 2 gets from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Sgt. Brian Ibold, who organized the trip, said the officers told the kids who gave them their good seats - Section 103 down the left-field line.