Rose was a significant factor in the Reds' success in 1975 and 1976 when he successfully moved from the outfield to third base. Earlier in his career, the Reds and then-manager Don Heffner tried to force Rose to third base, but Rose chafed at the move and it was soon abandoned. In the spring of 1975, manager Sparky Anderson, knowing how Rose would react to being forced to move, instead asked him if he would do so for the good of the team. Rose immediately agreed. This move strengthened third base and helped to solidify the Reds team for those two championship seasons, because it made room for power hitting outfielder George Foster. In 1975, Rose earned World Series MVP honors in leading the Reds to their first championship since 1940, a seven-game triumph over the Boston Red Sox. Rose led the team with 10 hits and a .370 batting average in the seven games. He was awarded the Hickok Belt as the top professional athlete of the year, as well as "Sports Illustrated" magazine's "Sportsman of the Year" award.