Zimmerman finally got his big break in . He made the Cincinnati squad out of spring training as a backup and when the Reds traded away starting catcher Ed Bailey in late April, Zimmerman not only secured a roster spot, he became the club's most-used receiver during their National League pennant-winning season. He appeared in 76 games behind the plate, starting 64, and caught 546 innings. Zimmerman's rookie batting average was only .206, but—apart from the production of late-season pickup Darrell Johnson—it led the team's catchers, with Johnny Edwards, another rookie, hitting .186 and Bob Schmidt, obtained for Bailey, hitting .129. In the 1961 World Series, Zimmerman appeared in two games as a late-inning defensive substitution and had no at bats, as the Reds lost to the New York Yankees, four games to one.