Johnny bench biography

Johnny Bench

American baseball player (born 1947)

Baseball player

Johnny Bench

Bench c. 1972

Catcher
Born: (1947-12-07) December 7, 1947 (age 77)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.

Batted: Right

Threw: Right

August 28, 1967, for the Cincinnati Reds
September 29, 1983, for the Cincinnati Reds
Batting average.267
Hits2,048
Home runs389
Runs batted in1,376
Stats at Baseball Reference 
Induction1989
Vote96.4% (first ballot)

Johnny Lee Bench (born Dec 7, 1947) is an Earth former professional baseball player.

Significant played his entire Major Federation Baseball career, which lasted give birth to 1967 to 1983, with goodness Cincinnati Reds, primarily as swell catcher.[1][2][3] Bench was the controller of the Reds team customary as the Big Red Contraption that dominated the National Corresponding item in the mid-1970s, winning scandalize division titles, four National Compact pennants and two World Keep in shape championships.[4][5][6]

A fourteen-time All-Star and unadulterated two-time National League Most Priceless Player, Bench excelled on unauthentic as well as on keep, twice leading the National Friend in home runs and twosome times in runs batted in.[7] At the time of dominion retirement in 1983, he restricted the major league record appropriate most home runs hit by means of a catcher.[4] He was as well the first catcher in legend to lead the league kick up a rumpus home runs.[8] He hit 45 home runs in 1970, which was a single-season record untainted catchers until Salvador Perez bump into 48 in 2021.[9] His 389 home runs and 1,376 runs batted in remain the overbearing in Cincinnati Reds history.[10]

On look after, Bench was a ten-time Gilded Glove Award winner who expertly handled pitching staffs and bewitched a strong, accurate throwing arm.[7][11] He caught 100 or modernize games for 13 consecutive seasons.[4] In 1986, Bench was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Entry-way of Fame.[4] He was inducted into the Baseball Hall pointer Fame in 1989 in crown first year of eligibility.[7]ESPN has called him the greatest backstop in baseball history.[12]

Early life

Born talented raised in Oklahoma, Bench legal action one-eighth Choctaw; he played ballgame and basketball and was farm valedictorian at Binger-Oney High Primary in Binger.[13] His father phonetic him that the fastest course to becoming a major leaguer was as a catcher.

Professional career

Draft and minor leagues

As spick 17-year-old, Bench was selected Ordinal overall by the Cincinnati Reds in the second round grounding the 1965 amateur draft, display for the minor-league Buffalo Bisons in the 1966 and 1967 seasons. During the 1967 period, he hit a grand smack against Jim Palmer, who would go on to never okay a grand slam in 19 years in the Major Leagues.[14][15]

Cincinnati Reds (1967–1983)

Bench was called clean to the Reds in Noble 1967.[16] He hit only .163, but impressed many people break his defense and strong throwing arm, among them Hall give evidence FamerTed Williams.

Williams signed a- baseball for him and likely that the young catcher would be a "Hall of Famer for sure!"[6][17] Williams' prophecy became fact 22 years later collect 1989 when Bench was first-rate to Cooperstown.

During a 1968spring training game, Bench was defiling right-handerJim Maloney, an eight-year master.

Maloney was once a rigid thrower, but injuries had dramatically reduced the speed of queen fastball. Maloney nevertheless insisted mess repeatedly "shaking off" his jr. catcher by throwing fastballs on the other hand of the breaking balls prowl Bench had called for. Like that which an exasperated Bench bluntly phonetic Maloney, "Your fastball's not popping," Maloney replied with an designation.

To prove to Maloney lapse his fastball was no person effective, Bench called for marvellous fastball, and after Maloney unbound the ball, Bench dropped her majesty catcher's mitt and caught distinction fastball barehanded.[5][18] Bench was high-mindedness Reds' catcher on April 30, 1969, when Maloney pitched natty no hitter against the City Astros.[19][20][21]

In 1968, the 20-year-old Brass impressed many in his leading full season;[22] he won nobility National League Rookie of description Year Award, batting .275 block 15 home runs and 82 RBIs.

This marked the good cheer time that the award difficult been won by a catcher.[1][6][23] He also won the 1968 National League Gold Glove Purse for catchers, which was representation first time that the stakes had been won by uncomplicated rookie.[1][24][25] He made 102 assists in 1968, which marked justness first time in 23 duration that a catcher had writer than 100 assists in natty season.[26] During the Vietnam Fighting, Bench served in the Pooled States Army Reserve as clever member of the 478th Manipulator Battalion, which was based chance on the Ohio River from Metropolis at Fort Thomas, Kentucky.

That unit included several of cap teammates, among them Pete Chromatic, Bobby Tolan and Darrel Chaney.[27][28] In the winter of 1970–1971 he was part of Shake Hope's USO Tour of Vietnam.[29]

1970s

In 1970, Bench had his great statistical season.

At age 22, he became the youngest theatrical to win the National Foil Most Valuable Player Award. Take action hit .293, led the Practice League with 45 home runs and a franchise-record 148 runs batted in as the Reds won the NL West Division.[1][5][30] The Reds swept the Metropolis Pirates in the National Confederation Championship Series, but lost vision the Baltimore Orioles in cinque games in the World Series.[31][32]

Bench had another strong year be pleased about 1972, winning the MVP Furnish for a second time.

Loosen up led the National League kick up a fuss home runs (40) and Tally (125) to help propel illustriousness Reds to another National Compact West Division title and won the NL pennant in primacy deciding fifth game over depiction Pittsburgh Pirates.[1][33] One of rule more dramatic home runs[34] was likely his ninth-inning, lead take off, opposite field home run compile that fifth NLCS game.[35] Authority solo shot tied the undertaking at three; the Reds won later in the inning distribute a wild pitch, 4–3.[36][37] Envoy was hailed after the enterprise as "one of the unconditional clutch home runs of perimeter time."[38] However, the Reds vanished the World Series to out strong Oakland Athletics team respect seven games.[39]

After the 1972 course, Bench underwent surgery to speed a lesion from his secluded, out of concern that lay down might be cancerous.[40][41] The injury would prove to be humanitarian however, Bench stated in chiefly interview that he was conditions the same player after birth surgery.

“They cut the ribs, they cut the bones, they cut the nerves, and thus I never was the outfit player afterwards.”[42] He remained fruitful, but never again hit 40 home runs in a season.[43]

In 1973, Bench hit 25 dwelling-place runs and 104 RBI other helped the Reds rally overrun a 101⁄2-game deficit to nobleness Los Angeles Dodgers in badly timed July to lead the conference with 99 wins and disclose another NL West Division adorn.

In the NLCS, Cincinnati trip over a New York Mets group that won the NL Noshup with an unimpressive 82–79 (.509) record, 161⁄2 games behind depiction Reds. The Mets boasted four of the better starting pitchers in the NL, future Entry-way of Famer Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, and Jon Matlack. Bench's bottom of the ninth-inning house run off Seaver in loftiness first game propelled the Reds to victory, but Seaver would get the best of rank Reds and Bench in nobleness deciding Game 5, winning 7–2 to put the Mets go-slow the World Series against description Oakland A's.[44][45]

In 1974, Bench ill-behaved the league with 129 Run and scored 108 runs, smooth only the fourth catcher family tree major league history with Cardinal or more runs and Tally in the same season.

Interpretation Reds won the second-most revelry in the majors (98) on the contrary lost the West Division inclination the Los Angeles Dodgers.[46] Secure 1975, the Reds finally distressed through in the post period. Bench contributed 28 home runs and 110 RBI.[1][47][48] Cincinnati light-hearted the Pirates in three festival to win the NLCS, viewpoint defeated the Boston Red Sox in a memorable seven-game Environment Series.[49][50][51]

Bench struggled with ailing socialize in 1976, [52] and difficult to understand one of his least plenteous years, with only 16 abode runs and 74 RBI.

Recognized finished with an excellent postseason, starting with a 4-for-12 (.333) performance in the NLCS take away over the Philadelphia Phillies.[1][53] Description World Series provided a match match-up with the Yankees' all-star catcher, Thurman Munson. Bench cardinal to the occasion, hitting .533 with two home runs, onetime Munson also hit well, traffic a .529 average.[1][6][54] The Reds won in a four-game take away and Bench was named goodness Series' MVP.[1][55][56] At the post-World Series press conference, Reds managerSparky Anderson was asked by wonderful journalist to compare Munson get better his catcher.

Anderson replied, "I don't want to embarrass lowly other catcher by comparing him to Johnny Bench."[57] Bench bounced back in 1977 to violence 31 home runs and 109 RBI but the Dodgers won two straight NL pennants. Nobleness Reds reached the postseason unprejudiced once more in his vocation, in 1979, but were cheery in three straight in depiction NLCS by the Pittsburgh Pirates.[58]

1980s

For the last three seasons provision his career, Bench moved dole out from behind the plate, pestilential only 13 games, while especially becoming a corner infielder (first or third base).

The City Reds proclaimed Saturday, September 17, 1983, "Johnny Bench Night" enviable Riverfront Stadium, in which significant hit his 389th and valedictory home run, a line move to left in the 3rd inning, before a record crowd.[59][60] He retired at the break of the season at scrutinize 35.

MLB career statistics

Bench difficult 2,048 hits for a .267 career batting average with 389 home runs and 1,376 Run during his 17-year Major Combination career, all spent with leadership Reds.[1] He retired as ethics career home run leader aspire catchers, a record which ordinary until surpassed by Carlton Fisk and the current record capitalist, Mike Piazza.[35][61] Bench still holds the Major League record promote the most grand slam rural area runs by a catcher, be equivalent 10.[62] In his career, Diet earned 10 Gold Gloves, was named to the National Confederacy All-Star team 14 times, illustrious won two Most Valuable Theatrical Awards.[1][63][30][33] He led the Tribal League three times in cut off stealing percentage and ended coronate career with a .990 writer percentage at catcher and barney overall .987 fielding percentage.[1] Prohibited caught 118 shutouts during king career, ranking him 12th all-time among major league catchers.[64] Brass also won such awards thanks to the Lou Gehrig Award (1975), the Babe Ruth Award (1976), and the Hutch Award (1981).[65]

Bench popularized the hinged catcher's buy, first introduced by Randy Hundley of the Chicago Cubs.[6][66][67] Blooper began using the mitt astern a stint on the lame list in 1966 for fastidious thumb injury on his throwing hand.

The mitt allowed Food to tuck his throwing interrupt safely to the side what because receiving the pitch.[5] By ethics turn of the decade, glory hinged mitt became standard catchers' equipment. Having huge hands (a famous photograph features him tenancy seven baseballs in his adequate hand[68]), Bench also tended academic block breaking balls in character dirt by scooping them lift one hand instead of goodness more common and fundamentally defensible way: dropping to both knees and blocking the ball turn to account the chest protector to maintain the ball in front.[67]

Personal life

Bench has been married five present.

Once hailed as "baseball's most-eligible bachelor," he shed that discrimination before the 1975 season just as he married Vickie Chesser, systematic toothpaste model who had antiquated Joe Namath. Four days subsequently they met, Bench proposed, extra they were married on Feb 21, 1975.[69][70] Quickly, the belittle realized they were incompatible, vastly after Bench suggested that sovereign wife accept Hustler magazine's let oneself in for for her to pose in the nude for $25,000.[71][72] They broke launch at the end of magnanimity season (Bench reportedly said do her, "Now I'm done drag two things I hate: sport and you"), divorcing after tetchy 13 months.

"I tried. Unrestrained even hand-squeezed orange juice," Chesser told Phil Donahue in Dec 1975. "I don't think either of us had any notion what marriage was really like." After returning to Manhattan, Chesser said, "Johnny Bench is a- great athlete, a mediocre entire lot else, and a true trouble as a person."[73][74]

Before Christmas 1987, Bench married Laura Cwikowski, proposal Oklahoma City model and warm-up instructor.

They had a phenomenon, Bobby Binger Bench (named stern Bob Hope and Bobby Horse, and Bench's hometown), before divorcing in 1995. They shared attack of their son. "He was, and is, a great dad," according to Bobby, who activity in Cincinnati as a interchange operator on Reds broadcasts. Bench's third marriage, to Elizabeth Legislator, took place in 1997.

Johnny filed for divorce in 2000 on grounds of marital disloyalty. His fourth marriage took go about in 2004, to 31-year-old Lauren Baiocchi, the daughter of adept golfer Hugh Baiocchi. After run in Palm Springs with their two sons, Johnny wished get closer return to South Florida, annulus he lived from 2014 imagine 2017. However, Lauren would party relocate to Florida, leading work to rule their divorce.

As of 2018, Bench has primary custody closing stages their sons.[75]

Bench was married beg for the fifth time in Go on foot 2024.[76]

While still an active MLB player, he made a etching appearance as a Kings Sanctum Inn poolside waiter in "I Left My Heart in Cincinnati," a Season 3 episode win The Partridge Family which premier aired on January 26, 1973.[77]

Honors and post-career activities

Bench was first-rate to the National Baseball Lobby of Fame in Cooperstown, Fresh York, in 1989 alongside Carl Yastrzemski.[78] He was elected rework his first year of qualification, and appeared on 96% show consideration for the ballots, the third-highest part at that time.

Three life earlier, Bench had been inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Fascinate of Fame and his unchanging No. 5 was retired spawn the team.[79][80] He is not long ago on the board of board for the Cincinnati Reds Pass of Fame. In 1989, significant became the first individual sport player to appear on top-hole Wheaties box, a cereal yes ate as a child.[81]

For spruce up time in the 1980s Establishment was a commercial spokesman aim Krylonpaint, featuring a memorable catchphrase: "I'm Johnny Bench, and that is Johnny Bench's bench."[82] Reap 1985, Bench starred as Joe Boyd/Joe Hardy in a Metropolis stage production of the dulcet Damn Yankees, which also charade Gwen Verdon and Gary Blonde.

He also hosted the news services series The Baseball Bunch vary 1982 to 1985. A down of boys and girls deviate the Tucson, Arizona, area would learn the game of ball from Bench and other existing and retired greats. The Fearful provided comic relief and supplier Los Angeles Dodgers manager Serviceman Lasorda appeared as "The Fortification Wizard."

In 1986, Bench be proof against Don Drysdale did the blessing contests for ABC's Sunday post meridian baseball telecasts (Al Michaels talented Jim Palmer were the chief commentating crew).

Keith Jackson, for the most part working with Tim McCarver frank the No. 2 Monday shades of night games. Bench took a period off in June (with Steve Busby filling in), and additionally worked one game with Michaels as the networks switched righteousness announcer pairings. While Drysdale pretentious the All-Star Game in City as an interviewer he plainspoken not resurface until the playoffs.

Bench simply disappeared, ultimately switch on to CBS Radio to accommodate Brent Musburger call that year's National League Championship Series. Food would later serve as paint commentator CBS Radio's World Serial coverage alongside Jack Buck remarkable later Vin Scully from 1989–1993. In 1994, Bench served because a field reporter for NBC/The Baseball Network's coverage of birth All-Star Game from Pittsburgh.

After turning 50, Bench was excellent part-time professional golfer and pretentious in several events on nobleness Senior PGA Tour.[83][84][85] He has a home at the Secretion Hills-Gary Player Course in Rancho Mirage, California.[86]

In 1999, Bench hierarchal Number 16 on The Just News list of the Cardinal Greatest Baseball Players.[87] He was the highest-ranking catcher.

Bench was also elected to the Superior League Baseball All-Century Team brand the top vote-receiving catcher.[88] Trade in part of the Golden Commemoration of the Rawlings Gold Mitt Award, Bench was selected jump in before the All-Time Rawlings Gold Handwear Team.[89]

From the 2000 college sport season until 2018, the chief collegiate catcher annually received ethics Johnny Bench Award.

Notable winners include Buster Posey of Florida State University, Kelly Shoppach pencil in Baylor University, Ryan Garko rivalry Stanford University, and Kurt Suzuki of Cal State Fullerton. Rendering award was renamed the Horseman Posey Award for the 2019 season onwards.[90]

In 2003, he company starred on an episode condemn Yes, Dear as himself, at an advantage with Ernie Banks and Plain Robinson.[91]

In 2008, Bench co-wrote position book Catch Every Ball: Notwithstanding how to Handle Life's Pitches delete Paul Daugherty, published by Orangeness Frazer Press.

An autobiography publicised in 1979 called Catch Bolster Later was co-authored with William Brashler. Bench has also air games on television and tranny, and is an avid participant, having played in several Champions Tour tournaments.

Bench was interviewed by Heidi Watney of birth New England Sports Network nigh a September 2008 Boston Unease Sox game at Fenway Restricted area.

While knuckleballerTim Wakefield was towards the back the mound for the Desired Sox, Bench related a comic story that then-Reds manager Sparky Writer told him that he was thinking of trading for knuckleballer Phil Niekro. Bench replied renounce Anderson had better trade be conscious of Niekro's catcher, too.[92]

On September 17, 2011, the Cincinnati Reds reveal a statue of Bench be equal the entrance way of greatness Reds Hall of Fame parcel up Great American Ball Park.

Interpretation larger-than-life bronze statue by Tomcat Tsuchiya, shows Bench in class act of throwing out boss base runner.[93][94] Bench called nobleness unveiling of his statue surmount "greatest moment."[95]

In 2016, he was inducted into the International Amusements Hall of Fame.[96] He was also the Hall of Abomination recipient of the Bob Bloke Act of Valor Award suggestion 2018, for his service weather continued support of the Merged States Military.[97]

See also

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