Johnny Bench

Johnny Bench was a Hall of Fame catcher considered the greatest defensive catcher in MLB history, anchoring the Big Red Machine.

Johnny Lee Bench was born on December 7, 1947, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the son of Ted Bench, a truck driver, and Katy Bench. The family later settled in the small town of Binger, about 60 miles west of Oklahoma City, where Johnny grew up idolizing fellow Oklahoman Mickey Mantle. His father, who had played semipro ball himself, advised him early on that catching was the fastest route to the major leagues — advice the young Bench took to heart, working obsessively at the position through Little League and American Legion ball around Binger. The Cincinnati Reds selected Bench in the second round of the 1965 draft out of Binger High School, where he had earned All-State honors in both baseball and basketball. At his first spring training, Ted Williams reportedly signed a baseball for him "to a Hall-of-Famer for sure" — a startlingly accurate prediction. After two seasons developing in the minors, Bench debuted with Cincinnati in August 1967, and by 1968 had claimed National League Rookie of the Year honors, becoming the first catcher ever to win the award. Bench's rise was extraordinarily fast: by age 22 he was the biggest star in baseball at any position. His back-to-back MVP seasons in 1970 and 1972 anchored the "Big Red Machine," Cincinnati's dominant dynasty alongside Pete Rose and Joe Morgan, which won four National League pennants and back-to-back World Series titles in 1975 and 1976. His finest hour came in the 1976 Fall Classic, when he batted .533 to claim World Series MVP honors as the Reds swept the New York Yankees. Defensively, Bench redefined the catching position. He popularized the one-handed catching style still used today, protecting his throwing hand from foul tips, and became the first catcher to wear a protective helmet in the field. His arm strength and game-calling ability were so dominant that he won ten consecutive Gold Glove Awards from 1968 through 1977 — a run of defensive excellence that remains the standard by which catchers are measured. Years of crouching behind the plate eventually took their toll on his knees, forcing a move to third base and first base for the final stretch of his career. Bench played his last game on September 29, 1983 — proclaimed "Johnny Bench Night" at Riverfront Stadium — and fittingly hit his 389th and final home run. He finished with a .267 career average, 1,376 RBIs, and 14 All-Star selections, all spent with the Cincinnati Reds. In 1989, in his first year of eligibility, Bench was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with 96.4% of the vote, and he remains widely regarded as the greatest catcher in baseball history.

Defensive master with strong arm and power bat

Widely considered the greatest catcher in baseball history

• HOF 1989 (first ballot)
• 2x NL MVP
• 14x All-Star
• 10x Gold Glove
• 2x World Series champion (1975, 1976)
• Rookie of the Year 1968