Johnny Lee Bench (born December 7, 1947) is an American former professional baseball player.
He made 102 assists in 1968, which marked the first time in 23 years that a catcher had more than 100 assists in a season. During the 1960s, Bench also served in the United States Army Reserve as a member of the 478th Engineer Battalion, which was based across the Ohio River from Cincinnati at Fort Thomas, Kentucky.
As a 17-year-old, Bench was selected 36th overall by the Cincinnati Reds in the second round of the 1965 amateur draft, playing for the minor-league Buffalo Bisons in the 1966 and 1967 seasons.
As a 17-year-old, Bench was selected 36th overall by the Cincinnati Reds in the second round of the 1965 amateur draft, playing for the minor-league Buffalo Bisons in the 1966 and 1967 seasons.
He began using the mitt after a stint on the disabled list in 1966 for a thumb injury on his throwing hand.
As a 17-year-old, Bench was selected 36th overall by the Cincinnati Reds in the second round of the 1965 amateur draft, playing for the minor-league Buffalo Bisons in the 1966 and 1967 seasons.
During the 1967 season, he hit a grand slam against Jim Palmer, who would go on to never allow a grand slam in 19 years in the major leagues.
Bench was called up to the Reds in August 1967.
Williams signed a baseball for him and predicted that the young catcher would be a "Hall of Famer for sure!" Williams' prophecy became fact 22 years later in 1989 when Bench was elected to Cooperstown. During a 1968 spring training game, Bench was catching right-hander Jim Maloney, an eight-year veteran.
Bench was the Reds' catcher on April 30, 1969, when Maloney pitched a no hitter against the In 1968, the 20-year-old Bench impressed many in his first he won the National League Rookie of the Year Award, batting .275 with 15 home runs and 82 RBIs.
He also won the 1968 National League Gold Glove Award for catchers, which was the first time that the award had been won by a rookie.
He made 102 assists in 1968, which marked the first time in 23 years that a catcher had more than 100 assists in a season. During the 1960s, Bench also served in the United States Army Reserve as a member of the 478th Engineer Battalion, which was based across the Ohio River from Cincinnati at Fort Thomas, Kentucky.
Bench was the Reds' catcher on April 30, 1969, when Maloney pitched a no hitter against the In 1968, the 20-year-old Bench impressed many in his first he won the National League Rookie of the Year Award, batting .275 with 15 home runs and 82 RBIs.
In the winter of 1970–1971 he was part of Bob Hope's USO Tour of Vietnam. ===1970s=== In 1970, Bench had his finest statistical season.
The Reds swept the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League Championship Series, but lost to the Baltimore Orioles in five games in the World Series. Bench had another strong year in 1972, winning the MVP Award for a second time.
It was hailed after the game as "one of the great clutch home runs of all time." However, the Reds lost the World Series to a strong Oakland Athletics team in seven games. After the 1972 season, Bench had a growth removed from his lung; he remained productive, but never again hit 40 home runs in a season.
In 1973, Bench hit 25 home runs and 104 RBI and helped the Reds rally from a 10½-game deficit to the Los Angeles Dodgers in early July to lead the majors with 99 wins and claim another NL West Division crown.
Bench's bottom of the ninth-inning home run off Seaver in the first game propelled the Reds to victory, but Seaver would get the best of the Reds and Bench in the deciding Game 5, winning to put the Mets into the World Series against the Oakland A's. In 1974, Bench led the league with 129 RBI and scored 108 runs, becoming only the fourth catcher in major league history with 100 or more runs and RBI in the same season.
In 1975, the Reds finally broke through in the post season.
Once hailed as "baseball's most-eligible bachelor," he shed that distinction before the 1975 season when he married Vickie Chesser, a toothpaste model who had dated Joe Namath.
Four days after they met, Bench proposed, and they were married on February 21, 1975.
I even hand-squeezed orange juice," Chesser told Phil Donahue in December 1975.
Cincinnati swept the Pirates in three games to win the NLCS, and defeated the Boston Red Sox in a memorable seven-game World Series. Bench struggled with ailing shoulders in 1976, and had one of his least productive years, with only 16 home runs and 74 RBIs.
Anderson replied, "I don't want to embarrass any other catcher by comparing him to Johnny Bench." Bench bounced back in 1977 to hit 31 home runs and 109 RBIs but the Dodgers won two straight NL pennants.
The Reds reached the postseason just once more in his career, in 1979, but were swept in three straight in the NLCS by the Pittsburgh Pirates. ===1980s=== For the last three seasons of his career, Bench moved out from behind the plate, catching only 13 games, while primarily becoming a corner infielder (first or third base).
An autobiography published in 1979 called Catch You Later was co-authored with William Brashler.
In 1989, he became the first individual baseball player to appear on a Wheaties box, a cereal he ate as a child. For a time in the 1980s Bench was a commercial spokesman for Krylon paint, featuring a memorable catchphrase: "I'm Johnny Bench, and this is Johnny Bench's bench." In 1985, Bench starred as Joe Boyd/Joe Hardy in a Cincinnati stage production of the musical Damn Yankees, which also included Gwen Verdon and Gary Sandy.
He also hosted the television series The Baseball Bunch from 1982 to 1985.
At the time of his retirement in 1983, he held the major league record for most home runs hit by a catcher.
The Cincinnati Reds proclaimed Saturday, September 17, 1983, "Johnny Bench Night" at Riverfront Stadium, in which he hit his 389th and final home run, a line drive to left in the third inning before a record crowd.
In 1989, he became the first individual baseball player to appear on a Wheaties box, a cereal he ate as a child. For a time in the 1980s Bench was a commercial spokesman for Krylon paint, featuring a memorable catchphrase: "I'm Johnny Bench, and this is Johnny Bench's bench." In 1985, Bench starred as Joe Boyd/Joe Hardy in a Cincinnati stage production of the musical Damn Yankees, which also included Gwen Verdon and Gary Sandy.
He also hosted the television series The Baseball Bunch from 1982 to 1985.
In 1986, Bench was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.
The Chicken provided comic relief and former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda appeared as "The Dugout Wizard." In 1986, Bench and Don Drysdale did the backup contests or ABC's Sunday afternoon baseball telecasts (Al Michaels and Jim Palmer were the primary commentating crew).
"I don't think either of us had any idea what marriage was really like." After returning to Manhattan, Chesser said, "Johnny Bench is a great athlete, a mediocre everything else, and a true tragedy as a person." Before Christmas 1987, Bench married Laura Cwikowski, an Oklahoma City model and aerobics instructor.
He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989.
Williams signed a baseball for him and predicted that the young catcher would be a "Hall of Famer for sure!" Williams' prophecy became fact 22 years later in 1989 when Bench was elected to Cooperstown. During a 1968 spring training game, Bench was catching right-hander Jim Maloney, an eight-year veteran.
As of 2018, Bench has primary custody of the boys. ==Honors and post-career activities== Bench was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, in 1989 alongside Carl Yastrzemski.
In 1989, he became the first individual baseball player to appear on a Wheaties box, a cereal he ate as a child. For a time in the 1980s Bench was a commercial spokesman for Krylon paint, featuring a memorable catchphrase: "I'm Johnny Bench, and this is Johnny Bench's bench." In 1985, Bench starred as Joe Boyd/Joe Hardy in a Cincinnati stage production of the musical Damn Yankees, which also included Gwen Verdon and Gary Sandy.
Bench would later serve as color commentator CBS Radio's World Series coverage alongside Jack Buck and later Vin Scully from 1989–1993.
In 1994, Bench served as a field reporter for NBC/The Baseball Network's coverage of the All-Star Game from Pittsburgh. After turning 50, Bench was a part-time professional golfer and played in several events on the Senior PGA Tour.
They had a son, Bobby Binger Bench (named for Bob Hope and Bobby Knight, and Bench's hometown), before divorcing in 1995.
Bench's third marriage, to Elizabeth Benton, took place in 1997.
He has a home at the Mission Hills-Gary Player Course in Rancho Mirage, California. In 1999, Bench ranked Number 16 on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players.
Johnny filed for divorce in 2000 on grounds of marital infidelity.
As part of the Golden Anniversary of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, Bench was selected to the All-Time Rawlings Gold Glove Team. From the 2000 college baseball season until 2018, the best collegiate catcher annually received the Johnny Bench Award.
The award was renamed the Buster Posey Award for the 2019 season onwards. In 2003, he guest starred on an episode of Yes, Dear as himself, along with Ernie Banks and Frank Robinson. In 2008, Bench co-wrote the book Catch Every Ball: How to Handle Life's Pitches with Paul Daugherty, published by Orange Frazer Press.
His fourth marriage took place in 2004, to 31-year-old Lauren Baiocchi, the daughter of pro golfer Hugh Baiocchi.
After living in Palm Springs with their two sons, Justin (born 2006) and Josh (born 2010), Johnny had the urge to return to South Florida, where he lived from 2014 to 2017.
The award was renamed the Buster Posey Award for the 2019 season onwards. In 2003, he guest starred on an episode of Yes, Dear as himself, along with Ernie Banks and Frank Robinson. In 2008, Bench co-wrote the book Catch Every Ball: How to Handle Life's Pitches with Paul Daugherty, published by Orange Frazer Press.
Bench has also broadcast games on television and radio, and is an avid golfer, having played in several Champions Tour tournaments. Bench was interviewed by Heidi Watney of the New England Sports Network during a September 2008 Boston Red Sox game at Fenway Park.
After living in Palm Springs with their two sons, Justin (born 2006) and Josh (born 2010), Johnny had the urge to return to South Florida, where he lived from 2014 to 2017.
Bench replied that Anderson had better trade for Niekro's catcher, too. On September 17, 2011, the Cincinnati Reds unveiled a statue of Bench at the entrance way of the Reds Hall of Fame at Great American Ball Park.
After living in Palm Springs with their two sons, Justin (born 2006) and Josh (born 2010), Johnny had the urge to return to South Florida, where he lived from 2014 to 2017.
After living in Palm Springs with their two sons, Justin (born 2006) and Josh (born 2010), Johnny had the urge to return to South Florida, where he lived from 2014 to 2017.
As of 2018, Bench has primary custody of the boys. ==Honors and post-career activities== Bench was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, in 1989 alongside Carl Yastrzemski.
As part of the Golden Anniversary of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, Bench was selected to the All-Time Rawlings Gold Glove Team. From the 2000 college baseball season until 2018, the best collegiate catcher annually received the Johnny Bench Award.
The award was renamed the Buster Posey Award for the 2019 season onwards. In 2003, he guest starred on an episode of Yes, Dear as himself, along with Ernie Banks and Frank Robinson. In 2008, Bench co-wrote the book Catch Every Ball: How to Handle Life's Pitches with Paul Daugherty, published by Orange Frazer Press.
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