Johnny Bench
MLB Hall of Famer
Who was he?
Johnny Bench could argueably be the best catcher to play the game, being named rookie of the year in 1968, winning 10 straight golden glove awards, named to the All star team 14 times, and a two time MVP. He played his entire MLB career with the Cincinnati Reds, (1968-1983) and lead the team to two back to back world series titles. (1975-76)
JOHNNY BENCH INTRODUCTION VIDEO
Career Statistics
Batting Average: .267
Slugging: .476
Home Runs: 389
RBI: 1376
Extra-Base Hits: 794
"I want to win, but there's the grind. There's so much responsibility for a catcher...My arm feels good. My legs will be all right. How long will I go on? How long can I go on? How long for I want to go on playing baseball? Is this what it's like to be thirty?" Source: New York Times (March 27, 1978)
My Reaction
This guy is undoubltly one of my heroes, in my mind he stands right next to Babe Ruth. This guy is just amazing, the talent and love he has for the game showed everytime he played. I love this game, I don't think any of my friends are as crazy for this game like I am. Johnny Bench showed that no matter who you are, where you come from, if you want something bad enough you can take it.