Bench, Johnny

Bench, Johnny (Lee)

(born December 7, 1947, Oklahoma City, Okla., U.S.) U.S. baseball player. Bench joined the Cincinnati Reds in 1967. During his 17 seasons catching for them (1967–83), he helped lead the team (with Pete Rose and Joe Morgan) to four National League pennants (1970, 1972, 1975, 1976) and two World Series victories (1975, 1976). Batting right-handed, he led the National League in runs batted in three times (1970, 1972, 1974) and twice in home runs (1970, 1972). He is regarded as one of the greatest defensive catchers ever to play the game.

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Bench, Johnny (Lee) (1947–  ) baseball player; born in Oklahoma City, Okla. Part Cherokee, often injured, he is regarded as one of the game's greatest catchers. He pioneered the technique of one-handed catching and used a hinged catcher's mitt. He hit 389 career home runs for the Cincinnati Reds (1967–83) and won the Most Valuable Player Award in 1970 and 1972. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1989.