Johnny Bench Feature, Part 2: The Playing Years

[@markpowell2395]

I watched Johnny hit 3 HRs in a row , with my whole immediate family , just a few rows in back of the Reds dugout , along the first base line , at Riverfront Stadium !!! He hit a single for his 4th at bat , but got thrown out at 2nd base , trying to stretch it into a double ! My 1st game ever, was the only trip I ever made to Crosely Feild ! My dad took me to see the Reds , with Wayne Simpson on the mound ! It was bat day , and I got a Tony Perez signed bat ! Tony hit the only HR that day ! A friend of mine also went with his dad , and he got a Johnny Bench bat ! The Reds were everything that mattered ! Rose , Griffey , Drieson , Foster , Perez , Geronimo , Concepcion , Morgan , Bench , A little farther back = Helms , Tolan , May !!! Go Redlegs !!!

[@rodneysmith247]

I'm from San Diego and a big fan of Randy Jones. About 20 years ago I help install 1 of those synthetic turf putting greens in his back yard. Being able to meet him he was the most friendly down to earth guy. Anyway his best 2 seasons he won 42 games with a 2.50 era and was 1 and 2 for the Cy young award. Being 1 of the hardest picthers to him home runs off of no 1 owned him except Johnny Bench by hitting 3 home runs in 1 game. Bench separated the men from the boys when it comes to mlb ⚾️ catchers.

[@brentcline4552]

Greatest overall catcher in MLB history!

[@rodneysmith247]

No comparison. 1 game Bench hit a lazer to deep center field and the guy robs Bench making this unbelievable circus catch. So now the guy comes off the field and here he is on 1st base and tries to steal 2nd. Bench comes up throwing with his mask all twisted sideways from this perfect revenge 100mph fast to 2nd. I played and seen a lot of games now that I'm 70 and thats why I love writing this comment cuz I'm a complete fan of the game ⚾️ and Johnny Bench 😁

[@takfam07]

His anecdotes, observations and aphorisms are like gold. Because he walked the talk. Difficult for young fans today to recognize how Bench was regarded in his time. He was baseball's premier catcher and had some monster seasons at the plate as well...during a pitching-dominated era. Became regarded as the greatest ever at his position when he was still in his twenties. Plus he had charisma and wasn't camera shy.

[@candicesmith4824]

Johnny Bench could have been one hell of a manager

[@barrysmyth6612]

I love mr Bench

[@GregClagett]

Despite Bench's overall arrogance, he's still the best catcher that ever played. I was young in the days of the Big Red Machine, but living in Louisville, KY, Cincy is only a 1 1/2 - 2 hour drive, so I was lucky enough to seeing 8-10 games each year. Now that the Louisville Bats are Cincy's Triple A affiliate for the last 15 or so years, I get out to see a LOT of their games, so I've seen many players move up, and several players rehab here. So I go to 3-4 Reds games and go see the Louisville Bats play on average 20-25 games. Bench was one of my childhood heroes in baseball, and if not the first, he was one of the first to discover that wearing his helmet backwards when catching, the facemask work better and stayed in place.

[@ozzieray]

Kenny Stabler said you didn't need to get any sleep

[@brassplyer]

Note re: editing - the guitar lick during the transition titles is irritating even if it weren't so much louder than the level of the speaking. You don't need music.