Johnny Bench Career

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Lore & Background

Bench's offensive dominance was anchored by his power, which redefined the catcher position. He hit 45 home runs in 1970, a single-season record for catchers that stood until Salvador Perez hit 48 in 2021; Bench still holds the National League record. In 1970, at age 22, he became the youngest player to win the NL MVP Award, batting .293 with 45 home runs and a franchise-record 148 RBIs. He repeated as MVP in 1972, leading the majors again with 40 home runs and 125 RBIs. In 1974, he became only the fourth catcher in history to record 100 or more runs and RBI in a single season, tallying 129 RBIs and 108 runs. His leadership extended to the postseason; in Game 5 of the 1972 NLCS against Pittsburgh, his ninth-inning, lead-off, opposite-field home run tied the game at three, helping propel the Reds to a 4-3 victory. Despite undergoing lung surgery after the 1972 season that he claimed altered his physical performance, Bench remained productive, hitting 31 home runs in 1977 and contributing to the Reds' 1975 World Series run with 28 home runs and 110 RBIs during the regular season.

In Their Own Story

During a 1968 spring training game, Bench displayed an intensity that shocked veteran pitcher Jim Maloney. Maloney, whose fastball had slowed due to injuries, repeatedly shook off Bench's breaking ball calls by throwing fastballs instead. When an exasperated Bench bluntly stated, "Your fastball's not popping," Maloney responded with an epithet. To prove his point, Bench called for a fastball, and as soon as Maloney released it, Bench dropped his mitt and caught the pitch barehanded. This moment foreshadowed his fierce competitiveness. Later that season, on April 30, 1969, Bench was behind the plate when Maloney pitched a no-hitter against the Houston Astros. His rookie year in 1968 saw him win the National League Rookie of the Year Award with 15 home runs and 82 RBIs, marking the first time a catcher won the honor. He also secured his first Gold Glove that year, becoming the first rookie to do so, while making 102 assists—the most by a catcher in 23 years. In the 1976 World Series against the New York Yankees, Bench faced All-Star catcher Thurman Munson. Bench rose to the occasion with a .533 average and two home runs, earning him the Series MVP award as the Reds swept the series.

Reader's Guide

Bench's path to greatness began in Binger, Oklahoma, where he was class valedictorian at Binger-Oney High School. Born into a family with Choctaw heritage (1/8), he survived a fatal bus crash in 1965 that killed two teammates. His father, a truck driver, advised him that the fastest route to the majors was as a catcher. Selected by the Reds in the second round of the 1965 draft at age 17, Bench played for the Tampa Tarpons and Florida Instructional League team before reaching Triple-A Buffalo Bisons in 1966. He made his MLB debut in August 1967. During his minor league tenure, he hit a grand slam against future Hall of Famer Jim Palmer of the Rochester Red Wings; Palmer never allowed another grand slam professionally. While playing for the Reds, Bench served in the US Army Reserve with the 478th Engineer Battalion at Fort Thomas, Kentucky, alongside teammates Pete Rose and Bobby Tolan. In the winter of 1970–1971, he joined Bob Hope's USO Tour of Vietnam. For his final three seasons (1981–1983), Bench moved to first and third base, catching only 13 games total during that span. On September 17, 1983, the Reds proclaimed "Johnny Bench Night" at Riverfront Stadium, where he hit his 389th and final home run before retiring at age 35.

Did You Know?

• Bench dropped his mitt to catch a fastball barehanded during spring training in 1968 to prove pitcher Jim Maloney's fastball was ineffective.
• He hit a grand slam against future Hall of Famer Jim Palmer in the minors; Palmer never allowed another grand slam in his entire professional career.
• Bench served in the US Army Reserve with teammates Pete Rose and Bobby Tolan at Fort Thomas, Kentucky, during the Vietnam War era.
• His 45 home runs in 1970 stood as the single-season record for catchers until Salvador Perez broke it in 2021, though Bench still holds the National League record.
• In his first full season (1968), he made 102 assists, the most by a catcher in 23 years.