Johnny Bench: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1989

Born: December 7, 1947
1965: Drafted by Cincinnati Reds
1965-7: Minor Leagues
Debut: August 28, 1967 (Reds)
1969: Caught Jim Maloney's no-hitter
1968: Rookie of the Year
1968: First rookie to win Gold Glove
1970: MVP (.293, 45, 148, .932)
1970: TSN Player of the Year
1970: Reds win Pennant
1972: MVP (.270, 40, 125, .920)
1972: GW HR in GM 5 NLCS
1972: Reds win Pennant
1973: Reds win NL West
1975-6: Reds win World Series
1975: Lou Gehrig Award
1976: World Series MVP
1976: Babe Ruth Award
1979: Reds win NL West
1979: Wrote autobiography
1981: Reds have best record, but miss playoffs
1981: Hutch Award
1982-5: The Baseball Bunch
1983: Retired
1989: Hall of Fame (96% of vote)
1999: All Century Team
1999: All Time MLB Team
2008: Authored Catch Every Ball
2011: Statue unveiled in Cincinnati

Accomplishments:
2x World Champion
14x All Star
10x Gold Glove
2x MVP
1976 World Series MVP
1976 Babe Ruth Award
1968 Rookie of the Year
1970 TSN Player of the Year
1975 Lou Gehrig Award
1981 Hutch Award
3x Player of the Week
2x HR Champ
Retired all-time HR leader for catchers (broken)
NL Record: Most Grand Slams by catcher (10)
Caught 118 Shutouts
.267
389 HR
1376 RBI
1091 Runs
2048 Hits
.342 OBP
.476 SLG
.817 OPS
3644 TB
108 Runs (1974)
30+ Doubles: 5x
40 Doubles (1968)
20+ HR: 11x
30+ HR: 4x
40+ HR: 2x
100+ RBI: 6x
100 Walks (1972)
.500 SLG: 5x
300+ TB: 2x
Led league in RBI: 3x
Led league in HR: 2x
Led league in SH: 3x
Led league in IBB (23): 1972
Postseason: .266, 10 HR, 20 RBI, .862 OPS (10 Series)

Best Catchers in team history (National League)

Washington Nationals: Gary Carter (via Montreal)

New York Mets: Mike Piazza

Atlanta Braves: Javy Lopez

Miami Marlins: Charles Johnson

Philadelphia Phillies: Darren Daulton

St Louis Cardinals: Yadier Molina

Pittsburgh Pirates: Manny Sanguillen

Milwaukee Brewers: Jonathan Lucroy

Cincinnati Reds: Johnny Bench

Chicago Cubs: Gabby Hartnett

Los Angeles Dodgers: Roy Campanella (via Brooklyn)

San Francisco Giants: Buster Posey

San Diego Padres: Benito Santiago

Colorado Rockies: Chris Iannetta (Wilin Rosario)

Arizona Diamondbacks: Miguel Montero

Ted Simmons

A timeline

Born: August 9, 1949

1967: Drafted by Cardinals

Debut: September 21, 1968 (Cardinals)

1968: Cardinals win Pennant (Lose World Series to Tigers)

1970: Joins Cardinals for good

1971: Becomes starting catcher as Joe Torre moves to third base

1971: Catches Bob Gibson’s no-hitter

1972: Set Cardinals’ record for RBI by a catcher

1975: Set NL Record for hits by a catcher

1978: Beat out Johnny Bench to start the All Star Game

1978: Caught Bob Forsch’s first no-hitter

1980: Feud with Whitey Herzog

1980: Traded to Brewers

1981: Brewers win AL East (Lose ALDS to Yankees)

1982: Brewers win Pennant (Lost World Series to Herzog's Cardinals)

1986: Traded to Braves

1986: Forms the “Bomb Squad” in Atlanta made up of role players. He also planted a tomato garden in the bullpen.

1988: Retired as MLB leader for catchers in hits and doubles (broken by Ivan Rodriguez)

1992: GM Pirates

1993: Stepped down as GM after a heart attack

1994: Received 3.7% of the vote by the BBWAA for the Hall of Fame (morons)

1994-2008: Served in various baseball roles

2008: Bench coach for the Padres

2010: Advisor to the Mariners

Accomplishments:
8x All Star

1980 Silver Slugger

.285 hitter

248 HR

1389 RBI

1074 runs

2472 hits

483 doubles

855 walks-694 strikeouts

.348 OBP

.437 Slugging

.785 OPS

190+ hits: 2x

30+ doubles: 9x

40 doubles (1978)

20+ HR: 6x

100+ RBI: 3x

90+ RBI: 8x

.300+ average: 7x

.408 OBP (1977)

.500+ Slugging: 4x

.908 OPS (1977)

Postseason (3 Series): .186, 3 HR, 8 RBI (17 games)

Sports Quotes of the Year: 2011

No order...

“We got disrespected so our gangsters went out and zipped them up.”

-A Xavier Basketball player after a brawl with Cincinnati

“But I think it does show courage from the kids, standing out and doing that, and some boldness.’’

-Tim Tebow on protests over the suspension of two students for “Tebowing.”

"I love that Jeanie Buss' boy toy had something to say about us. I don't know if it was his thought or Jeanie's thought, but it's nice to know that she lets him speak in public about other teams."

-Mark Cuban

“Crazy. Karma is a b—-.. Gets you every time. Its not good to wish bad on anybody. God sees everything!”

-LeBron James after the Cavs 55 point loss to the Lakers

“LeBron James: How is that karma thing working out?”

-The Cleveland Plain Dealer after James got injured

“I take my hat off to myself.”

-Carmelo Anthony

“I’m just hopeful the coach doesn’t dismiss me.”

-OSU President E. Gordon Gee

“That’s the world of prostitution. You never know what you’re going to get.”

-Lawrence Taylor

“Take the vehicle. I have 10 more.”

-Allen Iverson after the police pulled his Lamborghini over.

"We want to make sure that he's really retired first."

- Packers on waiting to retire Bret Favre's #4.

"Buster is laying in front of home plate, and it's like having a disabled car in the middle of a four-lane highway. You're just going to get smacked."

Johnny Bench on the Buster Posey collision

"I ask guys all the time: Guys with blue eyes, brown eyes, whatever ... and guys with blue eyes have a tough time [during the day]."

-Josh Hamilton

"Money is cool and all but I'm only 23, I have a lot of time to make that."

-Christian Lopez after catching Derek Jeter’s 3000^th hit

“We don’t pay him to run. We pay him to trot.”

-Jim Leyland on Miguel Cabrera

“Stats are for losers and rings are for champions.”

-Darren McCarty

“National League pitchers are stupid.”

-Mitch Williams on why they pitch to Ryan Howard

“Kobe, five championships; LeBron, zero.”

-Magic Johnson

"If we were trying to run a regular offense, he'd be screwed."

-Broncos coach John Fox on Tim Tebow

“When I’ll consider myself a dirty player is when my mom tells me.”

-Ndamukong Suh

Thurman Munson: Timeline

Born: June 7, 1947

1965-67: Attended Kent State (teammate of Steve Stone)

1967: Played in Cape Cod League

1968: Drafted by the New York Yankees

Debut: August 8, 1969 (Yankees)

1970: Won Rookie of the Year (.302 average)

1971: Committed only 1 error all season and that occurred after he was knocked out

1973: Fight with Fisk

1976: Named Yankee Captain (first since Lou Gehrig)

1976: AL MVP

1976: Yankees won pennant and lost the WS to the Reds (Munson hit .529)

1976: Controversy over Sparky Anderson’s comments about embarrassing Munson by comparing him the Johnny Bench.

1977: Hit .308 with 100 RBIs making him the first catcher to do so for three consecutive years since Bill Dickey.

1977: Bronx Zoo: Feud with Reggie Jackson

1977: Yankees win World Series (Munson hit .320 with one home run and three RBI)

1978: Yanks come back from 14 games down to win the AL East in Game 163

1978: Yankees win World Series (Munson hit .320 with 7 RBI)

Died: August 1, 1979 (plane crash)

August 2: Yanks honor Munson in pregame ceremony

August 6: Entire team attends funeral; Bobby Mercer delivers eulogy

August 6, 1979: The Thurman Munson Game: Bobby Mercer drives in all five runs in New York’s 5-4 victory over Baltimore.

1980: Plaque honoring Munson is dedicated (his number was retired immediately after his death)

Accomplishments:
First Yankee Captain since Lou Gehrig

2x World Champion

1970 ROY

1976 AL MVP

7x All Star

3x Gold Glove

1 error in 1971

.292 career hitter

Hit .300+: 5x (11 seasons)

1558 career hits

Led league 151 singles (1975)

113 career home runs

20 HR (1973)

701 RBI

100+ RBI: 3x

.357 career postseason hitter with 3 HR and 22 RBI (30 games)

Quotes of the Month: June 2011

Quote of the Month:


“I'm now at the "happiest place on earth". And I'm not happy about it.”

-Brent Spiner

Dumb Quote of the Month:

“I thought [Obama] was a d--k yesterday."

-Mark Halperin

and the rest...

“We’re on the verge of a great, great depression.”

-Peter Yastrow market strategist for Yastrow Orieger

"Buster is laying in front of home plate, and it's like having a disabled car in the middle of a four-lane highway. You're just going to get smacked."

Johnny Bench on the Buster Posey collision

"We have been sliding for 70 years to a situation where Congress has nothing to do with the decision about whether to go to war or not, and the president is becoming an absolute monarch."

-Jerry Nadler

"I ask guys all the time: Guys with blue eyes, brown eyes, whatever ... and guys with blue eyes have a tough time [during the day]."

-Josh Hamilton

“Fortunately, we have help from the media. I have to say this: I'm very grateful for the support and kindness that we've gotten.”

-Michelle Obama

"I never wanted to pitch poorly because letting down Sparky was like letting down your dad."

-Dan Petry

“Remember, Every 60 Seconds You Spend Upset, is a Minute of Happiness You'll Never Get Back…”

-Shaq

“Clarence doesn't leave the E Street Band when he dies. He leaves when we die.”

-Bruce Springsteen

“Obama is the most successful food stamp president in American History.”

-Newt Gingrich

"I did not sext Anthony Weiner."

-Ginger Lee


　

Top 10 Catchers of All Time

Here are my Top 10 Catchers of All Time. Johnny Bench is #1 (obviously)!  The rest are in no particular order.

Johnny Bench

Yogi Berra

Gary Carter

Ivan Rodriguez

Mike Piazza

Mickey Cochrane

Carlton Fisk

Bill Dickey

Roy Campanella

Ernie Lombardi

Cincinnati Reds Top 10 Moments

Charles “Bumpus” Jones throws a no-hitter in his Major League debut (October 15, 1892): Charlie Jones made his Major League debut on the last day of the 1892 season. In his only appearance of the season, the Reds rookie defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-1 issuing four walks and allowing no-hits. The Pirates scored an unearned run on an error. Jones made his final big league appearance on July 14, 1893. He finished his career with a 2-4 record and a 7.99 ERA.

Johnny Vander Meer’s two consecutive no-hitters (1938): On June 11, 1938, Johnny Vander Meer no-hit the Boston Braves in a 3-1 win. Four days later, he repeated the feat against Brooklyn. The Dodger fans openly supported Vander Meer as the game moved into the late innings. After the double event, Vander Meer pitched 3 2/3 additional hitless innings to set a record. To date, no one has surpassed his 21 2/3 consecutive hitless innings.

Reds: 2 Tigers: 1(October 8, 1940 Game 7 World Series): Cincinnati and Detroit battled to a seventh game in 1940. Detroit led 1-0 behind Bobo Newsom until the bottom of the 7th inning when the Reds scored two. Paul Derringer held the lead and the Reds won their first title since 1919.

The Moose Wild Pitch (October 11, 1972 Game 5 NLCS): The defending World Champion Pirates led the Reds 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth of Game 5 of the NLCS. Johnny Bench led the inning off with a game tying shot off Dave Giusti. With two on and two out, and Bob Moose on the mound for the Bucs, George Foster scored on a wild pitch. The Reds won the game 4-3 and the pennant three games to two.

The Big Red Machine finally breaks through (October 22, 1975 Game 7 World Series): The Reds led the Red Sox three-games-to-two heading back to Fenway for Game 6. The Sox won a spectacular battle in extra innings on Carlton Fisk’s home run. It seemed that Boston had the momentum. In Game 7, Boston raced out to an early 3-0 lead. The Reds scored two in the sixth to make it a game. In the seventh, Tony Perez tied the game with a solo shot. The teams remained tied until the ninth when Joe Morgan won the World Series with a single to center scoring the winning run. It was the Reds first title in 35 years.

Sweep! (October 21, 1976 Game 4 World Series): The Reds coasted through the 1976 postseason winning all seven games. In Game 4 of the World Series, the Big Red Machine pummeled the Yankees. Johnny Bench slammed two homers in the 7-2 win. Manager Sparky Anderson stirred some controversy earlier in the week when he claimed it was not fair to compare anyone to Johnny Bench. It was meant as a compliment to Bench, but New Yorkers took it as a slam against Thurman Munson.

Pete Rose’s 44 game hitting streak (1978): It started on June 14, 1978 with a two hit game against the Cubs. It did not end until August 1. Pete Rose became the first person to seriously challenge Joe Dimaggio’s 56 game hitting streak when he extended it past 40. The streak ended at 44 games and sixty-six hits when Gene Garber struck out Rose. Garber leapt for joy and that particular at-bat is what he will be remembered for.

4192 (September 11, 1985): On September 11, 1985, Pete Rose surpassed Ty Cobb to become baseball’s all time hit leader. Between Cobb’s retirement and Rose’s accomplishment, only Hank Aaron (3771) and Stan Musial (3630) came within striking distance of 4000 hits. The Riverfront Crowd roared for their hometown hero. Steve Garvey called it the loudest ovation he had ever heard (and Garvey was present for Reggie Jackson’s three homers at Yankee Stadium). Rose admits he did not know what to do and finally broke down.

Browning’s Perfect (September 16, 1988): Tom Browning won 20 games as a rookie and a World Series in 1990. In between, he tossed a perfect game against the eventual World Champion Dodgers. Adding to the drama, the Reds only scored one unearned run on Tim Belcher. Browning finished the perfect performance in the ninth by retiring Rick Dempsey, Steve Sax, and pinch hitter Tracy Woodson.

Rijo trumps Stewart (October 20, 1990 World Series Game 4): The Reds led their division wire-to-wire in 1990 and upset the Pittsburgh Pirates in the NLCS. They led the World Series against the heavily favored World Champion A’s three-games-to-none. Oakland led early in Game 4. As the game progressed, Reds starter Jose Rijo seemed to get stronger. Eventually, he emphatically rallied the troops. The Reds responded with two in the eighth to take the lead. Randy Myers pitched the 9th for the save and the Reds achieved the improbable by sweeping the A’s. Jose Rijo won the World Series MVP award with two wins and a microscopic 0.59 ERA.

Top 10 Baltimore Orioles Moments

In chronological order:

Jim Palmer vs. Sandy Koufax (October 6, 1966): On paper, it was a mismatch. The great Koufax against some youngster. The Orioles won the game 6-0 in Los Angeles to take a 2-0 World Series lead. The O’s went on to sweep the Dodgers. The 20-year-old Palmer eventually won 268 games, three Cy Young Awards, two more World Championships, and was elected to the Hall of Fame.

Frank Robinson wins MVP (1966): Robinson was the 1961 NL MVP with Cincinnati. Prior to the 1966 season, the Reds traded him to Baltimore. It was one of the most lopsided trades in history. Robinson won the 1966 AL MVP and the Triple Crown while leading the Orioles to the promised land. Frank Robinson remained in Baltimore through the 1971 season winning another World Series in 1970.

Brooks Robinson’s World Series (1970): Brooks Robinson took over the 1970 World Series batting .429 with 2 homers and 6 RBI in the Orioles five game victory. Despite the dominant hitting performance, Robinson cemented his place in history as the greatest defensive third baseman in history by vacuuming up every ball hit in his direction regardless of the difficulties. He several impossible plays on Reds hitters. Johnny Bench must have been having Brooks Robinson nightmares ever since 1970.

http://brooksrobinsontribute.com/70%20World%20Series.htm

Four 20 game winners (1971): Baltimore is the last team to have four twenty game winners on its staff. Mike Cuellar (20), Pat Dobson (20), Jim Palmer (20), and Dave McNally (21) combined for 81 wins and a .723 winning percentage. The four aces led Baltimore to a third consecutive pennant.

Tito Landrum (October 8, 1983 Game 4 ALCS): Baltimore and the Chicago White Sox battled into the 10th inning of Game 4 of the 1983 ALCS. The O’s led the series 2-1 and needed one victory to clinch the pennant. Storm Davis and Brit Burns dueled to a scoreless tie through six. Tippy Martinez replaced Davis in the 7th for the birds. Burns continued for the Sox and the game remained scoreless through 9. In the 10th, Tito Landrum hit a solo homer to give the Orioles the lead igniting the offense. Baltimore scored two more runs to take the game 3-0.

Rick Dempsey and Eddie Murray end the World Series (October 16, 1983 Game 5 World Series): Eddie Murray hit two homers, drove in three, and Rick Dempsey added a solo shot to end the Wheeze Kids season and clinch Baltimore’s last world championship. Dempsey won the World Series MVP with a .385 average.

2131 (September 6, 1995): Cal Ripken broke Lou Gehrig’s unbreakable consecutive games played streak when he played in his 2,131 consecutive game. To commorate the event, Ripken homered in the Oriole victory. After the game became official, Ripken took a victory lap and celebrated with the fans. The streak ended after 2,632 consecutive games.

Eddie Murray’s 500th Homer (September 6, 1996): Steady Eddie Murray got his 3000th hit with the Cleveland Indians. He returned to Baltimore in 1996 and hit home run #500 one year to the day that Cal Ripken broke Gehrig’s consecutive game record. Murray is one of four men with 3,000 hits and 500 home runs.

Cal Ripken 3000 (April 15, 2000): Cal Ripken ended the 1999 season just short of 3000 hits. In 2000, he quickly achieved the milestone. On April 15, he scored #3000 with three singles making him the 24th man to achieve the mark. The O’s won the game 6-4 over Minnesota.

Orioles: 11 Red Sox: 10 (June 30, 2009): Down 10-1 in the 7th, the O’s win 11-10. Baltimore scored 5 in the 7th off Justin Masterson and then another 5 in the 8th off Hidecki Okajima, Takashi Saito, and Jonathan Papelbon. It is the greatest comeback in team history surpassing 1956’s eight run comeback against the Boston Red Sox.