Johnny Bench

Rare card · No. 57637

Johnny Lee Bench (born December 7, 1947) is an American former professional baseball player. He played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career, which lasted from 1967 to 1983, with the Cincinnati Reds, primarily as a catcher. Bench led the Reds team known as the Big Red Machine that dominated the National League in the mid-1970s, winning six division titles, four National League pennants, and two World Series championships. A fourteen-time All-Star and a two-time National League Most Valuable Player, Bench excelled on offense and defense, twice leading the majors in home runs and three times in runs batted in. At the time of his retirement in 1983, he held the major league record for most home runs hit by a catcher. He was also the first catcher to lead the league in home runs. He hit 45 home runs in 1970, the single-season record for catchers until Salvador Perez hit 48 in 2021; Bench still holds the National League record. His 389 home runs and 1,376 runs batted in are the most...

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