Was Johnny Bench good?

Was Johnny Bench good?

Johnny Bench was a vital cog as the Cincinnati Reds won six division titles, four pennants and two World Series in the 1970s. Although more attention was paid to his power hitting, just as significant is that he won 10 Gold Gloves in his first 10 full seasons. Selected for 14 All-Star teams, Bench was a lifetime .

How many balls could Johnny Bench hold in his hand?

seven baseballs
BENCH can hold as many as seven baseballs at a time in his throwing hand.

Did Johnny Bench hold 7 baseballs in one hand?

BENCH can hold as many as seven baseballs at a time in his throwing hand. His fingers are long and strong, and he can hold a baseball between the tips of his middle and fourth fingers and snap it toward a target. The long‐fin gered tradition has vast myth ic appeal in baseball.

What kind of baseball did Johnny Bench play?

He played catcher and pitcher throughout his youth in organized leagues, from Little League through American Legion.

When was Johnny Bench inducted into the Hall of Fame?

In 1986, Bench was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989. ESPN has called him the greatest catcher in baseball history. Born and raised in Oklahoma, Bench is one-eighth Choctaw; he played baseball and basketball and was class valedictorian at Binger-Oney High School in Binger.

When was Johnny Bench called up to the Reds?

Bench was called up to the Reds in August 1967. He hit only .163, but impressed many people with his defense and strong throwing arm, among them Hall of Famer Ted Williams. Williams signed a baseball for him and predicted that the young catcher would be a “Hall of Famer for sure!”

How old was Johnny Bench when he went to Hampton?

Reds manager Don Heffner considered keeping the 18-year-old Bench in 1966, but instead sent him to Hampton, Virginia, to play for the Peninsula Grays in the Single-A Carolina League. All he did there was win the league Player of the Year award, hitting .294 with 22 home runs before being called up to Triple-A Buffalo.