Johnny Bench 1973 MVP Performance

Lore & Background

Bench won the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1968, the first catcher to do so. He won MVP awards in 1970 and 1972, leading the majors in home runs both years (45 in 1970, 40 in 1972) and in RBIs in 1970 (148) and 1972 (125). In 1970, he set the single-season home run record for catchers (45), which stood until 2021. He was named World Series MVP in 1976 after hitting .533 with two home runs in a sweep of the New York Yankees.

In Their Own Story

The lights hummed over Riverfront Stadium as Bench stepped into the batter's box, the weight of the city on his shoulders. He adjusted his mitt, eyes locked on the mound, knowing the pitch was coming high and inside. With a sharp crack that echoed through the night air, he sent the ball soaring toward the left-field stands, fueling another chapter in the Reds' golden age.

Reader's Guide

Bench was a ten-time Gold Glove Award winner. He caught 100 or more games for 13 consecutive seasons. At retirement, he held the major league record for most home runs by a catcher. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989 in his first year of eligibility, and into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1986. He was named to MLB's All-Time Team in 1997 and All-Century Team in 1999.

Did You Know?

• Bench was the first catcher to lead the National League in home runs.
• He hit a grand slam off future Hall of Famer Jim Palmer in the minor leagues in 1967.
• During a 1968 spring training game, Bench caught a fastball barehanded to prove to pitcher Jim Maloney that his fastball had lost its speed.
• Bench served in the U.S. Army Reserve with teammates Pete Rose, Bobby Tolan, and Darrel Chaney.