Johnny Bench career highlights. I thought the greatest catcher ever deserved a highlights video! Thanks for 500 views on the Schmidt Video! Enjoy, like, and Subscribe.
Johnny Bench has said that the "Big Red Machine" could never exist today. Each player from that team (Rose, Morgan, Bench, Conception, Geronimo etc) would command today huge contracts that one team simply couldn't pay (and Cincinnati is not a major market team to even begin to pay those kind of salaries to so many different players)
@@coryvincent1932 he’s simply stating the truth. If it paints today’s players in a poor light then it’s on them. Maybe they should take a cue from a guy who always displayed style, respect, grace and humbleness. Sadly missing from so many athletes. Not all, mind you. But many
@@coryvincent1932 are you apart of the MLBPA??? whyare you whining about what this dude said about a player that played 40 some odd years ago?? if anyone needs to calm down its you
So if a player wants his market value he's greedy. If a owner tries to get as much out of the market he's savy. Is that how it works? Are the fans going to the game to watch the owners sit in his box or watch the players play the game?
Didn't he have a terrible injury that derailed him a bit or he would have been even greater. That era had Bench, Fisk, and Munson. I haven't seen anyone better since.
I grew up in the 60's and 70's and idolized Johnny Bench. He is the greatest catcher to ever play the game. I also believe that he got a Gold Glove every season he played behind the plate. He is the reason I played catcher from 3rd grade into high school. Still to this day I get emotional just thinking about him.
I was kid back then and and when my dad asked me what I wanted for my birthday I said to go to a Padres game. The old man came through and we had 3rd row tickets above the visitors bench to see none other than the Big Red Machine. Dan Driessen broke a bat on a warning track out and after the game Joe Morgan came out and was kinda goofing with the kids above. Suddenly someone threw out some bats and he started handing them up under the netting. I grabbed Dreissen's and held on tight while bigger kids tried to wrestle it away from me. Suddenly I heard my dad's voice and then felt his hand wrap around the bat barrel - and the prize was secured! It was my biggest win as a kid! My dad n I didn't have many moments like this, he was already on his way out of the marriage, I guess. But that one moment I remember it like it was yesterday.
I was a very young kid in Columbus, Ohio during the reign of the Big Red Machine. My Dad and I would watch games together, and Johnny was my favorite player. Still is.
@M this thread has NOTHING to do with soccer/European football. As a Tottenham fan, I suggest you go to a thread that is discussing soccer. No one hear cares what you have to say.
Bench had more RBIs than any other player in the 1970s [-his teammate Tony Perez was second in the decade in RBIs.}. A catcher who could do anything behind the plate and hits like that is unheard of . He was batting with sore hands half the time , tired legs from squatting , like any catcher . Getting any offense from your catcher is a bonus . Getting that kind of offense is damn near unheard of Johnny Bench was the man .
Bla bla! Pudge caught way more games! Wasn't he squatting and with tired legs as well?...dude you're out of line with that comment. More gold gloves for a reason!
@pete ziriaah so did Ivan. 10 consecutive as well, only difference is that JB stayed at 10 but the goat manage to get 3 more. 13 > 10 in favor of the 🐐. JB never batted above 300. in a single season the goat did it 10 times 10 > 0. Amazing!
@Huck Finn So the goat didn't produce? Who gives two shits about CF's opinion, he's just one man! Check the stats! It's a bonus to produce from the position bla bla. So 13 gold gloves overrated? The goat is one of five players in MLB history with a .290 batting average, 2,500 hits, 550 doubles, 300 home runs and 1,300 RBIs. The others? Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, George Brett and Barry Bonds. Again he said she said... The goat simply had better numbers and did it longer. Like I said...nothing wrong with having JB number 2.
Bench was one of those rare athletes, like Wilt, Ruth, and Cobb, who changed how their sports were played forever! The Man was a Man among boys! Those Reds teams were just phenomenal, & Bench was a huge part of that! When he came out of that firing the ball to Morgan, it was like a laser streaking right for the bag!
The Greatest of All Time! Bench did things defensively that others could only dream of doing. He had incredible instincts and lightning quick reflexes. His hands were as good as any shortstop in the game. And his arm . . there is no debate. To understand the greatness of Bench as an all around ballplayer, review the following statistics. From 1970 thru 1976, Bench played in 42 post season games (playoffs & WS). This was a time in the history of National Lequge baseball where the stolen base was "paramount" . . speed was a huge part of the game. In those 42 games, opposing baserunners were successful in stealing a base 2 out of 14 attempts meaning he threw out would be base stealers at an 85% clip which is amazing in and of itself. However, during those same 42 games, Bench himself stole 6 bases in 6 attempts . . not because he had blazing speed but because he was an incredibly smart player with amazing instincts for the game.
I was a poor kid living in Indiana lucky to have a pair of shoes to walk in but I always listen to Pete Rose and Johnny Bench and the Big Red Machine and a great 70 teams thank you Johnny Bench I went to one Cincinnati game and you hit three home runs in that game my aunt took me to the game and I felt very fortunate lucky
Never went to Riverfront to see a game. Poor might be material things but we are blessed to be in a country where we enjoyed JB and the Big Red Machine.
The best part of watching a Reds game at Riverfront / Crosley was runners starting to steal 2nd base ,stopping because they knew they'd get thrown out , then Bench throwing behind them , picking them off. Sometimes he did it without getting out of the catchers crouch.
Grew up in Dayton, Ohio and made the trip to Cincy at least three times a season with my Dad during the mid 70's into the 80's. Loved the Big Red Machine. Johnny Bench was my favorite. Got a Johhny Bench glove for Christmas. Loved it. I remember screaming and hollering when Bench tied the 1976 NLCS in the 9th.
1:56 to receive the ball 6 feet from the plate and get the tag. He focused on catching the ball first, like a good receiver in football who doesn't try to run before tucking it away. Then lightning quick to the tag
I’m a Dominican born and Bench was my idol I played catcher and one of my managers used to call me Bench, that’s the happiest years of the 70 when players love the game, no steroids, no drugs only pure joy for the game.
Johnny Bench and Pete Rose - the 2 greatest players I ever saw. My parents used to take me down to Atlanta every year to see the Braves always when they were playing the Reds, between 1972 and 1980. Those Reds really put on a show. The longest home run I ever saw was hit by Johnny Bench. A low liner they kept rising until it landed in the second deck at Fulton County Stadium.
Greatest Catcher of all time..And 1976 Big Red Machine greatest team of all time..Gotta love Sparky Anderson when they asked him about Thurman Munson and He said “ he a fine young catcher but like not embarrass anybody by comparing him to Johnny Bench”..Nuff Said G.O.A.T
In 1983 when Johnny Bench retired, there was a special on TV about his career, I remember recording it, but lost the tape years ago, it has to be on UA-cam somewhere, but I can't remember the name of the special. It came on Saturday early evening on NBC I believe, I could be wrong, but I do remembering watching it and recording it, watched it over and over for years.
Johnny revolutionized the catcher's position and what you could expect from a catcher, both defensively and offensively. As Sparky Anderson said, I'd never want to embarrass another catcher by comparing him to Bench.
0:28 That solo homer with 1 out in bottom of 9th of deciding Game 5 of 1972 NLCS tied the game vs the defending champion Pirates. One of the greatest clutch home runs in baseball history.
@@esportshighlights2457 There was also his home run in the bottom of the 9th of Game 3 of the 1976 NLCS which also tied the game against the Phillies. Similar to 1972, it led to the pennant-winning rally for the Reds
@@bluesrocker79 Al Michaels just made baseball sound so exciting, the way he has done with the NFL, NBA and the Miracle on Ice. I wish he still covered baseball.
@@Milordvega Not quite as dramatic since it led to a sweep. Probably inevitable Reds still win series if they don't win that game. Also, it was back end of back-to-back homers to tie game with George Foster getting the fireworks started.
Some fans may not realize, but back in Bench's day if the ball arrived first at second on a steal, they were out. I think this was done to help avoid players putting their hands in front of the runner's cleats. So they would be out if they did put their glove in front of the cleats, but they were not required to do so. They called it a phantom tag. The result was the same.
I have his Reds throwback jersey in Red. Johnny Bench is one of my favorite baseball players. I think he was the best catcher of all time. Really humble and down to earth personality.
The greatest catcher of all time and the greatest clutch hitter. He never made it about him rounding the bases. Johnny just did his job with the grace and humility then that no longer exists today. I wish that today's PROFESSIONAL athletes watched these films about how it should be done. Think of what our kids could learn from Johnny and so very many of those players he competed against in that time. These men were humble and didn't seek glory. They allowed their play to speak for itself without all the arrogance.
When I was a kid, I was a dyed-in-the-wool Reds fan, even though I grew up in NJ. When I was somewhere around 8-10 years old, I wrote a letter to the Reds to tell them that Johnny Bench was my favorite player. I have no idea how on earth the letter got to them. There's no way I had any particular address for the Reds front office. I probably just mailed it to "Cincinnati". But I know for a fact they got it, because a couple of weeks later I received a B&W photo of Johnny in the mail from the Reds, signed by Johnny himself.
they had plenty of greenies , blackies and reds - make no mistake - the level of morality wasn't any higher in the 70s as it was in the 90s or any other time
My parents would take me to Candlestick Park when l was a boy & in Little League to see the Giants play the Reds & watching the Big Red Machine but l was always focused on #5 Johnny Bench. What an awesome catchef
Most baseball rankings have the 1927 Yankees and the '75 Cincinnati Reds as one and two of the best all-time teams. If you could have had a fantasy World Series matchup, I can't think of a better one to have.
I was there for two of Bench’s biggest home runs. The first was when he broke the then record for catchers in 1980, against Montreal. It was huge because the record had belonged to Yogi Berra. The video doesn’t have this moment. The second, which is shown at the end of the video, was when hit it out against Houston on Johnny Bench night, which was his last homerun and the last time he played catcher. Before the game, there was a lot of fanfare and when Bench spoke to the crowd, the last thing he said was that, “ I’m gonna try my best to play well for you tonight...”. I believe it was his second at bat when he hit it out. He pulled it down the left field line and it was hooking. Everyone in the third base seats was blocked out and couldn’t tell if it stayed fair. A fan seated next to the foul pole motioned that it was good. The whole place erupted! Riverfront stadium was packed! It was just what you’d expect from JB!
Sorry that the video doesnt have that first moment. Unfortunately MLB really hasnt uploaded a lot of footage from the 70s and 80s. Cool stories though!
The Big Red Machine!! I remember at the All Star Game, when the National League hit the field all the position players were the Reds! Bench was a clutch hitter, but if he didn't get you... well you had to get thru Perez, Foster, Morgan and that Pete Rose guy!
And his setup and movements around the plate ... they were just so effortless and natural. Johnny Bench was literally born to play catcher. He is the standard that all other catchers are judged by. Undoubtedly the greatest catcher of all times. But then again, he WAS my childhood idol. Tee hee.
Bench's throw at second to get the A's Bert Campaneris was impressive. Back in the day he was called Campy Campaneris. When I was a kid, I once went to an A's game on helmet day, and I accidentally dropped my helmet into the A's dugout. Campy picked it up, signed it, and handed it back to me. Didn't say anything, but it meant a lot to a little kid. But Johnny Bench was my hero as a kid, it would have meant the world to me to get his autograph. He was just a solid, all-around ball player. No BS.
Johnny use to be my idol when I was young. My dad and I went to see him in Phila. My dad and I were at the stadium very early and saw him take batting practice. When he walked by us,my dad yelled to him, hey Johnny. I wanted just an autograph, he looked up at us and kept walking. Johnny, you broke my heart.
Time passes. Johnny Bench is still the standard of a moral, loving man, and awesome baseball player. He will never or should be never compared to another man when it compares to guts behind the plate. Never!
My dad took the whole family to watch a Reds game when I was nine or ten . We were about six rows back over the first base dugout . Johnny Bench hit three home runs in a row , and then in his fourth at bat , he got thrown out going for second . So , he had three home runs and a single ! it was all anybody could talk about , and we were at the game ! I cannot find it anywhere on here ! It happened ; We were there ; It was awesome ! Why in the world can't I find it on You Tube ! I'm pissed !
when you think catcher...the way he ran the team from the plate, along with his hitting prowess..not too many come to mind...Berra yes because he was on so many winnners in the day...but JB was a thinking mans catcher...he represents baseball in the finest fashion. ya gotta love the guy.
I wasn't old enough to see Bench play so want to watch what he was all about. Pretty remarkable how he could elevate the ball and muscle it over the fence while reaching for it. Also, helluva arm.
@Flip Arrachi Because he was the best and most fundamentally sound catcher of all time maybe. Easiest way to avoid a plate collision is to catch the way Johnny did. Stay right along the line instead of inside the line and tag with your whole body, not just your hand.
The gold standard to which every catcher is measured. Sparky Anderson had it right when he said "I wouldn't embarrass any catcher by comparing him to Johnny Bench".
Hands down the greatest Catcher I ever saw, and most likely the greatest ever ( I'd put Ivan Rodriguez right behind him ) If not for Cancer surgery that robbed him of some of his raw power in 1973, he may have held the HR record, he hit 45 HR's in 1970, 40 in 1972, never hit 40 again after the surgery. Reds Mgr. Sparky Anderson once said that if Bench were a selfish player he could have changed his stroke and won multiple batting titles...but he knew the Reds needed him as a Power / RBI guy. He also made the single greatest play I have ever seen a Catcher make ( can't believe it's not on this list ) I was watching the game...Reds vs. Cubs at Wrigley, which at the time had a HUGE area from Home Plate to the backstop. Bobby Murcer is on 1st, 1 out. The Batter fouls one back toward the screen, Bench flips off the mask and gives chase. At the last second he jumps into the screen catching his right foot in the mesh and catching the pop up before it got into the screen. Murcer figuring Bench A. has his back to him...and B. Has to make a VERY long throw...tags up. In one motion Bench catches the pop up pivots around using the right foot to push off against the back wall and fires an ABSOLUTE PEA to 2nd getting Murcer by TEN FEET ! The look on Murcer's face was PRICELESS !
@@magicjohnson-o4l Pudge was amazing....he's the only one who is CLOSE to Bench defensively ! Carter was good, the other "Pudge" Fisk was VERY good, I never saw Campanella....but of the Catchers I've seen...Bench and Pudge Rodriguez are on another level defensively !
I just went to Fenway this week, first game there, I’m a Reds fan and all the Boston fans loved talking about the Big Ted Machine (Rose, Bench, Morgan etc.), great fans there.
That last one vs the Astros happened when I was in the 6th grade. Our entire safety patrol got tickets to the game. It was a blustery cool day and the Astros had the Reds down 9-0 and so the guy who drove us to the game in his van wanted to leave and we missed the comeback.
Wow gotta love people who still tell it like it is and fewer and fewer are telling it in the World today like they know..Lying has been accepted..and that’s why we have all these problems..Thanks for being one with honesty.
bench was the best catcher period,... he revolutionalized catching and was a really good hitter,...what would he be worth in todays money???? how many players today got a 300million contract, ... what would bench be worth??? 750 million??
Johnny Bench has said that the "Big Red Machine" could never exist today. Each player from that team (Rose, Morgan, Bench, Conception, Geronimo etc) would command today huge contracts that one team simply couldn't pay (and Cincinnati is not a major market team to even begin to pay those kind of salaries to so many different players)
Sadly, he is right. The huge contracts have been great for the players, but not for the fans. As a Braves fan, I mostly root for the uniform now.
Negotiated his own contracts and was never greedy. He only asked for what he thought was fair. Amazing person and player.
Of all the things you could say about him, you go with something that backhandedly shades today’s player. Calm down.
@@coryvincent1932 stop bitching
@@coryvincent1932 he’s simply stating the truth. If it paints today’s players in a poor light then it’s on them. Maybe they should take a cue from a guy who always displayed style, respect, grace and humbleness. Sadly missing from so many athletes. Not all, mind you. But many
@@coryvincent1932 are you apart of the MLBPA??? whyare you whining about what this dude said about a player that played 40 some odd years ago?? if anyone needs to calm down its you
So if a player wants his market value he's greedy. If a owner tries to get as much out of the market he's savy. Is that how it works? Are the fans going to the game to watch the owners sit in his box or watch the players play the game?
He's hands down, the best overall catcher I'll witness in my lifetime...
..or, EVER
Probably true. I heard Bench say in an interview that pudge was the best catcher he has seen play.
@@INYB He also said, if he played on the same team as Jerry Grote, he'd be playing third base.
@@kwasimensah6013That's because Grote couldn't play 3rd. Otherwise, Jerry's on the bench. No pun intended.
Didn't he have a terrible injury that derailed him a bit or he would have been even greater. That era had Bench, Fisk, and Munson. I haven't seen anyone better since.
I grew up in the 60's and 70's and idolized Johnny Bench. He is the greatest catcher to ever play the game. I also believe that he got a Gold Glove every season he played behind the plate. He is the reason I played catcher from 3rd grade into high school. Still to this day I get emotional just thinking about him.
GOAT is Ivan Pudge Rodriguez, not Bench. Respect.
@@fernanditovargas4339 defitnely not 😂 it’s either Johnny bench yogi Berra or mike piazza
@@fernanditovargas4339Pudge did steroids and still was not better than Bench.
Johnny Bench is the greatest catcher to ever play the game. That's it.
Emotional?? 😂 gayyyyy!!!!
I was kid back then and and when my dad asked me what I wanted for my birthday I said to go to a Padres game. The old man came through and we had 3rd row tickets above the visitors bench to see none other than the Big Red Machine. Dan Driessen broke a bat on a warning track out and after the game Joe Morgan came out and was kinda goofing with the kids above. Suddenly someone threw out some bats and he started handing them up under the netting. I grabbed Dreissen's and held on tight while bigger kids tried to wrestle it away from me. Suddenly I heard my dad's voice and then felt his hand wrap around the bat barrel - and the prize was secured! It was my biggest win as a kid! My dad n I didn't have many moments like this, he was already on his way out of the marriage, I guess. But that one moment I remember it like it was yesterday.
A wonderful memory. So so wonderful ❤️
Good one.. thanks for sharing.
What a great story you have! Thank you
He is the reason I became a catcher when I was younger!
Same here !
me too!
Bill Freehan of the Tigers made me a catcher, another guy who played at the same time as Bench, with style, guts, and grace.
@@denniscassley2569 bill freenan was before Johnny bench he was on ,1968
World champion 🏆detroit 🐯🐅tigers
Me 2!
I was a very young kid in Columbus, Ohio during the reign of the Big Red Machine. My Dad and I would watch games together, and Johnny was my favorite player. Still is.
Today I got his autograph. He is a very nice guy.
Yogi
MANCHESTER UNITED no one said anything abt soccer
@M this thread has NOTHING to do with soccer/European football. As a Tottenham fan, I suggest you go to a thread that is discussing soccer. No one hear cares what you have to say.
I had the Johnny Bench “Batter Up” contraction, in the mid 1970s.
It really helped my batting swing when I was a kid.
Did anyone also have this?
Wow, what a blast from the past! The great thing about the Batter Up was it allowed you to play baseball even by yourself.
@@dantheman5745 Thanks for your reply. Yeah it was meant to help you perfect your batting swing.
Johnny Bench was my idol as a youngster and teenager. He is still my idol today.
Bench had more RBIs than any other player in the 1970s [-his teammate Tony Perez was second in the decade in RBIs.}. A catcher who could do anything behind the plate and hits like that is unheard of . He was batting with sore hands half the time , tired legs from squatting , like any catcher . Getting any offense from your catcher is a bonus . Getting that kind of offense is damn near unheard of Johnny Bench was the man .
Burning dinosaur bones And missing some of his lung too.
Bla bla! Pudge caught way more games! Wasn't he squatting and with tired legs as well?...dude you're out of line with that comment. More gold gloves for a reason!
@pete ziriaah so did Ivan. 10 consecutive as well, only difference is that JB stayed at 10 but the goat manage to get 3 more. 13 > 10 in favor of the 🐐. JB never batted above 300. in a single season the goat did it 10 times 10 > 0. Amazing!
@Huck Finn So the goat didn't produce? Who gives two shits about CF's opinion, he's just one man! Check the stats! It's a bonus to produce from the position bla bla. So 13 gold gloves overrated? The goat is one of five players in MLB history with a .290 batting average, 2,500 hits, 550 doubles, 300 home runs and 1,300 RBIs. The others? Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, George Brett and Barry Bonds. Again he said she said... The goat simply had better numbers and did it longer. Like I said...nothing wrong with having JB number 2.
@@blademoney1315 Pudge was great, Johnny was the GREATEST.
Johnny Bench is ma all-time favorite player. I was 10 in 1972 when he won his 2nd MVP.
Old timer
Bench was one of those rare athletes, like Wilt, Ruth, and Cobb, who changed how their sports were played forever! The Man was a Man among boys! Those Reds teams were just phenomenal, & Bench was a huge part of that! When he came out of that firing the ball to Morgan, it was like a laser streaking right for the bag!
G.O.A.T.
Greatest catcher of All Times.
Yes indeed I'm a Mets fan & Bench was always my favorite catcher & he is the greatest of all-time.
It's amazing to have witnessed 2 of the greatest clutch hitters of all times in Johnny Bench and the Big Dog, Tony Perez do their stuff constantly.
@@gergg They were great players & the Red Machine were a hell of a team.
THE heart and soul of the famed Big Red Machine during the 70s! Perhaps the best all-around catcher in MLB history, too.
And future
The Greatest of All Time! Bench did things defensively that others could only dream of doing. He had incredible instincts and lightning quick reflexes. His hands were as good as any shortstop in the game. And his arm . . there is no debate. To understand the greatness of Bench as an all around ballplayer, review the following statistics. From 1970 thru 1976, Bench played in 42 post season games (playoffs & WS). This was a time in the history of National Lequge baseball where the stolen base was "paramount" . . speed was a huge part of the game. In those 42 games, opposing baserunners were successful in stealing a base 2 out of 14 attempts meaning he threw out would be base stealers at an 85% clip which is amazing in and of itself. However, during those same 42 games, Bench himself stole 6 bases in 6 attempts . . not because he had blazing speed but because he was an incredibly smart player with amazing instincts for the game.
I agree. But Pudge is a very close 2nd. I know this because Bench thinks Pudge is the best.
He isn’t even close to being the best of all time 🤦🏼
@@knuckle Stop eating thise funny mushrooms. It's turning your brain into jello.
@@knuckle And you’re not even close to being baseball literate
Bench will always be the standard. Glad I got to watch him. Not a Reds fan just appreciate how great he really was. Go Giants.
I can’t stop watching these Bench highlights
I was a poor kid living in Indiana lucky to have a pair of shoes to walk in but I always listen to Pete Rose and Johnny Bench and the Big Red Machine and a great 70 teams thank you Johnny Bench I went to one Cincinnati game and you hit three home runs in that game my aunt took me to the game and I felt very fortunate lucky
Never went to Riverfront to see a game. Poor might be material things but we are blessed to be in a country where we enjoyed JB and the Big Red Machine.
My all time favorite!
The best part of watching a Reds game at Riverfront / Crosley was runners starting to steal 2nd base ,stopping because they knew they'd get thrown out , then Bench throwing behind them , picking them off. Sometimes he did it without getting out of the catchers crouch.
Not very many men can make that throw to first in a catcher's crouch!!!
I grew up in the 80’s and heard stories about Bench but never saw him. We didn’t have UA-cam or any way of seeing old videos. Its so cool to watch him
Johnny Bench - simply the GOAT.
Some of the best times of my teen years, listening to Marty and Joe broadcast the big red machine games.
Grew up in Dayton, Ohio and made the trip to Cincy at least three times a season with my Dad during the mid 70's into the 80's. Loved the Big Red Machine. Johnny Bench was my favorite. Got a Johhny Bench glove for Christmas. Loved it. I remember screaming and hollering when Bench tied the 1976 NLCS in the 9th.
1972 in eastern Kentucky my dad let me miss school to watch 72 World Series we lost that’s alright I got my memories
My favorite player of all time. I was lucky to be born during a time that I could watch him play.
Great hitter, Strong arm, Great defense behind the home plate,
one of the best Catchers of all time
The best in my opinion. Thanks for watching my guy!
The best catcher to ever play that position. The world will never see another Johnny Bench,..strong,athletic, and give more to others than himself!
Pudge is the third best clears piazza in my opinion
1:56 to receive the ball 6 feet from the plate and get the tag. He focused on catching the ball first, like a good receiver in football who doesn't try to run before tucking it away. Then lightning quick to the tag
The greatest catcher of all time. #5 Johnny Bench. A Red for his entire career.
I’m a Dominican born and Bench was my idol I played catcher and one of my managers used to call me Bench, that’s the happiest years of the 70 when players love the game, no steroids, no drugs only pure joy for the game.
Johnny Bench and Pete Rose - the 2 greatest players I ever saw. My parents used to take me down to Atlanta every year to see the Braves always when they were playing the Reds, between 1972 and 1980. Those Reds really put on a show. The longest home run I ever saw was hit by Johnny Bench. A low liner they kept rising until it landed in the second deck at Fulton County Stadium.
The GOAT 🐐
Greatest Catcher of all time..And 1976 Big Red Machine greatest team of all time..Gotta love Sparky Anderson when they asked him about Thurman Munson and He said “ he a fine young catcher but like not embarrass anybody by comparing him to Johnny Bench”..Nuff Said G.O.A.T
Exactly the goat catcher
Munson got pissed at Anderson's comment, and when Sparky said later that he sent an apology note, Thurman said he never received it.
The 1976 Reds were so stacked that Bench batted 7th against the Yankees in the World Series. He batted .533/.533/1.133
wow, didn't know that
In 1983 when Johnny Bench retired, there was a special on TV about his career, I remember recording it, but lost the tape years ago, it has to be on UA-cam somewhere, but I can't remember the name of the special. It came on Saturday early evening on NBC I believe, I could be wrong, but I do remembering watching it and recording it, watched it over and over for years.
Johnny revolutionized the catcher's position and what you could expect from a catcher, both defensively and offensively. As Sparky Anderson said, I'd never want to embarrass another catcher by comparing him to Bench.
He was my sports hero, my very favorite player of all time. Best catcher I ever saw in all my years.
Not just the best catcher but the best player in the game at the time
0:28 That solo homer with 1 out in bottom of 9th of deciding Game 5 of 1972 NLCS tied the game vs the defending champion Pirates. One of the greatest clutch home runs in baseball history.
I'm with you there
I remember it well. And Al Michaels call just added to the excitement.
@@esportshighlights2457 There was also his home run in the bottom of the 9th of Game 3 of the 1976 NLCS which also tied the game against the Phillies. Similar to 1972, it led to the pennant-winning rally for the Reds
@@bluesrocker79 Al Michaels just made baseball sound so exciting, the way he has done with the NFL, NBA and the Miracle on Ice. I wish he still covered baseball.
@@Milordvega Not quite as dramatic since it led to a sweep. Probably inevitable Reds still win series if they don't win that game. Also, it was back end of back-to-back homers to tie game with George Foster getting the fireworks started.
Some fans may not realize, but back in Bench's day if the ball arrived first at second on a steal, they were out. I think this was done to help avoid players putting their hands in front of the runner's cleats. So they would be out if they did put their glove in front of the cleats, but they were not required to do so. They called it a phantom tag. The result was the same.
I have his Reds throwback jersey in Red. Johnny Bench is one of my favorite baseball players. I think he was the best catcher of all time. Really humble and down to earth personality.
The greatest catcher of all time and the greatest clutch hitter. He never made it about him rounding the bases. Johnny just did his job with the grace and humility then that no longer exists today. I wish that today's PROFESSIONAL athletes watched these films about how it should be done. Think of what our kids could learn from Johnny and so very many of those players he competed against in that time. These men were humble and didn't seek glory. They allowed their play to speak for itself without all the arrogance.
The Greatest Catcher to ever live😀❤️!
When I was a kid, I was a dyed-in-the-wool Reds fan, even though I grew up in NJ. When I was somewhere around 8-10 years old, I wrote a letter to the Reds to tell them that Johnny Bench was my favorite player. I have no idea how on earth the letter got to them. There's no way I had any particular address for the Reds front office. I probably just mailed it to "Cincinnati". But I know for a fact they got it, because a couple of weeks later I received a B&W photo of Johnny in the mail from the Reds, signed by Johnny himself.
No steroid rumors with THIS guy, I-Rod.
they had plenty of greenies , blackies and reds - make no mistake - the level of morality wasn't any higher in the 70s as it was in the 90s or any other time
Umpires were given front row to lovely expressions in that part of life.
I think it was the '71 playoffs against Pittsburgh. He picked one of the Alou brothers off 1st base. What a cannon!
Must have been 72. Reds weren't in the playoffs in 71.
@@johnlevalley521 yes. I think the Giants won the NL West that year.
@@michaelward9880 Yes. They did.
I was there when he made that throw. Nobody expected it, and Alou stood there stunned.
@@Retiredstatecop Yeah, it was freaking great!
Hated Bench then. Appreciate his greatness today.
My parents would take me to Candlestick Park when l was a boy & in Little League to see the Giants play the Reds & watching the Big Red Machine but l was always focused on #5 Johnny Bench. What an awesome catchef
Most baseball rankings have the 1927 Yankees and the '75 Cincinnati Reds as one and two of the best all-time teams. If you could have had a fantasy World Series matchup, I can't think of a better one to have.
I was there for two of Bench’s biggest home runs. The first was when he broke the then record for catchers in 1980, against Montreal. It was huge because the record had belonged to Yogi Berra. The video doesn’t have this moment.
The second, which is shown at the end of the video, was when hit it out against Houston on Johnny Bench night, which was his last homerun and the last time he played catcher. Before the game, there was a lot of fanfare and when Bench spoke to the crowd, the last thing he said was that, “ I’m gonna try my best to play well for you tonight...”. I believe it was his second at bat when he hit it out. He pulled it down the left field line and it was hooking. Everyone in the third base seats was blocked out and couldn’t tell if it stayed fair. A fan seated next to the foul pole motioned that it was good. The whole place erupted! Riverfront stadium was packed! It was just what you’d expect from JB!
Sorry that the video doesnt have that first moment. Unfortunately MLB really hasnt uploaded a lot of footage from the 70s and 80s. Cool stories though!
that was great to see. Baseball at its finest...
Loved the BIG RED MACHINE! Johnny Bench greatest catcher of all time!😀
Yogi Berra is a close 2nd and pudge is a close 3rd
@@magicjohnson-o4lWhat about Gary Carter? I feel like he gets overshadowed a lot.
God i miss Marty Brennamen! "And this one belongs to the Red's". Ill never forget growing up to that on Summer nights as a kid.
The Big Red Machine!! I remember at the All Star Game, when the National League hit the field all the position players were the Reds! Bench was a clutch hitter, but if he didn't get you... well you had to get thru Perez, Foster, Morgan and that Pete Rose guy!
Johnny made $2 million in his career - can you imagine what his talent would demand in this market?
Johnny was The Man!
bench was strong as a horse but really light on his feet. watching his footwork around the plate was amazing
Yup. He's the best
And his setup and movements around the plate ... they were just so effortless and natural. Johnny Bench was literally born to play catcher. He is the standard that all other catchers are judged by. Undoubtedly the greatest catcher of all times. But then again, he WAS my childhood idol. Tee hee.
Seems like he never let a ball by or a runner steal when I watched him
Simply....THE BEST CATCHER EVER!
I agree!!!
I would take Yogi over Bench every day. Higher BA, just a bit less power just about as good behind the plate and A LOT LESS K's!!!!
kyokogodai bench is so much better
kyokogodai nah bench was better
kyokogodai nah... Johnny bench best season 45 homerun and 148 rbi. That’s just ridiculous
Bench's throw at second to get the A's Bert Campaneris was impressive. Back in the day he was called Campy Campaneris. When I was a kid, I once went to an A's game on helmet day, and I accidentally dropped my helmet into the A's dugout. Campy picked it up, signed it, and handed it back to me. Didn't say anything, but it meant a lot to a little kid. But Johnny Bench was my hero as a kid, it would have meant the world to me to get his autograph. He was just a solid, all-around ball player. No BS.
Excellent!!!!
Not just the greatest player in Reds baseball, but the greatest catcher in baseball, period.
I believe the road in front of the stadium is Pete Rose Way
one of the top 10 ball players of all time
The greatest catcher of all time and a gentleman. #5
Johnny use to be my idol when I was young. My dad and I went to see him in Phila. My dad and I were at the stadium very early and saw him take batting practice. When he walked by us,my dad yelled to him, hey Johnny. I wanted just an autograph, he looked up at us and kept walking. Johnny, you broke my heart.
He was one of my favorite players when I was a kid.
Awesome player for sure. Thanks for watching a consider subscribing!
Time passes. Johnny Bench is still the standard of a moral, loving man, and awesome baseball player. He will never or should be never compared to another man when it compares to guts behind the plate. Never!
#5......enough said!
@@clockworkorange5588 moral lol. he was very notoriously cocky
My dad took the whole family to watch a Reds game when I was nine or ten . We were about six rows back over the first base dugout . Johnny Bench hit three home runs in a row , and then in his fourth at bat , he got thrown out going for second . So , he had three home runs and a single ! it was all anybody could talk about , and we were at the game ! I cannot find it anywhere on here ! It happened ; We were there ; It was awesome ! Why in the world can't I find it on You Tube ! I'm pissed !
The game you're thinking of is July 26th 1970, when Bench took Steve Carlton deep three times. Hope this helps!
I got his jersey as a present and had no clue who he was, this video makes me look at that jersey different. Bench was a beast
I can promise you that BENCH was AMAZING to watch in the 1970s
when you think catcher...the way he ran the team from the plate, along with his hitting prowess..not too many come to mind...Berra yes because he was on so many winnners in the day...but JB was a thinking mans catcher...he represents baseball in the finest fashion. ya gotta love the guy.
I wasn't old enough to see Bench play so want to watch what he was all about. Pretty remarkable how he could elevate the ball and muscle it over the fence while reaching for it. Also, helluva arm.
No one blocked the plate like he did..hardly ever a wild pitch got past him either..and gunning down runners @ 2nd? Gtfo !
Johnny Bench. The picture of an American baseball player.
I agree. Thanks for watching the video! Subscribing would be a huge help
Flip Arrachi stfu
Flip Arrachi - where did you learn grammar ?🤣🤣🤣
@Flip Arrachi Because he was the best and most fundamentally sound catcher of all time maybe. Easiest way to avoid a plate collision is to catch the way Johnny did. Stay right along the line instead of inside the line and tag with your whole body, not just your hand.
@Flip Arrachi lmao your just bored
Bench throwing to Morgan. Great combo.
The greatest catcher of all time, and my favorite baseball player of all time!
The gold standard to which every catcher is measured. Sparky Anderson had it right when he said "I wouldn't embarrass any catcher by comparing him to Johnny Bench".
Greatest catcher ever ❤
Hands down the greatest Catcher I ever saw, and most likely the greatest ever ( I'd put Ivan Rodriguez right behind him ) If not for Cancer surgery that robbed him of some of his raw power in 1973, he may have held the HR record, he hit 45 HR's in 1970, 40 in 1972, never hit 40 again after the surgery. Reds Mgr. Sparky Anderson once said that if Bench were a selfish player he could have changed his stroke and won multiple batting titles...but he knew the Reds needed him as a Power / RBI guy. He also made the single greatest play I have ever seen a Catcher make ( can't believe it's not on this list ) I was watching the game...Reds vs. Cubs at Wrigley, which at the time had a HUGE area from Home Plate to the backstop. Bobby Murcer is on 1st, 1 out. The Batter fouls one back toward the screen, Bench flips off the mask and gives chase. At the last second he jumps into the screen catching his right foot in the mesh and catching the pop up before it got into the screen. Murcer figuring Bench A. has his back to him...and B. Has to make a VERY long throw...tags up. In one motion Bench catches the pop up pivots around using the right foot to push off against the back wall and fires an ABSOLUTE PEA to 2nd getting Murcer by TEN FEET ! The look on Murcer's face was PRICELESS !
Pudge is the three greatest Puerto Rican player ever too
@@magicjohnson-o4l Pudge was amazing....he's the only one who is CLOSE to Bench defensively ! Carter was good, the other "Pudge" Fisk was VERY good, I never saw Campanella....but of the Catchers I've seen...Bench and Pudge Rodriguez are on another level defensively !
I just went to Fenway this week, first game there, I’m a Reds fan and all the Boston fans loved talking about the Big Ted Machine (Rose, Bench, Morgan etc.), great fans there.
Nice to here! I'm a Sox fan myslef. Consider subscribing and thanks for watching!
Also if you wanna talk some baseball here I'm cool with that
That’s Class 👍🏻
Fenway is the coolest place I’ve ever been to watch a ballgame. And the Boston fans are, IMHO, the most passionate, well informed I’ve ever seen...
Ted??? dumbass
I saw JB hit a linedrive off the centerfield wall at Busch Stadium.Will never forget that .
Awesome!
@@esportshighlights2457 Bench could stand at home plate and throw a ball over the center field wall.
I saw him hit a line drive home run in the Astrodome that ended up in the upper deck down the left field line..people just gasped..
I saw both Pudge and Bench play. Top two catchers of all time. I guess I'm getting old. 😉😫😄
Your opinion top 3 for pudge Johnny bench is definitely the goat
When baseball was about the game and not the money.
That last one vs the Astros happened when I was in the 6th grade. Our entire safety patrol got tickets to the game. It was a blustery cool day and the Astros had the Reds down 9-0 and so the guy who drove us to the game in his van wanted to leave and we missed the comeback.
Great catcher.
Thee GOAT.
I was not a fan of the Reds or Bench but the Reds were a great team and Bench is the greatest catcher of all-time.
Wow gotta love people who still tell it like it is and fewer and fewer are telling it in the World today like they know..Lying has been accepted..and that’s why we have all these problems..Thanks for being one with honesty.
@@chrisslaughter5552 Bench was a dominant catcher and the best I've ever seen.
Glad this happened in my city.
Bench's 1970 season was possibly the best ever by a catcher. The only other was maybe Campanella in 1953. Bench was my hero as a kid.
Bench had a howitzer for an arm.
After Mickey Mantle the second baseball player to be as famous as a rock star
Best catcher ever right there !!!
That was great thanks.
Any videos of his Gold glove catches?
GOD, Blessed J.B.
& yoRR outta THEIR.
As a young boy I played little league baseball and was a catcher And going to Reds games he became my idol I even raised my face mask to spit like him
The best catcher in the history of baseball, and I'm a Yankees fan. The very closest to Johnny were Yogi Berra, Thurman Munson and Carlton Fisk.
And pudge wtf
bench was the best catcher period,... he revolutionalized catching and was a really good hitter,...what would he be worth in todays money???? how many players today got a 300million contract, ... what would bench be worth??? 750 million??
Yes, the 🐐
My school is rivals with johnny’s home town, and I play at his park every year
Bench and Fisk were the best of their time
Fisk no
Stuck with the reds his whole career even after winning the World Series mvp. You don’t see that anymore
Those were the days