Shawn, That was because Bench was really good at baseball when he was a teenager. A university degree does not guarantee success for an individual but as a group, the % is much higher for the educated group vs the uneducated one. Besides, Johnny Bench did not become a bum for not going to school. He joined the minor league and had to learn to deal with people. Bench attained his people skills just like all of us did. I am sure he had bad experiences in dealing with some people and Bench probably managed that very well.
My childhood sports hero. I wanted to be a catcher with my Johnny Bench autographed catcher's mitt, and I loved the Big Red Machine. He came to Riyadh with Bob Hope and did a Christmas show when I was in Desert Shield/Storm. An absolute legend in all respects.
What a great squad those Reds teams were that Bench, Rose, Morgan, Perez, Conception, Foster, and the ton of guys that were role players that could all play.
people that "can't" set thru a live game....don't go! its part of the game...absolutely love knowing and watching MLB live....nothing better...J Bench is the frickin man here in oklahoma...NEVER forgot where he came from....love it!
I am glad i found this...i liked Bench and followed him throughout his career...and now i am still a baseball fan...an old man...but listening to him talk...you would think some team would have him as an adviser of sorts...he is so knowledgeable...
If you get any offensive output from your catcher , its a bonus . Hes gotta bat with sore hands half the time , tired knees from squatting , not to mention all the stuff hes gotta sort out in his head during a ballgame .And Bench was the best defensive catcher in the league , by a lot . .And still Johnny bench drove in more runs than any other baseball player in the 1970s. That is amazing . Especially considering that the guy who usually hit right before or after him in the lineup , Tony Perez , was 2nd in the decade of the 70s in total RBIs.
gdub454 Hey there..check out Buster Onley's "call to a legend"...same topics discussed...much more from your favorite baseball generation. You will like
No. You can't be the best ever and never hit over 300. in a season. Ivan did it 10 times and don't get me started defensively. JB was good but people always overrate him big time. Ivan is the goat look it up!
My start with baseball happened when I was about 4. I grew with and loved the game. One of the most memorable days of my life was box seats at Shea stadium where To Seaver was visiting with what was left of the big red machine. I saw Bench all game. Joe Morgan's elbow pump. Dave Conepcion. And Seaver staring everyone down. No team can replace the pre-free agency era players for the feeling of unity. It took many years to get used to not having the core players. That is something baseball and the fans lost.
I think when you have a legend like Bench on your show, yeah, you just kinda let him run your show lol...what a treasure, all those stories from the golden years of baseball...
The one thing missing from the Reggie blast in the retelling is that the wind was blowing out and 20 30 miles per hour that night. UA-cam had a replay of that game and all during the broadcast the announcers noted the wind issue.
I cannot imagine a team with HOF players nowadays asking those players, "Who do you like?" when looking at new players. Amazing that Sparky Anderson did that.
He doesn't want to. He's got a couple young boys and he's a full-time stay-at-home dad. But I agree, when he was on television he was great and I'm sure still would be.
One of my idiols as a catcher. He and Pudge and Thurman... what's evident in this interview is the passion Johhny still has for the game itself. He made catching look easy. It's not. Great seeing Johnny. I remember long ago Casey Stengel was talking to Sparky Anderson. And basically said you'll never find anyone better than that young kid you've got. The ol professor knew then how great Johnny Bench was. Ted Williams had him pegged as a certain hall of famer.
I think it's the toughest gig in professional sports catchers are underappreciated . playing with tired knees from squatting, trying to hit with your hands banged up . Not to mention all the things you have to sort out in your head. You got to be involved in every single play
As a kid living near Cincinnati in the mid 70's, I wanted a Johnny Bench baseball card so bad. All I kept getting was Bill Plumber. Plumber did hit around .300, but only about 50 ab's a year.
Haha I had JB Batter Up...never fully got it to work right...you needed to cement it down to make it really work well...and I didnt have cement as a kid lol!
Johnny your one of the best catchers ever but stand up for pete rose to be in HOF now " hes paid the price and pete needs and desevers to be in " theres players that have cheated and used steroids and are in , to me thats worse the gambling after you have played.
rich 60 some odd genders eisen watch the interview with reggie jackson and when jackson says there are 60 some odd genders rich eisen says uh uh doesn't even flinch wtf
MLB needs to get rid of that stupid rule that a relief pitcher has to face at least 3 batters, it takes away the chess game between managers and makes the starters outing much shorter.
Smart fella that Johnny, but a bit too much of that "back in my day, we walked two miles to school uphill both ways in snowstorms and with a fifty pound backpack, and we didn't complain" attitude. As for the segment discussing the Buster Posey Rule, Pete Rose and Ray Fosse... after getting banged up terribly in a home plate collision, Carlton Fisk developed a "sideways sweep" technique that proved to be much safer and very efficient at least for him, so what happened to it, not used anymore?
That's why I can't sit through a live baseball game. Because they take way too long to throw the next pitch. I think if they cut that back the game would have a better pace to it. My solution is I record the games so I can fast forward through the bs.
Always taking the first pitch. Moving closer to third base in the later innings to avoid the extra base hit (because extra base hits in the early innings don't count). Bunting. Not caring if pitchers can't hit. All the wonderful nonsense of baseball.
I can listen to these 1960's to 80's baseball legends talk baseball all day.
i was just about to write that exact same thing Bench is so knowledgable. He should be a skipper now. class all the way.
I can listen to Johnny all day..all year long
Me to
I wish these legends never grew old because I really do miss The Big Red Machine!
Love Johnny Bench man, I could listen to him talk all day. Man is a baseball genius!
I love listening to Johnny Bench. Great story teller discussing that last bit of baseball's golden era.
Johnny Bench is a testament to the fact that you don't always need college, to be intelligent and/or successful...
but you do need to be a Hall of Fame athlete to open up opportunities.
Shawn,
That was because Bench was really good at baseball when he was a teenager. A university degree does not guarantee success for an individual but as a group, the % is much higher for the educated group vs the uneducated one. Besides, Johnny Bench did not become a bum for not going to school. He joined the minor league and had to learn to deal with people. Bench attained his people skills just like all of us did. I am sure he had bad experiences in dealing with some people and Bench probably managed that very well.
thank you Mr. Bench for being such a great baseball ambassador through the years
My childhood sports hero. I wanted to be a catcher with my Johnny Bench autographed catcher's mitt, and I loved the Big Red Machine. He came to Riyadh with Bob Hope and did a Christmas show when I was in Desert Shield/Storm. An absolute legend in all respects.
What a great squad those Reds teams were that Bench, Rose, Morgan, Perez, Conception, Foster, and the ton of guys that were role players that could all play.
people that "can't" set thru a live game....don't go! its part of the game...absolutely love knowing and watching MLB live....nothing better...J Bench is the frickin man here in oklahoma...NEVER forgot where he came from....love it!
best catcher ever.... he was also a great color commentator
Johnny Bench is always a great interview.
I am glad i found this...i liked Bench and followed him throughout his career...and now i am still a baseball fan...an old man...but listening to him talk...you would think some team would have him as an adviser of sorts...he is so knowledgeable...
If you get any offensive output from your catcher , its a bonus . Hes gotta bat with sore hands half the time , tired knees from squatting , not to mention all the stuff hes gotta sort out in his head during a ballgame .And Bench was the best defensive catcher in the league , by a lot . .And still Johnny bench drove in more runs than any other baseball player in the 1970s. That is amazing . Especially considering that the guy who usually hit right before or after him in the lineup , Tony Perez , was 2nd in the decade of the 70s in total RBIs.
Johnny Bench is a class professional who played the game with intelligence and passion.
This was just great listening to John Bench talkin old school baseball from the best generation of baseball mid 70's -80's...
gdub454 Hey there..check out Buster Onley's "call to a legend"...same topics discussed...much more from your favorite baseball generation. You will like
Cool..I'll give it a day in court and check out..))
Classic teams like the Reds and A s, Dodgers and Yankees
Best catcher ever. And a likable person.
Baseball Catcher GOAT! And a great man to boot.
No. You can't be the best ever and never hit over 300. in a season. Ivan did it 10 times and don't get me started defensively. JB was good but people always overrate him big time. Ivan is the goat look it up!
My start with baseball happened when I was about 4. I grew with and loved the game. One of the most memorable days of my life was box seats at Shea stadium where To Seaver was visiting with what was left of the big red machine. I saw Bench all game. Joe Morgan's elbow pump. Dave Conepcion. And Seaver staring everyone down.
No team can replace the pre-free agency era players for the feeling of unity. It took many years to get used to not having the core players. That is something baseball and the fans lost.
Great podcast love Johnny bench Detroit tigers and the big red machine got me through the 70s
Forever grateful for The Baseball Bunch. Love that show as a kid.
Love hearing Bench talk baseball, could listen all day
People may not remember this but Johnny had his own variety TV show back in the day and it was a good show.
Razz Matazz I remember it well 'the baseball bunch ' You're right it was a good show. Bench is a natural on TV
Is Krylon paint still around?
I think when you have a legend like Bench on your show, yeah, you just kinda let him run your show lol...what a treasure, all those stories from the golden years of baseball...
I Love how Johny is always reppen
The Reds, from his same red shirt & fit to match his hat.
Best catcher ever !!!
basic defense Yeah, you are prolly correct...those who would disagree with you would probably have him in the Top 3 at least...but I agree with you!
@@845callaway those who disagree probably never watched Johnny Bench play
No. Jake Gibbs.
33 HOF’s at one all star game. Wow! Now days you’re looking at a handful in any particular year.
1971 at my beloved Tiger Stadium in Detroit. The greatest all-star game ever. I was 9.
Look at the rosters, found "only" 22
And 1 (Pete Rose) that should be a Hall of Famer
And Pete Rose
i love these stories from when i was growing up in the 70's and 80's.
love bench. i played catcher because of him!!
So intelligent, and I remember Sparky called him, the "Little General".
The really good catchers are like having the manager on the field.
Joe Morgan was the Little General.
The one thing missing from the Reggie blast in the retelling is that the wind was blowing out and 20 30 miles per hour that night. UA-cam had a replay of that game and all during the broadcast the announcers noted the wind issue.
I cannot imagine a team with HOF players nowadays asking those players, "Who do you like?" when looking at new players. Amazing that Sparky Anderson did that.
Yes!!! I loved Jim Maloney
Good gravy, give the hall of fame-er a drink.... I want to listen to more stories! Great stuff.
Johnny Bench is the best catcher I ever saw play
Johnny Bench. Rock it out!
Bench rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why isn't he on television all the time? He was a huge star, a great player and fun to listen to. I don't get it.
He doesn't want to. He's got a couple young boys and he's a full-time stay-at-home dad. But I agree, when he was on television he was great and I'm sure still would be.
Love listening to Johnny Bench talk baseball , hated him killing my Phillies though .
I agree that the game shouldn't be shortened.
Went thru the '71 AS rosters, counted 22 famers not 33
Lol i got the same hat as Johnny Bench and I was wearing it when I got his autograph Sunday.
One of my idiols as a catcher. He and Pudge and Thurman... what's evident in this interview is the passion Johhny still has for the game itself. He made catching look easy. It's not. Great seeing Johnny. I remember long ago Casey Stengel was talking to Sparky Anderson. And basically said you'll never find anyone better than that young kid you've got. The ol professor knew then how great Johnny Bench was. Ted Williams had him pegged as a certain hall of famer.
I think it's the toughest gig in professional sports catchers are underappreciated . playing with tired knees from squatting, trying to hit with your hands banged up . Not to mention all the things you have to sort out in your head. You got to be involved in every single play
As a kid living near Cincinnati in the mid 70's, I wanted a Johnny Bench baseball card so bad. All I kept getting was Bill Plumber. Plumber did hit around .300, but only about 50 ab's a year.
Any relation to Joe the plumber ? Bill Plummer, his namesake in
MLB ?
Aventually we will get stronger but it'll take a lot longer than 50 or 100 years
Haha I had JB Batter Up...never fully got it to work right...you needed to cement it down to make it really work well...and I didnt have cement as a kid lol!
I wanted one so bad, my dad never got it for me.
Clemente hit a homer in the upper deck that night in Detroit
Good story teller the mick was good too ahh those sooner boys
Can't imagine " the Babe " needed a note book and 3 ring binders. Drink a beer , eat a couple of hotdogs and step to the plate.
WOW! 33 Hall of famers in one game. Anyone out there that was at that game. Please let me know.
22
Just wanted to throw out that Jim Maloney threw about 40 career major league innings after his 30th birthday, so maybe the pitch level had an impact.
I hated the Reds. Johnny Bench is a brilliant observer of the game. I could listen to him talk for hours. Listen to what he says.
GO REDS
Nobody gets stronger and faster. Technology gets better.
Correction... people get stronger and fasted because of technology.
I can watch little league and high school. I just can't seem to sit through an mlb game.
I watch every single pitch and love it
Johnny your one of the best catchers ever but stand up for pete rose to be in HOF now " hes paid the price and pete needs and desevers to be in " theres players that have cheated and used steroids and are in , to me thats worse the gambling after you have played.
I’m with Mr. Bench on this one: no.
Basic defence: I said that to my dad, he laughed his ass off!
rich 60 some odd genders eisen watch the interview with reggie jackson and when jackson says there are 60 some odd genders rich eisen says uh uh doesn't even flinch wtf
Give this man a steak . . . .
The greatest catcher to ever play the game, no other catcher even comes close.
MLB needs to get rid of that stupid rule that a relief pitcher has to face at least 3 batters, it takes away the chess game between managers and makes the starters outing much shorter.
Smart fella that Johnny, but a bit too much of that "back in my day, we walked two miles to school uphill both ways in snowstorms and with a fifty pound backpack, and we didn't complain" attitude.
As for the segment discussing the Buster Posey Rule, Pete Rose and Ray Fosse... after getting banged up terribly in a home plate collision, Carlton Fisk developed a "sideways sweep" technique that proved to be much safer and very efficient at least for him, so what happened to it, not used anymore?
No, it's all true. Pitch count would have been a joke back then.
That's why I can't sit through a live baseball game. Because they take way too long to throw the next pitch. I think if they cut that back the game would have a better pace to it. My solution is I record the games so I can fast forward through the bs.
Johnny Bench says he is the goat of MLB and Carlton Fisk is second???
Did he ever look at Yogi’s LIfetime stats.
No one better
Delusional nuff said.
OMG Rich is in blackface on his logo!
Always taking the first pitch. Moving closer to third base in the later innings to avoid the extra base hit (because extra base hits in the early innings don't count). Bunting. Not caring if pitchers can't hit. All the wonderful nonsense of baseball.
He's jealous of pete
firebird_SPLEEN no he’s not he’s better than pete
He’s still pissed at Pete. A lot of people are.
How could anyone be? I'm not.
I used to drive by his house outside Xenia headed north allot. Always thinking great catcher. But word gets around. I heard many X's he is a jerk.