Vital Statistics:
Born: Dec. 7, 1947 in Oklahoma City
Teams: Cincinnati Reds (1967-83)
Inducted into Hall of Fame: 1989
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Primary position: Catcher
Career Highlights:
- Elected in his first year of eligibility in 1989 on 96 percent of the ballots, Bench was considered one of the best hitting catchers in major-league history and perhaps the best defensively, with a strong arm.
- Won 10 Gold Gloves, two National League MVP awards and was named to the NL All-Star team 14 times. He was the 1968 NL Rookie of the Year
- Hit 289 career home runs and led the NL in RBI three times.
- A key component in the Big Red Machine teams in Cincinnati that won the 1975 and 1976 World Series.
After Baseball:
- Has worked as a broadcaster and has played in several pro golf events on the Champions Tour.
- Also works as a motivational speaker and makes appearances across the country.
