Johnny Bench

Birth Name:

Johnny Lee Bench

Birth Place:

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States

Profession

Actor

Set an endurance record in 1980 by catching in 100 or more games in 13 consecutive seasons
Was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in January 1989
Is a supporter of several non-profit organizations, including the American Cancer Society, and founded the Johnny Bench Scholarship Fund to help college students in the Cincinnati area
Dreamed of becoming a major league baseball player as a child, and under his father's guidance, trained to be a catcher
Was signed to the Cincinnati Reds during the amateur draft in 1965 and spent two season in the minor league before joining the team's Major League roster in 1968
Since retiring from baseball, he has worked as a sportscaster for CBS Radio and has made several appearances on ESPN and Fox Sports
Best known as a former professional baseball catcher for the Cincinnati Reds
Started playing professional gold in the 1990s on the Senior PGA Tour and the Champions Tour
A fan of baseball cards as a child, he continued collecting them as an adult
Was the first backstop in baseball to wear a helmet while he was behind the plate

Fast Facts