Johnny (Lee) Bench - Slander

Baseball player, born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA. Playing in the National League with the Cincinnati Reds, he was the outstanding catcher of the 1970s. He hit 389 home runs, a record 327 as a catcher, and led the league three times in five years for runs batted in. He was twice the National League's Most Valuable Player.

Johnny Bench

Personal Info
Birth	December 7, 1947, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Professional Career
Debut	August 28, 1967, Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies, Crosley Field
Team(s)	Cincinnati Reds (1967 - 1983)
HOF induction:	1989
Career Highlights
1968 National League Rookie of the Year 10 Gold Gloves (1968-1977) National League MVP 1970 and 1972 All-Star team 14 times (1968-1980, 1983) Lou Gehrig Award (1975) 1976 World Series MVP Babe Ruth Award (1976) Hutch Award (1981)

John Lee Bench (born December 7, 1947 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), is a former baseball player for the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 to 1983, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest catchers in Major League Baseball history.

Bench was a key member of the Reds' 1975 and 1976 World Series championship teams known as "The Big Red Machine"'.

Bench was a standout basketball player for Binger High School, in the small Western Oklahoma town of Binger, in addition to his baseball talents.

In addition to being an outstanding fielder, Bench was also a great hitter.

Although baseball history is filled with many outstanding catchers, such as Yogi Berra and Mickey Cochrane, arguably, no player revolutionized the position like Johnny Bench. His use of the hinged catcher's mitt, which many thought was a gimmick when he first used one (after injuring his throwing hand, Bench had a custom hinged mitt made to replace the traditional rigid trapper-style mitt, which allowed him to tuck his throwing arm safely to the side), became standard equipment within a few years. Bench's one handed catching style soon became a commonplace throughout baseball, both professional and amateur.

However, by 1978, the years behind the plate began taking their toll on Bench's knees, a common ailment for catchers, and for the last three years of his career, he played mostly third base or first base with the occasional start in the outfield while catching only 13 games.

Bench was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York in 1989, appearing on 96% of the ballots — the third-highest ever.

In 1999, he ranked Number 16 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, the highest-ranking catcher, and was elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.

Starting with the 2000 college baseball season, the best collegiate catcher annually receives the Johnny Bench Award.

In his post-playing career, Bench has broadcast games on television and radio and is an avid golfer.

Slander

In a not too subtle article printed in the New York Post during Bench's playing days, a New York sportswriter made thinly veiled accusations about Bench's sexuality. In a nutshell, the article implied that Bench was a homosexual, but in a way as to be derogatory to Bench's character (the writer's style indicated a homophobic mindset).

Bench has refused to ever address the issue, as he views it as beneath him to answer such callous and snide remarks. Most mentions of Bench's career do not touch upon the article, but, if they do, often do not discuss the homosexual references and merely say that the writer was throwing cheap shots at Bench.

Bench recently welcomed a newborn baby son, Justin Palmer Bench, with his wife Lauren Bench (daughter of the South African golfer Hugh Baiocchi).