Johnny Bench

Johnny Bench is widely regarded as the greatest catcher in the history of baseball — a Baseball Hall of Famer inducted in 1989 who led Cincinnati’s legendary Big Red Machine to two World Series championships and four National League pennants during the 1970s while rewriting the standards for what it means to play the position. A two-time National League MVP 14-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner Bench hit 389 home runs and was named to MLB’s All-Century Team — one of only a handful of players in history to earn that honor. Beyond the diamond Bench has dedicated decades to philanthropy including serving as National Chairman of Athletes vs. Cancer and establishing the Johnny Bench Scholarship Fund delivering on stage the same intensity and presence that made him baseball’s most dominant force for nearly two decades.

Sports broadcaster, author, philanthropist, and Emmy Award winner–not to mention one of the greatest Major League Baseball catcher in history–Johnny Bench is a symbol of winning through hard work and teamwork. He signed with the Cincinnati Reds in the 1965 draft and made the major league roster the next year. However, Bench is much more than just a ballplayer. This MVP continues to use his celebrity status to reach out to his community. Among the charitable organizations he supports are the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Association, the Kidney Foundation, the Cincinnati Symphony, the Museum of Science and Industry, and his own Johnny Bench Scholarship Fund, which aids Cincinnati-area college students.

Bench’s honors include his election into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989, being named the National League Rookie of the Year (1968), being a 14-time All-Star, and winner of ten Gold Gloves. Also, Bench was named the 16th greatest player of all time by the Sporting News in 1998.

In addition to making regular appearances on ESPN and FOX Sports and hosting his daily in-season radio show on the Reds Radio Network, Bench has sung with the Cincinnati Pops, authored books, and hosted the Emmy-Award winning instructional show, The Baseball Bunch.

The Vowels of Success

Celebrity speaker Johnny Bench discusses what is necessary to be successful in anything you may desire or want to achieve. With methods for success represented by the five vowels, Bench shows that it is as easy as the ABC’s to succeed at individual and group goals.