Johnny Bench was raised in Oklahoma. An outstanding baseball player, he survived a bus accident in high school that killed one of his teammates. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds and in 1967 was named National League "Rookie of the Year." A two-time National League MVP, he is considered by many to be the best "all around" catcher in baseball history. Later in his career Johnny was troubled by bad knees and became the Reds' third baseman in 1982. He retired from baseball following the 1983 season. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility (1988). An avid golfer, Johnny spends a lot of his free time on the golf course. He has competed in some events on the Senior PGA Tour. Show less «