Johnny Bench, the greatest catcher ever, talks collecting, signing autographs and his favorite baseball cards
The accolades for catcher Johnny Bench, who played his entire career with the Cincinnati Reds (1967-83), pile up like RBI during his heyday.
• National League Rookie of the Year (1968).
• Two-time NL MVP (1970, ’72).
• Two-time World Series champion (1975, ’76).
• 10-time Gold Glove catcher.
• 14-time All-Star.
• 1989 Hall of Fame induction.
Oh, and a member of the Major League Baseball All-Time Team.
Many consider Bench, who wore #5 his whole career with the Reds, the #1 all-around catcher in MLB history.
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Wherever Bench ranks on the “Mount Rushmore of Catchers,” his name normally appears at the top of that discussion.
Perhaps his longtime manager and fellow Hall of Famer, Sparky Anderson, said it best: “I don’t want to embarrass any other catcher by comparing him to Johnny Bench.”
SCD contributor Doug Koztoski visited with Bench, now 77, at the spring 2025 Chantilly Show (CSAshows.com) in Northern Virginia. The baseball legend, a regular on the autograph circuit, signed a variety of mail-order items after meeting a long line of fans in the autograph pavilion at the Dulles Expo Center.
SCD: Did you collect sports cards as a kid?
I had the bubble gum; I chewed the gum, that’s mostly what I did. We had cards and I have no idea what happened to them. We were in Binger, a small town in Oklahoma, and I think we probably put them in the bicycle spokes like everybody—we thought it was cool. I really didn’t have the money to buy anything; I was pulling cotton for 2 cents a pound. So I was not really collecting cards.
And the Reds, basically uniforms and everything else, the last day of the season, we had two uniforms and they would already have the one packed [and ready to ship], and as you took off the other uniform after the game, it was gone. It was heading to spring training.
Did you save anything from your career?
Well, back in those days, even the catcher’s mitts, I gave some to people. I had one guy at an autograph show say, ‘Here, I have two of your gloves.’ And I said, ‘What?’ And I didn’t even have one of my own gloves soon after retirement.
You know what player did collect cards? Gary Carter [MLB Hall of Fame catcher, mainly with the Montreal Expos and New York Mets from 1974-92]. I was always envious of him (he laughs), because each year Gary got the full set of Topps Baseball cards and I went to his house—in fact I almost bought his house down in Florida—and as they showed me the place and they were showing me everything—I’ve known their kids and Gary forever—he had two rooms of boxes of cards and memorabilia. It was like, here I am never collecting anything. I had some old jocks, but I don’t know if that counts (laughs). That was all that was left over, that was all that they let me keep in Cincinnati.
What are some of the more unusual items you have signed over the years?
Some of the new product, it’s amazing some of the new product they keep coming out with that I haven’t seen—it’s a million things. Today I probably saw 10 things I haven’t seen before.
What is the most unusual item you signed today at Chantilly?
It was actually a picture of the Big Red Machine and somebody had made a collage, and it was so unique. Now with the 50th reunion coming up [of the 1975 World Series Champion team] I’ve been working with some people in Cincinnati to create a new product that would include both teams [1975 and 1976 World Series champions]. I’m looking to get something for each player, I’m not worried about myself.
(While speaking with Bench, the Hall of Famer signed several items, including bats and cards, but the most unusual item was a red seat back, perhaps from Riverfront Stadium, the Reds’ home park during much of his career).
What do you enjoy most about autograph shows?
The people. I’m meeting all these people and they love it. People have always said I do such a good job at these shows, and I shake hands with everybody, I talk with them. They are really taking the time out of their schedule to come and see us and they are still collecting.
I had a 7-year old boy write a letter to me saying I was the best. It’s really cool you can span so many generations. I get to see the other players, too. I met Micah Parsons [Dallas Cowboys four-time Pro Bowl LB] today, and it was really cool, plus I met some other players. It’s meeting athletes that you would think they would not possibly know who you are. And it’s just the coolest thing to make some new friends and acquaintances and share my experiences with them, and I am a big fan of these young athletes. I took a picture with Micah today and he had a torpedo bat.
I see you are signing some of your cards as we speak. What Photo Day memories do you have from your career?
There was a Topps photographer we worked with at the time; we always called him ‘Mac’ [likely Doug McWilliams, who worked for Topps from the early-1970s through the mid-90s]; and Sy Berger was the head of Topps, it was great working with them.
What are your two or three favorite cards from your career?
The rookie card [1968 Topps #247 Reds Rookie Stars, shared with pitching prospect Ron Tompkins] is always the one; it’s the first card of yourself you ever saw.
Mac [the Topps photographer] would come down and take pictures every year. There’s one with me squatting behind home plate in the bullpen at Al Lopez Field in Tampa, Fla. [perhaps 1969 card #95]. So it was the coolest thing to think, ‘Man, I was actually on a baseball card.’ I’m 19-years old and they are taking pictures of me. And the next year you’re 20 and in the major leagues. Some great memories.
STRONG BENCH
Recent auction results for Johnny Bench items.
• 1974 Topps Deckle Edge #71 (PSA 8) $4,600
• 1968 Topps #247 (PSA 8.5) $2,062
• 1968 Topps #247 (PSA 8) $1,377-$1,980
• 1969 Topps #95 (PSA 8) $760-$1,050
• 1970 Topps #660 (PSA 8) $565
• 1989 MLB All-Star Game single-signed baseball (Beckett) $75
• 1971 Topps wax pack insert coin #149 (PSA 5) $50
• 1976 Topps #300 (SGC 7.5) $48
• 1972 7-Eleven Slurpee Cup (EX) $8-$10
• 1970 Topps wax pack insert poster #11 (EX) $8
5 MORE FAVORITES
1971 TOPPS NL HOME RUN LEADERS #66
1972 TOPPS JOHNNY BENCH IN ACTION #434
1973 TOPPS JOHNNY BENCH #380
1976 TOPPS JOHNNY BENCH #300
1977 TOPPS WORLD SERIES GAMES 3 & 4 #412
— Doug Koztoski is a frequent SCD contributor. He can be reached at dkoz3000@gmail.com.