Johnny Lee Bench (born December 7, 1947 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) is a former professional baseball catcher who played in the Major Leagues for the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 to 1983 and is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Bench, a 14-time All-Star selection and a two-time National League Most Valuable Player, was the best offensive and defensive catcher of the 1970s, and was a key member of The Big Red Machine, which won six division titles, four National League pennants, and two World Series championships. ESPN has called him the greatest catcher in baseball history.

A Native American (one-eighth Choctaw), Johnny Bench played baseball and basketball and was class valedictorian at Binger High School in Binger, Oklahoma. His father told him that he felt that the fastest route to becoming a major leaguer was as a catcher. Bench was drafted 36th overall by the Cincinnati Reds in the second round of the 1965 amateur draft, playing for the minor-league Buffalo Bisons in the 1966 and 1967 seasons before being called up to the Reds in August 1967. He hit only .163, but impressed many with his defense and strong throwing arm. Among them: Hall of Famer Ted Williams. Williams signed a baseball for him which predicted that the young catcher would be "A Hall of Famer for sure!" Williams' prediction eventually became fact with Johnny Bench's election to the Hall of Fame in 1989.

During a spring training game in 1968, Bench was catching the eight-year veteran right-hander Jim Maloney. Once a noted hard thrower, injuries had reduced Maloney's fastball's speed dramatically by this time. However, Maloney insisted on repeatedly "shaking off" his younger catcher and throwing the fastball instead of the breaking balls Bench called for. An exasperated Bench bluntly told Maloney, "Your fastball's not popping". Maloney replied with an epithet. To prove to Maloney that his fastball wasn't effective anymore, Bench called for a fastball, and after Maloney released the ball, Bench dropped his catcher's mitt and comfortably caught the fastball barehanded. Bench was the Reds' catcher on April 30, 1969 when Maloney pitched a no hitter against the Houston Astros.

Bench won the 1968 National League Rookie of the Year Award, batting .275 with 15 home runs and 82 RBIs, marking the first time the award had been won by a catcher. He also won the 1968 National League Gold Glove Award for catchers, marking the first time the award had been won by a rookie. His 102 assists in 1968 marked the first time in 23 years that a catcher had more than 100 assists in a season. 1970 was Bench's finest statistical season; he became the youngest man to win the National League Most Valuable Player Award, hit .293, led the National League with 45 home runs and 148 Runs batted in, and helped the Reds win the National League West Division. The Reds swept the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1970 National League Championship Series, but lost to the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series.

Bench had another strong year in 1972, again winning the Most Valuable Player Award and leading the National League in home runs (40) and RBIs (125), to help propel the Reds to another National League West Division title, and a five game victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1972 National League Championship Series. One of his most dramatic home runs[citation needed] was likely his ninth-inning, lead off, opposite field home run in the final game of the 1972 National League Championship Series. The solo shot tied the game 3-3, in a game the Reds went on to win later in the inning on a wild pitch, 4-3. It was hailed after the game as "one of the great clutch home runs of all time." However, the Reds would lose in the World Series to a strong Oakland Athletics team in seven games.

The Reds once again won the National League West Division in 1973, with Bench producing another hundred-plus RBI season, however they faltered in the 1973 National League Championship Series, and were upset by the statistically weaker New York Mets team. In 1974, Bench led the league with 129 RBI and scored 108 runs, becoming only the fourth catcher in major league history with 100 or more runs and RBI in the same season. By 1975, the Reds were at the peak of their powers and became known as the "Big Red Machine", with Bench contributing 28 home runs and 110 RBIs. The Reds swept the Pirates in three games to win the 1975 National League Championship Series, and defeated the Boston Red Sox in a memorable seven game World Series.

Bench had one of his worst years in 1976, hitting only 16 home runs and 74 RBIs, however, he recovered in the 1976 National League Championship Series to hit for a .385 batting average against the Philadelphia Phillies. The 1976 World Series provided a head to head match up with the New York Yankees and their catcher, Thurman Munson. Bench rose to the occasion, hitting .533 with two home runs to Munson's .529 average. Bench led the Reds to the world championship and was awarded the World Series Most Valuable Player Award for his performance. At the post-World Series press conference, Reds manager Sparky Anderson was asked by a journalist to compare Munson with his catcher, Johnny Bench. Anderson replied, "You don't compare anyone to Johnny Bench. You don't want to embarrass anybody".

He bounced back to hit 31 home runs and 109 RBIs in 1977, but the Reds would only reach the post-season once more during Bench's career, when the 1979 Reds were swept in three games by the Pirates in the 1979 National League Championship Series. By the latter part of his career, Johnny Bench was being compared to the greatest catchers in baseball history, but the years behind the plate began taking their toll on his knees, which is a common ailment for catchers.[citation needed] For the last three seasons of his career, Bench caught only 13 games and played mostly first base or third base. The Cincinnati Reds proclaimed September 17, 1983, "Johnny Bench Night" at Riverfront Stadium. During the game he hit his 389th and final home run. He retired at the end of the season.

Bench had 2048 hits for a .267 career batting average with 389 home runs and 1,376 RBI during his 17-year Major League career, all spent with the Reds.He retired as the career home run leader for catchers, a record which stood until surpassed by Carlton Fisk and the current record holder, Mike Piazza. In his career, Bench earned ten Gold Gloves, was named to the National League All-Star team 14 times, and won two Most Valuable Player Awards. He led the National League three times in caught stealing percentage and ended his career with a .991 fielding percentage. Bench also won such awards as the Lou Gehrig Award (1975), the Babe Ruth Award (1976), and the Hutch Award (1981).

Bench popularized the hinged catcher's mitt, first introduced by Randy Hundley of the Chicago Cubs. He began using the mitt after a stint on the disabled list in 1966 for a thumb injury on his throwing hand. The mitt allowed Bench to tuck his throwing arm safely to the side when receiving the pitch. By the turn of the decade, the hinged mitt became standard catchers' equipment. Having huge hands (a famous photograph features him holding seven baseballs in his right hand), Bench also tended to block breaking balls in the dirt by scooping them with one hand instead of the more common and fundamentally proper way: dropping to both knees and blocking the ball using the chest protector to keep the ball in front.

Johnny Bench's number 5 was retired by the Cincinnati Reds in 1984. 

Bench was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, in 1989 alongside Carl Yastrzemski. He was elected in his first year eligible and appeared on 96% of the ballots, the third-highest percentage to that time. Three years earlier, Bench had been inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1986 and his uniform #5 was retired by the team. He is currently on the Board of Directors for the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.

Peter Edward "Pete" Rose, Sr. (born April 14, 1941, in Cincinnati, Ohio), nicknamed Charlie Hustle, is a former player and manager in Major League Baseball. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, best known for his many years with the Cincinnati Reds. Rose, a switch hitter, is the all-time Major League leader in hits (4,256), games played (3,562), at bats (14,053), and outs (10,328). He won three World Series rings, three batting titles, one Most Valuable Player Award, two Gold Gloves, the Rookie of the Year Award, and made 17 All-Star appearances at an unequaled five different positions (2B, LF, RF, 3B, and 1B). Rose's nickname, "Charlie Hustle", was given to him for his play beyond the "call of duty" while on the field. Even when being walked, Rose would run to first base, instead of the traditional walk to base. Rose was also known for sliding headfirst into a base, his signature move.  Rose made his Major League debut on opening day, April 8, 1963, against the Pittsburgh Pirates and drew a walk. On April 13, Rose � who was 0-for-11 at the time � got his first Major League hit, a triple off Pittsburgh's Bob Friend. He hit .273 for the year and won the National League Rookie of the Year Award, collecting 17 of 20 votes.

On April 23, 1964, in the top of the ninth inning of a scoreless game in Colt Stadium, Rose reached first base on an error and scored on another error to make Houston Colt .45s rookie Ken Johnson the first pitcher to lose a complete game no-hitter. Rose slumped late in the season, was benched, and finished with just a .269 average.

Rose came back in 1965 to lead the league in hits (209) and at-bats (670), and hit .302, the first of his 10 seasons with 200-plus hits and the first of 15 consecutive .300 seasons. He hit a career-high 16 home runs in 1966, then switched positions from second base to right field the following year. In 1968, Rose started the season with a 22-game hit streak, missed three weeks (including the All-Star Game) with a broken thumb, then had a 19-game hit streak late in the season. He had to finish the season 6-for-9 to beat out Matty Alou and win the first of two close NL batting-title races.

Rose had his best offensive season in 1969, leading the league in batting for the second straight season (.348) and leading the league in runs with 120. As the team's leadoff man he was a catalyst, rapping 218 hits and walking 88 times. He hit 33 doubles, 11 triples, and a career-best 16 homers. He drove in 82 runs, slugged .512 (by far the highest mark of his long career), and had a .432 OBP (also a career best). But the Reds finished four games out of first, and Rose lost the MVP to Willie McCovey. Rose and Roberto Clemente were tied for the batting title going into the final game; Rose bunted for a base hit in his last at-bat of the season to beat out Clemente.

On July 14, 1970, in brand new Riverfront Stadium (opened just two weeks earlier), Rose was involved in one of the most famous plays in All-Star history. Leading off against California's Clyde Wright in the 12th inning, Rose reached first and went to second on a single by the Dodgers' Billy Grabarkewitz. The Cubs� Jim Hickman then singled sharply to center. Amos Otis' throw beat Rose to the plate, but Rose barreled over Indians catcher Ray Fosse to score the winning run. It has been written that Fosse suffered a separated shoulder in the collision, but it went undiagnosed initially. Fosse continued to hit for average (he finished the season at .307), but with diminished power � he had 16 homers before the break but only two after. He played through the 1979 season, but never approached his first-year numbers. The collision also caused Rose to go on the disabled list for two days for the first and only time in his career. Fosse did not miss any games immediately after the incident.

Pete Rose at bat during the Big Red Machine yearsIn 1973, Rose won his third and final batting title with a .338 average, collected a career-high 230 hits and was named the NL MVP. The Reds ended up losing the National League Championship Series to the Mets despite Rose�s eighth-inning home run to tie Game One and his 12th-inning home run to win Game Four. During Game Three of the series, Rose got into a fight with the popular Mets shortstop Bud Harrelson while trying to break up a double play; the fight resulted in a bench-clearing brawl. The game was nearly called off when, after the Reds took the field, fans threw objects from the stands at Rose, causing the Reds team to leave the field until order was restored.

On May 5, 1978, Rose became the 13th and youngest player in Major League history to collect his 3,000th career hit, with a single off Expos pitcher Steve Rogers. On June 14 in Cincinnati, Rose singled in the first inning off Cubs pitcher Dave Roberts; Rose would proceed to get a hit in every game he played until August 1, making a run at Joe DiMaggio�s record 56-game hitting streak, which had stood virtually unchallenged for 37 years. The streak started quietly, but by the time it had reached 30 games, the media took notice and a pool of reporters accompanied Rose and the Reds to every game. On July 19 against the Phillies, Rose was hitless going into the ninth with his team trailing. He ended up walking and the streak appeared over. But the Reds managed to bat through their entire lineup, giving Rose another chance. Facing Ron Reed, Rose laid down a perfect bunt single to extend the streak to 32 games.

He would eventually tie Willie Keeler's single season National League record at 44 games; but on August 1, the streak came to an end as Gene Garber of the Braves struck out Rose in the ninth inning. The competitive Rose was sour after the game, blasting Garber and the Braves for treating the situation "like it was the ninth inning of the 7th game of the World Series" and adding that "Phil Niekro would have given me a fastball to hit."

On a team with many great players that is widely acknowledged by many as one of the greatest teams ever, Rose was viewed as one of the club's leaders (along with future Hall of Famers Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Tony P�rez). The influence that Rose's hustling team attitude had on his teammates was very likely a factor in the success of what was called "The Big Red Machine." His 1975 performance was considered outstanding enough that he earned the Hickok Belt as top professional athlete of the year and Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsman of the Year" award. The following year, Rose was a major force in helping the Reds repeat as World Series winners. The 1976 Reds swept the Phillies 3-0 in the National League Championship Series and then swept the Yankees 4-0 in the World Series. The 1976 Cincinnati Reds remain the only team since the expansion of the playoffs in 1969 to go undefeated in the postseason.

In 1979, Rose became a free agent and signed a four-year, $3.2-million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, temporarily making him the highest-paid athlete in team sports. The Phillies were in the middle of the greatest era in the history of the franchise when Rose came on board. They had won the National League East three years running (1976-1978) two of which were won with 101 win seasons. Although they missed the postseason in his first year with the team, they earned three division titles (one in the first half of the strike shortened 1981 season), two World Series appearances and one World Series title (1980) in the following four years. (Ironically, Pete had the worst season of his career in 1983 when the Phillies played in their second World Series in four years.)

After being benched in the 1983 World Series, Rose signed a one-year contract with the Montreal Expos in 1984. On April 13, batting right-handed, Rose doubled off of the Phillies� Jerry Koosman for his 4,000th career hit, joining Ty Cobb to become only the second player to enter the 4000 hit club. The hit came 21 years to the day after Rose's first career hit. Rose was traded to the Reds for infielder Tom Lawless on August 15 and was immediately named player-manager, replacing Reds' manager Vern Rapp. Major League Baseball has not had another player-manager since Rose.

On September 11, 1985, Rose was thought to have broken Ty Cobb�s all-time hits record with his 4,192nd hit, a single to left-center field off San Diego Padres pitcher Eric Show, though a subsequent review of Ty Cobb's hits revealed that two of his hits were counted twice. As a result, Pete Rose actually broke the all-time hits record against the Cubs' Reggie Patterson with a single in the first inning of a Reds' 5-5 called game against Chicago on September 8. Because of his record-breaking hit, ABC's Wide World of Sports named Rose Athlete of the Year that year. Rose accumulated a total of 4,256 hits before his final career at-bat, a strikeout against San Diego�s Goose Gossage on August 17, 1986. On November 11, Rose was dropped from the Reds� 40-man roster to make room for pitcher Pat Pacillo, and he unofficially retired as a player.

 Donald Howard Sutton (born April 2, 1945) is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher and current radio sportscaster. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998.

Sutton was born in Clio, Alabama, a small town in Barbour County, and on the same date as future Dodger teammate Reggie Smith. He was born to sharecroppers at the end of World War II, in a tar-paper shack. At the time Sutton was born his father was 18 and his mother was 15. Sutton's father, Howard, gave him the strong work ethic that he had throughout his career. His father tried logging and construction work, and in looking for work, moved the family to Molino, Florida, just north of Pensacola.

Don Sutton's number 20 was retired by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1998. 

Sutton attended J. M. Tate High School in Cantonment/Gonzalez, Florida where he played baseball, basketball, and football. He led his baseball team to the small-school state finals two years in row, winning his junior year, 1962, and losing 2–1 in his senior year, and was named all-county, all-conference, and all-state for both of those seasons. He graduated in 1963, and was voted "Most Likely to Succeed". He wanted to attend the University of Florida, but then coach Dave Fuller was not interested. Instead he attended Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, Florida for one year, and then after a good summer league, was signed by the Dodgers.

Sutton played for the Sioux Falls Packers as a minor leaguer, and entered the major league at the age of 21. Sutton's major league debut was on April 14, 1966, the same day that future 300-game winner Greg Maddux was born. In the majors, he played 23 years for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics, and California Angels. He won a total of 324 games, 58 of them shutouts and five of them one-hitters, and he is seventh on baseball's all-time strikeout list with 3,574 K's. He also holds the major league record for number of consecutive losses to one team, having lost 13 straight games to the Chicago Cubs.

Sutton was a four-time All-Star. He also holds the dubious distinction of being the player with the most at-bats without a home run (1,354). When asked how close he ever came to hitting a home run, he deadpanned, "A triple." Sutton holds another unlucky record: seven times in his career, he pitched nine scoreless innings but got a no-decision.

In 2002, Sutton was diagnosed with kidney cancer resulting in the removal of his left kidney. Part of a lung was removed the following year. While undergoing cancer treatment, he continued his broadcasting career.

Sutton started his broadcasting career in 1989, splitting duties between Dodgers cable telecasts on Z Channel and Atlanta Braves telecasts on TBS. The following year he became a full-time commentator for the Braves, a position that he held through 2006. He left TBS after the 2006 season, mainly because the network would broadcast fewer games in 2007 and had to cut back on the number of broadcasters.

Sutton was a color commentator for the Washington Nationals on the MASN network until January 27, 2009. Sutton still had two years remaining on his contract with the Nationals, but when an Atlanta Braves radio job opened up, he negotiated his release in order to return to Atlanta where he had many ties and to be closer to his boyhood home in Alabama. His current broadcast partner is Jim Powell, who joined the Braves Radio Network in 2009.

Sutton is an avid golfer and wine enthusiast and frequently makes references to these hobbies while broadcasting.

Sutton has also broadcast golf and served as a pre- and post-game analyst for NBC's coverage of the 1983 and 1987 American League Championship Series. Sutton previously served as a color commentator for NBC's coverage of the 1978 National League Championship Series.

His son, Daron, is a former broadcaster for the Arizona Diamondbacks.