Johnny Bench is an American former professional baseball player. He played his entire Major League Baseball career, which lasted from 1967 through 1983, with the Cincinnati Reds, primarily as a catcher. He caught 100 or more games for 13 consecutive seasons. Bench was a ten-time Gold Glove Award winner who skillfully handled pitching staffs and possessed a strong, accurate throwing arm A fourteen-time All-Star and a two-time National League Most Valuable Player, Bench excelled on offense as well as on defense, twice leading the National League in home runs and three times in runs batted in. He held the major league record in 1983 for the most home runs hit by a catcher. He is also the only catcher in history to lead the league in home runs. ESPN has called him the greatest catcher in baseball history.

Presented is an ONL (White) baseball autographed by Johnny Bench. He signed it on the sweet spot in a blue ballpoint pen (“9-10”) he also inscribed (HOF 89) “1989 he was inducted to the Hall of Fame” The ball itself shows toning from age.

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