A Look Back at Johnny Bench’s 2019 OKC Visit
The Hall of Fame catcher returned to his home state with an appearance at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark last July
Johnny Bench always stands watch outside of Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.
A nine-foot-tall bronze statue of the Oklahoma native and National Baseball Hall of Fame catcher overlooks the ballpark’s home plate plaza near the corner of Johnny Bench and South Mickey Mantle Drives in Oklahoma City.
One year ago today, the real-life Bench returned to his home state to make an appearance at the ballpark of the Oklahoma City Dodgers.
Bench was joined by retiring National Baseball Hall of Fame President Jeff Idelson and acclaimed photographer Jean Fruth as part of the Grassroots Baseball Route 66 Tour and also to promote Fruth’s book “Grassroots Baseball: Where Legends Begin,” which includes an afterword by Bench.
Bench was born in Oklahoma City in 1947 and grew up in Binger, Okla., on the way to his famed 17-year baseball career with the Cincinnati Reds.
His statue outside of Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark joins those of Mickey Mantle and Warren Spahn, also fellow Hall of Famers with Oklahoma ties. Bench’s statue was originally dedicated in 2001.
“It is pretty amazing isn’t it?” Bench said of the statue last July. “There you are with Mickey and there you are with Warren and…these were my guys when I was growing up as a kid.
“I don’t know if anybody deserves it, but you know, I sure am proud of it and the street.”
Last summer while at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, Bench reflected on his days growing up in Binger — located about 60 miles west of downtown OKC.
“I remember being blessed that I was able to play basketball and play baseball and go work in the fields. Then go play baseball and basketball,” Bench said. “We didn’t have a travel team or anything else. That’s why it is almost impossible for what I did.
“I could have been really good had I had some instruction,” he added with a smile.
Bench made his Major League debut at the age of 19 in 1967 and played his entire career with the Reds where he would go on to win two World Series titles and be named the 1976 World Series MVP.
Bench was a 10-time Gold Glove Award winner who also hit 389 home runs and collected 1,376 RBI in 2,158 games.
He was named the 1968 National League Rookie of the Year, the 1970 and 1972 NL MVP and was a 14-time All-Star.
He led the league in RBI three times and in home runs twice. He led the NL in caught stealing percentage three times and putouts two times.
His last season with the Reds was 1983 and he was inducted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989.
Bench, now 72, participated in a youth baseball clinic during the late afternoon of July 6, 2019 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark as part of the Grassroots Baseball Route 66 Tour.
Idelson and Fruth founded Grassroots Baseball with the mission of promoting and celebrating the amateur game around the globe, with a focus on growing interest and participation at the youngest levels.
The overarching goal of Grassroots Baseball is to give back by providing inspiration, instruction and equipment to help ensure more children have the opportunity to learn, play and enjoy the game. The Grassroots Baseball Route 66 Tour featured Hall of Famers and other retired Major League Route 66 stars, including Bench.
Bench addressed the group of young baseball clinic participants in OKC with opening remarks, took part in an equipment donation of new Rawlings baseball gloves then played catch with them on the field.
“The message was if you are going to play, learn how to play properly, learn the mechanics,” Bench said. “Watch the Major Leaguers. Watch how the guys here in Triple-A do it.”
His advice for aspiring catchers?
“I say catch every ball,” Bench said. “It’s the same thing in life. If you catch everything that is thrown at you then somebody is going to notice you and nothing gets by you.”
Bench then met with members of the media, as well as OKC Dodgers players and coaches before taking part in a ceremonial first pitch — that fittingly evolved into a first catch — before the Dodgers played the Round Rock Express.
During the game, Bench joined Fruth and Idelson in a book signing and met with fans in the OKC Dodgers Team Store.
“My job is to be a really good human being and a good father,” Bench said of his current role. “As long as I can do that, then I’ve got it made really.”
