Johnny Bench

Johnny Bench is considered the greatest catcher in the history of baseball. He revolutionized the position with his one-handed catching of the ball in order facilitate a quick grab and throw of the ball with the other hand.

His arm was like a cannon, so strong that he could throw a ball from home plate over the outfield fence for fun. His hands were such that he could hold seven baseballs in one hand, as he demonstrated on the David Letterman show on May 5, 1983.

He also hit 389 home runs as a batter, including many at clutch moments in playoff games. His home run total is among the most ever for catchers who typically have short careers due to the extreme wear-and-tear on their bodies from the position.

He led his Cincinnati Reds to multiple World Series championships.

As of 2019, Bench opposed inducting Pete Rose into the Baseball Hall of Fame.