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Johnny Bench-2/3


200 National Baseball Hall of Fame Johnny Bench postcard.

Rookie of the Year winner, two MVP Awards, one World Series MVP Award, 10 consecutive Gold Glove Awards, two home run titles, and three RBI titles. Anchor of the Big Red Machine. Elected to the Hall of Fame with 96.4% of the votes in his first year of eligibility (no. 3 at the time if I recall). Arguably, the greatest catcher of all time. I am so so so glad he was a Red!

A recently purchased 1969 Topps card #430.
1971 Topps card #250. This is such a classic baseball card. This is a recently purchased card. My original is pretty worn; even worse than the two 1971 National League Leaders cards shown below.

The 1971 cards recap the incredible stats from Bench's 1970 season. 45 home runs, 148 RBIs, .293 batting average... those numbers I don't even have to look up they're so embedded in my childhood memory.
1972 Topps card #434.
1973 Topps card #380.
1974 Topps card #10. Another classic baseball card.
1976 Topps card #300. ...and another classic...
1977 Topps card #70. ...and another...
1978 Topps card #700. ...and another...
1979 Topps card #200.
1978 SSPC card #5.
1980 Topps card #100.
1981 Donruss card #62.
1981 Donruss card #182.
1981 Fleer card #196.
1981 Topps card #600.
1981 Topps card #201.
1982 Donruss card #400.This is the first card front I have that reflects Bench's transition to the infield late in his career where he shifted between first and third base.
1982 Donruss Diamond King card #22.
1982 Fleer card #57.
1982 Fleer card #634.
1992 Sports Cards News card #145.
1982 Topps card #400.
1982 Topps card #401. Stupid scanner missed his name and the words "In Action."
1983 Donruss card #500.
1983 Fleer card #584. Third base!
1983 Topps card #60.
1984 Donruss card #B with Carl Yastrzemski.
1984 Fleer card #462.
1984 Fleer card #640.
1983 Donruss Action All-Stars card #14.
Man, Johnny Bench has some really good looking cards! Plus Topps and Donruss give his numbers a lot of love. Seriously, his expressions and the way he holds himself just exude confidence and MLB royalty. This guy was elite.

I clearly have several key gaps in my Bench card collection, but I'm only three cards away from having at least one card of every Hall of Famer, so once I fulfill that goal I'll move on to tightening up my Bench (and other Big Red Machine teammates) collection.

Thanks for stopping by,

CinciCuse Bill

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Comments

  1. FujiMay 12, 2020 at 12:00 AM

    I'm pretty sure the Bench/Yaz card is the first insert card I ever pulled from a pack. It's such a cool card. But the 73T and 76T cards would be my favorites in this post. Classic action shots.

    ReplyDelete
  2. CinciCuse BillMay 12, 2020 at 8:41 AM

    That insert IS a great card. I just wish that Donruss put the date on the back of the card. I always struggle trying to remember so I end up having to look it up.

    ReplyDelete

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