Product Description
A biography of the outstanding catcher who led the Cincinnati Reds to four National League pennants and two World Series victories in the 1970s. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Easy to read review of the life of Johnny Bench
This book is an excellent reader for the young baseball fan.Easy toread, designed for young readers.Follows the life of baseball's greatestall-time catcher from his humble beginnings in Binger, Oklahoma to hisinduction into Baseball's Hall of Fame in 1989.Includes carrier stats andadditional bibliography of other books about Johnny Bench.Also includesnumerous photos for the reader to enjoy. ... Read more

Product Description
A biography of Cincinnati Reds' catcher, Johnny Bench, who won ten Gold Glove awards and hit almost 400 home runs in his sixteen-year career in the major leagues. ... Read more

Product Description
Includes more than 100 breathtaking photographs.

Major League Baseball offers the official word on the most compelling photographs of America's game. Over 100 images that reflect the power, the beauty, the action, and the 130-year history of a game that has long captured the imagination of millions of Americans and fans around the world. Players from Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth to Mark McGuire and Pedro Martinez, photos of legendary stadiums, and the images of loving fans are brought together in a classic celebration of our national pastime. A must for every fan.Amazon.com Review
Baseball lends itself to still photography. Photos freeze baseball's rhythm, allowing the viewer to examine details: Derek Jeter's agility as he leaps in the air to turn a double play, Ted Williams's beautiful follow-through after connecting with another hit, the bone-jarring crunch of a collision at home plate between Ray Durham and Scott Servais. Major League Baseball's Best Shots celebrates these great moments. Some of these images offer glimpses of lost practices, such as Burleigh Grimes, last of the legal spitballers, greasing up a ball, or Joe DiMaggio "boning" his bat to compress the wood. Others allow for a comparison of styles--such as El Duque's knee-to-ear wind-up vs. Warren Spahn's straight-legged sprawl, or Hideo Nomo's twisting delivery vs. Dennis Eckersley's sidearm. Best of all, however, are the photos of superstars at supreme moments--Rickey Henderson evading an attempted tag, Ken Griffey Jr. robbing Detroit of an obvious home run by leaping well above the fence, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire chatting in the final week of that magical 1998 season. With a foreword by Johnny Bench (himself captured in full swing), Major League Baseball's Best Shots is a wonderful look at the history of the national pastime. --M. Stein ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Great book beautiful shots
This ione is worth the bucks for that coffee table! Stunning work!

Love this book
Beautiful pictures Perfect book for anyone who loves the game of baseball.

Amazing images
This book will make your jaw drop open; the photographs are stunning. It's a definite page turner, the moments frozen in this collection are amazing.

The best things in the game
There are hundreds of baseball photo books currently on the market and very few of them capture the true essence of the game like "Baseball's Best Shots." Yes, there are dozens of remarkable action shots, like the magnificent photo of Derek Jeter turning a double play or a graceful Cal Ripken, Jr. going to the hole for a grounder. What makes this book special is the way it captures the action off the field. For example, a photo of kids sneaking a peek of the Hall of Fame game through a fence is pure baseball poetry, it's the game the way it used to be. There's lots to like here: a comic shot of Babe Ruth in cowboy garb, a heroic photo of Ted Williams displaying his brilliant swing, and a lovely snapshot of Scott Brosius and his daughter. Great care has also gone into the captioning of photos, wit and a love of the game makes these fun reading. I especially suggest picking this book up in the off-season--it will make your winter months glow with the unique warm light of baseball.

Good for about half an hour's worth of perusing.Then...?
As a baseball fan and photography buff, I liked the photos in this book.But once you look through it, you'll just sit it on the shelf and be done with it.And that's not something I'm happy with considering the cost of this book. ... Read more

Product Description
A biography of the outstanding baseball catcher known as the Little General because of his team leadership and strategy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Best fan guide to understanding baseball available
I've been watching baseball for years and there was a lot about the game I didn't realize or know I was missing out on.This book really gives you a better understanding of all aspects of the game.Bench goes over some important baseball history, then covers some of the basics like the baseball field, equipment, etc.He then has a chapter on the rules of baseball, and although it won't explain every rule of the game (that would take a lot of writing) it explains the ones that are most important to watching a game regularly.He also explains a lot of the strategy involved in baseball that I never completely understood, like which pitcher to start and close with, how managers decide the batting lineup, what kind of hit a batter might go with, how the defense can handle fielding the ball, etc.He explains how the Major Leagues work, discusses how they recruit players, and other stuff, and explains most of the stats you will see during a game or when reading about a game or player.The other reviews are right, he does throw in a lot of personal stories about his days with the Reds but honestly it didn't bother me that much.That's the beauty of the book; if it's not something you think is essential to read, you can skip over it.You'd be hard pressed to find a better book out there for learning baseball.

Good basic guide to baseball
I have both the "Idiot's Guide to Baseball" and "Baseball for Dummies" (I must be really stupid!). While either is acceptable as a good overall guide to baseball, I'd lean toward Johnny Bench's book; there seems to be more 'meat on it', even though I agree with one reviewer that there's a few too many personal anecdotes. One positive about either of the books mentioned is that while many of the 'Idiot's/Dummies' books had way too much 'forced humor', it's kept to a reasonable level on these.

Once you've digested either book, you might consider "Men at Work" by George Wills, "A Thinking Man's Guide to Baseball" by Leonard Koppett, "Tim McCarver's Baseball for Brain Surgeons and Other Fans" and the controversial but enjoyable book, "Ball Four" by Jim Bouton.

One of the best books about the sport
There's no better way to get into the game than by reading this wonderfully informative, thoroughly delightful overview of the sport. Not just the rules and procedures but the history, personalities, nuances and a wealth of inside information. As someone once said, "The only people who think baseball is dull are dull people."

5 Star Look at Learning the Game!
Bench imparts his knowledge of the game well in this book. Each chapter is devoted to a different aspect of baseball and is full of informative tips. I'm a casual fan and I learned so much reading though this book.

Ilearned about different pitches, offensive and defensive strategies, whateach player's important jobs on defense and offense are, and how themanager tries his best to win the game.

There are also sections at theend of the book containing a glossary of baseball terms, all-time records,and a list of Hall of Famers.

I always admired Bench as a player; now Irealize Bench is an excellent student of the game as well.

Very Helpful for anyone interested in the game
I bought this book for two reasons.One, I am a fan of Johnny Bench and two, my wife wants to learn more about baseball.What I found was a comprehensive "single source" for baseball info. I found the history and insight very interesting (baseball is after all nothing if nothistory) and the explanations are complete without being to complex for theneophyte to comprehend.

Johnnys personal insight into the game is veryinteresting, he certainly has the credibility to make observations andlacks the self aggrandizment that plagues so much sports writing (hedoesn't include himself in his "All time greatest line up" whenmost people include him in theirs, deservedly so).

His pointers on thetechnique are both simple and thorough enough to get anyone started andcomplete enough to include even pointers on starting a local league and howto properly fill out a scorecard.

Johnny does include his own opinions onmany things baseball related and while some may find that irritating, theinsight of someone who has actually played the game and played it well areboth interesting and compelling whether you agree with him or not.

If aperson loves the game of baseball, or simply wants to be able understandthe game enough to enjoy it, this book is for you.If you are looking forthe "star gazing" and bloated, self serving commentary so commonin sports writing, this will seem pretty dry. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Catch You Later: The Autobiography of Johnny Bench
Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, Joe Morgan, and Sparky Anderson are names of baseball greatness.The Big Red Machine is a part of baseball history.

One of the TOP baseball biographies
Johnny tells his story just the way he talks,down to earth.No mommie dearest here. He has nothing but praise for his teammates.He is honest in how he played both on the field and off.He really brings home the price of fame and how much it can cost you. He is honest about his fans andhow he reacts with them.He is honest about Sparky both good and well what else can you say about Sparky? I really recommend this book to anyone interested in baseball.I really think it should be required reading to all the rookies out there who want to be the next superstar.

Candid Johnny Bench
I first received this book for Christmas from my grandparents in either 1979 or 1980. I was only 15 years old when I read it for the first time back then, but I enjoyed reading what it was like playing for the Big Red Machine, my all time favorite team.

Bench was very candid about his career, his past, family, teammates and women. He does talk about some of his liasons with females (which was eye opening to a young teenager :)). But I still have this book and occasionally will look through it. To me, Johnny is the greatest catcher ever. Any fan of Bench or the Reds of the '70s would enjoy this book, of you can find it!

A Review of the Life of a future HOFer
From growing up in small town Binger, OK to becoming one of the most popular baseball players of his time, Catch You Later provides insight into the joys and struggles of achieving ones dream.Bench, who enjoyed a career that landed him in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989 speaks about his troubled marriage and divorce, his up's and down's in his career (at least through the time of publishing 1979) and his closeness with his family.The best part of his story is what it was like to be a key member of the Cincinnati Reds' Big Red Machine.From playing American Legion ball in Oklahoma to being the 1976 World Series MVP and saving the Reds from elimanation in the 1972 National League Championship Series against Pittsburgh with a bottom of the 9th game tying home run, Catch You Later makes you feel like you accompanied Bench on his travels. ... Read more

Product Description
Johnny Bench never had it easy.

When he was 6 years old, he picked cotton for two cents a pound, to afford a pair of new blue jeans. When he was 17, the bus that carried him and his high school teammates home from a baseball game flipped over a guardrail on an Oklahoma highway. Bench escaped with a gash on his elbow. Two of his friends were killed.

In September 1972, doctors discovered a spot on Bench s lung. The former National League Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player played the rest of that season not knowing what was wrong with him. He won a second MVP Award.

Bench made Baseball s All Century Team and was the catcher on the Big Red Machine, two clubs that dominated the game in the 1970s. After his retirement, he launched a successful broadcasting career. More recently, he has made his living as a motivational speaker.

Catch Every Ball is an accumulation of wisdom gleaned from 60 years of living. Bench uses examples from his own life and playing career, as well as knowledge gathered from other successful people in all walks of life, to offer a guide to success anyone can relate to.

Follow his life through the cotton fields of Oklahoma to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Meet some of the people who have influenced him along the way: Bob Hope, Arnold Palmer, Sparky Anderson, Joe Morgan and Bob Knight, among others. Allow Bench s wisdom to help you... Catch Every Ball. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A tribute to Bench from Bench
If you want a book about Johnny Bench and/or the Cincinatti Reds, you sure don't want this book.Johnny Bench explains how great Johnny Bench is, not just in baseball but in all aspects of life.The book is a conceited narrative and a waste of money

Inspiration from an American Sports Hero
I purchased Johnny Bench's "Catch Every Ball" as a birthday gift for our son, after reading excepts published in our local newspaper, the Columbus Dispatch.The common-sense, down-to-earth approach to life's successes and challenges, outlined by someone whose opinion matters, was appealing.Our son like many others, looked up to Johnny Bench, since he also played baseball as a catcher during grade and high school years.The positive "can do" philosophy outlined in this enjoyable autobiogtaphy, is an inspiration to anyone who has played or ever heard of baseball. ... Read more

Product Description
Biography of the Cincinnati Red who recovered from major surgery and won the National League's Most Valuable Player award for the second time. ... Read more

Product Description
A biography of Johnny Bench focusing on his climb to the job of number one catcher for the Cincinnati Reds. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 158 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Signed essays ranging from 500 to 2,500 words, written by subject experts and edited to form a consistent, readable, and straightforward reference. Entries include subject-specific bibliographies and textual cross-references to related essays. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Notable Sports Figures, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 3652 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Takes a close look at the people in sports who have captured attention because of success on the playing field, or controversy off the playing field. This work features biographies on more than 600 people from around the world and throughout history who have had an impact not only on their sport, but also on the society and culture of their times. It also includes not only the record-breakers that dominated and changed their sport, but also the controversial figures that made headlines even apart from athletic events. ... Read more

Product Description
A biography of baseball catcher Johnny Bench who at nineteen joined the Cincinnati Reds. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Book
This book is an excellent reader for the young baseball fan. Easy to read, designed for young readers. ... Read more