Where do you start a description of Johnny Bench’s career? I suppose you can begin with his 389 career home runs, or his 2 National League MVP Award. Or maybe his 14 All-Star Game appearances. But perhaps the best way to sum up Johnny Bench is to say that he single-handedly redefined the way the position of catcher was played. Yet one of the lesser-known aspects to Bench’s career was his versatility. Just like teammate Pete Rose, Bench was a guy you could plug in at several positions if the team needed it. From 1970 through his last season in 1983, Bench filled in at all three outfield positions as well as the two corner infield spots. This 1980-era game used glove was used by Johnny Bench during some of the 145 games he cast aside his tools of ignorance and took the field at first base for the Reds.

The Rawlings pro model first baseman’s glove shows awesome use. The leather displays even wear with the fingertips showing scuffs from digging balls out of the dirt. The lacing is worn but still intact, likewise the Rawlings logo on the outside thumb. The inside show perspiration staining and to top off this exquisite gamer, the Hall of Famer has marked his glove with “BENCH” in black marker along the outside of the thumb, along with his number “5”. Bench has signed his name above his handwritten “5” on the back of the glove in black marker that displays fading and slight bleeding. The inscription is illegible. The glove comes with a LOA from PSA/DNA (1G00592) for the game use and a LOA from Steve Grad of Beckett Authentication (A25461) for the signature.

Auction Notepad