Highlighted Year: Rusty Staub, 1970

Outfielder, Montreal Expos

Age: 26 (April 1)

2^nd season with Expos

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1970:

A native of New Orleans, the red-haired Daniel Joseph Staub received the nickname of “Rusty” as an infant. He played on the New Orleans Jesuit High School baseball team as a first baseman while his brother Chuck was in center field. His American Legion team won the national championship in 1960 and Jesuit High School won the Louisiana AAA title in 1961. He signed a contract with the Houston Colt .45s, who were a year away from joining the National League as an expansion team, for a $100,000 bonus. After hitting well in the Arizona Fall League in ’61, Staub was assigned to the Durham Bulls of the Class B Carolina League where he had an excellent season, batting .293 with a league-leading 23 home runs, 93 RBIs, a .430 OBP, and a .483 slugging percentage. The 19-year-old Staub started the 1963 season with Houston following a strong spring showing, and with veteran Pete Runnels at first base, Staub started the year in right field. He struggled during his rookie season and hit .224 with 17 doubles, 6 home runs, 45 RBIs, and a .309 OBP. A poor start in 1964 caused Staub to be sent down to the Oklahoma City 89ers of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League where he batted .314 in 71 games with 20 home runs, 45 RBIs, a .427 OBP, and a .646 slugging percentage. Returning to the Colt .45s in September he finished the major league portion of his season with a .216 batting average (up from .202 when he was demoted), 10 doubles, 8 home runs, 35 RBIs, and a .272 OBP. Houston had been emphasizing youth in its team building, of which Staub was a key component. The renamed club moved into the Astrodome in 1965 and Staub started off slowly but came on to hit .281 in the season’s second half to finish at .256 with 20 doubles, 14 home runs, 63 RBIs, and a .339 OBP. His batting production was far better on the road than in the spacious new ballpark, and like other outfielders he struggled to keep track of fly balls against the dome’s background. Staub showed great improvement in 1966, batting .280 with 28 doubles, 13 home runs, 81 RBIs, and a .345 OBP. In the field, his 13 assists placed second among NL right fielders and demonstrated the strength of his throwing arm. He was an All-Star for the first time in 1967 as, with his outstanding swing and line-drive power, he led the NL with 44 doubles while hitting .333 with 10 home runs, 74 RBIs, a .398 OBP, and .473 slugging percentage. As the Astrodome was not conducive to home run hitters, Staub tailored his swing accordingly. Staub held out for eight days in 1968 before signing a $45,000 contract. Shifted to first base he batted .291 with 37 doubles, 6 home runs, 72 RBIs, and a .373 OBP, and was again an All-Star. Having run afoul of manager Harry Walker, Staub was traded during the offseason to the expansion Expos, where he returned to right field. In the first season of divisional play in the NL and AL, the first year club finished in the NL East cellar. Typically pitching challenged, they were unable to make the most of the power displayed by outfielders Mack Jones and Staub, plus the surprising rookie third baseman Coco Laboy. Staub batted .302 with 26 doubles, 5 triples, 29 home runs, 79 RBIs, a .426 OBP, and a .526 slugging percentage. He was Montreal’s lone All-Star representative.

1970 Season Summary

Appeared in 160 games

RF – 160, PH – 3

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 699 [9]

At Bats – 569

Runs – 98 [15, tied with Willie McCovey]

Hits – 156

Doubles – 23

Triples – 7 [17, tied with five others]

Home Runs – 30 [12]

RBI – 94 [15, tied with Lee May]

Bases on Balls – 112 [2]

Int. BB – 11 [11, tied with four others]

Strikeouts – 93

Stolen Bases – 12 [19, tied with Cleon Jones, Pete Rose & Don Kessinger]

Caught Stealing – 11 [9, tied with Matty Alou & Tony Taylor]

Average - .274

OBP - .394 [8, tied with Ken Henderson & Jim Wynn]

Slugging Pct. - .497 [17]

Total Bases – 283 [15]

GDP – 7

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 11 [4, tied with Carl Morton & Pat Jarvis]

Sac Flies – 4

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 14, 3B – 3, HR – 15, RBI – 55, AVG – .293, SLG – .517, OBP - .430

---

Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) at Cincinnati 5/30 – 10 innings

Longest hitting streak – 7 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at NY Mets 7/11, (in 4 AB) vs. LA Dodgers 8/1, (in 4 AB) vs. LA Dodgers 8/1 (total 4 HR in double-header), (in 5 AB) at Houston 8/14

HR at home – 13

HR on road – 17

Multi-HR games – 4

Most RBIs, game – 5 at Atlanta 6/6

Pinch-hitting – 2 for 3 (.667)

Fielding

Chances – 327

Put Outs – 308

Assists – 14

Errors – 5

DP – 4

Pct. - .985

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

---

The second-year Expos went 73-89 to finish sixth (last) in the NL Eastern Division, 16 games behind the division-winning Pittsburgh Pirates, while leading the league in fewest hits (1284), and lowest batting average (.237). Going 1-10 to start the season, the Expos quickly found themselves in the NL East cellar. With a lack of hitting to back up some decent pitching, the club surprisingly broke even in July and had a winning record in September. But after rising to fifth place on Sept. 30, a loss in the season finale sealed their last-place finish.

Aftermath of 1970:

Immensely popular in Montreal and called “Le Grand Orange” by the French-speaking fans, Staub became an active promoter of the young club throughout Canada, developed several business sidelines in the city, took classes in French, and even became a wine connoisseur and chef. He played in all 162 games for the Expos in 1971 despite a wrist injury and hit .311 with 34 doubles, 19 home runs, 97 RBIs, a .392 OBP, and a .482 slugging percentage. He was an All-Star for the fifth straight year (including all three in Montreal). But while he was prospering on the field, the Expos were not and in 1972 Staub was dealt to the New York Mets for three young players (SS Tim Foli, 1B Mike Jorgensen, and OF Ken Singleton). He performed well for the Mets in 1972 until suffering a broken wrist when hit by a pitch in June. The injury required surgery that effectively ended his season. Limited to 66 games he batted .293 with 9 home runs, 38 RBIs, a .372 OBP, and a .452 slugging percentage. Back in action in 1973, Staub hit .279 with 36 doubles, 15 home runs, 76 RBIs, and a .361 OBP. The Mets, who were in last place in the NL East in early August, surged to the division title, albeit with only an 82-79 record. They defeated Cincinnati in the NLCS, helped in no small part by Staub’s three home runs. Injuring his shoulder when hitting the outfield fence following a key catch in Game 4, his throwing was hindered in the seven-game World Series loss to the Oakland Athletics, although he batted .423 with 11 hits that included a home run. In 1974, struggling with his weight and an assortment of injuries, he hit a disappointing .258 with 19 home runs, 78 RBIs, and a .347 OBP. His production improved in 1975 to .282 with 19 home runs, 105 RBIs, a .371 OBP, and a .448 slugging percentage. In the offseason, the Mets dealt Staub to the Detroit Tigers in a four-player trade that most prominently included LHP Mickey Lolich, going from Detroit to New York. While Lolich flopped with the Mets in 1976, Staub prospered with his new club, batting .299 with 28 doubles, 15 home runs, 96 RBIs, a .386 OBP, and a .433 slugging percentage. Utilized exclusively as a Designated Hitter in 1977, but despite being unhappy at not playing in the outfield, his bat remained productive as he hit .278 with 34 doubles, 22 home runs, 101 RBIs, a .336 OBP, and a .448 slugging percentage. Staub was still a DH exclusively in 1978 and was again productive, batting .273 with 30 doubles, 24 home runs, 121 RBIs, a .347 OBP, and a slugging percentage of .435. Seeking a contract extension, Staub held out in 1979 and threatened to retire to run his restaurant in New York. He eventually rejoined the club in May but by July 20 he was hitting only .236 with 9 home runs and 40 RBIs. Staub was traded back to the Expos at that point, who were now contenders in the NL East. Used primarily as a first baseman and pinch-hitter upon his return to Montreal, he batted .267 in 38 games with 3 homers and 14 RBIs. During spring training in 1980, Staub was dealt once again, this time to the Texas Rangers where he again found himself typically appearing as a DH. Playing in 109 games he hit .300 with 23 doubles, 9 home runs, 55 RBIs, a .370 OBP, and a .459 slugging percentage. A free agent in the offseason, Staub finished out his career with the Mets from 1981 to ’85 as a pinch-hitter and backup at first base. His .317 batting average in 1981 was his best of those last seasons with the Mets, and he hit a total of 13 home runs with 102 RBIs during those seasons as well. For his major league career, Staub batted .279 with 2716 hits that included 499 doubles, 47 triples, and 292 home runs. He scored 1189 runs and compiled 1466 RBIs, a .362 OBP, and a .431 slugging percentage. With the Expos he batted .295 with 290 runs scored, 531 hits, 86 doubles, 18 triples, 81 home runs, 284 RBIs, a .402 OBP, and a .497 slugging percentage. Appearing in 11 postseason games he hit .341 with 4 homers and 11 RBIs. A six-time All-Star, Staub finished in the top 20 in league MVP voting four times. He also became the first major league player to reach 500 hits with four different teams. The Expos (now Washington Nationals) retired his #10 and he was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, the New York Mets Hall of Fame, and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Beyond his playing career he operated two restaurants in New York and became a broadcaster for radio and telecasts of Mets games for several seasons. He also set up two charitable foundations, the New York Police and Fire Widows and Children Benefit Fund and the Rusty Staub Foundation to assist food pantries. Staub died in 2018 at the age of 73.

---

Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category will also include Misc. players who don’t otherwise qualify but received MVP votes or were contributors to teams that reached the postseason. 

Highlighted Year: Clarence “Cito” Gaston, 1970

Outfielder, San Diego Padres

Age: 26

2^nd season with Padres

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1970:

A native of San Antonio, Texas, Clarence Gaston acquired the nickname “Cito” in his youth, due to his apparent resemblance to a Mexican wrestler of that name. A basketball, football, and baseball standout in high school, Gaston went on to play for an amateur baseball team and was signed by the Milwaukee Braves in 1964. That year he played Class A ball for Binghamton of the New York-Pennsylvania League and Greenville of the Western Carolinas League and batted a combined .231 with a .270 on-base percentage. The young outfielder was next assigned to West Palm Beach of the Florida State League in 1965 and, hindered by a cracked shinbone, he hit .188 with a .305 OBP. In 1966 Gaston’s next stop was with the Batavia Trojans of the New York-Pennsylvania League where he batted an impressive .330 with 18 doubles, 5 triples, 28 home runs, 104 RBIs, a .412 OBP, and a .589 slugging percentage. He finished the season with a brief stint in the Class AA Texas League with Austin. A good 1967 stint in the Arizona Instructional League had Gaston back with Austin where he hit .305 with 24 doubles, 6 triples, 10 home runs, 70 RBIs, a .365 OBP, and a .436 slugging percentage. In a late-season call-up to the Braves, now in Atlanta, he appeared in 9 games and batted .120. In the offseason he played in the Venezuelan Winter League with unimpressive results. A poor start in 1968 with Richmond of the Class AAA International League caused Gaston to be demoted to Shreveport of the Texas League where he batted .279 with 15 doubles, 4 triples, 6 home runs, 57 RBIs, and a .332 OBP. Returning to the Venezuelan Winter League in the offseason, he led the circuit in batting (.383) and RBIs (64) while slugging 11 home runs. In the NL expansion draft he was taken by the Padres. As a backup outfielder with the fledgling club in 1969, Gaston, hindered by minor injuries, hit .230 with 20 extra-base hits, 28 RBIs, and a .275 OBP. He played in Venezuela again in the offseason, but despite his season being cut short by a knee injury, Gaston won another batting title as he hit .360. A good fielder, he emerged as a hitter in 1970.

1970 Season Summary

Appeared in 146 games

CF – 142, PH – 4, LF – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 629

At Bats – 584 [17]

Runs – 92 [20, tied with Willie Davis & Bill Grabarkewitz]

Hits – 186 [8, tied with Bobby Tolan & Tony Perez]

Doubles – 26

Triples – 9 [5, tied with six others]

Home Runs – 29 [13]

RBI – 93 [17, tied with Deron Johnson & Willie Davis]

Bases on Balls – 41

Int. BB – 2

Strikeouts – 142 [5]

Stolen Bases – 4

Caught Stealing – 1

Average - .318 [6]

OBP - .364

Slugging Pct. - .543 [9, tied with Orlando Cepeda]

Total Bases – 317 [5]

GDP – 16 [10, tied with Jim Wynn & Dick Dietz]

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 2 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 16, 3B – 6, HR – 16, RBI – 62, AVG - .326, SLG –- .552, OBP – .373

---

Most hits, game – 4 on five occasions

Longest hitting streak – 9 games

HR at home – 12

HR on road – 17

Most home runs, game – 1 on twenty-nine occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 on nine occasions

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 4 (.250) with 1 R

Fielding

Chances – 325

Put Outs – 310

Assists – 7

Errors – 8

DP – 0

Pct. - .975

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

24^th in NL MVP voting (5 points, 1% share)

---

The Padres went 63-99 to finish sixth (last) in the NL Western Division, 39 games behind the division-winning Cincinnati Reds while leading the league in batting strikeouts (1164), and fewest doubles (208). With improved offense in their second season, the Padres were 11 wins better than their inaugural season. Still, they quickly dropped into the NL West cellar during a 7-14 April and stayed there, despite occasional forays into fifth. The pitching was a disappointment, offsetting the power production of Gaston, RF Ollie Brown, and 1B Nate Colbert. Surprisingly, they went 10-8 against the division-champion Reds.

Aftermath of 1970:

Following his outstanding 1970 season, Gaston again played winter ball in Venezuela with diminished production which carried over to the 1971 season with the Padres. He batted only .228 with 13 doubles, 9 triples, 17 home runs, 61 RBIs, a .264 OBP, and a .386 slugging percentage while striking out 121 times. The injury-plagued Gaston shifted to right field in 1972, but his production dropped further to .269 with 7 home runs, 44 RBIs, and a .313 OBP. He showed a little more punch in 1973 with 16 home runs as he batted .250 with 57 RBIs, a .281 OBP and a .405 slugging percentage. The arrival of Bobby Tolan in a deal with Cincinnati displaced Gaston in right field and made him the club’s fourth outfielder in 1974. Appearing in 106 games he hit a mere .213 with 6 home runs, 33 RBIs, and a .259 OBP. In the offseason he was traded back to the Braves where, still a reserve outfielder and pinch-hitter in 1975, Gaston appeared in 64 games and batted .241 with 6 home runs, 15 RBIs, and a .321 OBP. In 1976 he managed a two-homer, 5 RBI game against the Padres on his way to playing in 62 games and hitting a solid .291 with 4 home runs, 25 RBIs, and a .354 OBP. Gaston lasted two more seasons with Atlanta until being sold to Pittsburgh during the last month of the 1978 season, which marked the end of his major league playing career. For his major league career, Gaston batted .256 with 799 hits that included 106 doubles, 30 triples, and 91 home runs. He scored 314 runs and compiled 387 RBIs, a .298 OBP, and a .397 slugging percentage. The 1970 season remained his career best and he never saw postseason action. Following the culmination of his major league playing career, Gaston played for Santo Domingo in the Inter-American League and also was in the Mexican League before retiring to become hitting coach for the Braves in 1981. With manager Bobby Cox moving to Toronto in 1982, Gaston went with him in the same role. He remained a coach with the Blue Jays until replacing Jimy Williams as manager during the 1989 season. He went on to guide the club to five division titles and back-to-back World Series championships in 1992 and 1993. He remained as manager until 1997 and returned to the job from 2008-2010. His overall record as manager of the Blue Jays was 894-837 with the three championships. Gaston was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002, three years after he was named to the Toronto Blue Jays Level of Excellence at Rogers Centre.   

---

Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This categohe managed a twory also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Ollie Brown, 1970

Outfielder, San Diego Padres

Age:  26

2^nd season with Padres

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 178 

Prior to 1970:

Born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Brown moved to Long Beach, California with his family in his youth. One of three athlete brothers (older brother Willie went on to play briefly in the NFL and younger brother Oscar was an outfielder with the Atlanta Braves from 1969 to ’73), he attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School where he performed well in baseball and basketball. After attending Long Beach College for a year, Brown signed with the San Francisco Giants in 1962. While there were questions as to what position he would play, the 18-year-old split 1962 with Class D teams in the Appalachian and Midwest Leagues where he played in the outfield and batted a combined .227 with 10 home runs, 31 RBIs, and a .301 on-base percentage. With Decatur of the Midwest League in 1963 he pitched and produced a 9-8 record that included a no-hitter, but his ERA was a high 4.76 and he walked 132 batters over 123 innings. Now exclusively an outfielder, Brown moved on to Fresno of the Class A California League in 1964 where he batted .329 with 40 home runs, 133 RBIs, a .412 OBP, and a .671 slugging percentage. His impressive display of power led to his obtaining the enduring nickname of “Downtown”, as in “Downtown Ollie Brown”. Advancing to Tacoma of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 1965, Brown hit .293 with 30 doubles, 27 home runs, 81 RBIs, a .337 OBP, and a .512 slugging percentage. Called up to the Giants in September, he managed two hits in 10 at bats. He spent most of 1966 with the Giants, with a brief trip back to Class AAA at midseason. He ended up seeing significant action in right field for the Giants and batted .233 with 7 home runs, 33 RBIs, and a .303 OBP. In 1967 he took over right field from a struggling Ken Henderson but ended up hitting a disappointing .267 with 13 home runs, 53 RBIs, a .312 OBP, and a .396 slugging percentage. Appearing in only 21 games through June in 1968, Brown was sent down to Phoenix of the Pacific Coast League where he played in 25 games and hit .250 with only three homers. Called back up to San Francisco in September he finished with 40 major league appearances while batting .232 with a .270 OBP and being completely overshadowed by another young right fielder, Bobby Bonds. Left unprotected in the NL expansion draft, he was selected by the Padres, who were attracted to his excellent throwing arm in the outfield and power potential at the plate. Installed in right field in 1969 he batted .264 with 20 home runs, 61 RBIs, a .319 OBP, and a .412 slugging percentage for the fledgling club.

1970 Season Summary

Appeared in 139 games

RF – 137, PH – 3

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 577

At Bats – 534

Runs – 79

Hits – 156

Doubles – 34 [8, tied with Billy Williams, Bobby Tolan & Lee May]

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 23

RBI – 89

Bases on Balls – 34

Int. BB – 8

Strikeouts – 78

Stolen Bases – 5

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .292

OBP - .331

Slugging Pct. - .489 [19]

Total Bases – 261

GDP – 14

Hit by Pitches – 0

Sac Hits – 3

Sac Flies – 6 [14, tied with nine others]

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 17, HR – 13, RBI – 43, AVG - .278, SLG – .475, OBP – .326

---

Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. LA Dodgers 7/12

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 11

HR on road – 12

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at San Francisco 7/1

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 6 at San Francisco 7/1

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 3 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 280

Put Outs – 258

Assists – 12

Errors – 10

DP – 3

Pct. - .964 

---

The Padres went 63-99 to finish sixth (last) in the NL Western Division, 39 games behind the division-winning Cincinnati Reds while leading the league in batting strikeouts (1164), and fewest doubles (208). With improved offense in their second season, the Padres were 11 wins better than their inaugural season. Still, they quickly dropped into the NL West cellar during a 7-14 April and stayed there, despite occasional forays into fifth. The pitching was a disappointment, offsetting the power production of Brown, 1B Nate Colbert, and CF Cito Gaston. Surprisingly, they went 10-8 against the division-champion Reds.

Aftermath of 1970:

Brown’s power production dropped off significantly in 1971 as he slugged only 9 home runs with 55 RBIs while batting a respectable .273 with a .346 OBP. He came through with a solid 9 assists in right field. The lack of consistent power production affected most of the club, which again finished in the division cellar despite improved pitching. Off to a slow start at the plate in 1972, Brown was dealt to the Oakland Athletics in May. He lasted only six weeks with Oakland before being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. Appearing in a total of 109 games he batted .248 with 4 home runs, 29 RBIs, and a .310 OBP. In the 1973 opening game for the Brewers, Brown became the first player to appear as a Designated Hitter for the club, a role in which he appeared 82 times during a total of 97 games played. He hit a respectable .280 with 7 home runs, 32 RBIs, a .355 OBP, and a .392 slugging percentage. In the offseason he was dealt to the California Angels as part of a nine-player deal. In the spring of 1974 he was sold to the Houston Astros. He appeared in only 27 games for Houston before being waived and picked up by the Philadelphia Phillies. With the rising Phillies, he platooned in the outfield with Jay Johnstone and batted .242 with 11 extra-base hits that included 4 home runs, 13 RBIs, and a .286 OBP. The Phillies contended in the NL East in 1975 and Brown continued to be a valuable part-time outfielder who hit .303 with 6 home runs, 26 RBIs, and a .369 OBP. Playing in a similar role in 1976, “Downtown” finished at .254 with 10 doubles, 5 home runs that included a grand slam which keyed a win against the division-rival Pirates in a July game, 30 RBIs, and a .350 OBP. The Phillies won the NL East and Brown received his first taste of postseason action, going hitless as the club was swept by Cincinnati in the NLCS. He played one last season with the division-winning Phillies in 1977, hitting .243 with a .280 OBP before retiring at 33. For his major league career, Brown batted .265 with 964 hits that included 144 doubles, 11 triples, and 102 home runs. He scored 404 runs and compiled 454 RBIs, a .324 OBP, and a .394 slugging percentage. With the Padres he batted .272 with 450 hits, 194 runs scored, 70 doubles, 4 triples, 52 home runs, 208 RBIs, a .327 OBP, and a .413 slugging percentage. Appearing in three postseason games, he was hitless in four at bats with one walk. A useful player who never fully lived up to his potential in major league baseball, he died in 2015 at age 74.

---

Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Amos Otis, 1970

Outfielder, Kansas City Royals

Age:  23 (April 26)

1^st season with Royals

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 165 

Prior to 1970:

A native of Mobile, Alabama, Otis came out of Williamson High School and was an amateur draft selection as a shortstop in 1965 by the Boston Red Sox, although he had played multiple positions in high school. Initially assigned to Harlan of the Rookie-level Appalachian League where he played third base, the 18-year-old batted .329 with 11 doubles, 5 triples, 9 home runs, 39 RBIs, 10 stolen bases, and a .429 on-base percentage with a .520 slugging percentage. He also led the league’s third basemen in fielding (.910), chances (134), and double plays (13). Moving on to Oneonta of the Class A New York-Pennsylvania League in 1966, he hit .270 with 17 doubles, 7 triples, 3 home runs, 46 RBIs, 14 stolen bases, and a .335 OBP. After the season he was drafted away from the Red Sox by the New York Mets. Assigned to Jacksonville of the Class AAA International League in 1967, Otis batted .268 with 11 doubles, 7 triples, 3 home runs, 39 RBIs, 29 stolen bases, and a .327 OBP. Earning a late-season call-up to the Mets, he hit .220 in 19 games with two doubles and an RBI. Back with Jacksonville in 1968, Otis was outstanding as he batted .286 with 29 doubles, 15 home runs, 70 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, a .348 OBP, and a .450 slugging percentage. He received league all-star recognition. Otis started the 1969 season with the Mets as a backup outfielder and third baseman until being sent down to Tidewater of the International League where he hit .327 in 71 games with 14 doubles, 10 home runs, 43 RBIs, 19 stolen bases, a .398 OBP, and a .520 slugging percentage. He was called back up to the Mets in September, although not in time to qualify for the postseason roster as the club topped the NL East and made an improbable run to a World Series title. Having earlier been considered untouchable in trade talks by the Mets, in the offseason he was dealt to the expansion Royals along with RHP Bob Johnson for veteran third baseman Joe Foy. Originally anticipated to be Foy’s replacement at third base, manager Charlie Metro viewed him as having more potential in center field and that became his position in Kansas City.

1970 Season Summary

Appeared in 159 games

CF – 159, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 700 [6]

At Bats – 620 [6]

Runs – 91 [13, tied with Mike Andrews]

Hits – 176 [7, tied with Reggie Smith]

Doubles – 36 [1, tied with Tony Oliva & Cesar Tovar]

Triples – 9 [3]

Home Runs – 11

RBI – 58

Bases on Balls – 68

Int. BB – 3

Strikeouts – 67

Stolen Bases – 33 [5]

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .284 [17]

OBP - .353

Slugging Pct. - .424

Total Bases – 263 [17]

GDP – 8

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 6

Sac Flies – 5

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 18, 3B – 5, HR - 7, RBI - 33, AVG. - .310, OBP - .372

---

Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) vs. Cleveland 5/1

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

HR at home – 6

HR on road – 5

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 5 AB) at Cleveland 7/25

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 3 vs. Oakland 4/7, at Milwaukee 4/16, vs. Washington 6/9

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 1 (1.000)

Fielding

Chances - 407

Put Outs – 388

Assists – 15

Errors – 4

DP – 6

Pct. - .990

Awards & Honors:

All-Star 

---

In their second season, the Royals went 65-97 to finish tied for fourth with the Milwaukee Brewers in the AL Western Division, 33 games behind the division-winning Minnesota Twins, while leading the league in triples (41, tied with the Twins & Yankees), fewest runs scored (611), fewest home runs (97), lowest OBP (.309, tied with the Angels), lowest slugging percentage (.348), and fewest total bases (1916). The injury-and-dissension-plagued Royals got off to a slow start and manager Charlie Metro, unpopular with the players, was replaced by Bob Lemon in June with a 19-33 record following a 1-8 road trip. The managerial change didn’t bring immediate improvement although the club performed better in August and September. Otis was a bright spot for his hitting and outfield play. In his All-Star appearance he took part in a particularly notorious play in All-Star Game history when he made the throw from the outfield in what resulted in Cincinnati’s Pete Rose colliding with Cleveland catcher Ray Fosse to score the game-winning run for the National League.

Aftermath of 1970:

“A.O.” had another strong season in 1971 in which he led the AL with 52 stolen bases, five of them coming in one game against the Brewers. He batted .301 with 26 doubles, 15 home runs, 79 RBIs, a .345 OBP, and a .443 slugging percentage. Defensively he led all AL outfielders in putouts (404) and double plays (4) and center fielders in assists (10). In addition to once again being an All-Star, he placed eighth in league MVP voting. Otis remained a stalwart performer in 1972 who anchored a good-hitting outfield that also featured Lou Piniella in left and Richie Scheinblum in right. He contributed by hitting .293 with 28 doubles, 11 home runs, 54 RBIs, 28 stolen bases, and a .352 OBP. In 1973, despite being hindered by a foot injury during the last two weeks of the season, Otis batted .300 with 21 doubles, 26 home runs, 93 RBIs, a .368 OBP, and a .484 slugging percentage, although his stolen base total dropped to 13 in 22 attempts. He received a Gold Glove for his play in center field and finished third in league MVP balloting. The Royals had a disappointing season in 1974 and “A.O” saw slippage in his offensive production, hitting .284 with 31 doubles, 9 triples, 12 home runs, 73 RBIs, 18 stolen bases, a .348 OBP, and a .438 slugging percentage. He failed to be named an All-Star for the first time since he had arrived in Kansas City, although he still merited a Gold Glove for his play in center field. 1975 was another difficult season as he dealt with some injuries and was weakened by a tonsillectomy at midseason. Still, on April 30 and May 1 he tied a league record with seven steals in two consecutive games. For the year he batted .247 with 26 doubles, 6 triples, 9 home runs, 46 RBIs, 39 stolen bases, and a .342 OBP (helped by drawing 66 walks). The Royals won the AL West title in 1976 and Otis was a key contributor as he batted .279 with a league-leading 40 doubles as well as 18 home runs, 86 RBIs, 26 stolen bases, a .341 OBP, and a .444 slugging percentage. In addition to becoming an All-Star again, he was seventh in AL MVP voting. A sprained ankle suffered in the first game of the ALCS against the Yankees sidelined Otis for the remaining games. Kansas City again topped the AL West in 1977. Otis’ batting production dropped somewhat to .251 with 20 doubles, 8 triples, 17 home runs, 78 RBIs, 23 stolen bases, a .342 OBP, and a .433 slugging percentage. Again facing the Yankees in the ALCS, Otis hit .125 and knocked in two runs as the Royals came up short for the second straight year. Otis was the club’s Player of the Year in 1978 as he batted .298 with 30 doubles, 7 triples, 22 home runs, 96 RBIs, 32 stolen bases, a .380 OBP, and a .525 slugging percentage. He topped AL outfielders in fielding percentage (.995) and placed fourth in league MVP balloting. The Royals again finished atop the AL West and lost to the Yankees in the ALCS, although this time Otis hit .429. Kansas City came up short in the AL West in 1979 but Otis batted .295 with 28 doubles, 18 home runs, 90 RBIs, 30 stolen bases, a .369 OBP, and a .444 slugging percentage. He remained a defensive asset in center field. The Royals regained the AL West crown in 1980 and Otis, in a lesser offensive season, hit .251 with 10 home runs, 53 RBIs, 16 stolen bases, and a .316 OBP. The club prevailed over the Yankees in the ALCS and lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series, although Otis batted .478 with 3 homers and 7 RBIs in the six games. In the strike-shortened 1981 season, suspicions that “A.O.” was beginning to fade at age 34 were fed by batting production of .269 with 22 doubles, 9 home runs, 57 RBIs, 16 stolen bases, and a .321 OBP, although his defense remained sound. Hampered by a variety of injuries in 1982, Otis batted .286 with 25 doubles, 11 home runs, 88 RBIs, and a .335 OBP. Struggling with injuries and declining skills in 1983, he appeared in only 98 games and hit .261 with a .313 OBP. Released by the Royals in the offseason, he joined the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1984 and lasted until August, when he was let go, thus ending his career. For his major league career, Otis batted .277 with 2020 hits that included 374 doubles, 66 triples, and 193 home runs. He scored 1092 runs and compiled 1007 RBIs, 341 stolen bases, a .343 OBP, and a .425 slugging percentage. With the Royals he batted .280 with 365 doubles, 65 triples, 193 home runs, 1074 runs scored, 992 RBIs, 340 stolen bases, a .347 OBP, and a .433 slugging percentage. Appearing in 22 postseason games, he hit .295 with 3 homers and 11 RBIs. A five-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove recipient, Otis was inducted into the Royals Hall of Fame in 1986. Having an odd and occasionally difficult personality in addition to his baseball skills, Otis was known to perform acts of kindness off-the-field and was popular with Kansas City fans.

---

Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years.

Cy Young Profile: Bob Gibson, 1970

Pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals

Age:  34

12^th season with Cardinals

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 189 

Prior to 1970:

A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Gibson, who was sickly as a child, grew up playing sports at a recreation center where his oldest brother was the program director. Moving on to Omaha Technical High School, he starred on the basketball and track teams and pitched and played in the outfield on the baseball squad. After high school he tried for a basketball scholarship to Indiana University but was turned down because the school indicated it had already filled its quota of black students. He instead attended Creighton University where he set several school basketball records and played baseball. As a senior he batted .333 as a pitcher/outfielder/third baseman and posted a 6-2 pitching record. Recruited to play for the Harlem Globetrotters following college, Gibson was also signed by the Cardinals in 1957. Playing for teams at the Class A and AAA levels in ’57 he produced a combined 6-4 record with a 4.02 ERA. Gibson, now concentrating totally on baseball, played for Class AAA Omaha and Rochester in 1958 and was a combined 8-9 with a 2.84 ERA and 122 strikeouts over 190 innings, impressing with his fastball. He bounced between the Cardinals and Class AAA in 1959 and ’60, hindered by the prejudice of St. Louis manager Solly Hemus. With improved control of his fastball and slider, as well as a new manager in Johnny Keane, who had confidence in Gibson, he produced a 13-12 record in 1961 with a 3.24 ERA and 166 strikeouts, as well as a league-leading 119 walks. With his control improving Gibson was an All-Star in 1962 on his way to a 15-13 tally with a 2.85 ERA and 208 strikeouts and 95 walks before his season was cut short in September by a broken ankle. Off to a slow start in 1963, Gibson still improved his record to 18-9 with a 3.39 ERA and 204 strikeouts. The Cardinals won the NL pennant in a close race in 1964 and Gibson contributed a 19-12 record with a 3.01 ERA and 245 strikeouts to the effort. In the World Series victory against the Yankees he won two more games, against one loss, struck out 31 batters and was named MVP of the Series. Manager Keane, his mentor, resigned following the Series and was replaced by Red Schoendienst. The Cards had a lesser season in 1965 although Gibson went 20-12 with a 3.07 ERA and 270 strikeouts. Tall, lean, intense, quiet and aloof, and a fierce competitor with an intimidating mound presence who did not fraternize with players from other teams, he improved his record to 21-12 in 1966 with a 2.44 ERA and 225 strikeouts. The Cardinals got off to a fast start in 1967 and Gibson had a 10-6 record in mid-July when he suffered a broken leg when struck by a line drive off the bat of Pittsburgh’s Roberto Clemente. St. Louis stayed on track to win the pennant and Gibson returned in September to win three more games, including the pennant-clincher. He finished with a 13-7 mark and 147 strikeouts over 175.1 innings and a 2.98 ERA. In the World Series against the Boston Red Sox he won all three of his starts, including the title-clinching seventh game, which were all complete games. He had a 1.00 ERA and recorded 26 strikeouts over the course of his 27 innings pitched and was once again the Series MVP. With both a rising and sinking fastball, slider, curve, and changeup, and always working at a fast pace, he came into the 1968 season recognized as one of baseball’s best pitchers. The Cardinals again won the NL pennant and, in a season dominated by pitching, Gibson produced a 22-9 record with a 1.12 ERA, 13 shutouts, and 268 strikeouts, earning him NL MVP, as well as Cy Young, recognition. In the World Series against Detroit, he set a World Series record in Game 1 with 17 strikeouts and added to his string of complete game wins before faltering in Game 7. Nicknamed “Hoot” for movie cowboy Hoot Gibson, or “Gibby”, he received a pay increase to $125,000, and he remained solid in 1969 while posting a 20-13 record with a 2.18 ERA and 269 strikeouts and topped the NL with 28 complete games, although the Cardinals were no longer a first place team.

1970 Season Summary

Appeared in 40 games

P – 34, PH – 5, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 34

Games Started – 34 [12, tied with six others]

Complete Games – 23 [2, tied with Gaylord Perry]

Wins – 23 [1, tied with Gaylord Perry]

Losses – 7

PCT - .767 [2]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 3 [6, tied with eight others]

Innings Pitched – 294 [3]

Hits – 262 [9]

Runs – 111 [19, tied with Jim Bunning & George Stone]

Earned Runs – 102 [17, tied with Rick Wise & Pat Jarvis]

Home Runs – 13

Bases on Balls – 88 [15]

Strikeouts – 274 [2, tied with Ferguson Jenkins]

ERA – 3.12 [4]

Hit Batters – 4

Balks – 1 [14, tied with many others]

Wild Pitches – 5

Midseason Snapshot: 12-4, ERA - 3.54, SO - 156 in 152.2 IP

---

Most strikeouts, game – 16 (in 9 IP) at Philadelphia 5/23

10+ strikeout games – 7

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) at San Diego 6/17

Batting

PA – 124, AB – 109, R – 14, H – 33, 2B – 3, 3B – 1, HR – 2, RBI – 19, BB – 8, SO – 25, SB – 0, CS – 2, AVG - .303, GDP – 4, HBP – 0, SH – 6, SF – 1

Fielding

Chances - 58

Put Outs – 22

Assists – 32

Errors – 4

DP – 3

Pct. - .931

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

Gold Glove

All-Star

4^th in NL MVP voting (110 points, 33% share)

NL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Bob Gibson, StL.: 118 points – 23 of 24 first place votes, 98% share

Gaylord Perry, SF: 51 points – 1 first place vote, 43% share

Ferguson Jenkins, ChiC.: 16 points – 13% share

Dave Giusti, Pitt.: 8 points – 7% share

Jim Merritt, Cin.: 8 points – 7% share

---

Cardinals went 76-86 to finish fourth in the NL Eastern Division, 13 games behind the division-winning Pittsburgh Pirates. After getting off to a 7-2 start, the Cardinals sputtered, especially during a miserable 8-21 July. An August upsurge was not enough to pull the club into contention in the NL East. Other than Gibson, the pitching was spotty, with the bullpen a particularly weak area.

Aftermath of 1970:

Gibson slipped to 16-13 in 1971 although he pitched his only career no-hitter against Pittsburgh. Gibson had his last All-Star season in 1972, going 19-11 with a 2.46 ERA and 208 strikeouts. The Cardinals rebounded from a dreadful start in 1973 to move into contention in the NL East but Gibson suffered a knee injury in August and the Redbirds came up short. His record was 12-10 with a 2.77 ERA and 142 strikeouts over 195 innings. “Gibby” fell off to 11-13 in 1974, his first losing record since 1960, as his ERA rose to 3.83. Pitching poorly at age 39 in 1975, he was relegated to the bullpen and retired in frustration prior to the end of the season. For his major league career, played entirely with the Cardinals, he compiled a 251-174 record and a 2.91 ERA with 255 complete games, 56 shutouts, and 3117 strikeouts over 3884.1 innings pitched. Gibson had five 20-win seasons. Pitching in 9 World Series games, he compiled a 7-2 record with 92 strikeouts over the course of 81 innings that included 8 complete games. His seven wins were consecutive as well as all of the complete games, and his 17-strikeout performance in Game 1 of the 1968 Series remains the single game World Series record. A good hitting pitcher, Gibson compiled 24 home runs with 144 RBIs over the course of his career and added two more home runs during World Series play. An excellent fielder despite an off-balance delivery, Gibson was awarded nine Gold Gloves. An eight-time All-Star, the Cardinals retired his #45 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981. A statue was erected in his honor outside Busch Stadium. Gibson went into broadcasting for a time following his playing career and later served as a pitching coach for the Braves under manager Joe Torre, a former teammate. He also served as a coach and special instructor for the Cardinals. Gibson died in 2020 at the age of 84.

---

Cy Young Profiles feature pitchers who were recipients of the Cy Young Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1956 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1966 and from 1967 on to one recipient from each major league 

Rookie of the Year: Thurman Munson, 1970

Catcher, New York Yankees

Age:  23 (June 7)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 190 

Prior to 1970:

A native of Akron, Ohio, Munson began playing midget league baseball before moving on to junior boys and American Legion ball. At Canton’s Lehman High School he played football and basketball, as well as baseball, where he first was utilized as a catcher, although his primary position was shortstop. After batting .581 as a senior, he was named to the All-Ohio high school team. Offered numerous college football scholarships, he instead accepted a baseball scholarship to Kent State University where he excelled and received College All-America recognition. Selected fourth overall by the Yankees in the 1969 amateur draft, Munson signed for a $70,000 bonus. Initially assigned to the Binghamton Triplets of the Class AA Eastern League he hit .301 in 71 games along with 6 home runs and 37 RBIs while also developing his skills behind the plate. Promoted to the Syracuse Chiefs of the Class AAA International League in 1969, he was also inducted into the Army Reserve, serving at Fort Dix in New Jersey and playing with Syracuse when possible (and compiling a .363 average in 28 games). Promoted to the Yankees in August to fill in for catcher Frank Fernandez, Munson batted .256 in 26 games and hit his first major league home run. After a brief return to Syracuse, he was called back up to the Yankees in September and threw out 7 base runners during the final month. With Fernandez traded to Oakland, Munson was set to take over the primary catching duties in 1970.

1970 Season Summary

Appeared in 132 games

C – 125, PH – 12

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 526

At Bats – 453

Runs – 59

Hits – 137

Doubles – 25

Triples – 4

Home Runs – 6

RBI – 53

Bases on Balls – 57

Int. BB – 6

Strikeouts – 56

Stolen Bases – 5

Caught Stealing – 7 [18, tied with six others]

Average - .302 [7]

OBP - .386 [9]

Slugging Pct. - .415

Total Bases – 188

GDP – 13

Hit by Pitches – 7 [10, tied with six others]

Sac Hits – 5

Sac Flies – 4

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 14, HR - 3, RBI – 28, AVG - .263, OBP - .381

---

Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Cleveland 5/24, (in 4 AB) at Baltimore 7/8, (in 4 AB) at California 7/28, (in 5 AB) vs. Baltimore 8/8

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

Most HR, game – 1 on six occasions

HR at home – 1

HR on road – 5

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 vs. Baltimore 5/18, at Boston 6/21 – 11 innings, at Baltimore 7/8

Pinch-hitting/running – 3 for 9 (.333) with 3 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 3 RBI & 2 BB

Fielding

Chances – 719

Put Outs – 631

Assists – 80

Errors – 8

Passed Balls – 10

DP – 11

Pct. - .989

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

19^th in AL MVP voting (15 points, 4% share)

AL ROY Voting:

Thurman Munson, NYY: 23 of 24 votes, 96% share

Roy Foster, Clev.: 1 vote, 4% share

---

Yankees went 93-69 to finish second in the AL Eastern Division, 15 games behind the division-winning Baltimore Orioles, while leading the league in triples (41, tied with the Minnesota Twins & Kansas City Royals). The slow-starting Yankees went on a 17-7 tear in June that brought them within three games of the first-place Orioles, but a July batting slump kept them from coming any closer, although a strong August kept them in second to stay for the club’s best finish since 1964.

Aftermath of ‘70:

During the 1971 season, Munson was knocked unconscious and hospitalized following a collision at the plate with Baltimore catcher Andy Etchebarren but missed minimal time as he demonstrated his toughness and determination. He was an All-Star for the first time on his way to batting .251 with 10 home runs, 42 RBIs, and a .335 on-base percentage. Additionally, he led AL catchers with a .998 fielding percentage and by throwing out 61 % of runners attempting to steal against him. In 1972 a long-running feud with Boston catcher Carlton Fisk was ignited when Fisk slid hard into Munson in a play at the plate (the two would ignite a major brawl the following year as their rivalry intensified). For the year, Munson continued to establish himself as a top all-around backstop as his average rebounded to .280 with a .343 OBP and 7 home runs with 46 RBIs. Defensively he placed second in the league with 71 assists. A very methodical hitter, in 1973 Munson batted .301 with 20 home runs, 74 RBIs, and a .362 OBP while receiving his first Gold Glove for his defensive performance. He finished twelfth in league MVP voting. Bothered by injuries in 1974, Munson’s average dipped to .261 and his OBP to .316 while he totaled 13 home runs, 60 RBIs, and a strained forearm hindered his throwing ability. His production rebounded in 1975 to .318 with a .366 OBP, 24 doubles, 12 home runs, and 102 RBIs. Named team captain by manager Billy Martin in 1976 in recognition of his role as a team leader, Munson had an MVP season, batting .302 with 27 doubles, 17 home runs, 105 RBIs, and a .337 OBP. The Yankees topped the AL East on their way to winning their first pennant since 1964. He hit .475 in his first taste of postseason action that ended with being swept by Cincinnati in the World Series. The arrival of slugging outfielder Reggie Jackson in 1977 ignited discord between the two, especially when critical comments appeared in print. The Yankees repeated as AL pennant winners and Munson batted .308 with 18 home runs, 100 RBIs, and a .351 OBP. In the World Series triumph over the Dodgers in which Jackson starred, Munson hit .320 to contribute to achieving a championship. Heading into 1978, the veteran backstop expressed a desire to be traded, preferably to Cleveland, to be closer to his Ohio home, a desire that the Yankee front office did not follow up on, not desiring to send away a popular and productive player. The ensuing season was tumultuous and ended with the Yankees beating Boston in a tie-breaking playoff to win the AL East. Munson batted .297 with 27 doubles, 6 home runs, 71 RBIs, and a .332 on-base percentage. Advancing to another World Series matchup with the Dodgers, New York won four straight games after losing the first two to take the title. Munson again hit well in the Series with a .320 average, 3 doubles, and 7 RBIs. Intense and insecure, Munson had a strained relationship with the New York media but was an effective team leader. In 1979 he was dealing with severe shoulder and knee pain but was hitting .288 with a .340 OBP when his career, and life, came to a tragic end in August when the private jet he was flying crashed while he attempted to land at Akron-Canton Airport. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Yankees, Munson batted .292 with 1558 hits that included 229 doubles, 32 triples, and 113 home runs. He scored 696 runs and compiled 701 RBIs and a .346 OBP. Appearing in 30 postseason games, he hit .357 with 3 home runs and 22 RBIs. A seven-time All-Star, he also was awarded three Gold Gloves and placed in the top 20 in AL MVP voting five times. The Yankees retired his #15 and placed a plaque in his honor in Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park.

---

Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were recipients of the Rookie of the Year Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1947 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1948 and from 1949 on to one recipient from each major league.  

MVP Profile: Johnny Bench, 1970

Catcher, Cincinnati Reds

Age:  22

3^rd season with Reds

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 197

Prior to 1970:

Bench, a native of Oklahoma, was an All-State performer in both baseball and basketball in high school and was his class valedictorian as well. He was chosen by the Reds in the first amateur free agent draft in 1965 and followed up a promising season with Tampa of the Class A Florida State League by achieving Player of the Year recognition after batting .294 with 22 home runs with the Peninsula Grays of the Class A Carolina League in 1966. Following promotion to Class AAA Buffalo, he suffered a broken thumb that ended his ’66 campaign. Returning to Buffalo in 1967 Bench hit 23 home runs while batting .259 and impressed with his defensive play behind the plate. He was selected as Minor League Player of the Year by The Sporting News after the season and was promoted to the Reds for the last month of the ’67 season, hitting a meager .163 with a home run and 6 RBIs in 26 games. Impressive in his first full season in 1968, Bench was an All-Star for the first time and became the first catcher to receive Rookie of the Year honors after batting .275 with 40 doubles, 15 home runs, and 82 RBIs. He also received a Gold Glove for his play behind the plate. Bench followed up in 1969 with 26 home runs, 90 RBIs, and a .293 batting average, again receiving an All-Star selection and Gold Glove.

1970 Season Summary

Appeared in 158 games

C – 139, LF – 15, 1B – 12, RF – 7, CF – 2, PH – 5, 3B – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 671 [14] 

At Bats – 605 [10, tied with Lee May]

Runs – 97 [17, tied with Matty Alou]

Hits – 177 [14]

Doubles – 35 [6, tied with Ken Henderson]

Triples – 4

Home Runs – 45 [1]

RBI – 148 [1]

Bases on Balls – 54

Int. BB – 9

Strikeouts – 102 [15, tied with Doug Rader]

Stolen Bases – 5

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .293

OBP - .345

Slugging Pct. - .587 [3]

Total Bases – 355 [2]

GDP – 12

Hit by Pitches – 0

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 11 [1]

League-leading home runs were +3 ahead of runner-up Billy Williams

League-leading RBIs were +19 ahead of runners-up Billy Williams & Tony Perez

League-leading sac flies were +2 ahead of runner-up Denis Menke

Midseason snapshot: HR - 28, RBI - 79, AVG - .285, SLG - .618

---

Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. LA Dodgers 6/21, (in 5 AB) vs. St. Louis 7/26, (in 5 AB) at LA Dodgers 9/10

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

Most HR, game – 3 (in 5 AB) vs. St. Louis 7/26

HR at home – 30

HR on road – 15

Multi-HR games – 3

Most RBIs, game – 7 vs. St. Louis 7/26

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 5 (.200) with 1 RBI

Fielding (C )

Chances – 840

Put Outs – 755

Assists – 73

Errors – 12

Passed Balls – 9

DP – 12

Pct. - .986

Postseason Batting: 8 G (NLCS vs. Pittsburgh – 3 G; World Series vs. Baltimore – 5 G)

PA – 32, AB – 28, R – 5, H – 6, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 2, RBI – 4, BB – 4, IBB – 2, SO – 3, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .214, OBP - .313, SLG - .429, TB – 12, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors: 

NL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

Gold Glove

All-Star (Started for NL at C )

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Johnny Bench, Cin.: 326 pts. – 22 of 24 first place votes, 97% share

Billy Williams, ChiC.: 218 pts. – 2 first place votes, 65% share

Tony Perez, Cin.: 149 pts. – 44% share

Bob Gibson, StL.: 110 pts. – 33% share

Wes Parker, LAD: 91 pts. – 27% share

---

Reds went 102-60, to finish first in the NL Western Division by 14.5 games over the Los Angeles Dodgers while leading the league in home runs (191), batting (.270, tied with three other clubs), slugging (.436) & total bases (2414). Under new manager Sparky Anderson, “the Big Red Machine” sailed to the NL West title, benefiting from an array of big bats led by Bench. Won NLCS over the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3 games to 0. Lost World Series to the Baltimore Orioles, 4 games to 1.

Aftermath of ‘70:

In a lesser season for the Reds in 1971, Bench batted .238 with 27 home runs and 61 RBIs while continuing his Gold Glove play defensively. He was MVP for a second time in 1972, when he again topped the league in home runs (40) and RBIs (125) for a pennant-winning club. With outstanding ability behind the plate that included an excellent throwing arm, Bench won 10 Gold Gloves and was selected to 14 All-Star Games over the course of a career that lasted until 1983 and included being part of two World Series-winning Cincinnati squads. Capable of playing at first base and in the outfield to reduce wear on his body from catching, Bench ultimately ended up appearing primarily at third and first base in the final stages of his Hall of Fame career (he was elected in 1989).  Overall, in a tenure spent entirely with the Reds, who retired his #5, he hit 389 home runs with 1376 RBIs and a .267 batting average. Bench had another 10 home runs and 20 RBIs in 45 postseason games and was named MVP of the 1976 World Series.

---

MVP Profiles feature players in the National or American leagues who were winners of the Chalmers Award (1911-14), League Award (1922-29), or Baseball Writers’ Association of America Award (1931 to present) as Most Valuable Player.