I’ve posted about 1970 Johnny Bench before but Chris Esposito’s card is from the actual ‘70 set. The one from before was from an All-Star set I believe. This image is much clearer too (with a cool background!).
Bench had a career year in 1970 with the Reds. Playing in 158 games while starting 152, he led the NL in 45 homers and 148 rbis. He managed to even score 97 runs which is pretty amazing for a catcher in his era.
Of course, Bench’s value was in his glove too. He won his third of ten consecutive Gold Gloves.
| Split | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 Totals | 158 | 671 | 605 | 97 | 177 | 35 | 4 | 45 | 148 | 5 | 54 | 102 | .293 | .345 | .587 |
Ok, the first thing that struck me THIS time was Bench’s 23-12. Of course, this was before APBA had mandated that all seasons would have the 12 at 23. The season just happened to have 23 picked as the year to have the 12 on it.
Anytime a player has five power numbers especially with double ones, it’s a monster card. Couple that with a defensive position like catcher (or shortstop or secondbaseman) it is even better. The icing on the cake is that Bench has the absolute best fielding C-9.
Fun numbers: 44-6, 11-1, C-9
I will get on my soapbox now and say that this particular format of APBA card is one of my favorites. I know it’s dated simply because it came out so long ago but I still like it. Bold font, easy to read.
Thanks Chris!
Love this. And now a story about the 1973 Johnny Bench card. We’re playing with that year’s set, then new, and we somehow lose the Bench card. Only that card. So we send away to Lancaster for that year’s brochure, for which Bench is the sample card. Problem solved.
What Jeff did not mention here (we were in the same FTF league back in the day) is that “somehow” consisted of Bench choking in a clutch situation, followed by his manager (neither of us, incidentally) flinging Bench’s card across the room in a momentary fit of pique.
Except, of course, that the card never made it across the room. Apparently there was a cross-dimensional wormhole in the basement where we played, and Bench found said wormhole.
Poof. Into the ether. We scoured the room thoroughly. No sign of the card anywhere. And it never turned up, even as the family eventually packed for a move to another residence. As far as we know, Johnny Bench is still haunting the basement at 1803 Jelinek Avenue.
Unless, of course, he materialized elsewhere. If a phantom 1973 Bench card turns up in the collection of anybody reading this, kindly contact Jeff.
I put ‘1803 Jelinek Avenue” into Google Maps and selected the Weston Wisconsin address. I zoomed in so the view was at the street level to look for your card. The sun was in my eyes and I couldn’t see anything.
The 12 is always at 23 now? Now i have to go look at the newer sets I’ve gotten…
A catcher 9 with two first column 1’s AND a 10? That’s value!
This card is priceless to me. In 2018 I had the opportunity to to have Johnny sign one item for me. The 1970 season APBA card or my poster from his 1972 NLCS homerun. I chose the poster which hangs in a frame on my wall but that APBA card is next in line. Dominate card…dominate season.
1970 was the first apba set I ever got. I was intrigued by the cool looking Bench card
that came with the brochure in 1970. I remember getting the box in the mail and didnt even know how to play the game and read the rules and was playing within the hour. I played the Pirates and Cubs as my first game and Bob Robertson hit a home run. I was in love with apba and have been ever since. I always love to by the 1970 sets off ebay. Now I have a friend come over once a week and we play and he loves it was well.