Johnny Bench MLB Baseball W/ HOF Inscription

In spring training of 1968, Ted Williams autographed a baseball "To Johnny Bench, a Hall of Famer for sure." Bench met expectations quickly by catching a rookie-record 154 games that season, setting a record for catchers with 40 doubles, and becoming the first catcher to win National League Rookie of the Year honors. He went on to become the National League's dominant catcher for nearly a decade and a half. Bench batted either fourth or fifth for the Big Red Machine team that dominated the National League in the 1970s and won six division titles, four pennants, and two World Series. From 1970 to 1977, Cincinnati players won six of eight MVP awards; Bench won two of them. The first came in 1970 following his league-leading 45 home runs and 148 RBI, all-time records for catchers. He won ten straight Gold Glove Awards and set a NL record by catching at least 100 games in each of his first 13 seasons. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility and was inducted in 1989. Johnny Bench hand signed this official Major League baseball and included the inscription "HOF 89," representing the year he was inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame. A Steiner Sports Certificate of Authenticity is included.