Editing Johnny Bench (section)

==Honors and post-career activities==
[[File:Johnny Bench Statue at Great American Ball Park.jpg|thumb|Bench's statue at Great American Ball Park]]
[[File:Johnny Bench signs autographs in May 2014.jpg|thumb|Bench signs autographs in Houston in May 2014.]]

Bench was elected to the National [[Baseball Hall of Fame]] in [[Cooperstown, New York]], in [[Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 1989|1989]] alongside [[Carl Yastrzemski]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://baseballhall.org/hof/bench-johnny|title=Johnny Bench|access-date=June 1, 2016|archive-date=July 17, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717213204/http://baseballhall.org/hof/bench-johnny|url-status=live}}</ref> He was elected in his first year of eligibility, and appeared on 96% of the ballots, the third-highest percentage at that time. Three years earlier, Bench had been inducted into the [[Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame]] and his uniform No. 5 was retired by the team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/cin/history/retired_numbers.jsp|title=Reds Retired Numbers|access-date=June 1, 2016|archive-date=June 14, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614220325/http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/cin/history/retired_numbers.jsp|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/cin/ballpark/museum/hofers.jsp|title=Hall of Fame & Museum – Reds Hall of Famers|access-date=June 1, 2016|archive-date=July 21, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721072221/http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/cin/ballpark/museum/hofers.jsp|url-status=dead}}</ref> He is currently on the board of directors for the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame. In 1989, he became the first individual baseball player to appear on a [[Wheaties]] box, a cereal he ate as a child.<ref name=jbgpowb>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NfhSAAAAIBAJ&pg=5134,2513832|newspaper=Deseret News|agency=wire services|title=Johnny Bench gets his picture on Wheaties box|date=July 6, 1989|page=D7|access-date=October 5, 2020|archive-date=August 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827200244/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NfhSAAAAIBAJ&pg=5134,2513832|url-status=live}}</ref>

For a time in the 1980s Bench was a commercial spokesman for [[Krylon]] [[paint]], featuring a memorable catchphrase: "I'm Johnny Bench, and this is Johnny Bench's bench."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzrdWyhoH0c| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/gzrdWyhoH0c| archive-date=2021-12-11 | url-status=live|via=YouTube|title=Johnny's Bench, Krylon| date=January 25, 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In 1985, Bench starred as Joe Boyd/Joe Hardy in a Cincinnati stage production of the musical ''[[Damn Yankees]]'', which also included [[Gwen Verdon]] and [[Gary Sandy]]. He also hosted the television series ''[[The Baseball Bunch]]'' from 1982 to 1985. A cast of boys and girls from the [[Tucson, Arizona]], area would learn the game of baseball from Bench and other current and retired greats. [[The San Diego Chicken|The Chicken]] provided comic relief and former [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] manager [[Tommy Lasorda]] appeared as "The Dugout Wizard."

In 1986, Bench and [[Don Drysdale]] did the backup contests for [[Major League Baseball on ABC|ABC]]'s Sunday afternoon baseball telecasts ([[Al Michaels]] and [[Jim Palmer]] were the primary commentating crew). Keith Jackson, usually working with Tim McCarver did the No. 2 Monday night games. Bench took a week off in June (with [[Steve Busby]] filling in), and also worked one game with Michaels as the networks switched the announcer pairings. While Drysdale worked the [[1986 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] in [[Astrodome|Houston]] as an interviewer he did not resurface until the playoffs. Bench simply disappeared, ultimately going to [[Major League Baseball|CBS Radio]] to help [[Brent Musburger]] call that year's [[1986 National League Championship Series|National League Championship Series]]. Bench would later serve as color commentator CBS Radio's World Series coverage alongside [[Jack Buck]] and later [[Vin Scully]] from [[1989 World Series|1989]]–[[1993 World Series|1993]]. In 1994, Bench served as a field reporter for [[Major League Baseball on NBC|NBC]]/[[The Baseball Network]]'s coverage of the [[1994 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] from [[Three Rivers Stadium|Pittsburgh]].

After turning 50, Bench was a part-time professional golfer and played in several events on the [[Champions Tour|Senior PGA Tour]].<ref name=jbatmmst>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sG5hAAAAIBAJ&pg=2970,1104388 |newspaper=Catoosa County News |location=Ringgold, Georgia |agency=Knight-Ridder Newspapers |last=Carter |first=Ivan |title=Johnny Bench attempts to make mark on Senior Tour |date=August 12, 1998 |page=1B |access-date=October 5, 2020 |archive-date=August 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829001858/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sG5hAAAAIBAJ&pg=2970,1104388 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=msswg>{{cite web |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/features/1997/weekly/971208/gp1208/i.html |work=CNNSI.com |title=My Shot: Still Swinging |last=Bench |first=Johnny |date=December 3, 1997 |access-date=July 30, 2013 |archive-date=December 29, 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031229112102/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/features/1997/weekly/971208/gp1208/i.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=yahspjb>{{cite news |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/golf/champions/players/Johnny+Bench/1127/log |work=Yahoo! Sports |title=Golf: Johnny Bench |access-date=July 30, 2013 |archive-date=September 15, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140915205544/https://sports.yahoo.com/golf/champions/players/Johnny+Bench/1127/log |url-status=live }}</ref> He has a home at the Mission Hills-Gary Player Course in [[Rancho Mirage, California]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Meeks|first1=Eric G.|title=Palm Springs Celebrity Homes: Little Tuscany, Racquet Club, Racquet Club Estates and Desert Park Estates Neighborhoods|date=2012 |page= 392 |publisher=Horatio Limburger Oglethorpe|type=Kindle|asin= B00A2PXD1G}}</ref>

In 1999, Bench ranked Number 16 on ''[[The Sporting News]]'' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.sportingnews.com/baseball/100/ |title=Johnny Bench at The Sporting News 100 Greatest Baseball Players |access-date=June 1, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090227144518/http://archive.sportingnews.com/baseball/100/ |archive-date=February 27, 2009 }}</ref> He was the highest-ranking catcher. Bench was also elected to the [[Major League Baseball All-Century Team]] as the top vote-receiving catcher.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/mlb_history_moreinfo.jsp|title=The All-Century Team|access-date=June 1, 2016|archive-date=January 19, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100119065808/http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/mlb_history_moreinfo.jsp|url-status=live}}</ref> As part of the Golden Anniversary of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, Bench was selected to the [[All-time Gold Glove Team|All-Time Rawlings Gold Glove Team]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rawlingsgoldglove.com/about/all_time_winners|title=Gold Glove :: Rawlings.com|access-date=June 1, 2016|archive-date=January 12, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112214556/http://www.rawlingsgoldglove.com/about/all_time_winners|url-status=live}}</ref>

From the 2000 [[college baseball]] season until 2018, the best collegiate catcher annually received the [[Johnny Bench Award]].  Notable winners include [[Buster Posey]] of [[Florida State University]], [[Kelly Shoppach]] of [[Baylor University]], [[Ryan Garko]] of [[Stanford University]], and [[Kurt Suzuki]] of [[Cal State Fullerton]]. The award was renamed the Buster Posey Award for the 2019 season onwards.<ref>{{cite web|title=Buster Posey Award (Johnny Bench Award)|url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/johnny_bench_award.shtml|website=Baseball Almanac|access-date=August 22, 2020|archive-date=August 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815233233/https://baseball-almanac.com/awards/johnny_bench_award.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2003, he guest starred on an [[List of Yes, Dear episodes#Season 3 (2002–03)|episode]] of ''[[Yes, Dear]]'' as himself, along with [[Ernie Banks]] and [[Frank Robinson]].<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/yes_dear/s03/e16|title = Yes, Dear: Season 3, Episode 16|publisher = [[Rotten Tomatoes]]|access-date = March 31, 2020|archive-date = July 31, 2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200731214306/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/yes_dear/s03/e16|url-status = live}}</ref>

In 2008, Bench co-wrote the book ''Catch Every Ball: How to Handle Life's Pitches'' with Paul Daugherty, published by [[Orange Frazer Press]].  An autobiography published in 1979 called ''Catch You Later'' was co-authored with William Brashler. Bench has also broadcast games on television and radio, and is an avid [[golf]]er, having played in several [[Champions Tour]] tournaments.

Bench was interviewed by [[Heidi Watney]] of the [[New England Sports Network]] during a September 2008 [[Boston Red Sox]] game at [[Fenway Park]]. While [[knuckleball]]er [[Tim Wakefield]] was on the mound for the Red Sox, Bench related a story that then-Reds manager [[Sparky Anderson]] told him that he was thinking of trading for knuckleballer [[Phil Niekro]]. Bench replied that Anderson had better trade for Niekro's catcher, too.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://soxanddawgs.com/2008/09/24/johnny-bench-does-a-harry-caray-impression|title=Johnny Bench Does A Harry Caray Impression|access-date=June 1, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104164711/http://soxanddawgs.com/2008/09/24/johnny-bench-does-a-harry-caray-impression/|archive-date=January 4, 2010}}</ref>

On September 17, 2011, the Cincinnati Reds unveiled a statue of Bench at the entrance way of the Reds Hall of Fame at [[Great American Ball Park]]. The larger-than-life bronze statue by [[Tom Tsuchiya]], shows Bench in the act of throwing out a base runner.<ref name= CE >{{cite news| work=The Cincinnati Enquirer| title=Johnny Bench Bronze Age| date=September 17, 2011| url=http://news.cincinnati.com/videonetwork/1163895329001/Johnny-Bench-Statue| access-date=August 24, 2012| archive-date=November 17, 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111117132259/http://news.cincinnati.com/videonetwork/1163895329001/Johnny-Bench-Statue| url-status=live}}</ref><ref name = NYT >{{cite news| work=The New York Times| title=In Baseball's Bronze Age, Statues are Becoming Bigger Part of the Landscape| date=September 21, 2011| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/21/sports/baseball/baseballs-bronze-age.html?pagewanted=all| access-date=July 19, 2012| archive-date=October 4, 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004165628/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/21/sports/baseball/baseballs-bronze-age.html?pagewanted=all| url-status=live}}</ref> Bench called the unveiling of his statue his "greatest moment."<ref name= MLB>{{cite news|publisher=Major League Baseball|title=Bench calls statue his 'greatest moment'|date=September 17, 2011|url=http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110917&content_id=24847440&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb|access-date=August 24, 2012|archive-date=March 28, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328205514/http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110917&content_id=24847440&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2016, he was inducted into the [[International Sports Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web |title=2016 International Sports Hall of Fame Inductees |url=https://sportshof.org/2016-hall-of-fame/ |website=www.sportshof.org |author=Dr. Robert Goldman |date=March 15, 2016 |access-date=July 14, 2023 |archive-date=July 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230714042309/https://sportshof.org/2016-hall-of-fame/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He was also the Hall of Fame recipient of the [[Bob Feller Act of Valor Award]] in 2018, for his service and continued support of the [[United States Military]].<ref name="r106">{{cite web | title=Bob Feller Act of Valor Award | website=MLB.com | url=https://www.mlb.com/guardians/community/feller-act-of-valor | access-date=2024-11-28}}</ref>