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On Saturday, July 15 legendary Cincinnati Reds catcher Johnny Bench was inducted into the franchise's Hall of Fame. Bench, who spent his entire 17-year career playing on the banks of the Ohio river, is something of a legend in the city.
Bench, a native of Oklahoma, was drafted by Reds General Manager Gabe Paul in 1965. Three years later, his 15 home runs and 82 RBIs were enough for him to win the 1968 Rookie of the Year Award,
Throughout the 1970s, Bench was an integral member of the "Big Red Machine", winning six division titles, four NL pennants, as well as a pair of World Series in both 1975 and 1976.
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"Johnny Bench hitting in the 1976 World Series" - Baseball in Pics
Before the Reds' July 15 match against the Milwaukee Brewers, Johnny Bench was invited on to the field for a pre-game ceremony. Alongside fellow former Reds Danny Graves and Bronson Arroyo, Bench was to be inducted into the franchise's Hall of Fame. Bench was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
The pre-game ceremony at Great American Ballpark was also attended by Jennie Paul, daughter of Gabe Paul. Paul, who served as the GM of the Cincinnati Reds between 1951 and 1960, was responsible for drafting and obtaining much of the talent that came to be known as the Big Red Machine. After the Reds, he went on to become the GM of the New York Yankees, and passed away at the age of 88 in 1998.
In a brief conversation with Jennie, Bench recounted how her father had given him his first deal with a salary of "400 bucks a month". When Jenny responded that the terms of the deal were "cheap", Bench casually responded "He was Jewish."
"Johnny Bench the #MLB Cincinnati Reds legend apologizes for antisemitic comments about Gabe Paul, the team’s general manager." - Z gull
After the comments were made public, Bench offered an unreserved apology. Paul, however, claims that she did not hear the insensitive quip, but was sure to accept Johnny Bench's apology.
Johnny Bench's humor maybe a step too far
While there can be no denying that Bench, now 75, comes from a different era, his comments have an unsavoury note about them. Although it was an honest attempt at humor with the daughter of an old contact, maybe he should think twice about offering a similar take next time.
