Johnny Bench

“I was always the guy who was going to be there. I was always the guy who was going to make the play.”

“The Big Red Machine was a nickname that was given to us by a sportswriter, and we lived up to it.”

“I had a high-school coach who was a great motivator. He was a great fundamentals coach. He was a great person.”

“I was a lousy hitter in May. I was a lousy hitter in June. I was a lousy hitter in July. Then, in August, I was the greatest hitter in the world.”

“The key to being a good catcher is to be able to handle the pitching staff.”

“I can't stand to see a ball go by me.”

“You can't be afraid to fail. It's the only way you succeed - you're not gonna succeed all the time, and I know that.”

“I've learned that something constructive comes from every defeat.”

“If you're not practicing, somebody else is, somewhere, and he'll be ready to take your job.”

“The catcher is the commander-in-chief of the defense.”

“I have always been a firm believer in working hard and playing hard. And I'm a firm believer in being a team player.”

“I think I was the best defensive catcher of my time. I don't think there's any doubt about it.”

“When you're a catcher, you have to be in control of the game.”

“A slump is a slump. It's not the end of the world.”

“There's a lot of things that go into winning. But I think the main thing is to be a team.”