Blast from the Past

Outside the AT&T Bricktown Stadium in Oklahoma City is this statue of Johnny Bench. As a catcher for 5 years of Boy's Club baseball in the mid 70's, I was a big fan of the Big Red Machine and especially Johnny Bench.

Thanks, Johnny, for the years of wanting to be able to do what you did on the field. While you're here, thanks also for: not running into the stands to beat up a fan; not holding out for 12 million a year because you refused to live on 4 million a year; and especially, for not pretending that being an All-Star Catcher and World Series Champ made you an authority on cultural and political issues.