Bob Boone
| Bob Boone | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Catcher / Manager | |
| Born: November 19, 1947 San Diego, California | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 10, 1972, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 27, 1990, for the Kansas City Royals | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .254 |
| Home runs | 105 |
| Runs batted in | 826 |
| Games managed | 815 |
| Win–loss record | 371-444 |
| Winning % | .455 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Managerial record at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| As player
As manager | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Robert Raymond Boone (born November 19, 1947) is an American former catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who was a four-time All-Star. Born in San Diego, California, Bob Boone is the son of a major league player, the late third baseman Ray Boone, and the father of two major leaguers: former second baseman Bret Boone and former utility infielder Aaron Boone. All four family members were named All-Stars during their careers.
Baseball career
Playing
Philadelphia Phillies
Bob Boone was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the sixth round of the 1969 amateur draft after attending Stanford University, where he was admitted to the Zeta Psi fraternity. He was brought to the majors in late 1972, and, while he never had excellent hitting numbers, he was a phenomenal defensive catcher, committing only eight errors and allowing only three passed balls in the 1977 season. He made the National League All-Star team three times in a Phillies uniform, and helped the team win the 1980 World Series.
California Angels
In 1982, the Phillies decided to trade the veteran catcher to the California Angels, following an unproductive year from Boone, and also as a possible retaliation for Boone's key role in leading the players in negotiations during the 1981 Major League Baseball strike. But Boone rebounded by throwing out 21 of the first 34 steal attempts and helping the Angels to the AL West title, and followed in 1983 with his fourth and final All-Star appearance.
On September 30, 1984, Boone caught Mike Witt's perfect game.[1]
Boone stayed with the Angels for seven seasons and was let go in 1988.
Kansas City Royals
As a free agent, he signed with the Kansas City Royals, but a broken finger in 1990 led to his retirement at age 42 following his shortened season.
Boone was a career .254 hitter with 105 home runs and 826 RBI in 2,264 games. He was selected an All-Star in 1976, 1978–79, and 1983. He was one of the top defensive catchers of his era, winning seven Gold Glove awards. Boone caught 2,225 games in a 19-year Major League career, a record which was later broken by Carlton Fisk (2,226). He caught 117 shutouts during his career, ranking him 14th all-time among major league catchers.[2]
Managing
He returned to the Royals in 1995 as the manager of the team, but was let go during the 1997 season after a third straight sub-.500 season. In 2001, he was hired to be the skipper of the Cincinnati Reds, replacing Jack McKeon. However, after another two and a half sub-.500 seasons, the Reds fired Bob Boone on July 28, 2003. In 2005, Boone was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame.
Managerial records
| Team | Year | Regular Season | Post Season | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| KC | 1995 | 70 | 74 | .486 | 2nd in AL Central | – | – | – | – |
| KC | 1996 | 75 | 86 | .466 | 5th in AL Central | – | – | – | – |
| KC | 1997 | 36 | 46 | .439 | 5th in AL Central | – | – | – | (fired) |
| CIN | 2001 | 66 | 96 | .407 | 5th in NL Central | – | – | – | – |
| CIN | 2002 | 78 | 84 | .481 | 3rd in NL Central | – | – | – | – |
| CIN | 2003 | 46 | 58 | .442 | 5th in NL Central | – | – | – | (fired) |
| Total | 371 | 444 | .455 | ||||||
Front Office
He currently serves as Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Player Development for the Washington Nationals.
See also
References
- ^ http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1984/B09300TEX1984.htm
- ^ "The Encyclopedia of Catchers – Trivia December 2010 – Career Shutouts Caught". The Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
Further reading
- Peter Gammons (September 1985). "Bob Boone: He Helps Keep Pitchers Within Strike Zone". Baseball Digest. pp. 69–73.
- Howie Newman (January 1987). "Bob Boone: The Majors' Most Durable Catcher". Baseball Digest. pp. 61–64.
- Bob Boone (November 1988). "The Game I'll Never Forget". Baseball Digest. pp. 55–57.
External links
- Career statistics from Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs
Members of the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame | ||
|---|---|---|
| Inducted as Phillies |
|  |
| Inducted as Athletics | ||
- 1947 births
- Living people
- American people of English descent
- American people of Welsh descent
- Major League Baseball catchers
- Baseball players from California
- Sportspeople from San Diego, California
- Philadelphia Phillies players
- California Angels players
- Kansas City Royals players
- Raleigh-Durham Phillies players
- Eugene Emeralds players
- Kansas City Royals managers
- Cincinnati Reds managers
- National League All-Stars
- American League All-Stars
- Gold Glove Award winners
- Stanford Cardinal baseball players
- Washington Nationals executives
- Cincinnati Reds coaches
- Boone family (baseball)