Today on
the blog we begin a FUN new thread, my personal picks for the 1970's
"All-Decade Team", which I'm sure will cause some arguments back and
forth as I have selected some surprises when it was all said and done!
I
definitely plan on releasing this as a custom set this year, as the
cards came out brilliant, using the 1980 Topps template as the design.
We
begin with my pick for the decade's best N.L. catcher, this is a simple
decision, Cincinnati Reds legend Johnny Bench, perhaps the greatest
catcher of them all:
Not
really much going into this pick, as anyone trying to argue for someone
else as the decade's best N.L. catcher has quite the task in front of
them, with Bench dominating the Majors over the 1970's.
Leading
the Cincinnati Reds to two World Championships, four World Series
appearances, two MVP Awards, and absolutely rewriting the catching game
in Big League history, the man was already a legend by the time he was
in his early-20's!
Of course as we all know, he would go on to put together a career rarely
seen by ANY player, let alone a catcher: TWO N.L. MVP Awards, 14
all-star games, 10 Gold Gloves, two home run titles and three RBI
titles, all while donning the “tools of ignorance” for 17 seasons, all
with the Reds.
L-E-G-E-N-D.
Next week, my pick for the A.L.'s top catcher for the 1970's...