Bob Boone

Infobox MLB retired
name=Bob Boone
position=Catcher / Manager
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1947|11|19
San Diego, California
debutdate=September 10
debutyear=by|1972
debutteam=Philadelphia Phillies
finaldate=September 27
finalyear=by|1990
finalteam=Kansas City Royals
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.254
stat2label=Hits
stat2value=1,838
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=826
teams=As Player
* Philadelphia Phillies (by|1972-by|1981)
* California Angels (by|1982-by|1988)
* Kansas City Royals (by|1989-by|1990)As Manager
* Kansas City Royals (by|1995-by|1997)
* Cincinnati Reds (by|2001-by|2003)
highlights=
* 4x All-Star selection (1976, 1978, 1979, 1983)
* 7x Gold Glove Award winner (1978, 1979, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989)

Robert Raymond Boone (born November 19, 1947) is a former catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who was a four-time All-Star and one of the better defensive catchers of his day. After his playing career, he had two stints as a major league manager, getting fired both times after disappointing results.

Born in San Diego, California, Bob Boone is the son of the late third baseman Ray Boone, and the father of former second baseman Bret Boone and Washington Nationals infielder Aaron Boone; all four family members have been named All-Stars in their careers. Bob Boone was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the sixth round of the by|1969 amateur draft after attending Stanford University, where he was admitted to the Zeta Psi fraternity. He was brought to the majors in late by|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 by|1977 season. He made the National League All-Star team three times in a Phillies uniform.

In by|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 by|1983 with his fourth and final All-Star appearance.

Boone stayed with the Angels for seven seasons and was let go in by|1988. As a free agent, he signed with the Kansas City Royals, but a broken finger in by|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 2264 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 returned to the Royals in by|1995 as the manager of the team, but was let go during the by|1997 season after a third straight sub-.500 season. In by|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 by|2005, Boone was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame. He currently serves as Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Player Development for the Washington Nationals.

ee also

*List of second generation MLB players

External links