Bob Boone
A member of a three-generation baseball family, Bob Boone was an excellent defensive catcher who lasted 19 seasons and caught more than 2,200 games. He handled the pitching staffs of seven teams that made it to the post-season, and won Gold Gloves in both leagues. His sons Aaron and Bret became stars during the 1990s and 2000s. |
Full bio ⇓
| Career Batting Stats |
| G |
AB |
H |
R |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
AVG |
SLG |
OBP |
OPS |
OPS+ |
| 2264 |
7245 |
1838 |
679 |
105 |
826 |
38 |
.254 |
.346 |
.315 |
.661 |
92.8 |
|
Teams Bob Boone Managed
Kansas City Royals (1995-1997)
Cincinnati Reds (2001-2003)
Bob Boone in Minor League Baseball
Where does Bob Boone rank among baseball greats?
Bob Boone ranks #31 among the Top 50 all-time at C. Rankings ⇒
Best Season: 1978
A four-time All-Star, Boone's best season came with the Phillies in 1978. At the age of 30, he batted .283 with a career high 12 homers and 62 RBI. He caught 129 games and led the league in fielding. His other fine seasons included 1977, 1983, and 1988.
Factoids
In 1996, as manager of the Royals, Bob Boone used 152 different starting lineups in 162 games.
Full Bio
A less-than-stellar hitter, Bob Boone made it in the major leagues because he was a good handler of pitchers and was durable. The son of former major league outfielder Ray Boone, Bob was drafted by the Phillies in the sixth round of the 1969 amateur draft. Proving his durability at the big league level, Boone caught at least 130 games in different seasons, and in six he crouched behind the plate in as many as 140. Four times he was selected to the All-Star team, representing each league at one time or another.
In 1980 he caught 138 games for the Phillies and batted .412 in the World Series win over the Royals. In ten seasons with Philadelphia, Boone batted .259, averaging nine home runs and 67 RBI per 162 games. In 1982 he was dealt to the California Angels, where he soon earned the respect of manager Gene Mauch, as well as enemy baserunners. That first season in the American League, Boone threw out 58% of attempted base stealers and won a Gold Glove, his third.
On September 16, 1987, Boone broke Al Lopez’s games-caught record, when he appeared behind the mask for the 1,919th time. He later pushed the record to 2,225 games, which was eclipsed by Carlton Fisk in 1993. He played seven solid seasons with California before finishing his career with the Royals in 1989-1990. After his playing career, Boone pursued a managerial career, which saw him skipper the Royals for three years and later the Reds. He was able to face both of his sons in the major leagues.
Where He Played
Boone retired having caught more games than any receiver in major league history. That mark was soon passed by Carlton Fisk, but Boone's total remains a National League mark.
Born
Robert Raymond Boone was born on November 19, 1947, in San Diego, CA.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
College: Stanford
Major League Debut
9 10,
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1972
Dwight Evans
Buddy Bell
Mike Schmidt
Bob Boone
Gary Matthews
Davey Lopes
Goose Gossage
Rick Reuschel
Garry Maddox
Uniform Numbers
#40 (1972), #8 (1973-1990)
Similar Players
Jim Sundberg, Tony Pena, Brad Ausmus
| Hall of Fame Voting |
| Year |
Election |
Votes |
Pct |
| 1996 |
BBWAA |
36 |
7.7% |
1997 |
BBWAA |
28 |
5.9% |
1998 |
BBWAA |
26 |
5.5% |
1999 |
BBWAA |
27 |
5.4% |
2000 |
BBWAA |
21 |
4.2% |
|
Post-Season Appearances
1976 National League Championship Series
1977 National League Championship Series
1978 National League Championship Series
1980 National League Championship Series
1980 World Series
1981 National League Division Playoffs
1982 American League Championship Series
1986 American League Championship Series
Awards and Honors
1978 NL Gold Glove
1979 NL Gold Glove
1982 AL Gold Glove
1986 AL Gold Glove
1987 AL Gold Glove
1988 AL Gold Glove
1989 AL Gold Glove
Milestones
On September 16, 1987, Boone caught in his 1,919th game, breaking Al Lopez's major league record... Boone caught his 2,000th game on July 15, 1988.
Transactions
June 5, 1969: Drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 6th round of the 1969 amateur draft; December 6, 1981: Purchased by the California Angels from the Philadelphia Phillies; November 12, 1986: Granted Free Agency; May 1, 1987: Signed as a Free Agent with the California Angels; October 24, 1988: Granted Free Agency; November 30, 1988: Signed as a Free Agent with the Kansas City Royals; November 5, 1990: Granted Free Agency.
All-Star Selections
1976 NL
1978 NL
1979 NL
1983 AL
Replaced
John Bateman, who had been acquired by the Phillies in June of 1972, for catcher Tim McCarver. Bateman hit .224 in 82 games and was released prior to spring training in 1973.
Replaced By
Mike "Spanky" Macfarlane, who took over behind the plate for the Royals during Boone's final season as a player, in 1990.
Best Strength as a Player
Calling a game and handling the pitching staff.
Largest Weakness as a Player
Lack of extra-base power.
Learn More about Bob Boone
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