Bob Boone, longtime Angels catcher and part of a three-generation family of All-Stars, dies at 78
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Set us as preferred Bob Boone, a four-time All-Star and seven-time Gold Glove winner who spent much of his career with the Angels, has died, his son Bret announced Tuesday via social media.He was 78.
No cause of death was shared.The sturdy catcher was the middle man in one of the most accomplished three-generation Major League Baseball families.He caught more games than all but two catchers in history.Boone’s father, Ray, and his sons Aaron and Bret also enjoyed successful playing careers.
But Bob’s stood out primarily because he was as durable as a cast-iron skillet, catching 2,225 games in 19 seasons.He spent seven seasons in the 1980s with the Angels, whose manager Gene Mauch marveled after Boone led the American League by catching 147 games at age 37 in 1985, the fourth of five consecutive years he did so.“Bob Boone is a freak,” Mauch said told The Times the following spring.
“I never dreamed he’d catch that many games.A hundred and fifty games is not realistic for a 38-year-old catcher; it’s ridiculous.
Except it’s not ridiculous to Bob Boone.I quit being surprised by Bob Boone a long time ago.
I’ve never known anyone so mentally tough and impervious to pain.”Once Boone punched the clock, he punched out baserunners, throwing out a league-leading 41.6% of base stealers in 1985, one of three times he did so with the Angels.And he seemed to improve with age.
All seven of Boone’s Gold Gloves came after he turned 30, including four in a row from ages 38 to 41.“Boone’s leadership, exceptional defense and knowledge of the game made him an invaluable presence behind the plate and helped the Angels win two division titles,” the Angels said Tuesday in a statement.“His impact on our pitchers and the example he set for his teammates are lasting parts of his legacy with our franchise.”When Boone r...