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Bob Boone, a seven-time Gold Glove-winning catcher on the Philadelphia Phillies’ first World Series championship team and part of baseball’s initial three-generation family, has died aged 78.
His son, Bret Boone, shared news of his father's death Tuesday on social media. The cause of death was not provided.
"He was a man of great integrity. He was a great dad, husband, and patriarch. It was a privilege to call him my father. Baseball lost a great one today," Bret Boone wrote.
Boone played his first 10 seasons in Philadelphia, seven with the California Angels, and two with the Kansas City Royals. He later managed the Royals and Cincinnati Reds.
His father, Ray, spent 13 major league seasons as a two-time All-Star with the Detroit Tigers. Bob's sons also forged long careers: Aaron played 13 seasons, including under his father in Cincinnati, and now manages the New York Yankees; Bret was a three-time All-Star across 14 seasons, mainly with the Seattle Mariners; and a third son played in the minor leagues. Bret’s son, Jake, works in the New York Mets' front office after playing at Princeton and in the minors.
Selected in the sixth round out of Stanford as a third baseman in 1969, Boone converted to catcher in the minor leagues. He caught 1,095 games with Philadelphia—second all-time for the franchise behind Red Dooin’s 1,124—and 2,225 games total across 19 big league seasons.
He was the first Phillies catcher to earn a Gold Glove (1978, 1979) and led the team with a .412 batting average during their 1980 World Series triumph against Kansas City.
Boone made National League All-Star teams in 1976, 1978, and 1979. He set a record for career games caught at 1,919 while in Kansas City and won his final Gold Glove at age 41 in 1989. Ivan Rodriguez and Carlton Fisk later eclipsed his total.
Boone caught the final out of the 1980 championship when Tug McGraw struck out Willie Wilson in Game 6. Earlier that inning at Veteran's Stadium, a foul pop off Frank White's bat deflected off Boone's mitt into Pete Rose's glove, creating an enduring highlight reel play.
He joined the Phillies' Wall of Fame in 2005.
Boone earned four additional Gold Gloves, another All-Star selection, and two playoff appearances with the Angels, hitting .455 (10-for-22) with a homer and two RBIs against Boston in the 1986 ALCS.
He went 371-444 as a manager over three seasons each with the Royals and Reds, then entered the Washington Nationals front office in 2005.
Washington won its first World Series in 2019. Boone resigned in 2021 over the team's COVID-19 vaccine mandate.