Catcher Bob Boone, the middle link in MLB‘s first three-generation family who won seven Gold Glove Awards in 19 seasons, has died according to multiple reports Monday, Nov. 9.
Boone’s death was reported on Twitter/X by former Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals GM Jim Bowden and Greg Luzinski, his teammate on the 1980 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies.
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Boone’s 2,225 career games played at catcher in 19 seasons with the Phillies (1972-81), California Angels (1982-88) and Kansas City Royals (1989-90) rank third in big league history. His seven Gold Gloves at the position rank fourth.
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The son of two-time All-Star infielder Ray Boone, Bob Boone starred at Stanford before he was selected in the sixth round of the 1969 MLB Draft.
Boone made his major league debut three years later, and made the first of his four career All-Star teams in 1976.
The Angels acquired Boone from the Phillies in 1981. Over the next seven seasons, he became the franchise leader in games played behind the plate — a record he still holds.
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When Bret Boone made his debut with the Seattle Mariners in 1992, the Boones became the first family ever to see three generations reach the majors. Aaron Boone, the current New York Yankees‘ manager, gave Bob Boone two sons who played at the MLB level.
Five years after he played his final game with the Royals, Boone took over as the manager in Kansas City in 1995. In six seasons managing the Royals (1995-97) and Reds (2001-03), Boone’s teams went 371-444.
Boone worked as the Washington Nationals’ assistant GM and VP for Player Development from 2009-21, the final chapter in a baseball life that spanned seven decades and touched the history several franchises.
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