Bob Boone, Phillies World Series Catcher and Father of Aaron Boone, Dies at 78

Bob Boone, the catcher behind the plate for the Philadelphia Phillies' first World Series title and the middle link in the first three generation family in Major League Baseball, has died at 78. His son Bret Boone confirmed the death, USA Today reported, and NBC Sports Philadelphia also reported it.

"With a heavy heart I'm here to confirm the passing of my dad (Bob Boone) today. 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 in a Facebook post. The MLB Players Association issued a statement highlighting Boone's career and family, Bleacher Report reported. No cause of death has been announced in the reports reviewed.

A record for durability

Robert Raymond Boone was born on November 19, 1947, in San Diego, California. The Phillies drafted him in the sixth round of the 1969 draft out of Stanford University, and he made his major league debut on September 10, 1972.

Boone played 19 seasons: ten with Philadelphia from 1972 to 1981, seven with the California Angels from 1982 to 1988, and two with Kansas City from 1989 to 1990. He caught 2,225 games, the third highest total in major league history, and his 962 games at catcher for the Angels remain the franchise record. He won seven Gold Glove Awards, in 1978, 1979, 1982 and from 1986 to 1989, and he was named an All Star four times, in 1976, 1978, 1979 and 1983. He finished his playing career with 1,838 hits, 105 home runs and 826 runs batted in.

His best known October came in 1980, when the Phillies beat Kansas City to win the first World Series in franchise history. Boone played his final game on September 27, 1990, at age 42. The Phillies put him on their Wall of Fame in 2005. Boone hit .412 in that Series, going 7 for 17 with four runs batted in, NBC Sports Philadelphia reported.

Three generations of Boones

Boone was the son of Ray Boone, a two time All Star infielder. When his son Bret Boone reached the majors in 1992, the Boones became the first family with three generations of major league players. Another son, Aaron Boone, played 12 seasons in the majors and is now the manager of the New York Yankees.

After he stopped playing, Boone managed Kansas City from 1995 to 1997 and Cincinnati from 2001 to 2003, with a combined record of 371 wins and 444 losses. Bowden hired him to manage the Reds. Boone later joined the Washington Nationals front office in 2005 and served as an assistant general manager and vice president of player development from 2009 until he resigned in early September 2021.

Funeral and memorial details had not been announced in the reports reviewed.