Bob Boone, legendary MLB catcher and Gold Glove winner, dies at 78, son says

(Gray News) — Legendary MLB catcher Bob Boone has died, according to his son. He was 78.

“My dad- He was my mentor, my coach, my rock. He taught me how to be a pro and more importantly, how to be a man. He was one of the highest integrity people I’ve ever known and I’m going to miss him dearly. Baseball lost a great one yesterday. R.I.P dad, I love you,” Boone’s son, former MLB player Bret Boone, wrote on X.

According to Sports Illustrated, Bob Boone won four Gold Glove Awards in seven seasons as the California Angels’ catcher in the 1980s. He won the award in 1982, 1986, 1987 and 1988.

Bob Boone was originally from San Diego and played college baseball at Stanford University.

His MLB debut was with the Phillies in 1972. He helped the team win its first-ever World Series in 1980, according to Sports Illustrated.

Bob Boone spent his first 10 seasons with the Phillies before playing seven seasons with the California Angels, followed by two seasons with the Kansas City Royals. He also went on to manage the Royals from 1995-97 and the Cincinnati Reds from 2001-03, according to ESPN.

According to MLB, Bob Boone played an integral part in “one of baseball’s most historic families.”

“Along with his father Ray, and his sons Bret and Aaron, the Boones became the first family to field three generations of Major League players, all of them All-Stars,” MLB wrote on X.

A cause of death was not yet given.