Bob Boone 1947 – 2026

Biography

Bob Boone (November 19, 1947 – November 10, 2026) was an American catcher who played 19 Major League seasons and won the 1980 World Series with the Philadelphia Phillies. Born in San Diego, the son of major leaguer Ray Boone, he starred at Stanford before joining the Phillies in 1972. A four-time All-Star and seven-time Gold Glove winner, he caught the Phillies’ first championship team in 1980 and later caught Mike Witt’s perfect game for the California Angels on September 30, 1984. He also played for the Kansas City Royals before retiring in 1990 with a .254 average, 105 home runs and 826 RBIs. He managed the Royals from 1995 to 1997 and the Reds from 2001 to 2003, and later worked in the Washington Nationals’ front office. With his sons Bret and Aaron, he was part of baseball’s first three-generation major league family. He died on November 10, 2026, at the age of 78.