November 10, 2026
Eric Hartline/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Bob Boone (left) and Larry Bowa during the Phillies' Alumni Day ceremony back in Aug. 2022.
Bob Boone, the World Series-winning catcher for the 1980 Philadelphia Phillies, died this week, his son, Brett, announced.
Boone was 78.
A native of San Diego, California, Boone was selected by the Phillies out of Stanford in the sixth round of the 1969 MLB Draft, and made it up to the majors by 1972, where he soon developed into a four-time All-Star and seven-time Gold Glove-winning catcher over the course of 19 seasons spent with the Phillies, California Angels, and Kansas City Royals.
The 1980 run, though, cemented Boone forever as Philadelphia royalty, as he backstopped Hall of Famer Steve Carlton and other legendary pitchers like Tug McGraw and Marty Bystrom on the way to the Phillies' first-ever World Series title over the Kansas City Royals.
Also pivotal to that run: the two-run single he smacked into center off of Nolan Ryan in the deciding Game 5 of the NLCS over the Houston Astros.
Boone was a Phillie from 1972-1981 and was inducted into the Phillies' Wall of Fame in 2005, during Citizens Bank Park's second year.
His sons, Brett and Aaron, both went on to be notable Major Leaguers themselves, and Aaron is currently the manager of the New York Yankees.
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