Bob Boone, a four-time All-Star catcher who spent two seasons as a player with the Kansas City Royals before managing the club for parts of three seasons, has died at the age of 78, according to a social media post from his family. The son of All-Star infielder Ray Boone, and the father of All-Star infielders Bret and Aaron Boone, the Boones were the first family to have three generations of MLB players.
Bob Boone was one of the most accomplished defensive catchers of his generation, winning seven Gold Glove Awards over a 19-year playing career. He was originally drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies after a standout career at Stanford. He he finished third in Rookie of the Year voting and was a three-time All-Star with the Phillies. He faced the Royals in the 1980 World Series as a catcher for the Phillies, hitting .412 (7-for-17) in the series for his only championship.
He moved onto the Angels in 1982, helping them win the division in their first year, earning MVP votes, and winning a Gold Glove. He was an All-Star the next year, and over seven years in Anaheim, he set the club record for most games behind the plate.
He left Anaheim and signed with the Royals in 1989 at the age of 41. He appeared in 131 games and hit .274/.351/.323, winning his seventh Gold Glove and finishing with 2.4 rWAR. After 40 games in 1990, he retired.
After the 1994 season was cancelled during the work stoppage, the Royals hired Bob Boone as manager to replace Hal McRae and usher in a new youth movement. Despite trading away stars like David Cone and Brian McRae, the Royals were in the hunt for the new “Wild Card” spot for most of the season, until a poor September caused them to fall under .500 at 70-74.
Boone was a very cerebral manager, but would frequently clash with the media. He was criticized for constantly changing the lineup, and for employing “Boonieball,” as then-Kansas City Star columnist Jeffrey Flanagan would call his style of play. Boone finished just 75-86 in 1996, and was fired at the 1997 All-Star break after a 36-46 start, replaced by Tony Muser.
Boone would later manage the Cincinnati Reds from 2001-2003, although he never managed them to a winning season. He joined the Washington Nationals front office in 2005 and served the team until he retired in 2021.
