Jo Ann Imlay's
collection of Johnny Bench memorabilia
Monday, December 26, 2005. Shortly
after Columbus’ Jo Ann Imlay entered a ballroom of Cincinnati’s Millennium
Hotel recently, a man in a bright red sweater and Cincinnati Reds cap greeted
her warmly.
“You must be Jo Ann,” said the gentleman.
The fellow needed no introduction among the hundreds of people in the room.
Imlay knew his face, even 30 years after his glory days at Riverfront Stadium as
part of the fabled Big Red Machine. Imlay knew he had been her favorite player
for years.
She knew he was among the game’s greats.
Now Johnny Bench seemed to be as familiar with her as she was with him.
“Everything was just great,” said the 77-year-old Imlay of her meeting with
the star.
The Keepsake Village retirement home resident reminisced on a recent afternoon
about their chat.
The day Imlay looked back on the experience was Bench’s 58th birthday.
Keepsake Village Activities Director Shannon Dailey arranged time with Bench
through the Indianapolis-based Never Too Late, which fulfills senior wishes.
“She told me she used to always go see the Reds and watch Johnny Bench and
Pete Rose,” said Dailey.
Imlay suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, so Dailey knew little else about the
resident’s background. Most of Imlay’s memories have faded.
Yet, her trips to Crosley Field and Riverfront Stadium with sister Betty Henry
and Betty’s husband, Austin Henry, became a highlight of many weekends,
especially during the Reds’ World Series appearances of the 1970s.
“The more ballgames she could see,” said Betty, “the better she liked
it.”
She was such a serious Reds’ aficionado that years ago she named her poodle
Sparky in honor of team manager Sparky Anderson.
Bench was special to her, though. She became a fan of the Hall of Fame catcher
soon after he broke into the major leagues with the Reds as a 19-year-old in
1967. She liked Bench’s hitting, especially considering that he eventually set
a record for homers as a catcher.
She liked his fielding, which earned him a Golden Glove award 10 consecutive
years.
And, uh, there was one other thing.
Female fans certainly liked the young Bench’s All-American good looks.
“I certainly did,” said Imlay with a laugh.
Bench turned on the charm with Imlay during their meeting amid the “Big Red
Machine 30-Year Reunion” in Cincinnati. In between trading stories with fans
and players such as Joe Morgan and a host of others, Bench chatted amicably with
Imlay.
Plus, he gave her two color photos, including one with the notation, “To Jo
Ann, Love Ya, Johnny Bench.” He presented her with an autographed baseball and
an autographed Reds’ hat, too — and finished by plopping it on her head.
“I think the people standing around were a little jealous of Jo Ann when they
saw Johnny put the hat on her,” said Dailey.
Never Too Late Executive Director Bob Haverstick gets excited every time he
hears of a wish fulfilled so perfectly. Colleen Kavish of the Cincinnati-based
Johnny Bench Enterprises helped plans unfold.
“Now, if Jo Ann is having a bad day, all someone has to do is mention Johnny
Bench, and boom, she’s smiling and right back there in Cincinnati,” said
Haverstick.
With little prodding, Imlay showed off her framed photos of Bench on her
dresser, along with the autographed ball and cap. A small poster hangs nearby.
The details of the day already are fuzzy for her. But she remembers being
nervous.
“You could never tell,” said Keepsake Village’s Dailey. “She was all
smiles.”
