I will say this MarkInCincy. It would've been interesting to find out how Bench really matched up against Roy Campanella (he was playing in the Negro Leagues at 15 for cryin' out loud!), Josh Gibson, Biz Mackey, and Louis Santop had the colour line not been drawn. Oh well...I guess that's what OOTP and Spritze's database are for.

That's not to say that things would've turned out any differently re: Bench in fact being the greatest catcher to ever play the game, more to say that unfortunately, as fans, we were denied the opportunity to know for 100% certain that he was the greatest ever. In the RL major leagues though, yes Bench was the greatest to ever play the game.