Bench marriage strikes out
CINCINNATI (AP) — Vickie Bench says her marriage to Cincinnati Reds catcher Johnny Bench "broke my heart and my spirit." In a copyrighted story in The Cincinnati Enquirer, the former model told of how, after their muchpublicized wedding, Bench "took his best man home with us — and played ping pong." Estranged from Bench
since March 1976, the couple appeared in Hamilton County Domestic Relations Court this week for a preliminary divorce hearing. AFTER THE hearing, the former Vickie Chesser broke her silence about the matter, revealing that Bench had once said, "why not, it's good money," when she told him she had been offered $25,000 to pose for
Hustler Magazine. "That pretty much showed the respect he had for his wife and the dollar," she said. Bench, most valuable player of the 1976 World Series, said his wife's statements had "no basis in fact." "I BELIEVE they are motivated by her disappointment when the referee did not grant her request of almost $100,000 a year for temporary alimony," he said. The Benches were married with great fanfare on Feb. 21, 1975 after a whirlwind courtship. Bench announced last March 11 that he wanted a divorce. "JOHNNY BROKE my heart and my spirit — he ruined my health and that has kept me from resuming my career," she said. "A career that I gladly gave up to marry, for keeps, the
man I love. Right until our wedding night. I thought he was the man he seemed to be. "I hope this shows there may be two sides of the story of poor Johnny Bench's marriage problems," she said. IN HIS reply, Bench said it was his belief that "we should put our unhappy marriage behind us. "In a divorce proceeding, it is the customary and gentlemanly practice for the wife to take the divorce whether or not the husband has grounds. The issue between us is not whether or not there will be a divorce, but an appropriate settlement of which we have different views," she said. Bench said he originally filed for the divorce on grounds of gross neglect and that his wife filed a counter suit, also alleging gross neglect.