Al Benton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Al Benton |
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Benton, circa 1940
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: March 18, 1911 Noble, Oklahoma, U.S. |
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| Died: April 14, 1968 (aged 57) Lynwood, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 18, 1934, for the Philadelphia Athletics | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 21, 1952, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 98–88 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.66 | ||
| Strikeouts | 697 | ||
| Saves | 66 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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John Alton Benton (March 18, 1911 – April 14, 1968) was a professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams. These included the Philadelphia Athletics, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians, and Boston Red Sox. He was a right-handed pitcher, standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 215 pounds.
Al Benton is famous for a unique baseball fact. He is the only pitcher to have faced both legendary players Babe Ruth (in 1934) and Mickey Mantle (in 1952). He also holds a record for having two sacrifice bunts in the same inning. This happened against the Cleveland Indians on August 6, 1941.
Contents
Al Benton's Baseball Journey
Benton was born in Noble, Oklahoma. This is a small town near Norman. In 1940, Benton led the American League (AL) with 17 saves. A save is when a relief pitcher finishes a game without letting the other team score.
Pitching Highlights of 1941 and 1942
In 1941, Al Benton had a great year. He won 15 games and lost 6. His earned run average (ERA) was 2.97, which was the second best in the American League. He played in 38 games that season. He also finished seven games that he started and earned seven saves.
Even though his record was 7 wins and 13 losses in 1942, his ERA was still good at 2.90. He started a career-high 30 games and pitched 226 and two-thirds innings. Because of his strong performances, Benton was chosen for the AL All-Star team in both 1941 and 1942.
Serving in World War II
Benton missed the 1943 and 1944 baseball seasons. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Many baseball players served their country during the war.
Best Season: 1945 World Series Champion
Benton returned from the Navy in November 1944. He then had his best year in 1945. He won 13 games and lost 8. His ERA was a career-low 2.02. He also pitched five shutouts and completed 12 games.
The Detroit Tigers pitching staff was amazing in 1945. Hal Newhouser and Benton were the top two pitchers in the AL for ERA. Benton's pitching helped the Tigers win the 1945 World Series. He pitched in relief in three World Series games. He only allowed one earned run, giving him a great 1.93 World Series ERA.
Later Career and Legacy
For the rest of his career, Benton mostly worked as a setup man. This means he pitched in the middle innings to help his team keep the lead. Sometimes, he would also start games when needed.
Overall, Benton had a career record of 98 wins and 88 losses. He recorded 697 strikeouts. His career ERA was 3.66 over 1688 and one-third innings. Al Benton passed away in 1968 at age 57.
See also
- Best pitching seasons by a Detroit Tiger
- List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders
