Bennie Daniels facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bennie Daniels |
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: June 17, 1932 Tuscaloosa, Alabama, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 24, 1957, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 18, 1965, for the Washington Senators | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 45–76 | ||
| Earned run average | 4.44 | ||
| Strikeouts | 471 | ||
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Bennie Daniels Jr. (born June 17, 1932) is an American former professional baseball player. He was a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). Bennie played for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1957 to 1960. He also played for the Washington Senators from 1961 to 1965. He was 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighed 193 pounds. Bennie threw the ball with his right hand but batted (hit) with his left hand.
During his nine years in the big leagues, Bennie played in 230 games. He started 139 of those games as a pitcher. He won 45 games and had 76 losses. He also recorded 471 strikeouts. A strikeout is when a pitcher throws three "strikes" past a batter. He completed five games by himself (a "complete game"). He also had five "shutouts," meaning he didn't let the other team score any runs. He also had five "saves," which is when a pitcher finishes a close game and helps his team win. His "earned run average" (ERA) was 4.44. This number shows how many runs a pitcher allows per nine innings.
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Early Life and Career Start
Bennie Daniels was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He went to Compton High School in Southern California. He started his baseball career with the Pirates' organization in 1951. His first team was the Great Falls Electrics in the Pioneer League.
After serving in the military during 1953 and 1954, he returned to baseball. He continued to move up through Pittsburgh's minor league teams. In 1957, he had a great season with the Hollywood Stars. He won 17 games and lost 8. Because of his good performance, the Pirates called him up to the major leagues in September 1957.
Major League Highlights
Bennie Daniels had a special moment on September 24, 1957. He was the starting pitcher in the very last game ever played at Ebbets Field. This was the home stadium of the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Pirates lost that game to the Dodgers, 2–0.
On May 23, 1960, Bennie had another notable moment. He was playing against Sandy Koufax at Forbes Field. Bennie hit a single in the second inning. This was the only hit the Pirates got against Koufax in that game. Koufax won 1–0. Bennie's hit stopped Koufax from getting what would have been his first "no-hitter." A no-hitter is when a pitcher doesn't allow any hits during an entire game.
Joining the Washington Senators
On December 16, 1960, Bennie Daniels was part of an important trade. He was traded to the new Washington Senators team. This team was just starting in the American League. The trade sent pitcher Bobby Shantz to the Pirates. In return, the Senators got Bennie Daniels and two infielders, Harry Bright and R. C. Stevens.
Bennie became a key player for the 1961 Senators. He led their pitching staff in several ways. He won 12 games, completed 11 games, and had 110 strikeouts. He also tied for the most innings pitched with 212 innings.
The next year, in 1962, Bennie was chosen to start a very special game. This was the Presidential Opener on April 9. It was the first game played at the new DC Stadium. Bennie pitched the whole game and helped his team win 4–1 against the Detroit Tigers. He only allowed five hits in that game. He continued to pitch for Washington until 1965. During his time there, he won 37 games and lost 60. He retired from baseball after the 1966 season. He spent that last season playing for the Triple-A Hawaii Islanders.
Later Life
After he stopped playing baseball, Bennie Daniels went back to Compton, California. He lived there with his wife, Jimmie Sue Daniels. They have two children, Michael and Vickie Daniels. Sadly, Bennie Daniels' daughter, Vickie, passed away in September 2017. Bennie still lives in Compton today.
