Gene Benson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gene Benson |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||
| Center fielder | |||
| Born: October 2, 1913 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
|||
| Died: April 6, 1999 (aged 85) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| 1937, for the Philadelphia Stars | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| 1948, for the Philadelphia Stars | |||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
|
|||
Eugene "Gene" Benson (born October 2, 1913 – died April 6, 1999) was an American baseball player. He was a great center fielder in the Negro Leagues. These leagues were important because African American players could not play in Major League Baseball at that time.
Gene Benson played for the Philadelphia Stars in 1937. He then joined the Homestead Grays in 1938. After that, he returned to the Stars and played for them from 1939 to 1948. He was known for being a strong player. At his best, he was 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighed 185 pounds.
Contents
Gene Benson's Baseball Journey
Gene Benson started his baseball career at age 19. He joined a semi-pro team in Philadelphia called Santop's Bronchos in 1932. He played first base for this team.
Later, he tried out for the Brooklyn Royal Giants and signed with them. A famous player named Highpockets Hudspeth played first base for the Royal Giants. This meant Gene Benson played in left field instead. In 1934, Benson signed with the Boston Royal Giants.
Honoring Gene Benson
Gene Benson received special honors for his contributions to baseball.
Wilmington Blue Rocks Tribute
Since 1996, the Wilmington Blue Rocks baseball team has hosted a special event. It's called "Judy Johnson Night – A Tribute to Negro League Baseball." During this event, the team, the City of Wilmington, and the Judy Johnson Memorial Foundation honor a player from the Negro Leagues. Gene Benson was honored at this event in 1998.
Philadelphia's Anderson Yards
In Philadelphia, there is a baseball field called "Anderson Yards." It is located at the Marian Anderson Recreation Center. This center is near where the famous singer Marian Anderson was born.
In 1998, Gene Benson was invited to throw out the first pitch. This was for the opening day of the little league season at Anderson Yards. The league also honored him by "retiring" his number 16. They placed it on the outfield wall next to Jackie Robinson's number 42. Retiring a number means no other player on that team will wear it again.
Top Player Recognition
In 2003, a baseball historian named Bill James recognized Gene Benson's talent. He said that Benson was the best Negro League player of the 1944 season. This shows how skilled and important Gene Benson was in baseball history.
