Stan Benjamin
Encyclopedia
Alfred Stanley "Stan" Benjamin (May 20, 1914 – December 24, 2009) was a right fielder
in Major League Baseball
for five seasons; four with the Philadelphia Phillies
(–), of the National League
(NL), and one with the Cleveland Indians
, of the American League
(AL). The 6' 2", 194 lb. Benjamin batted and threw right-handed, and was born in Framingham, Massachusetts
. After graduating from high school, he attended Western Maryland College, now known as McDaniel College
, where he played baseball
, basketball
, and football
.
In addition to his major league playing career, he played in minor league baseball
for ten seasons. He began at the age of 23, with the Thomasville Orioles of the Georgia-Florida League
in 1937, and finished as the player-manager for the Fresno Cardinals
of the California League
in 1948. During that time, he played in 955 minor league games, and batted
.304, and hit 52 home run
s. In the early 1940s, he was an assistant football coach at Northeastern University. Later, during his minor league career, he began coaching high school football, part-time, in his home town of Framingham, and then full-time once his playing and managing career ended.
Starting in 1948, he was the head baseball coach and assistant football coach for Greenfield High School
in Greenfield, Massachusetts
, and took over the head football coaching duties in 1958. He held both positions, in addition to being a physical education
teacher for a local middle school
and part-time basketball referee
until 1964. In 1965, he was hired as a talent scout
for the Houston Astros
, a job he held for nearly 40 years. It was his evaluation of Jeff Bagwell
that led the Astros to acquire him from the Boston Red Sox
for Larry Andersen.
in 1932, and later attended Western Maryland College, later renamed McDaniel College, on an athletic scholarship
. He played football, basketball, and baseball and claimed to have once competed against Ohio State University
track star and Olympic gold medalist Jesse Owens
. When he was an end on the college’s football team, he was presented with the game ball autographed by his teammates after a 12–6 victory over Boston College
.
Orioles of the Class D minor league baseball Georgia-Florida League
in 1937. He played for this team for the 1937 and 1938 seasons as their third baseman
. In 1937, he batted
.310, and hit one home run
. In 97 games played
during the 1938 season, he batted .348, hit 32 doubles
, 12 triples
, and three home runs. For the 1939 season, he joined the Chattanooga Lookouts
of the Class A1 Southern Association
as an outfielder
; he batted .323, and hit 27 doubles, eight triples, and five home runs in 135 games played. It was at the conclusion of this minor league season, that he became a late-season acquisition of the Philadelphia Phillies
.
debut on September 16, 1939, with the Phillies, and appeared in 12 games, fielding a variety of positions, including all three outfield positions, and third base as well. He had 50 at bat
s that season, and collected seven hits
for a .140 batting average.
The next season, he was optioned by the Phillies to the Baltimore Orioles
of the Class AA International League
, one of their minor league affiliates, as an outfielder. During the 1940 season, he played in 108 games, batted .304, and hit 16 doubles, seven triples, and 11 home runs. At the conclusion of this season, he was a late-season call-up by the Phillies. He played in eight games and had two hits in nine at bats for a .222 batting average.
His most productive major league season came in 1941, when he played a full season with the Phillies. He posted career-highs in home runs (3), RBIs
(27), runs scored
(47), hits (113), doubles (20), triples (7), stolen base
s (17) and games played (129). In a game against the New York Giants
on June 28, Benjamin singled
to bring home the game-winning run in bottom of the 12th inning. On July 1, he again produced a game-winning single, this time in the bottom of the tenth inning, defeating the Brooklyn Dodgers
. He began the 1942 season with the Phillies and batted .224 in 78 games before being sold, on August 5, to the Louisville Colonels
, a Class AA American Association
affiliate of the Boston Red Sox
.
gave Benjamin a tryout in mid-March; however, he was not signed, and he continued to play with the Colonels, moving back to the outfield. In 123 games played, he hit just .237, and did not hit a home run.
He returned to the Baltimore Orioles of the International League for the 1944 season, which had switched its major league affiliation to the Cleveland Indians
. He enjoyed a resurgence in his offensive statistics that season, as his batting average rose to .301, and he hit 24 doubles, eight triples, and 12 home runs in 133 games played. The Indians called up Benjamin for the 1945 season, and even though he was part of their regular roster, he appeared in only 14 games, batting .333. On March 26, 1946, he was released by the Cleveland Indians, and he would never appear in another major league game. In his five-season major league career, Benjamin hit .229 with five home runs and 41 RBIs in 241 games.
He played for and managed
the Nazareth
Cement Dusters of the Class D North Atlantic League
. He played several different positions that season, including two games at pitcher
. He batted .312 and hit four home runs during his only season with the Cement Dusters. Benjamin played for several different teams in 1947, beginning the season with the Houston Buffaloes
, a St. Louis Cardinals
affiliate, but later joined the San Antonio Missions
, a St. Louis Browns
affiliate. Both teams were in the Texas League
. Late in the season, the Browns promoted him to their Class AAA team, the Toledo Mud Hens
of the American Association. In 1948, he played for, and managed, the Fresno Cardinals
of the Class C California League
, an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. In 125 games played that season, he batted .326 and hit 27 doubles, five triples, and nine home runs. After the season completed, he retired as a player.
, and became an assistant football coach at Greenfield High School
, while also working as a physical education
teacher at a near-by middle school
. Benjamin was Greenfield’s head football coach from 1958 to 1964, as well as the head baseball coach from 1948 to 1964. He coached the baseball team to several Western Massachusetts championships. Among the other duties, he also refereed
high school and college basketball games in New England
, as well as working as an assistant football coach at Deerfield Academy
in 1964 and 1965. He was also an assistant football coach for Northeastern University in the early 1940s.
in 1965, and stayed in that capacity until retiring in 2002. During his time with the Astros franchise he scouted amateur players in the New England region, as well as the American League East
teams and their minor league affiliates. He later became the team's scouting supervisor for the Northeast. He also scouted major league teams during spring training
in Florida
and spent many summer evenings evaluating some of the nation’s best college players in the Cape Cod Baseball League
.
In 1970, Mike Flanagan was suffering arm problems, and many scouts decided that he did not have a future baseball career, but he could hit well, so Benjamin suggested to the Astros that they could use him in that capacity and wait to see if his arm would recuperate. The Astros drafted Flanagan, but he decided not to sign, and instead attended University of Massachusetts Amherst
on a baseball scholarship. During the 1990 season, the Astros were approached by the Boston Red Sox
, who needed pitching and were interested in Larry Andersen. Benjamin recommended that they ask for Red Sox minor leaguer Jeff Bagwell
in return. The Astros were hesitant initially due to Bagwell's low home run totals, but Benjamin convinced them by explaining that his numbers were deceiving due to the large ballpark that he played in.
or they faced expulsion
. Town records didn't publish marriages until after January 1, each year, so the couple got married at 1 a.m. on New Year’s Day 1941 at her home in Raynham, Massachusetts
. This prevented the school from learning about her marriage until after she had graduated. The Benjamins had one son, Richard, and three daughters, Nancy, Janice, and Joanne; as well as 12 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.
Benjamin died at the age of 95, of heart failure, in his daughter's home on December 24, 2009, in Harwich, Massachusetts
. He is interred at Green River Cemetery in Greenfield, Massachusetts
.
Benjamin was a member of both the McDaniel College and Massachusetts Baseball Coaches Association hall of fame
, and in 2008, he received a special recognition award from the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation. Tal Smith
, Astros' president of baseball operations, said of Benjamin, “Stan’s positive evaluation of Bagwell was definitely a catalyst in our taking him... He was a vital cog in our organization who had the ability to convey his opinion in a precise manner. You always knew where you stood with him. He was a longtime employee, but more important, a longtime friend.’’ Smith also called him a "keen judge of talent."
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
for five seasons; four with the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(–), of the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
(NL), and one with the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, of the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
(AL). The 6' 2", 194 lb. Benjamin batted and threw right-handed, and was born in Framingham, Massachusetts
Framingham, Massachusetts
Framingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:...
. After graduating from high school, he attended Western Maryland College, now known as McDaniel College
McDaniel College
McDaniel College is a private four-year liberal arts college in Westminster, Maryland, located 30 miles northwest of Baltimore. The college also has a satellite campus located in Budapest, Hungary. Until July 2002, it was known as Western Maryland College...
, where he played baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
.
In addition to his major league playing career, he played in minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
for ten seasons. He began at the age of 23, with the Thomasville Orioles of the Georgia-Florida League
Georgia-Florida League
The Georgia-Florida League was a minor baseball league that existed from 1935 through 1958 and in 1962–1963...
in 1937, and finished as the player-manager for the Fresno Cardinals
Fresno Cardinals
The Fresno Cardinals were a minor league baseball team that played in the California League from 1941-1956. The team was owned by the St. Louis Cardinals of the National League and was based in Fresno, California....
of the California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
in 1948. During that time, he played in 955 minor league games, and batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.304, and hit 52 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s. In the early 1940s, he was an assistant football coach at Northeastern University. Later, during his minor league career, he began coaching high school football, part-time, in his home town of Framingham, and then full-time once his playing and managing career ended.
Starting in 1948, he was the head baseball coach and assistant football coach for Greenfield High School
Greenfield High School (Massachusetts)
Greenfield High School is located in Greenfield, Massachusetts. The mascot for Greenfield High School is the "Green Wave" represented by a green ocean wave.-External links:*...
in Greenfield, Massachusetts
Greenfield, Massachusetts
Greenfield is a city in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 17,456 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Franklin County. Greenfield is home to Greenfield Community College, the Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra, and the Franklin County Fair...
, and took over the head football coaching duties in 1958. He held both positions, in addition to being a physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
teacher for a local middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
and part-time basketball referee
Official (basketball)
In basketball, an official is a person who has the responsibility to enforce the rules and maintain the order of the game. The title of official also applies to the scorers and timekeepers, as well as other personnel that have an active task in maintaining the game...
until 1964. In 1965, he was hired as a talent scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
for the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
, a job he held for nearly 40 years. It was his evaluation of Jeff Bagwell
Jeff Bagwell
Jeffrey Robert Bagwell , is a former American professional baseball player and coach. He played his entire fifteen-year Major League Baseball career as a first baseman for the Houston Astros and was a four-time All-Star...
that led the Astros to acquire him from the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
for Larry Andersen.
Early life
Born on May 20, 1914, in Framingham, Massachusetts, Benjamin graduated from Framingham High SchoolFramingham High School
Framingham High School, or FHS, is an urban/suburban public high school in the town of Framingham, Massachusetts, United States, located approximately 20 miles west of Boston...
in 1932, and later attended Western Maryland College, later renamed McDaniel College, on an athletic scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
. He played football, basketball, and baseball and claimed to have once competed against Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
track star and Olympic gold medalist Jesse Owens
Jesse Owens
James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens was an American track and field athlete who specialized in the sprints and the long jump. He participated in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, where he achieved international fame by winning four gold medals: one each in the 100 meters, the 200 meters, the...
. When he was an end on the college’s football team, he was presented with the game ball autographed by his teammates after a 12–6 victory over Boston College
Boston College Eagles football
The Boston College Eagles football team is the collegiate football program of Boston College. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, a Division I Bowl Subdivision league governed by the NCAA. Within the ACC, the Eagles are one of six teams in the Atlantic Division...
.
Minor leagues
Benjamin signed his first professional baseball contract with the ThomasvilleThomasville, Georgia
Thomasville is the county seat of Thomas County, Georgia, United States. The city is the second largest in Southwest Georgia after Albany.The city deems itself the City of Roses and holds an annual Rose Festival. The town features plantations open to the public, a historic downtown, a large...
Orioles of the Class D minor league baseball Georgia-Florida League
Georgia-Florida League
The Georgia-Florida League was a minor baseball league that existed from 1935 through 1958 and in 1962–1963...
in 1937. He played for this team for the 1937 and 1938 seasons as their third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
. In 1937, he batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.310, and hit one home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
. In 97 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
during the 1938 season, he batted .348, hit 32 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 12 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, and three home runs. For the 1939 season, he joined the Chattanooga Lookouts
Chattanooga Lookouts
The Chattanooga Lookouts are a minor league baseball team based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. They are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team, which plays in the Southern League, has been a Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers major-league club since the 2009 season. The Lookouts...
of the Class A1 Southern Association
Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A , Class A1 and Class AA...
as an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
; he batted .323, and hit 27 doubles, eight triples, and five home runs in 135 games played. It was at the conclusion of this minor league season, that he became a late-season acquisition of the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.
Major leagues
Benjamin made his Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
debut on September 16, 1939, with the Phillies, and appeared in 12 games, fielding a variety of positions, including all three outfield positions, and third base as well. He had 50 at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s that season, and collected seven hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
for a .140 batting average.
The next season, he was optioned by the Phillies to the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles (minor league)
The city of Baltimore, Maryland has been home to two minor league baseball teams called the Baltimore Orioles.-Name history:"Orioles" is a traditional name for baseball clubs in Baltimore . It was used by major league teams from 1882 through 1899 in the American Association/National League and by...
of the Class AA International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
, one of their minor league affiliates, as an outfielder. During the 1940 season, he played in 108 games, batted .304, and hit 16 doubles, seven triples, and 11 home runs. At the conclusion of this season, he was a late-season call-up by the Phillies. He played in eight games and had two hits in nine at bats for a .222 batting average.
His most productive major league season came in 1941, when he played a full season with the Phillies. He posted career-highs in home runs (3), RBIs
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
(27), runs scored
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
(47), hits (113), doubles (20), triples (7), stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s (17) and games played (129). In a game against the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
on June 28, Benjamin singled
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
to bring home the game-winning run in bottom of the 12th inning. On July 1, he again produced a game-winning single, this time in the bottom of the tenth inning, defeating the Brooklyn Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
. He began the 1942 season with the Phillies and batted .224 in 78 games before being sold, on August 5, to the Louisville Colonels
Louisville Colonels (minor league baseball team)
The Louisville Colonels was the name of several minor league baseball teams that played in Louisville, Kentucky, in the 20th century. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels.-Twentieth century minor league teams:...
, a Class AA American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
affiliate of the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
.
Return to the minors
Benjamin finished the 1942 season with the Colonels as their third baseman. He appeared in 38 games, hit three home runs, and had a .303 batting average. Before the 1943 season, the Red Sox were in need of more outfielders, so manager Joe CroninJoe Cronin
Joseph Edward Cronin was a Major League Baseball shortstop and manager.During a 20-year playing career, he played from 1926–45 for three different teams, primarily for the Boston Red Sox. Cronin was a major league manager from 1933–47...
gave Benjamin a tryout in mid-March; however, he was not signed, and he continued to play with the Colonels, moving back to the outfield. In 123 games played, he hit just .237, and did not hit a home run.
He returned to the Baltimore Orioles of the International League for the 1944 season, which had switched its major league affiliation to the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. He enjoyed a resurgence in his offensive statistics that season, as his batting average rose to .301, and he hit 24 doubles, eight triples, and 12 home runs in 133 games played. The Indians called up Benjamin for the 1945 season, and even though he was part of their regular roster, he appeared in only 14 games, batting .333. On March 26, 1946, he was released by the Cleveland Indians, and he would never appear in another major league game. In his five-season major league career, Benjamin hit .229 with five home runs and 41 RBIs in 241 games.
He played for and managed
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
the Nazareth
Nazareth, Pennsylvania
Nazareth is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 6,023 at the 2000 census.Nazareth is located seven miles northwest of Easton, four miles north of Bethlehem and twelve miles northeast of Allentown...
Cement Dusters of the Class D North Atlantic League
North Atlantic League
The North Atlantic League was the name of two minor baseball leagues. The first was a Class D affiliated system that operated from 1946 until 1950, and the second was an independent minor league that played from 1995 until 1996...
. He played several different positions that season, including two games at pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
. He batted .312 and hit four home runs during his only season with the Cement Dusters. Benjamin played for several different teams in 1947, beginning the season with the Houston Buffaloes
Houston Buffaloes
The Houston Buffaloes or Buffs were an American minor league baseball team that was founded in 1888, played in the Texas League in the years 1888-90, 1892, 1895-99, and 1907-1958 ; in the South Texas League in the years 1903-06; and in the American Association from 1959-61...
, a St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
affiliate, but later joined the San Antonio Missions
San Antonio Missions
The San Antonio Missions are a minor league baseball team based in San Antonio, Texas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres major-league club. The Missions play in Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium, located in San Antonio...
, a St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
affiliate. Both teams were in the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
. Late in the season, the Browns promoted him to their Class AAA team, the Toledo Mud Hens
Toledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are affiliated with the major league baseball team the Detroit Tigers, based approximately 50 miles to the north of Toledo. The current team is one of several...
of the American Association. In 1948, he played for, and managed, the Fresno Cardinals
Fresno Cardinals
The Fresno Cardinals were a minor league baseball team that played in the California League from 1941-1956. The team was owned by the St. Louis Cardinals of the National League and was based in Fresno, California....
of the Class C California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
, an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. In 125 games played that season, he batted .326 and hit 27 doubles, five triples, and nine home runs. After the season completed, he retired as a player.
High school athletics
After his baseball playing career ended, he moved to Greenfield, MassachusettsGreenfield, Massachusetts
Greenfield is a city in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 17,456 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Franklin County. Greenfield is home to Greenfield Community College, the Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra, and the Franklin County Fair...
, and became an assistant football coach at Greenfield High School
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, while also working as a physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
teacher at a near-by middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
. Benjamin was Greenfield’s head football coach from 1958 to 1964, as well as the head baseball coach from 1948 to 1964. He coached the baseball team to several Western Massachusetts championships. Among the other duties, he also refereed
Official (basketball)
In basketball, an official is a person who has the responsibility to enforce the rules and maintain the order of the game. The title of official also applies to the scorers and timekeepers, as well as other personnel that have an active task in maintaining the game...
high school and college basketball games in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, as well as working as an assistant football coach at Deerfield Academy
Deerfield Academy
Deerfield Academy is an independent, coeducational boarding school in Deerfield, Massachusetts, United States. It is a four-year college-preparatory school with approximately 600 students and about 100 faculty, all of whom live on or near campus....
in 1964 and 1965. He was also an assistant football coach for Northeastern University in the early 1940s.
Scouting career
Benjamin began his career as a talent scout for the Houston AstrosHouston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
in 1965, and stayed in that capacity until retiring in 2002. During his time with the Astros franchise he scouted amateur players in the New England region, as well as the American League East
American League East
The American League Eastern Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions . This division was created before the start of the 1969 season along with the Western Division...
teams and their minor league affiliates. He later became the team's scouting supervisor for the Northeast. He also scouted major league teams during spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and spent many summer evenings evaluating some of the nation’s best college players in the Cape Cod Baseball League
Cape Cod Baseball League
The Cape Cod Baseball League is a collegiate summer baseball league located on Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, in which many college baseball stars play during the summer. Many future Major League Baseball players have started there during their college years; MLB has provided...
.
In 1970, Mike Flanagan was suffering arm problems, and many scouts decided that he did not have a future baseball career, but he could hit well, so Benjamin suggested to the Astros that they could use him in that capacity and wait to see if his arm would recuperate. The Astros drafted Flanagan, but he decided not to sign, and instead attended University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
on a baseball scholarship. During the 1990 season, the Astros were approached by the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, who needed pitching and were interested in Larry Andersen. Benjamin recommended that they ask for Red Sox minor leaguer Jeff Bagwell
Jeff Bagwell
Jeffrey Robert Bagwell , is a former American professional baseball player and coach. He played his entire fifteen-year Major League Baseball career as a first baseman for the Houston Astros and was a four-time All-Star...
in return. The Astros were hesitant initially due to Bagwell's low home run totals, but Benjamin convinced them by explaining that his numbers were deceiving due to the large ballpark that he played in.
Personal life
Benjamin was married to his wife Barbara, maiden name Hall, from 1941 until her death 54 years later in 1995. She was attending Framingham State Teachers College when they met, and school rules forbade female students from getting marriedMarriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
or they faced expulsion
Expulsion (academia)
Expulsion or exclusion refers to the permanent removal of a student from a school system or university for violating that institution's rules. Laws and procedures regarding expulsion vary between countries and states.-State sector:...
. Town records didn't publish marriages until after January 1, each year, so the couple got married at 1 a.m. on New Year’s Day 1941 at her home in Raynham, Massachusetts
Raynham, Massachusetts
Raynham is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,739 at the 2000 census. It has one village, Raynham Center.-History:...
. This prevented the school from learning about her marriage until after she had graduated. The Benjamins had one son, Richard, and three daughters, Nancy, Janice, and Joanne; as well as 12 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.
Benjamin died at the age of 95, of heart failure, in his daughter's home on December 24, 2009, in Harwich, Massachusetts
Harwich, Massachusetts
Harwich is a New England town on Cape Cod, in Barnstable County in the state of Massachusetts in the United States. Barnstable County is coextensive with Cape Cod. The town is a popular vacation spot, located near the Cape Cod National Seashore. Harwich's beaches are on "the Sound side" of Cape...
. He is interred at Green River Cemetery in Greenfield, Massachusetts
Greenfield, Massachusetts
Greenfield is a city in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 17,456 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Franklin County. Greenfield is home to Greenfield Community College, the Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra, and the Franklin County Fair...
.
Benjamin was a member of both the McDaniel College and Massachusetts Baseball Coaches Association hall of fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
, and in 2008, he received a special recognition award from the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation. Tal Smith
Tal Smith
Talbot Merton Smith is an American former professional baseball executive who has served in high baseball operations positions — including general manager and club president — as well as the founder of a firm that advises Major League Baseball teams on salary arbitration cases.A veteran of 54...
, Astros' president of baseball operations, said of Benjamin, “Stan’s positive evaluation of Bagwell was definitely a catalyst in our taking him... He was a vital cog in our organization who had the ability to convey his opinion in a precise manner. You always knew where you stood with him. He was a longtime employee, but more important, a longtime friend.’’ Smith also called him a "keen judge of talent."