Joe Benz

Joseph Louis Benz (January 21, 1886 – April 22, 1957) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1911 to 1919. He played for the Chicago White Sox.[1] Benz's two main pitches were the spitball and the knuckleball.[2]

Joe Benz
1916 baseball card of Benz
Pitcher
Born: (1886-01-21)January 21, 1886
New Alsace, Indiana
Died: April 22, 1957(1957-04-22) (aged 71)
Chicago, Illinois
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
August 16, 1911, for the Chicago White Sox
Last MLB appearance
May 2, 1919, for the Chicago White Sox
MLB statistics
Win–loss record77–75
Earned run average2.43
Strikeouts539
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Benz pitched a no-hitter for the White Sox on May 13, 1914, against the Cleveland Naps. He was a member of the Sox teams that reached the World Series in both 1917 and 1919, but appeared in neither. Benz had a 7-3 record during the 1917 season and was 8-8 a year later, throwing 10 complete games. But he pitched in just one game during the 1919 season, and was not on the roster for the 1919 World Series, which was tainted by the Black Sox Scandal.

The Benz family was of German Catholic stock, Joe's grandfather having emigrated from the Grand Duchy of Baden in 1849.[3]

After baseball, Benz was the custodian of a church and also worked for O’Hare Field.[4] He died of a heart-related illness in 1957.[5]

References
  1. "Joe Benz Statistics and History". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2011-02-03.
  2. Neyer, Rob and James, Bill. The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers (Simon & Schuster, 2004), p. 132.
  3. "The Benz family was of German Catholic stock, Joe's grandfather, also named Michael, having emigrated from the Grand Duchy of Baden in 1849."
  4. "Joe Benz, ex-White Sox pitching star, dies at 71". Chicago Tribune. April 23, 1957.
  5. "Joe Benz dies". Knoxville News Sentinel. Associated Press. April 23, 1957. p. 17.

Preceded by
Jeff Tesreau		 No-hitter pitcher
May 31, 1914		 Succeeded by
George Davis


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