Ben Mallonee

Howard Bennett Mallonee
(Lefty)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 6", Weight 150 lb.

• Debut September 14, 1921
• Final Game September 23, 1921
• Born March 31, 1894 in Baltimore, MD USA
• Died February 19, 1978 in Baltimore, MD USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Ben Mallonee played a week in the majors but is most famous for hitting four home runs in a game in the minors in 1926 while playing with the Richmond Colts. He had hit homers in the two previous games and went on to hit a homer in the following game as well. [1]

Mallonee was called by a lot of first names. His New York Times obituary (February 22, 1978) called him "Howard Mallonee" and in another place "Howard 'Lefty' Mallonee. A SABR article refers to him in one place as "Ben 'Al' Mallonee" and in another place as "Howard B. 'Al' Mallonee". [2] Another site [3] claims that he played under the name "Hugh Mallonee" in 1929-1930 in the minors (and also that he was in the military in 1917-1918).

Ben was 5'6" and weighed 150 lbs., but he could hit home runs. Statistics are not complete, but his best year was apparently 24 home runs with the Richmond Colts in 1926. He had at least 75 home runs in his pro career.

Mallonee spent at least five years with Richmond, hitting well over .300 each year and typically having one of the top averages on the team. His peak was in 1924 when he hit .368. After hitting .338 in 1927 (second best on the team at age 33), he moved the following year to the Waco Cubs where he hit .343 in 17 games.

His New York Times obituary, mentioned above, contains inaccuracies. It correctly says he played for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1921, but incorrectly says he played for the New York Giants late in the 1920s. It incorrectly says he started in pro ball with Richmond in 1919, while he had actually started professionally in 1916. It doesn't mention the name "Ben".

Related Sites

• Find-A-Grave Memorial for Ben Mallonee