Ben Sanders

Alexander Bennett Sanders

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 210 lb.
• School Roanoke College
• Debut June 6, 1888
• Final Game October 14, 1892
• Born February 16, 1865 in Catharpin, VA CSA
• Died August 29, 1930 in Memphis, TN USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Ben Sanders had a terrific rookie season in the majors but gradually declined each year after that as a pitcher, although in his last season he did well as a hitter. As a rookie with the Philadelphia Quakers in 1888, his ERA was second-best in the National League. He was managed in 1888 and 1889 by baseball pioneer Harry Wright.

Sanders, in his five years in the majors, pitched in Philadelphia in three different leagues, along with one year in Louisville.

Sanders was a two-way player. While he was primarily a pitcher, appearing in 168 games at that position, he was also in 69 games in the outfield, 15 at first base, and one at third base. His lifetime batting average at .271 was decent, and in his last season, in 1892, he was the strongest hitter on the team with the Louisville Colonels. His .273 batting average and .399 slugging percentage were much better than the team averages of .226 and .284. He far out-hit his teammates Hughie Jennings and Pete Browning (although Browning was there for only part of the season).

In addition to his playing, he umpired one National League game in 1889.

An article at Mighty Casey Baseball [1] indicates that he had a "corkscrew delivery" and ended up after a pitch with his back to the batter. He played for a team in his hometown of Catharpin, VA and drew the attention of the major leagues when he hurled for the Altoona team. While still a major leaguer, he started preparing for post-baseball life by studying engineering at Vanderbilt University. He did engineering for the rest of his life, even though the Colonels kept trying to get him to return to baseball.

Notable Achievements

• NL Shutouts Leader (1888)
• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 4 (1888-1890 & 1892)
• 300 Innings Pitched Seasons: 2 (1889 & 1890)