Benjamin Downs

Benjamin Earle Downs

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 200 lb.
• Born August 13, 1929 in Highland Park, MI USA
• Died October 7, 2001

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Rightfielder Benjamin Downs played in the minor leagues from 1948 to 1950 and from 1952 to 1959. He spent two full years at Triple A, but never reached the major leagues.

He had a few seasons of note. In his second campaign, at 19 years old, he slashed .317/.442/.554 with 18 home runs, 76 RBI and 93 walks to 75 strikeouts between two teams. Per records available, he never struck out more than he walked in a season. In 1952, with the Fresno Cardinals, Downs hit .337 with 34 home runs, 32 doubles and 182 hits in 140 games. With the Nashville Volunteers in 1955, he batted .340/.449/.494 with 12 home runs, 108 RBI, 39 doubles, 94 runs scored, 106 walks and just 57 strikeouts in 145 games. In 1957, he hit .302/.398/.465 with 18 home runs and 83 RBI in 142 games for the Little Rock Travelers. In his second-to-last campaign, he hit 23 home runs between two clubs.

Overall, he had 1,120 hits and 136 home runs in 1,232 games over 11 seasons.

He was taken by the Omaha Cardinals of the St. Louis Cardinals system from the Aberdeen Pheasants of the St. Louis Browns organization in the Single A round of the 1949 Rule V Draft. In the 1955 Rule V Draft, he was taken by the Charleston Senators of the Detroit Tigers system from the Nashville Vols of the Cincinnati Reds system.