Charles Albert "Chief" Bender, who was born on the White Earth Reservation in Minnesota's Crow Wing County, was one of the best pitchers in major-league baseball in the first 20 years of the 20th century.
Charles Albert "Chief" Bender: Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame inductee, Class of 1958
Baseball Hall of Famer won 212 games in his MLB career.
October 17, 2019 at 6:48PM
At the age of 13, Bender left Minnesota to attend Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. At Carlisle, which later became known as a football powerhouse with Jim Thorpe, Bender had his first baseball coach — Pop Warner, who is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
After graduating from Carlisle in 1902, Bender was discovered by a scout for the Philadelphia Athletics. Bender made his major league debut in April of 1903 — one month before his 19th birthday.
Bender spent 16 seasons in the major leagues – 1903-1917 and 1925. Bender had a career record of 212-127 with a 2.46 ERA and played on three World Series champion teams with the Philadelphia Athletics. He threw 36 shutouts in his career.
His best season was 1910 when he went 23-5 with a 1.58 ERA. He pitched a no-hitter against Cleveland on May 12, 1910. In 1914, he was 17-3 with a 2.26 ERA. He won 14 consecutive games that season.
Bender was the first pitcher to win six World Series games. He pitched on five World Series teams with Philadelphia — winning one game in 1905, one in 1910, two in 1911 and two in 1913.
Connie Mack, who managed the Philadelphia Athletics for 50 seasons, said of Bender, "If I had to win one game in my whole life and had my choice of pitchers to do or die for me, I should choose Chief Bender."
Bender was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953.
CHARLES ALBERT (CHIEF) BENDER
Class: 1958.
Sport: Baseball.
Team: Philadelphia Athletics.
