1. Personal Life
Benjamin Eugene Taylor's personal life included his birth in Illinois and his family connection to another professional baseball player.
1.1. Birth and Death
Benjamin Eugene Taylor was born on September 30, 1927, in Metropolis, Illinois. He passed away on May 11, 1999.
1.2. Family
Taylor was the uncle of Hawk Taylor, who also had a notable career in Major League Baseball, playing for 11 seasons.
2. Professional Baseball Career
Benjamin Eugene Taylor's professional baseball career spanned 13 years, encompassing both minor and major league play across several teams. He was 6 ft tall and weighed 175 lb (175 lb).
2.1. Minor League Career
Taylor began his professional career when he originally signed as a free agent in 1944 with the Brooklyn Dodgers. In 1949, the Chicago Cubs selected him in the minor league draft, though he was returned to the Dodgers the following year. After his brief stint with the Detroit Tigers in 1952, he spent the majority of that campaign in the high minors. In October 1952, he was traded to the Cleveland Indians, who then sent him to their Dallas Eagles affiliate in the Double-A Texas League in 1953. Taylor spent almost three full years in the Texas circuit, playing for both the Dallas Eagles and the Beaumont Exporters before being recalled by the Milwaukee Braves in August 1955 for his final Major League Baseball opportunity. He continued to play in the minor leagues through 1957 before retiring from baseball.
2.2. Major League Career
Taylor's Major League Baseball career included stints with three different franchises, beginning in 1951 and concluding in 1955.
2.2.1. St. Louis Browns
In 1951, Taylor was traded to the St. Louis Browns along with Johnny Bero and Joe Lutz for cash, marking his debut at the major league level that year. His first MLB game was on July 29, 1951, against the Washington Senators at Griffith Stadium. In this debut, he notably homered off Sandy Consuegra in his second at bat. Throughout the 1951 St. Louis Browns season, he registered 104 plate appearances, hitting two additional home runs and recording his only six runs batted in (RBI) of his MLB career. He concluded the season with a batting average of .258 and collected 24 hits.
2.2.2. Detroit Tigers
In February 1952, Taylor was part of a multi-player trade, moving with Matt Batts, Dick Littlefield, and Cliff Mapes to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for Gene Bearden, Bob Cain, and Dick Kryhoski. His time with the 1952 Tigers was brief, as he appeared in only seven games.
2.2.3. Milwaukee Braves
Taylor's final Major League Baseball appearance came in August 1955, when he was recalled by the Milwaukee Braves for what would be his last MLB audition. During this period, he primarily served as a pinch hitter. He collected one hit in 12 games and ten at bats before his Major League career concluded.
2.3. Career Statistics
Across his three partial seasons in Major League Baseball, Benjamin Eugene Taylor played in 52 games. He accumulated 28 hits, which included two doubles, one triple, and three home runs. In 121 career at bats, he maintained a batting average of .231.