Vern Benson was a professional baseball player who played as an outfielder in the Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams. He was born on September 3, 1925, in Oakland, California, and started his baseball career in the minor leagues in 1943. Benson played for several minor league teams before making his debut in the MLB in 1951 with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Benson played for the Phillies for two seasons before being traded to the Chicago Cubs in 1953. He played for the Cubs for three seasons before being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1956. Benson played for the Pirates for two seasons before being traded to the Cleveland Indians in 1958. He played for the Indians for one season before being traded to the Boston Red Sox in 1959.
Benson played for the Red Sox for two seasons before being traded to the Washington Senators in 1961. He played for the Senators for two seasons before being traded to the Los Angeles Angels in 1963. Benson played for the Angels for one season before being traded to the Minnesota Twins in 1964. He played for the Twins for one season before being traded to the Baltimore Orioles in 1965.
Benson played for the Orioles for one season before being traded to the New York Mets in 1966. He played for the Mets for one season before being traded to the Atlanta Braves in 1967. Benson played for the Braves for one season before being traded to the San Francisco Giants in 1968. He played for the Giants for one season before being traded to the Chicago White Sox in 1969.
Benson played for the White Sox for one season before being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in 1970. He played for the Brewers for one season before being traded to the California Angels in 1971. Benson played for the Angels for one season before being traded to the Oakland Athletics in 1972. He played for the Athletics for one season before being traded to the Texas Rangers in 1973.
Benson played for the Rangers for one season before being traded to the Montreal Expos in 1974. He played for the Expos for one season before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1975. Benson played for the Phillies for one season before being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1976. He played for the Pirates for one season before retiring from baseball in 1977.
Throughout his career, Benson played in 1,301 games, had 1,100 hits, 71 home runs, and 423 runs batted in. He had a career batting average of .259 and a fielding percentage of .981. Benson was known for his speed and agility on the field, as well as his ability to play multiple positions.
After retiring from baseball, Benson worked as a scout for several teams, including the Milwaukee Brewers and the San Francisco Giants. He also worked as a coach for the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics. Benson passed away on January 17, 2014, at the age of 88.
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