Big Chief Bender

Born

1884-05-05

Died

1954-05-22

Birthplace

Crow Wing County, Minnesota, U.S.

Biography

Charles Albert "Chief" Bender (Ojibwe: Mandowescence; May 5, 1884[a 1] – May 22, 1954) was a Native American professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball during the 1900s and 1910s. In 1911, Bender tied a record by pitching three complete games in a single World Series. He finished his career with a 212–127 win–loss record for a .625 winning percentage and a career 2.46 earned run average (ERA). After his major league playing career, Bender's roles in baseball included major league coach, minor league manager and player-manager, college manager, and professional scout. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953 and died the following year.