| Ben Paschal | |
|---|---|
 Paschal before a game during the 1925 New York Yankees season | |
| Outfielder | |
| Born: October 13, 1895 Enterprise, Alabama, U.S. | |
| Died: November 10, 1974 (aged 79) Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| August 16, 1915, for the Cleveland Indians | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 6, 1929, for the New York Yankees | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .309 |
| Home runs | 24 |
| Runs batted in | 136 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Benjamin Edwin Paschal (October 13, 1895 – November 10, 1974) was an American baseball outfielder who played eight seasons in Major League Baseball from 1915 to 1929, mostly for the New York Yankees. After two "cup of coffee" stints with the Cleveland Indians in 1915 and the Boston Red Sox in 1920, Paschal spent most of his career as the fourth outfielder and right-handed pinch hitter of the Yankees' Murderers' Row championship teams of the late 1920s. Paschal is best known for hitting .360 in the 1925 season while standing in for Babe Ruth, who missed the first 40 games with a stomach ailment.
During his time in baseball, Paschal was described as a five-tool player who excelled at running, throwing, fielding, hitting for average, and power.[1] However, his playing time with the Yankees was limited because they already had future Baseball Hall of Famers Ruth and Earle Combs, and star Bob Meusel, in the outfield. Paschal was considered one of the best bench players in baseball during his time with the Yankees, and sportswriters wrote how he would have started for most other teams in the American League.[1] He was one of the best pinch hitters in the game during the period, at a time when the term was still relatively new to baseball.[2][3]
- ^ a b Bell, Brian (October 31, 1928). "Trading Season Opens as Phils, Giants Act". St. Petersburg Evening Independent. p. 13.
- ^ Harrison, James R. (October 8, 1926). "Yanks Win In Tenth, 3 To 2; Lead Series". The New York Times. p. 1.
- ^ Bell, Brian (July 5, 1929). "Bench Warmers of Early Season May Decide Races". Los Angeles Times. p. 16.