Ben Taylor

Who is Ben Taylor?

Benjamin Eugene Taylor was an American Major League Baseball first baseman.

Born in Metropolis, Illinois, Taylor originally signed as a free agent in 1944 with the Brooklyn Dodgers. In 1949, he was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the Minor League Draft. He would be returned to the Dodgers the following year. In 1951, he was traded to the St. Louis Browns for Johnny Bero, Joe Lutz, and cash. He would play at the Major League level with the team that year.

In 1952, Taylor was traded along with Matt Batts, Dick Littlefield, and Cliff Mapes to the Detroit Tigers for Gene Bearden, Bob Cain, and Dick Kryhoski. He was with the Tigers for only a short time before he was traded to the Cleveland Indians for Hal Erickson. The following year he joined the Dallas Eagles of the Texas League. In 1954, he was traded along with two other players and $20,000 to the Cubs for Buster Clarkson and Les Fleming. He was later returned to the Texas League, joining the Beaumont Exporters, before becoming a member of the Milwaukee Braves.

He was the uncle of Hawk Taylor, also a native of Metropolis, who played for the Braves and three other MLB clubs between 1957–1970.