Kris Benson

Kris Benson was a solid right-handed starting pitcher who played in the Majors from 1999-2010. He also helped the USA win a bronze medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Benson played in college at Clemson from 1993-96. In his junior year he was named College Baseball Player of the Year and the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Male Athlete of the Year. He led Clemson to the College World Series, during which time he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates as the first overall pick of the 1996 MLB draft, and was given a then record signing bonus.

Benson started in the minors, playing in 1997-98 for the Lynchburg Hillcats, Carolina Mudcats, and Nashville Sounds. He came up to the Pirates in 1999 and was an effective starting pitcher for them the entire season, placing fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. His best season in the majors was 2000, when he struck out 184 in 32 games started, with an ERA of 3.85 and an ERA+ of 121. After that season he underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the 2001 season. He returned to the Pirates in 2002 and pitched for them through 2004, when he was traded to the New York Mets in mid-season.

Benson played for the Mets in 2004-05 and was then with the Baltimore Orioles in 2006. He then underwent rotator cuff surgery and was out of baseball for two seasons. He came back and played in 2009-10 with the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks, but was never again very effective. He injured his shoulder again in 2010 with the Diamondbacks, spent much of that year in the minors, and retired after the season. He finished major league ball with a career record of 70-75 in 200 starts.

Benson made over $38 million in his career and was known for his charitable work. He was a quiet, almost studious type, which made his marriage in 1999 to Anna Adams somewhat incongruous. The couple met at a strip club in Atlanta, where she was working, while Benson was playing in the minors. They married in 1999 and they became well-known as a baseball couple, mostly for Anna Benson’s outrageous ways. Famously, after Kris Benson was traded to the Mets, she told Howard Stern during an interview on his radio show that if Kris ever cheated on her, she would sleep with every member of the Mets organization, though she did not term it quite so delicately.

The couple did support numerous charities together, starting Benson’s Battalion, which raised funds for emergency services after 9/11. They also contributed to the Red Cross and United Way for 9/11 relief. They started a charity in 2005 called Tuesday’s Children, assisting children who lost parents in the Twin Tower tragedies.

Kris Benson was later honored for his charitable and community services. He received the Pittsburgh Pirates team Roberto Clemente Award, the Thurman Munson Award, the Joan Payson Award, and the New Jersey Sports Writers Humanitarian of the Year Award. While in Baltimore he was recognized by the Baltimore Police Department for his support, and later received a Certificate of Appreciation from the US Armed Forces Central Command in Saudi Arabia. During his career it is estimated he contributed close to $1 million for charitable causes. He and Anna Benson divorced in 2006.