Joe Benner

Joe Benner can claim the top competitive record internationally of any American pistol shooter. In addition to his Olympic gold medal, he won three World Championships (1949, 1952, 1954), six National Championships, and won six gold medals at the Pan American Games – five of those in 1955 alone: 50 m pistol, 25 m centre fire pistol, 50 m pistol team (with John Forman and the non-Olympians John Dodds, Thomas Mitchell, and John Jagoda), 25 m rapid fire pistol team (with John Forman, Bill McMillan, and the non-Olympian Thomas Mitchell), and 25 m centre fire pistol team (with John Forman, Bill McMillan, and the non-Olympian John Jagoda). At the 1951 Pan American Games Benner had already won gold in 25 m rapid fire pistol and silver in 50 m pistol event.

He also coached the sport for 10 years at the U.S. Military Academy leading the cadets to an intercollegiate title during his tenure there. Joe Benner competed in two other Olympics, though not with the success he had in 1952. At the 1948 Olympics, he finished fourth in the free pistol event, despite having had troubles with his equipment in training. A week before the Olympics he was loaned a pistol by the manager of the U.S. team, Karl Frederick, and Benner used it in the Olympics. Though Benner was an Olympic neophyte in 1948, the gun was a veteran, having been used by Frederick in 1920 to win a gold medal.