Benny Kauff

Benny Kauff (January 5, 1890 – November 17, 1961) was a left-handed center fielder who broke into the majors with the New York Highlanders in 1912, appearing in just five games before returning to the minors. He resurfaced in 1914 with the Indianapolis Hoosiers of the Federal League, where his league-leading hitting helped the club win the Federal League's inaugural pennant. After a trade to the Brooklyn Tip-Tops, he finished out the Federal League's final 1915 season on a seventh-place club. Nicknamed "the Ty Cobb of the Feds," Kauff was banned from baseball in 1921 following auto theft charges; commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis upheld the ban despite his acquittal. He was not reinstated until 2025.