Shooting
b. Nov. 1, 1917, Jonesboro, AR
During practice a week before the 1948 Olympics, Benner was having equipment problems. The manager of the U. S. shooting team, Karl Frederick, loaned him a pistol. It happened to be the same pistol that Frederick had shot with to win an Olympic gold medal in 1920.
It didn't work that way for Benner. He finished fourth in 1948, but he returned to the Olympics with his own weapon and won a gold medal in the 50-meter free pistol event in 1952.
Benner won six national pistol championships, in 1947, 1949, 1951, 1955, 1956, and 1959, and he was the world champion in 1949, 1952 and 1954. He also won three individual championships and three team championships in the Pan-American Games in 1951 and 1955.
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