Ben Chandler on his love of all things baseball

By Keith Elkins

Published July 12, 2024 at 10:57 AM EDT

Ways To Subscribe

Apple

Ben Chandler has certainly made his mark on Kentucky politics and he's also the grandson of former MLB commissioner A.B. 'Happy' Chandler. On this episode of the WUKY SportsPage the current executive director of the non-profit Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky talks with Keith Elkins about his own introduction to the game, the opportunity to meet some of baseball’s greatest players and personalities, and his grandfather’s significant term as commissioner. And he is still very proud of a 3-for-3 performance in a Congressional baseball game.

Ben Chandler served five terms in Congress representing Kentucky’s sixth district. He was also state auditor and state attorney general. He is currently president and CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. But before all that, and through all that, he was and is an avid baseball fan. His grandfather, A.B. (Happy) Chandler was commissioner of baseball from 1945-51, and that connection later gave Ben access and perspective that few fans experience. It was Happy Chandler who approved the transfer of Jackie Robinson’s contract from Montreal to the Brooklyn Dodgers, bringing about the integration of major league baseball. Commissioner Chandler also oversaw the selling of broadcast rights for the first time, and used the funds to set up a player pension.