His family had 160 acres (65 ha) on the White Earth Indian Reservation near Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.

[3] In 1905, Bender earned an 18–11 win–loss record with a 2.83 ERA, helping the A's win the AL pennant; but they lost the World Series in five games to the New York Giants.

After solid seasons in 1906 (15–10, 2.53), 1907 (16–8, 2.05), 1908 (8–9 despite a 1.75 ERA), and 1909 (18–8, 1.66), he led the Athletics to the AL pennant in 1910, as Philadelphia went 102–48, 14+1⁄2 games ahead of the second-place New York Highlanders.

But the Athletics would be swept by the underdog Boston Braves, with Bender losing Game 1 7–1, giving up 6 earned runs in 5+1⁄3 innings.

Bender notably hit two home runs in one game—rare for the dead ball era—in a 1906 game where he replaced outfielder Topsy Hartsel.

[12] Bender came back to the majors as a coach for the Chicago White Sox (1925–26) and even made a cameo appearance on the mound in 1925.

[14] Biographer Tom Swift writes that Bender "was often portrayed as a caricature and was the subject of myriad cartoons – many exhibits of narrow-mindedness.

After he threw one of the most dominating games of the early years of the American League, Bender was depicted wielding a tomahawk and wearing a headdress as though he was a happy warrior.

[20] In February 1917, Bender was charged with manslaughter when a car he owned struck and killed a boy in Philadelphia and the driver sped off.

John Bender was suspended from minor league baseball for three years beginning in 1908 after he stabbed his manager, Win Clark, several times during a fight.

[23] Late in his life, Bender's friend John Burns gave him a plot of land in Haddon Heights, New Jersey.

[24] After the 1950 season, Bender took his last position in the major leagues, replacing Mickey Cochrane as the pitching coach for the Athletics.

[25] Bender's coaching helped pitcher Bobby Shantz win the American League Most Valuable Player Award in 1952.

[26] Bender was struggling with health problems, including arthritis and a cancer he did not disclose, during his tenure with Philadelphia.

[28] While he had been hospitalized, Bender sent Marie to Shibe Park for each home game so that she could report back to him on his team's pitching.

[30] Ty Cobb praised his intelligence, describing a play by Bender in the 1911 World Series as "the greatest bit of brainwork I ever saw in a ballgame".

[31] Cobb was not alone in regard for his intelligence; Bender drew similar praise from many other teammates, opponents, and umpires, including Billy Evans and Nap Lajoie.

[8] Bender was also known for his keen eye and ability to discern subtle details of opposing pitchers' motions to help his teammates predict their pitches.

Mack often put this skill to use by occasionally using Bender as the third or first base coach on days he wasn't scheduled to pitch.

[29] In 1981, Lawrence Ritter and Donald Honig included him in their book The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time.

The Minnesota Humanities Center published a children book about his life, Charles Albert Bender: National Hall of Fame Pitcher, written by Kade Ferris (Turtle Mountain Chippewa/Métis) and illustrated by Tashia Hart (Red Lake Chippewa).