Bender was well-liked by his fellow players. Long-time roommate and fellow pitcher Rube Bressler called him "one of the kindest and finest men who ever lived". 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". 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. Bender was also known for his keen eyes and ability to discern subtle details of opposing pitchers' motions to help his teammates predict their pitches. His success led other teams to suspect Bender and the Athletics were stealing signs; though teammate Cy Morgan denied the A's were stealing signs, Danny Murphy praised Bender's ability and said he could "come pretty near to getting anybody's signs". Mack often put this skill to use by occasionally using him as the third base coach or first base coach on days he wasn't scheduled to pitch.