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1939 Major League Baseball season

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This article is about the 1939 Major League Baseball season only. For information on all of baseball, see 1939 in baseball.
1939 MLB season
LeagueAmerican League (AL)
National League (NL)
SportBaseball
DurationRegular season:
  • April 18 – October 1, 1939 (AL)
  • April 17 – October 1, 1939 (NL)
World Series:
  • October 4 – October 8, 1939
Number of games154
Number of teams16 (8 per league)
Regular season
Season MVPAL: Joe DiMaggio (NYY)
NL: Bucky Walters (CIN)
AL championsNew York Yankees
  AL runners-upBoston Red Sox
NL championsCincinnati Reds
  NL runners-upSt. Louis Cardinals
World Series
ChampionsNew York Yankees
  Runners-upCincinnati Reds
MLB seasons
Locations of teams for the 1934–1939 American League seasons
American League
Locations of teams for the 1938–1940 National League seasons
National League

The 1939 major league baseball season began on April 17, 1939. The regular season ended on October 1, with the Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 36th World Series on October 4 and ended with Game 4 on October 8. The Yankees swept the Reds in four games. The Yankees became the first team to win the World Series four years in a row.

The seventh Major League Baseball All-Star Game was played on July 11, hosted by the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York, with the American League winning, 3–1.

Schedule

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See also: Major League Baseball schedule

The 1939 schedule consisted of 154 games for all teams in the American League and National League, each of which had eight teams. Each team was scheduled to play 22 games against the other seven teams of their respective league. This continued the format put in place since the 1904 season (except for 1919) and would be used until 1961 in the American League and 1962 in the National League.

National League Opening Day took place on April 17 with a game between the Pittsburg Pirates and Cincinnati Reds, while American League Opening Day took place on the following day, with a game between the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers. This was the continued the trend since the previous season which saw both leagues opened on different days. It was the first season since 1901 that saw both leagues open with just one game each. The final day of the regular season was on October 1 and featured twelve teams. The World Series took place between October 4 and October 8.

Rule change

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The 1939 season saw the following rule change:

  • The scoring sacrifice fly, exempting a batter from a time at bat when a runner scored after the putout on a fly ball, was restored for the first time since its elimination in 1931. This would last only one season.[1]

Teams

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An asterisk (*) denotes the ballpark a team played the minority of their home games at

League Team City Stadium Capacity Manager
American League Boston Red Sox Boston, Massachusetts Fenway Park 35,000 Joe Cronin
Chicago White Sox Chicago, Illinois Comiskey Park 51,000 Jimmy Dykes
Cleveland Indians Cleveland, Ohio League Park
Cleveland Stadium* 		22,500
78,811* 		Ossie Vitt
Detroit Tigers Detroit, Michigan Briggs Stadium 58,000 Del Baker
New York Yankees New York, New York Yankee Stadium 71,699 Joe McCarthy
Philadelphia Athletics Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Shibe Park 33,000 Connie Mack, Earle Mack
St. Louis Browns St. Louis, Missouri Sportsman's Park 24,040 Fred Haney
Washington Senators Washington, D.C. Griffith Stadium 32,000 Bucky Harris
National League Boston Bees Boston, Massachusetts National League Park 45,000 Casey Stengel
Brooklyn Dodgers New York, New York Ebbets Field 35,000 Leo Durocher
Chicago Cubs Chicago, Illinois Wrigley Field 38,000 Gabby Hartnett
Cincinnati Reds Cincinnati, Ohio Crosley Field 29,401 Bill McKechnie
New York Giants New York, New York Polo Grounds 51,856 Bill Terry
Philadelphia Phillies Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Shibe Park 33,000 Doc Prothro
Pittsburgh Pirates Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Forbes Field 33,537 Pie Traynor
St. Louis Cardinals St. Louis, Missouri Sportsman's Park 34,023 Ray Blades

Standings

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American League

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American League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
New York Yankees 106 45 .702 — 52‍–‍25 54‍–‍20
Boston Red Sox 89 62 .589 17 42‍–‍32 47‍–‍30
Cleveland Indians 87 67 .565 20½ 44‍–‍33 43‍–‍34
Chicago White Sox 86 69 .555 22 50‍–‍27 36‍–‍42
Detroit Tigers 81 73 .526 26½ 42‍–‍35 39‍–‍38
Washington Senators 65 87 .428 41½ 37‍–‍39 28‍–‍48
Philadelphia Athletics 55 97 .362 51½ 28‍–‍48 27‍–‍49
St. Louis Browns 43 111 .279 64½ 18‍–‍59 25‍–‍52

National League

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National League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Cincinnati Reds 97 57 .630 — 55‍–‍25 42‍–‍32
St. Louis Cardinals 92 61 .601 4½ 51‍–‍27 41‍–‍34
Brooklyn Dodgers 84 69 .549 12½ 51‍–‍27 33‍–‍42
Chicago Cubs 84 70 .545 13 44‍–‍34 40‍–‍36
New York Giants 77 74 .510 18½ 41‍–‍33 36‍–‍41
Pittsburgh Pirates 68 85 .444 28½ 35‍–‍42 33‍–‍43
Boston Bees 63 88 .417 32½ 37‍–‍35 26‍–‍53
Philadelphia Phillies 45 106 .298 50½ 29‍–‍44 16‍–‍62

Postseason

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Bracket

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World Series
   
AL New York Yankees 4
NL Cincinnati Reds 0

Managerial changes

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Off-season

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Team Former Manager New Manager
St. Louis Browns Oscar Melillo Fred Haney
Brooklyn Dodgers Burleigh Grimes Leo Durocher
Philadelphia Phillies Hans Lobert Doc Prothro
St. Louis Cardinals Mike González Ray Blades

In-season

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Team Former Manager New Manager
Philadelphia Athletics Connie Mack Earle Mack

League leaders

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American League

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Hitting leaders
Stat Player Total
AVG Joe DiMaggio (NYY) .381
HR Jimmie Foxx (BRS) 35
RBI Ted Williams (BRS) 145
R Red Rolfe (NYY) 139
H Red Rolfe (NYY) 213
SB George Case (WSH) 51
Pitching leaders
Stat Player Total
W Bob Feller (CLE) 24
L Vern Kennedy (SLB/DET) 20
ERA Lefty Grove (BRS) 2.54
K Bob Feller (CLE) 246
IP Bob Feller (CLE) 296.2
SV Johnny Murphy (NYY) 19

National League

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Hitting leaders
Stat Player Total
AVG Johnny Mize (SLC) .349
HR Johnny Mize (SLC) 28
RBI Frank McCormick (CIN) 128
R Billy Werber (CIN) 115
H Frank McCormick (CIN) 209
SB Stan Hack (CHC)
Lee Handley (PIT)		 17
Pitching leaders
Stat Player Total
W Bucky Walters1 (CIN) 27
L Max Butcher (PIT/PHP)
Bob Klinger (PIT) 		17
ERA Bucky Walters1 (CIN) 2.29
K Claude Passeau (CHC/PHP)
Bucky Walters1 (CIN)		 137
IP Bucky Walters (CIN) 319.0
SV Clyde Shoun (SLC) 9

1 National League Triple Crown pitching winner

Awards and honors

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Home field attendance

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Team name Wins %± Home attendance %± Per game
Cincinnati Reds[2] 97 18.3% 981,443 38.9% 12,117
Brooklyn Dodgers[3] 84 21.7% 955,668 44.1% 12,252
New York Yankees[4] 106 7.1% 859,785 -11.4% 11,166
Detroit Tigers[5] 81 -3.6% 836,279 4.6% 10,722
Chicago Cubs[6] 84 -5.6% 726,663 -23.6% 9,083
New York Giants[7] 77 -7.2% 702,457 -12.2% 9,493
Chicago White Sox[8] 85 30.8% 594,104 75.6% 7,716
Boston Red Sox[9] 89 1.1% 573,070 -11.4% 7,641
Cleveland Indians[10] 87 1.2% 563,926 -13.5% 7,324
St. Louis Cardinals[11] 92 29.6% 400,245 37.3% 5,066
Philadelphia Athletics[12] 55 3.8% 395,022 2.5% 5,198
Pittsburgh Pirates[13] 68 -20.9% 376,734 -41.2% 4,893
Washington Senators[14] 65 -13.3% 339,257 -35.1% 4,406
Boston Bees[15] 63 -18.2% 285,994 -16.2% 3,918
Philadelphia Phillies[16] 45 0.0% 277,973 67.3% 3,756
St. Louis Browns[17] 43 -21.8% 109,159 -16.3% 1,399

Retired numbers

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  • Lou Gehrig had his No. 4 retired by the New York Yankees on July 4. This was the first number retired by the team and first retired number in MLB history.

Events

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  • January 24 – George Sisler, Eddie Collins and Willie Keeler are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
  • April 20 – The Boston Red Sox show off their prize rookie Ted Williams before 30,278 in Opening Day at Yankee Stadium, delayed two days because of rain. After striking out twice, Williams collects a double off pitcher Red Ruffing, who wins 2–0. Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig makes an error, goes hitless, and lines into two double plays in the only game featuring the two great sluggers. Other notables in what will become a historic box score include Joe DiMaggio, Bill Dickey, Jimmie Foxx, Joe Cronin, Bobby Doerr, Red Rolfe, and losing pitcher Lefty Grove. The Yankees score their first run on a home run by Dickey and their second tally on an error by Foxx. Boston has baserunners in each inning, but Ruffing tosses just the second opening day shutout in Yankees history. Four umpires work the game including third base umpire George Pipgras, the starting pitcher for the Yankees in the 1929 opener; his opponent for the Red Sox that day was Ruffing.
  • April 21 – Ted Williams plays his first game at Fenway Park, scoring the first run for the Boston Red Sox on a Frankie Hayes passed ball, in a Boston 9–2 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics.
  • April 23 – In a Philadelphia Athletics 12–8 win over the Boston Red Sox, Ted Williams connects his first major league home run against pitcher Bud Thomas while going 4-for-5.
  • April 29 – In the seventh game of the season, New York Yankees center fielder Joe DiMaggio makes a sharp turn while fielding a liner facing the Washington Senators and tears muscles in his right foot. The Yankees lose the game and DiMaggio will miss the next 35 games.
  • April 30 – Lou Gehrig goes hitless in four at-bats against the Washington Senators and is now hitting just .143 this season. He had just played his 2,130th consecutive major league game. No one knew it would be the last of his career.
  • May 4 – The mother of Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller watches her son pitch for the first time, against the Chicago White Sox. Chicago player Marv Owen fouled a pitch into the stands which knocked her out. She recovered, but would need stitches to close the wound.[18]
  • July 4 – Lou Gehrig day was held at Yankee Stadium. Numerous people, including many from other major league teams, came forward to give Gehrig gifts and to shower praise on the dying slugger. The Yankees retired his uniform number 4; the first player in major league history to be afforded that honor. Babe Ruth even showed up and ended their long-standing feud by giving his old teammate a hug. After the presentations, Gehrig approached the microphone, and addressed the crowd: "Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break I got. Yet today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. I have been to ballparks for seventeen years and I have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans."
  • July 11 – In the first of three times that the All-Star Game has been held at Yankee Stadium, the American League defeats the National League, 3–1, behind pitchers Red Ruffing, Tommy Bridges, and Bob Feller, and a home run by Joe DiMaggio.
  • July 25 – Yankees pitcher Atley Donald sets a league record for consecutive wins by a rookie, bringing his record to 12–0 with a 5–1 victory over the St. Louis Browns.
  • July 26 – The New York Yankees tied a major league record by scoring in every inning against the St. Louis Browns. Bill Dickey hit three home runs in the 14–1 win.
  • August 9 – Red Rolfe of the New York Yankees started a streak of 18 consecutive games in which he scored at least one run. During those games, he scored a total of 30 runs.
  • August 26 – The first Major League game to be televised occurs, when WXBS-TV broadcasts the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field.[19]
  • October 8 – The New York Yankees win Game Four of the World Series to clinch the four-game sweep against the Cincinnati Reds.
  • December 6 – In a trade of veteran shortstops, or "worn-out shortstops", as one newspaper described it, the Chicago Cubs acquire Billy Rogell from the Detroit Tigers for Dick Bartell. Rogell, who injured his arm playing handball the previous year, hits just .136 before hanging up his spikes. The Tigers will release "Rowdy Richard" five games into the 1941 season, but he will stick with the New York Giants until 1946.

Deaths

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Barney Pelty
  • January 13 – Jacob Ruppert, 71, Yankees owner since 1914
  • January 19 – Cliff Heathcote, 40, NL outfielder who batted .275 over 15 seasons
  • January 25 – Abner Dalrymple, 81, star outfielder of the 1880s, leadoff hitter for five Chicago pennant winners
  • March 8 – Scott Stratton, 69, pitcher, primarily with Louisville, who posted a 34-win season in 1890 which included 15 straight victories
  • March 28 – Fred Goldsmith, 82, pitcher who steadfastly maintained that he had first thrown the curveball in 1870, six years earlier than Candy Cummings, who gained credit for the development
  • May 24 – Barney Pelty, 58, pitcher for the St. Louis Browns and one of the first Jewish players in the AL
  • June 17 – Allen Sothoron, 46, spitball pitcher who spent most of his career with the St. Louis Browns and Cardinals
  • July 7 – Deacon White, 91, star bare-handed catcher and third baseman for six championship teams in the 1870s and 1880s, and the fourth player to collect 1000 hits
  • September 25 – Frank LaPorte, 59, infielder who batted .300 three times and led the Federal League in RBIs in 1914
  • December 3 – Frank Killen, 69, winner of 164 games from 1891 to 1900, including two 30-win seasons
  • December 18 – Heywood Broun, 51, sportswriter and editor in New York City since the early 1910s
  • December 26 – Clyde Engle, 55, utility player who scored the tying run for Boston in the 10th inning of Game 8 of the 1912 World Series, after his earlier pop fly had been dropped

References

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  1. ^ admin. "The Sacrifice Fly – Society for American Baseball Research". Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  2. ^ "Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  3. ^ "Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  4. ^ "New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  5. ^ "Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  6. ^ "Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  7. ^ "San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  8. ^ "Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  9. ^ "Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  10. ^ "Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  11. ^ "St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  12. ^ "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  13. ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  14. ^ "Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  15. ^ "Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  16. ^ "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  17. ^ "Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  18. ^ "Brief Record". goldenrankings.com. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  19. ^ Pellowski, Michael J (2007). The Little Giant Book of Baseball Facts. United States: Sterling Publishing Co. pp. 352. ISBN 9781402742736.
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