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1941 Brooklyn Dodgers season

1941 Brooklyn Dodgers season

FieldValue
nameBrooklyn Dodgers
imageBrooklyn Dodgers Cap Logo (1934 to 1936, 1938 to 1955).svg
season1941
miscNational League champion
leagueNational League
ballparkEbbets Field
cityBrooklyn, New York
record
league_place1st
ownersJames & Dearie Mulvey, Brooklyn Trust Company
presidentLarry MacPhail
managersLeo Durocher
radioWOR
Red Barber, Al Helfer
Note

the baseball team

Red Barber, Al Helfer The 1941 Brooklyn Dodgers, led by manager Leo Durocher, won their first pennant in 21 years, edging the St. Louis Cardinals by 2.5 games. They went on to lose to the New York Yankees in the World Series.

In The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, this team was referenced as one of "The Greatest Teams That Never Was", due to the quality of its starting lineup. Dolph Camilli was the slugging star with 34 home runs and 120 RBI. He was voted the National League's Most Valuable Player. Pete Reiser, a 22-year-old rookie, led the league in batting average, slugging percentage, and runs scored. Other regulars included Hall of Famers Billy Herman, Joe Medwick, Pee Wee Reese, and Dixie Walker. Not surprisingly, the Dodgers scored the most runs of any NL team (800).

The pitching staff featured a pair of 22-game winners, Kirby Higbe and Whitlow Wyatt, having their best pro seasons.

On July 1, the Dodgers played the Phillies in Brooklyn; the game was televised by WNBT in New York (now WNBC), making the contest the first program aired by a commercial TV station in the United States. Although the Dodgers would later win the pennant and the Phillies would finish in last place in the NL, Philadelphia won the game 6–4, in 10 innings.

Offseason

  • November 11, 1940: Vito Tamulis, Bill Crouch, Mickey Livingston and cash were traded by the Dodgers to the Philadelphia Phillies for Kirby Higbe.
  • November 19, 1940: Tot Pressnell was purchased from the Dodgers by the St. Louis Cardinals.
  • December 1940: Boze Berger was traded by the Dodgers to the New York Yankees for Jack Graham.
  • December 4, 1940: Glen Stewart was purchased by the Dodgers from the New York Giants.
  • December 4, 1940: Gus Mancuso, minor leaguer John Pintar and cash were traded by the Dodgers to the St. Louis Cardinals for Mickey Owen.
  • December 9, 1940: Pep Young was traded by the Dodgers to the Cincinnati Reds for Lew Riggs.
  • January 27, 1941: Pep Rambert was purchased by the Dodgers from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
  • February 4, 1941: Lefty Mills was purchased by the Dodgers from the St. Louis Browns.
  • Prior to 1941 season: Wally Westlake was acquired from the Dodgers by the Merced Bears.

Regular season

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Notable transactions

  • April 3, 1941: Roxie Lawson was purchased by the Dodgers from the St. Louis Browns.
  • April 15, 1941: Newt Kimball was purchased by the Dodgers from the St. Louis Cardinals.
  • April 15, 1941: Lefty Mills was returned by the Dodgers to the St. Louis Browns.
  • April 22, 1941: Mace Brown was purchased by the Dodgers from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
  • May 6, 1941: Lee Grissom was traded by the Dodgers to the Philadelphia Phillies for Vito Tamulis.
  • May 6, 1941: Johnny Hudson, Charlie Gilbert and cash were traded by the Dodgers to the Chicago Cubs for Billy Herman.
  • August 14, 1941: Joe Becker, George Staller, and minor leaguers John S. Bell and Ray Roche were traded by the Dodgers to the Philadelphia Phillies for Dixie Howell.
  • August 26, 1941: Mace Brown and cash were traded by the Dodgers to the Chicago Cubs for Augie Galan.

Roster

1941 Brooklyn Dodgers
**Roster**
**Pitchers**

Player stats

= Indicates team leader
= Indicates league leader

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases

PosPlayerGPABRHAvg.HRRBISB
C1283863289.2311441
1B14952992151.285341203
2B13353677156.2913411
3B13244175122.2771787
SS15259576136.22924610
OF14853188165.3119714
OF137536117184.34314764
OF133538100171.31818882

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases

PlayerGPABRHAvg.HRRBISB
942653979.2984482
771972760.3055361
571391028.2011110
4362138.129051
2556011.196040
1651816.314290
1842212.286060
113556.171040
163037.233240
172737.259040
81212.167010
32000000
12000000

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; CG = Complete games; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; BB = Bases on balls; SO = Strikeouts

PlayerGGSCGIPWLERABBSO
483919298.02293.14132121
383523288.122102.3482176
1312382.2612.072619
22013.0026.2385

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; CG = Complete games; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; BB = Bases on balls; SO = Strikeouts

PlayerGGSCGIPWLERABBSO
45184162.014113.895761
281610154.11372.972750
30205136.0884.244158
114257.1302.511221
155152.0313.632917
102024.2114.381221
61015.2003.4548
41011.1002.3885

Note: Hugh Casey was team leader in saves with 7.

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; BB = Bases on balls; SO = Strikeouts

PlayerGIPWLSVERABBSO
2442.23233.162622
1632.01213.66148
1222.00013.68108
922.03013.2779
15.01000.0013
22.00004.5020

1941 World Series

Main article: 1941 World Series

The 1941 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Dodgers, with the Yankees winning in five games to capture their fifth title in six years, and their ninth overall.

The name "Subway Series" arose for a World Series played between two New York City teams. The series was punctuated by the Dodgers' Mickey Owen's dropped third strike of a sharply breaking curveball (a suspected spitball) pitched by Hugh Casey to Tommy Henrich in the 9th inning of Game 4. The play led to a Yankees rally and brought them one win away from another championship.

The Yankees were back after a one-year hiatus, having won thirteen (13) of their last fourteen (14) Series games and twenty-eight (28) of their last thirty-one (31) games in the World Series.

This was the first Subway Series between the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees, who had already faced the crosstown New York Giants five times, and the Series was now 1–0 in favor of the Bronx Bombers. These two teams would meet a total of seven (7) times from 1941 to 1956 – the Dodgers' only victory coming in 1955.

Game 1

October 1, 1941, at Yankee Stadium in New York

Team123456789RHE
Brooklyn (N)000010100**2****6****0**
**New York (A)**01010100x**3****6****1**
**W**: Red Ruffing (1–0) **L**: Curt Davis (0–1)
**HR**: **NYY** – Joe Gordon (1)

Game 2

October 2, 1941, at Yankee Stadium in New York

Team123456789RHE
**Brooklyn (N)**000021000**3****6****2**
New York (A)011000000**2****9****1**
**W**: Whit Wyatt (1–0) **L**: Spud Chandler (0–1)

Game 3

October 4, 1941, at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York

Team123456789RHE
**New York (A)**000000020**2****8****0**
Brooklyn (N)000000010**1****4****0**
**W**: Marius Russo (1–0) **L**: Hugh Casey (0–1)

Game 4

October 5, 1941, at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York

Team123456789RHE
**New York (A)**100200004**7****12****0**
Brooklyn (N)000220000**4****9****1**
**W**: Johnny Murphy (1–0) **L**: Hugh Casey (0–2)
**HR**: : **BRO** – Pete Reiser (1)

Game 5

October 6, 1941, at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York

Team123456789RHE
**New York (A)**020010000**3****6****0**
Brooklyn (N)001000000**1****4****1**
**W**: Tiny Bonham (1–0) **L**: Whit Wyatt (1–1)
**HR**: : **NYY** – Tommy Henrich (1)

Awards and honors

Whit Wyatt had a career season in 1941.
  • 1941 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
    • Whit Wyatt starter
    • Mickey Owen starter
    • Pete Reiser starter
    • Dolph Camilli reserve
    • Billy Herman reserve
    • Cookie Lavagetto reserve
    • Joe Medwick reserve
  • National League Most Valuable Player
    • Dolph Camilli
  • TSN Major League All-Star Team
    • Whit Wyatt
    • Pete Reiser
    • Dolph Camilli
  • TSN NL Most Valuable Player
    • Dolph Camilli

League top ten finishers

Dolph Camilli

  • NL leader in home runs (34)
  • NL leader in RBI (120)
  • #2 in NL in slugging percentage (.556)
  • #2 in NL in bases on balls (104)
  • #3 in NL in on-base percentage (.407)

Hugh Casey

  • #2 tied in NL in saves with Bill Crouch (7)

Kirby Higbe

  • NL leader in wins (22)
  • #4 in NL in strikeouts (121)

Joe Medwick

  • #3 in NL in batting average (.318)
  • #3 in NL in runs scored (100)

Pete Reiser

  • NL leader in batting average (.343)
  • NL leader in slugging percentage (.558)
  • NL leader in runs scored (117)
  • NL leader in triples (17)
  • #4 in NL in on-base percentage (.406)

Whit Wyatt

  • MLB leader in shutouts (7)
  • NL leader in wins (22)
  • #2 in NL in strikeouts (176)
  • #2 in NL in ERA (2.34)
  • #2 in NL in complete games (23)

Farm system

Roland Gladu Howard Holmes William McWilliams

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Montreal, Durham, Santa Barbara, Elizebethton, Newport

Notes

References

References

  1. [https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BRO/BRO194107010.shtml Baseball Reference]
  2. [https://www.baseball-reference.com/t/tamulvi01.shtml Vito Tamulis] at ''Baseball-Reference''
  3. [https://www.baseball-reference.com/p/pressto01.shtml Tot Pressnell] at ''Baseball-Reference''
  4. [https://www.baseball-reference.com/b/bergebo01.shtml Boze Berger] at ''Baseball-Reference''
  5. [https://www.baseball-reference.com/s/stewagl01.shtml Glen Stewart] at ''Baseball-Reference''
  6. [https://www.baseball-reference.com/m/mancugu01.shtml Gus Mancuso] at ''Baseball-Reference''
  7. [https://www.baseball-reference.com/y/youngpe01.shtml Pep Young] at ''Baseball-Reference''
  8. [https://www.baseball-reference.com/r/rambepe01.shtml Pep Rambert] at ''Baseball-Reference''
  9. [https://www.baseball-reference.com/m/millsle01.shtml Lefty Mills] at ''Baseball-Reference''
  10. [https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/westlwa01.shtml Wally Westlake] at ''Baseball-Reference''
  11. [https://www.baseball-reference.com/l/lawsoro01.shtml Roxie Lawson] at ''Baseball-Reference''
  12. [https://www.baseball-reference.com/k/kimbane01.shtml Newt Kimball] at ''Baseball-Reference''
  13. [https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/brownma01.shtml Mace Brown] at ''Baseball-Reference''
  14. [https://www.baseball-reference.com/h/hudsojo01.shtml Johnny Hudson] at ''Baseball-Reference''
  15. [https://www.baseball-reference.com/b/beckejo01.shtml Joe Becker] at ''Baseball-Reference''
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