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1949 Major League Baseball season
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| title | 1949 MLB season |
| league | American League (AL) |
| National League (NL) | |
| sport | Baseball |
| duration | Regular season:{{Bulleted list |
| no_of_games | 154 |
| no_of_teams | 16 (8 per league) |
| season | Regular season |
| MVP | AL: Ted Williams (BOS) |
| NL: Jackie Robinson (BRO) | |
| MVP_link | Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award |
| conf1 | AL |
| conf1_champ | [New York Yankees](1949-new-york-yankees-season) |
| conf1_runner-up | [Boston Red Sox](1949-boston-red-sox-season) |
| conf2 | NL |
| conf2_champ | [Brooklyn Dodgers](1949-brooklyn-dodgers-season) |
| conf2_runner-up | [St. Louis Cardinals](1949-st-louis-cardinals-season) |
| finals | World Series |
| finals_link | 1949 World Series |
| finals_champ | [New York Yankees](1949-new-york-yankees-season) |
| finals_runner-up | [Brooklyn Dodgers](1949-brooklyn-dodgers-season) |
| finals_MVP | Joe Page (NYY) |
| finals_MVP_link | Babe Ruth Award |
| seasonslist | List of MLB seasons |
| seasonslistnames | MLB |
| prevseason_link | 1948 Major League Baseball season |
| prevseason_year | 1948 |
| nextseason_link | 1950 Major League Baseball season |
| nextseason_year | 1950 |
National League (NL) | April 18 – October 2, 1949}}World Series:{{Bulleted list | October 5–9, 1949}} NL: Jackie Robinson (BRO) | conf1_runner-up = Boston Red Sox | conf2_runner-up = St. Louis Cardinals | finals_runner-up = Brooklyn Dodgers The 1949 major league baseball season began on April 18, 1949. The regular season ended on October 2, with the Brooklyn Dodgers 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 46th World Series on October 5 and ended with Game 5 on October 9. In the third iteration of this Subway Series World Series matchup, the Yankees defeated the Dodgers, four games to one, capturing their 12th championship in franchise history, since their previous in , and their first in a five-run World Series. Going into the season, the defending World Series champions were the Cleveland Indians from the season.
The 16th Major League Baseball All-Star Game was held on July 12 at Ebbets Field in New York, New York, home of the Brooklyn Dodgers. The American League won, 11–7, for their fourth straight win.
With the Negro National League folding and the Negro American League losing their major-league status prior to the 1949 season, as per MLB's 2020 designation of Negro Leagues, the National and American Leagues remain as the sole major-leagues of baseball, a fact which continues to the present day.
On July 8, the New York Giants become the fourth team in professional baseball to break the color line when they fielded Hank Thompson (who previously integrated the St. Louis Browns, becoming the only player to integrate two teams) and Monte Irvin.
Schedule
The 1949 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 season (except for ) and would be used until in the American League and in the National League.
Opening Day took place on April 18, featuring four teams. The final day of the regular season was on October 2, which saw all sixteen teams play, continuing the trend from . The World Series took place between October 5 and October 9.
Rule changes
The 1949 season saw the following rule changes:
- Regarding the bonus rule, the amount of the bonus must now be made public before a contract was signed, including "such payments as are made to college men to help them with their education."
- Rules regarding night games were amended:
- In addition to Sundays and holidays, night games were banned a day before a scheduled doubleheader, as well as on the night of a visiting team's departure for another city.
- In the American League, the number of night games which did not require consent from the visiting team was increased from two to four.
- In the National League, the number of night games which did not require consent from the visiting team was increased to five.
Teams
| League | Team | City | Stadium | Capacity | Manager | American League}};" | Boston Red Sox | Chicago White Sox | Cleveland Indians | Detroit Tigers | New York Yankees | Philadelphia Athletics | St. Louis Browns | Washington Senators | National League}};" | Boston Braves | Brooklyn Dodgers | Chicago Cubs | Cincinnati Reds | New York Giants | Philadelphia Phillies | Pittsburgh Pirates | St. Louis Cardinals | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston, Massachusetts | Fenway Park | 35,200 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chicago, Illinois | Comiskey Park | 47,400 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cleveland, Ohio | Cleveland Stadium | 78,811 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Detroit, Michigan | Briggs Stadium | 58,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| New York, New York | Yankee Stadium | 67,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Shibe Park | 33,166 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| St. Louis, Missouri | Sportsman's Park | 34,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Washington, D.C. | Griffith Stadium | 29,731 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Boston, Massachusetts | Braves Field | 37,106 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| New York, New York | Ebbets Field | 32,111 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chicago, Illinois | Wrigley Field | 38,690 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cincinnati, Ohio | Crosley Field | 30,101 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| New York, New York | Polo Grounds | 54,500 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Shibe Park | 33,166 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Forbes Field | 33,730 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| St. Louis, Missouri | Sportsman's Park | 34,000 |
Standings
American League
National League
Tie games
8 tie games (2 in AL, 6 in NL), which are not factored into winning percentage or games behind (and were often replayed again) occurred throughout the season.
American League
- Boston Red Sox, 1
- Detroit Tigers, 1
- New York Yankees, 1
- St. Louis Browns, 1
National League
- Boston Braves, 3
- Brooklyn Dodgers, 2
- Cincinnati Reds, 2
- New York Giants, 2
- St. Louis Cardinals, 3
Postseason
The postseason began on October 5 and ended on October 9 with the New York Yankees defeating the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1949 World Series in five games.
Bracket
| RD1-seed1=AL | RD1-team1=New York Yankees | RD1-score1=4 | RD1-seed2=NL | RD1-team2=Brooklyn Dodgers | RD1-score2=1
Managerial changes
Off-season
| Team | Former Manager | New Manager | Chicago White Sox | Detroit Tigers | New York Yankees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ted Lyons | Jack Onslow | ||||
| Steve O'Neill | Red Rolfe | ||||
| Bucky Harris | Casey Stengel |
In-season
| Team | Former Manager | New Manager | Boston Braves | Chicago Cubs | Cincinnati Reds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billy Southworth | Johnny Cooney | ||||
| Charlie Grimm | Frankie Frisch | ||||
| Bucky Walters | Luke Sewell |
League leaders
American League
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| AVG | George Kell (DET) | .343 |
| OPS | Ted Williams (BOS) | 1.141 |
| HR | Ted Williams (BOS) | 43 |
| RBI | Vern Stephens (BOS) | |
| Ted Williams (BOS) | 159 | |
| R | Ted Williams (BOS) | 150 |
| H | Dale Mitchell (CLE) | 203 |
| SB | Bob Dillinger (SLB) | 20 |
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| W | Mel Parnell (BOS) | 25 |
| L | Paul Calvert (WSH) | |
| Ned Garver (SLB) | ||
| Sid Hudson (WSH) | 17 | |
| ERA | Mike Garcia (CLE) | 2.36 |
| K | Virgil Trucks (DET) | 153 |
| IP | Mel Parnell (BOS) | 295.1 |
| SV | Joe Page (NYY) | 27 |
| WHIP | Fred Hutchinson (DET) | 1.161 |
National League
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| AVG | Jackie Robinson (BRO) | .342 |
| OPS | Ralph Kiner (PIT) | 1.089 |
| HR | Ralph Kiner (PIT) | 54 |
| RBI | Ralph Kiner (PIT) | 127 |
| R | Jackie Robinson (BRO) | 132 |
| H | Stan Musial (STL) | 207 |
| SB | Jackie Robinson (BRO) | 37 |
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| W | Warren Spahn (BSN) | 21 |
| L | Howie Fox (CIN) | 19 |
| ERA | Dave Koslo (NYG) | 2.50 |
| K | Warren Spahn (BSN) | 151 |
| IP | Warren Spahn (BSN) | 302.1 |
| SV | Ted Wilks (STL) | 9 |
| WHIP | Dave Koslo (NYG) | 1.113 |
Milestones
Batters
- Willie Jones (PHI):
- On April 20, Jones ties Dick Bartell () and Ernie Lombardi () for most consecutive doubles in the National League at four.
- Elmer Valo (PHA):
- On May 1, Valo becomes the first American League player to hit two bases-loaded triples in a game, against the Washington Senators.
- Wally Westlake (PIT):
- On June 14, Westlake hits for the cycle at home against the Boston Braves.
- Gil Hodges (BRO):
- On June 25, Hodges hits for the cycle against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh.
- Walker Cooper (CIN):
- On July 6, Cooper ties a modern record with six hits in seven at-bats, including three home runs with 10 RBI, against the Chicago Cubs.
- Stan Musial (STL):
- On July 24, Musial hits for the cycle against the Brooklyn Dodgers in Brooklyn.
- Wally Moses (PHA):
- Recorded his 2,000th career hit on July 26 against the St. Louis Browns.
- Ralph Kiner (PIT):
- On September 13, Kiner tied a major league record held by six players with his fourth grand slam of the season, against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Miscellaneous
- Philadelphia Phillies:
- Tie a major league record for a team hitting the most home runs in a single inning, with five home runs in the eighth inning on June 2 against the Cincinnati Reds.
- Washington Senators:
- Set a major league record for giving up most bases on balls in an inning, surrendering 11 in the third inning on September 11 against the New York Yankees.
Awards and honors
Regular season
| Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards | BBWAA Award | National League | American League |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rookie of the Year | Don Newcombe (BRO) | Roy Sievers (SLB) | |
| Most Valuable Player | Jackie Robinson (BRO) | Ted Williams (BOS) | |
| Babe Ruth Award | |||
| (World Series MVP) | — | Joe Page (NYY) |
Other awards
| *The Sporting News* Awards | Award | National League | American League |
|---|---|---|---|
| Player of the Year | — | Ted Williams (BOS) | |
| Pitcher of the Year | Howie Pollet (STL) | Ellis Kinder (BOS) | |
| Rookie of the Year | Don Newcombe (BRO) | Roy Sievers (SLB) | |
| Manager of the Year | — | Casey Stengel (NYY) | |
| Executive of the Year | Bob Carpenter (PHI) | — |
Baseball Hall of Fame
Main article: National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
- Mordecai Brown
- Charlie Gehringer
- Kid Nichols
Home field attendance
| Team name | Wins | %± | Home attendance | %± | Per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Yankees | 97 | 3.2% | 2,283,676 | −3.8% | 29,278 |
| Cleveland Indians | 89 | −8.2% | 2,233,771 | −14.8% | 29,010 |
| Detroit Tigers | 87 | 11.5% | 1,821,204 | 4.5% | 23,349 |
| Brooklyn Dodgers | 97 | 15.5% | 1,633,747 | 16.8% | 20,945 |
| Boston Red Sox | 96 | 0.0% | 1,596,650 | 2.4% | 20,736 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 71 | −14.5% | 1,449,435 | −4.5% | 18,824 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 96 | 12.9% | 1,430,676 | 28.7% | 18,110 |
| New York Giants | 73 | −6.4% | 1,218,446 | −16.5% | 15,423 |
| Chicago Cubs | 61 | −4.7% | 1,143,139 | −7.6% | 14,846 |
| Boston Braves | 75 | −17.6% | 1,081,795 | −25.7% | 14,049 |
| Chicago White Sox | 63 | 23.5% | 937,151 | 20.5% | 12,171 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 81 | 22.7% | 819,698 | 6.8% | 10,645 |
| Philadelphia Athletics | 81 | −3.6% | 816,514 | −13.6% | 10,604 |
| Washington Senators | 50 | −10.7% | 770,745 | −3.1% | 10,010 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 62 | −3.1% | 707,782 | −14.0% | 9,074 |
| St. Louis Browns | 53 | −10.2% | 270,936 | −19.3% | 3,519 |
References
References
- "These players integrated each MLB team".
- Levy, Gary. "1948 Winter Meetings: Concerns and Conflicts Regarding Televised Baseball Grow Stronger".
- "1949 Major League Managers".
- "1949 American League Batting Leaders".
- "1949 American League Pitching Leaders".
- "1949 National League Batting Leaders".
- "1949 National League Pitching Leaders".
- Rogers III, C. Paul. "June 2, 1949: Phillies smash 5 homers in one inning to tie major-league record".
- Harris, Bruce. "September 11, 1949: Four Senators pitchers set major-league record with 11 walks in one inning".
- (January 20, 1950). "Babe Ruth Award Goes To Joe Page". [[The Day (New London).
- "1949 World Series". Baseball Reference.
- "Major League Player of the Year Award by The Sporting News".
- "Pitcher of the Year Award by The Sporting News".
- "Rookie of the Year Award by The Sporting News".
- "Manager of the Year Award by The Sporting News".
- "MLB Executive of the Year Award".
- "New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". [[Baseball-Reference.com]].
- "Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". [[Baseball-Reference.com]].
- "Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". [[Baseball-Reference.com]].
- "Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". [[Baseball-Reference.com]].
- "Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". [[Baseball-Reference.com]].
- "Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". [[Baseball-Reference.com]].
- "St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". [[Baseball-Reference.com]].
- "San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". [[Baseball-Reference.com]].
- "Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". [[Baseball-Reference.com]].
- "Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". [[Baseball-Reference.com]].
- "Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". [[Baseball-Reference.com]].
- "Philadelphia Phillies Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". [[Baseball-Reference.com]].
- "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". [[Baseball-Reference.com]].
- "Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". [[Baseball-Reference.com]].
- "Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". [[Baseball-Reference.com]].
- "Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". [[Baseball-Reference.com]].
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