1940 in baseball
Encyclopedia

Major League Baseball

  • World Series
    1940 World Series
    The 1940 World Series matched the Cincinnati Reds against the Detroit Tigers, with the Reds winning the Series in seven games for their second championship, their first since the scandal-tainted victory in...

    : Cincinnati Reds
    Cincinnati Reds
    The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....

     over Detroit Tigers
    Detroit Tigers
    The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...

     (4-3)
  • All-Star Game
    Major League Baseball All-Star Game
    The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...

    , July 9 at Sportsman's Park
    Sportsman's Park
    Sportsman's Park was the name of several former Major League Baseball ballpark structures in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, all but one of which were located on the same piece of land, the northwest corner of Grand Boulevard and Dodier Street on the north side of the city.- History :From...

    : National League, 4-0

Awards and honors

  • Most Valuable Player
    MLB Most Valuable Player Award
    The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...

    • Hank Greenberg
      Hank Greenberg
      Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...

       (AL) - OF, Detroit Tigers
      Detroit Tigers
      The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...

    • Frank McCormick
      Frank McCormick
      Frank Andrew McCormick was a first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Cincinnati Reds , Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Braves . McCormick batted and threw right-handed...

       (NL) - 1B, Cincinnati Reds
      Cincinnati Reds
      The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....

  • The Sporting News Player of the Year Award
    The Sporting News Player of the Year Award
    This is a list of the Major League Baseball players chosen by The Sporting News since 1936 as recipients of the TSN Player of the Year Award. Until 1969, it was the only major award given to a single player from MLB, rather than to a player in each league. In 1969, Baseball Digest began its Player...

    • Bob Feller
      Bob Feller
      On December 8, 1941, Feller enlisted in the Navy, volunteering immediately for combat service, becoming the first Major League Baseball player to do so following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7. Feller served as Gun Captain aboard the USS Alabama, and missed four seasons during his service...

       - P, Cleveland Indians
      Cleveland Indians
      The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...

  • The Sporting News Most Valuable Player Award
    The Sporting News Most Valuable Player Award
    The Sporting News established The Sporting News Most Valuable Player Award in 1929. The award was given annually to the player judged by TSN baseball experts as being the most valuable in each league. The awards were discontinued in 1946....

    • Hank Greenberg
      Hank Greenberg
      Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...

       (AL) - OF, Detroit Tigers
      Detroit Tigers
      The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...

    • Frank McCormick
      Frank McCormick
      Frank Andrew McCormick was a first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Cincinnati Reds , Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Braves . McCormick batted and threw right-handed...

       (NL) - 1B, Cincinnati Reds
      Cincinnati Reds
      The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....

  • The Sporting News Manager of the Year Award
    The Sporting News Manager of the Year Award
    The Sporting News Manager of the Year Award was established in 1936 by The Sporting News and was given annually to one manager in Major League Baseball...

    • Bill McKechnie
      Bill McKechnie
      William Boyd McKechnie was an American third baseman, manager and coach in Major League Baseball. He was the first manager to win World Series titles with two different teams , and remains one of only two managers to win pennants with three teams, also capturing the National League title in 1928...

       - Cincinnati Reds
      Cincinnati Reds
      The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....


Statistical leaders

American League National League
AVG
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...

 
Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...

 NYY
.352 Debs Garms
Debs Garms
Debs C. Garms was a professional baseball player for twelve seasons as an outfielder and third baseman for the St. Louis Browns, Boston Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals. Garms broke up Johnny Vander Meer's streak of hitless innings in 1938...

 PIT
.355
HR
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...

 
Hank Greenberg
Hank Greenberg
Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...

 DET
41 Johnny Mize
Johnny Mize
John Robert "Johnny" Mize was a baseball player who was a first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, and New York Yankees...

 STL
43
RBI  Hank Greenberg
Hank Greenberg
Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...

 DET
159 Johnny Mize
Johnny Mize
John Robert "Johnny" Mize was a baseball player who was a first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, and New York Yankees...

 STL
137
Wins
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...

 
Bob Feller
Bob Feller
On December 8, 1941, Feller enlisted in the Navy, volunteering immediately for combat service, becoming the first Major League Baseball player to do so following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7. Feller served as Gun Captain aboard the USS Alabama, and missed four seasons during his service...

 CLE
27 Bucky Walters
Bucky Walters
William Henry "Bucky" Walters was an American Major League Baseball All-Star pitcher. A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Walters played for the Boston Braves , Boston Red Sox , Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds...

 CIN
22
ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...

 
Bob Feller
Bob Feller
On December 8, 1941, Feller enlisted in the Navy, volunteering immediately for combat service, becoming the first Major League Baseball player to do so following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7. Feller served as Gun Captain aboard the USS Alabama, and missed four seasons during his service...

 CLE
2.61 Bucky Walters
Bucky Walters
William Henry "Bucky" Walters was an American Major League Baseball All-Star pitcher. A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Walters played for the Boston Braves , Boston Red Sox , Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds...

 CIN
2.48
Ks
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....

 
Bob Feller
Bob Feller
On December 8, 1941, Feller enlisted in the Navy, volunteering immediately for combat service, becoming the first Major League Baseball player to do so following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7. Feller served as Gun Captain aboard the USS Alabama, and missed four seasons during his service...

 CLE
261 Kirby Higbe
Kirby Higbe
Walter Kirby Higbe was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball from to . He was born and died in Columbia, South Carolina.-Career:...

 PHI
137

American League final standings

EWLINE
American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...

Rank Club Wins Losses Win %   GB
1st Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...

 
90   64 .584    --
2nd Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...

 
89   65 .578   1
3rd New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

 
88   66 .571   2
4th Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...

 
82   72 .532   8
4th Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...

 
82   72 .532   8
6th St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...

 
67   87 .435   23
7th Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...

 
64 90 .416   26.0
8th Philadelphia Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....

 
54 100 .351   36.0

National League final standings

EWLINE
National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...

Rank Club Wins Losses Win %   GB
1st Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....

 
100   53 .654    --
2nd Brooklyn Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...

 
88   65 .575   12.0
3rd St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...

 
84   69 .549   16.0
4th Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...

 
78   76 .506   22.5
5th Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...

 
75   79 .487   25.5
6th New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....

 
72   80 .474   27.5
7th Boston Bees
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....

 
65   87 .428   34.5
8th Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

 
50   103 .327   50.0

Negro National League final standings

Negro National League
Club Wins Losses Win %   GB
Washington Homestead Grays
Homestead Grays
The Homestead Grays were a professional baseball team that played in the Negro leagues in the United States. The team was formed in 1912 by Cumberland Posey, and would remain in continuous operation for 38 seasons. The team was based in Homestead, Pennsylvania, adjacent to Pittsburgh.-Franchise...

42 23 .646
Baltimore Elite Giants
Baltimore Elite Giants
The Baltimore Elite Giants were a professional baseball team that played in the Negro leagues from to . The team was established by Thomas T. Wilson, in Nashville, Tennessee as the semi-pro Nashville Standard Giants on March 26, 1920. The team was renamed the Elite Giants in , and would move to...

54 30 .643
Newark Eagles
Newark Eagles
The Newark Eagles was a professional Negro league baseball team that played in the second Negro National League from 1936 to 1948.- Formation :...

32 22 .593
New York Cubans
New York Cubans
The New York Cubans were a Negro league baseball team that played during the 1930s and from 1939 to 1950. Despite playing in the Negro leagues, the team occasionally employed white-skinned Hispanic baseball players as well, because Hispanics in general were largely ignored by the major league...

16 21 .432
Philadelphia Stars
Philadelphia Stars (baseball)
The Philadelphia Stars were a Negro league baseball team from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Stars were founded in 1933 when Ed Bolden returned to professional black baseball after being idle since early 1930...

30 44 .405
New York Black Yankees
New York Black Yankees
The New York Black Yankees was a professional baseball team based in New York City, Paterson, NJ, and Rochester, NY which played in the Negro National League from 1936 to 1948. The Black Yankees played in Paterson, New Jersey from 1933-1937 and then from 1939-1945. The 1938 season saw the Black...

9 23 .281

Events

  • January 14 - Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis
    Kenesaw Mountain Landis
    Kenesaw Mountain Landis was an American jurist who served as a federal judge from 1905 to 1922 and as the first Commissioner of Baseball from 1920 until his death...

     declares 87 players from the Detroit Tigers
    Detroit Tigers
    The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...

    ' farm system free agent
    Free agent
    In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....

    s because he had been “hidden” from other teams.

  • April 16 - The Cleveland Indians
    Cleveland Indians
    The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...

    ' Bob Feller
    Bob Feller
    On December 8, 1941, Feller enlisted in the Navy, volunteering immediately for combat service, becoming the first Major League Baseball player to do so following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7. Feller served as Gun Captain aboard the USS Alabama, and missed four seasons during his service...

     pitches a 1-0 opening day
    Opening Day
    Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book...

     no-hitter
    No-hitter
    A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...

     against the Chicago White Sox
    Chicago White Sox
    The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...

    .

  • April 23 - Hall of famer Pee Wee Reese
    Pee Wee Reese
    Harold Peter Henry "Pee Wee" Reese was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers from to . A ten-time All Star, Reese contributed to seven National League championships for the Dodgers and, was inducted...

     makes his major league debut at shortstop
    Shortstop
    Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...

     for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

  • April 30 - Tex Carleton
    Tex Carleton
    James Otto "Tex" Carleton was a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1932 to 1940 for the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, and Brooklyn Dodgers. Carleton threw a no-hitter on April 30, 1940 when he was with the Dodgers. Only a year earlier he had been sold down to the minors and released...

     pitches a no-hitter
    No-hitter
    A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...

     as the Brooklyn Dodgers defeat the Cincinnati Reds
    Cincinnati Reds
    The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....

    , 3-0.

  • May 7 -The St. Louis Cardinals
    St. Louis Cardinals
    The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...

     defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers, 18-2. The Cards have 49 bases on twenty hits, including thirteen extra-base hits and seven home runs.

  • June 6 - The Boston Bees sign 19-year-old left-handed pitcher Warren Spahn
    Warren Spahn
    Warren Edward Spahn was an American Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career in the National League. He won 20 games each in 13 seasons, including a 23-7 record when he was age 42...

    .

  • June 15 - In a 12-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates
    Pittsburgh Pirates
    The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...

    , the New York Giants
    San Francisco Giants
    The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....

    ' Harry Danning
    Harry Danning
    Harry Danning, nicknamed Harry the Horse was a professional baseball player. He played his entire Major League Baseball career as a catcher for the New York Giants, and was considered one of the top defensive catchers of his era. He batted and threw right-handed...

     hits for a cycle against that includes an inside the park home run. The ball became lodged behind an Eddie Grant memorial in front of the Giants' clubhouse.

  • July 9 - Boston Bees outfielder
    Outfielder
    Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...

     Max West
    Max West
    Max Edward West born in Dexter, Missouri was an outfielder and first baseman for the Boston Bees/Braves , Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates ....

     hits a three-run home run in the first inning, as the National League
    National League
    The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...

     defeats the American League
    American League
    The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...

    , 4-0, in the All-Star Game
    1940 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
    The 1940 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 8th playing of the mid-summer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 9, 1940 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis, Missouri, the home of...

     at Sportsman's Park
    Sportsman's Park
    Sportsman's Park was the name of several former Major League Baseball ballpark structures in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, all but one of which were located on the same piece of land, the northwest corner of Grand Boulevard and Dodier Street on the north side of the city.- History :From...

    , home of the St. Louis Cardinals.

  • September 24 - Jimmie Foxx
    Jimmie Foxx
    James Emory "Jimmie" Foxx , nicknamed "Double X" and "The Beast", was a right-handed American Major League Baseball first baseman and noted power hitter....

     hit his career 500th home run
    Home run
    In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...

    .

  • September 30 - The Cleveland Indians
    Cleveland Indians
    The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...

     finish one-game behind the Detroit Tigers
    Detroit Tigers
    The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...

     in the American League pennant race, thus disappointing Ohio
    Ohio
    Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

     baseball fans who had been rooting all season long for what would have been the only All-Ohio World Series in baseball history, between the National League champions Cincinnati Reds
    Cincinnati Reds
    The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....

     and the Cleveland Indians.

  • October 8 - The Cincinnati Reds
    Cincinnati Reds
    The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....

     defeat the Detroit Tigers
    Detroit Tigers
    The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...

    , 2-1, in Game 7 of the World Series
    1940 World Series
    The 1940 World Series matched the Cincinnati Reds against the Detroit Tigers, with the Reds winning the Series in seven games for their second championship, their first since the scandal-tainted victory in...

     to win their second World Championship
    World championship
    A world championship is the top achievement for any sport or contest. The title is usually awarded by contests, ranking systems, stature, ability, etc. This determines the best nation, team, individual in the world in a particular field. Certain sports do not have a world championship, instead...

    , four games to three. This was Cincinnati's first World Series victory since the infamous Black Sox scandal
    Black Sox Scandal
    The Black Sox Scandal took place around and during the play of the American baseball 1919 World Series. Eight members of the Chicago White Sox were banned for life from baseball for intentionally losing games, which allowed the Cincinnati Reds to win the World Series...

     in 1919
    1919 World Series
    The 1919 World Series matched the American League champion Chicago White Sox against the National League champion Cincinnati Reds. Although most World Series have been of the best-of-seven format, the 1919 World Series was a best-of-nine series...

    . Reds' Bill McKechnie
    Bill McKechnie
    William Boyd McKechnie was an American third baseman, manager and coach in Major League Baseball. He was the first manager to win World Series titles with two different teams , and remains one of only two managers to win pennants with three teams, also capturing the National League title in 1928...

     became the first manager to win World Series with two different teams. In 1925
    1925 World Series
    In the 1925 World Series, the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the defending champion Washington Senators in seven games.In a reversal of fortune on all counts from the previous 1924 World Series, when Washington's Walter Johnson had come back from two losses to win the seventh and deciding game, Johnson...

     he had won the Classic as manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates
    Pittsburgh Pirates
    The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...

    .

  • November 11 - Brooklyn Dodgers
    Los Angeles Dodgers
    The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...

     general manager Larry MacPhail
    Larry MacPhail
    Leland Stanford "Larry" MacPhail, Sr. was an American lawyer, and an executive and innovator in Major League Baseball.-Biography:...

      acquires starting pitcher Kirby Higbe
    Kirby Higbe
    Walter Kirby Higbe was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball from to . He was born and died in Columbia, South Carolina.-Career:...

    , from the Philadelphia Phillies
    Philadelphia Phillies
    The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

    , in exchange for catcher Mickey Livingston
    Mickey Livingston
    Thompson Orville "Mickey" Livingston was a professional baseball player who played catcher for six Major League teams from 1938 to 1951.-Sources:*...

    , pitchers Bill Crouch and Vito Tamulis
    Vito Tamulis
    Vitautis Casimirus Tamulis was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees, St. Louis Browns, Philadelphia Phillies and Brooklyn Dodgers from 1934-1941. Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, he died at age 62 in Nashville, Tennessee.-External links:...

    , and $100,000. Higbe, who won 14 games this past season, will win 22 games in to lead National League pitchers.

  • December 12 - The Boston Red Sox send Doc Cramer
    Doc Cramer
    Roger Maxwell Cramer [Doc] was an American center fielder and left-handed batter in Major League Baseball who played for four American League teams from 1929 to 1948.-Career:...

     to the Washington Senators for Gee Walker
    Gee Walker
    Gerald Holmes "Gee" Walker was a Major League Baseball outfielder. During his fifteen year career, he played with the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, and Cincinnati Reds...

    , then package him with Jim Bagby
    Jim Bagby, Jr.
    James Charles Jacob Bagby, Jr. was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Red Sox , Cleveland Indians and Pittsburgh Pirates . He batted and threw right-handed...

     & Gene Desautels
    Gene Desautels
    Eugene Abraham "Red" Desautels was an American professional baseball player. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts to French Canadian parents, he played most of his Major League Baseball career as a backup catcher with four different teams between and . Listed at 5' 11", 170 lb., Desautels batted...

    , and send them to the Cleveland Indians for Joe Dobson
    Joe Dobson
    Joseph Gordon Dobson , nicknamed "Burrhead," was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who played with the Cleveland Indians , Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox ....

    , Odell Hale
    Odell Hale
    Odell Hale was a Major League Baseball infielder in the 1930s and early 1940s, primarily for the Cleveland Indians. Though he was born Arvel Odell Hale, baseball encyclopedias listed him simply as Odell Hale, which stuck with him as well as the nickname "Bad News". He had a good career, with many...

     & Frankie Pytlak
    Frankie Pytlak
    Frank Anthony Pytlak born in Buffalo, New York was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox...

    . They also purchase Pete Fox
    Pete Fox
    Ervin "Pete" Fox was a Major League Baseball right fielder. He played thirteen seasons in the American League with the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox ....

    's contract from the Detroit Tigers.

January-March

  • January 7 - Jim Hannan
    Jim Hannan
    James John Hannan is an American retired professional baseball player who pitched in Major League Baseball from 1962-71. He played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Detroit Tigers, and Washington Senators....

  • January 11 - Hank Fischer
    Hank Fischer
    Henry William Fischer is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with three different teams between 1962 and 1967. Listed at 6' 0", 190 lb., he batted and threw right-handed....

  • January 13 - Ron Brand
    Ron Brand
    Ronald George Brand is a former Major League Baseball catcher, and an original member of the Montreal Expos.-Pittsburgh Pirates:...

  • February 14 - Len Gabrielson
  • February 19 - Bill Kelso
    Bill Kelso
    William Eugene Kelso was an American professional baseball player who played four seasons for the Los Angeles/California Angels and Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball....

  • February 25 - Danny Cater
    Danny Cater
    Danny Anderson Cater is a former Major League Baseball first baseman, third baseman, and outfielder. He was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies at the age of 18 on June 8,...

  • February 25 - Ron Santo
    Ron Santo
    Ronald Edward Santo was an American professional baseball player and long-time radio sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball from 1960 to 1974, most notably as the third baseman for the Chicago Cubs. A nine-time All-Star, he was a powerful hitter who was also a good defensive...

  • March 6 - Willie Stargell
    Willie Stargell
    Wilver Dornell "Willie" Stargell , nicknamed "Pops" in the later years of his career, was a Major League Baseball left fielder and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career with the Pittsburgh Pirates...

  • March 19 - Pete Smith
    Pete Smith (1962-63 pitcher)
    Peter Luke Smith is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from to for the Boston Red Sox. Listed at 6' 2", 190 lb., Smith batted and threw right-handed...

  • March 22 - Dick Ellsworth
    Dick Ellsworth
    Richard Clark Ellsworth is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Chicago Cubs , Philadelphia Phillies , Boston Red Sox , Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers . Ellsworth batted and threw left-handed. He is the father of Steve Ellsworth...


April-June

  • April 3 - José Vidal
  • April 15 - Willie Davis
    Willie Davis (baseball)
    William Henry Davis was a center fielder in Major League Baseball who played most of his career for the Los Angeles Dodgers...

  • April 15 - Woodie Fryman
    Woodie Fryman
    Woodrow Thompson Fryman was a Major League Baseball pitcher. A two-time National League All-Star, he is best remembered as the mid-season acquisition that helped lead the Detroit Tigers to the 1972 American League Championship Series.-Pittsburgh Pirates:Fryman was 25 years old when he signed with...

  • May 6 - Bill Hands
    Bill Hands
    William Alfred "Bill" Hands, Jr. , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the major leagues from 1965-1975. Hands' best season came in 1969 with the Chicago Cubs, when he won 20 games....

  • May 12 - Tom Timmermann
    Tom Timmermann
    Thomas Henry Timmermann is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for six seasons with the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians . Born in Breese, Illinois, Timmermann was a tall — — right-handed pitcher who attended Southern Illinois University...

  • May 20 - Sadaharu Oh
    Sadaharu Oh
    Sadaharu Oh, or Wang Chenchih , is a retired Japanese-Taiwanese baseball player and manager. He batted and threw left-handed and primarily played first base. Oh, who was born in Sumida, Tokyo the son of a Taiwanese father and a Japanese mother, had originally signed with the powerhouse Yomiuri...

  • June 2 - Horace Clarke
    Horace Clarke
    Horace Meredith Clarke was a Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees and the San Diego Padres from 1965 to 1974....

  • June 2 - Jim Maloney
    Jim Maloney
    James William Maloney is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with the Cincinnati Reds and California Angels...

  • June 12 - Del Bates
    Del Bates
    Delbert Oakley "Del" Bates was a Major League Baseball catcher. Bates played for the Philadelphia Phillies in the season. In 22 career games, he had 8 hits in 60 at-bats. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed....


July-September

  • July 3 - César Tovar
    César Tovar
    César Leonardo Tovar , nicknamed "Pepito" and "Mr. Versatility", was a Venezuelan professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins , Philadelphia Phillies , Texas Rangers , Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees...

  • July 8 - Bucky Brandon
    Bucky Brandon
    Darrell G "Bucky" Brandon is an American former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He pitched for the Boston Red Sox , Seattle Pilots , Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies...

  • July 10 - Gene Alley
    Gene Alley
    Leonard Eugene Alley is a former Major League Baseball shortstop who played his entire career for the Pittsburgh Pirates ....

  • July 13 - Jack Aker
    Jack Aker
    Jackie Delane Aker is an American former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. Aker was used exclusively in relief. He appeared in 495 games, none as a starter, and was one of the American League's best closers of his era. He is of Potawatomi Indian ancestry...

  • July 18 - Joe Torre
    Joe Torre
    Joseph Paul Torre is a former American professional baseball player and manager who currently serves as Major League Baseball’s Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations. A nine-time All-Star, he played in Major League Baseball as a catcher, first baseman and a third baseman for the...

  • July 21 - John Bateman
  • July 21 - Denis Menke
    Denis Menke
    Denis John Menke is a former professional baseball infielder. He played all or part of thirteen seasons in Major League Baseball from 1962 to 1974. He played for the Milwaukee Braves , Atlanta Braves , Houston Astros and Cincinnati Reds , all of the National League...

  • July 23 - Hank Allen
    Hank Allen
    Harold Andrew "Hank" Allen is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Washington Senators , Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago White Sox ....

  • August 3 - Roger Repoz
    Roger Repoz
    Roger Allen Repoz is a former professional baseball player who played nine seasons for the New York Yankees, Kansas City Athletics, and California Angels of Major League Baseball. He also played five seasons in Japan for the Taiheiyo Club Lions and Yakult Swallows.-External links:...

  • August 13 - Tony Cloninger
    Tony Cloninger
    Tony Lee Cloninger , is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher who played for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves , the Cincinnati Reds , and the St. Louis Cardinals...

  • August 15 - José Santiago
  • August 18 - Paul Popovich
    Paul Popovich
    Paul Edward Popovich was an infielder for the Chicago Cubs , Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates ....

  • August 28 - Tom Satriano
    Tom Satriano
    Thomas Victor Nicholas Satriano is a retired American professional baseball player. Although he began his professional career as a third baseman, he converted to catcher and played 321 games as a backstop during a ten-year, 674-game Major League Baseball career from – for the Los...

  • August 31 - Ramón Hernández
  • September 10 - Bob Chance
    Bob Chance
    Robert Chance is a former professional baseball player who played 6 seasons for the Cleveland Indians, Washington Senators, and California Angels of Major League Baseball....

  • September 11 - Jackie Hernández
    Jackie Hernandez
    Jacinto Hernández Zulueta is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and third baseman from 1965 to 1973....

  • September 12 - Mickey Lolich
    Mickey Lolich
    Michael Stephen Lolich is a former Major League Baseball pitcher from 1962 until 1979 who played the majority of his career with the Detroit Tigers.-Baseball career:...

  • September 15 - Frank Linzy
    Frank Linzy
    Frank Alfred Linzy was a Pitcher for the San Francisco Giants , St. Louis Cardinals , Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies ....

  • September 17 - Cisco Carlos
    Cisco Carlos
    Francisco Manuel Carlos is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. A right-hander, Carlos pitched for the Chicago White Sox from 1967-1969 and the Washington Senators from 1969-1970....

  • September 24 - Curt Motton
    Curt Motton
    Curtell Howard Motton was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. Mainly a reserve left fielder and pinch hitter, he was with the Baltimore Orioles when they won three consecutive American League pennants and a World Series from to...


October-December

  • October 9 - Joe Pepitone
    Joe Pepitone
    Joseph "Joe" Anthony Pepitone is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder who played the bulk of his career for the New York Yankees. He also played several seasons with the Chicago Cubs and had short stints with the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves...

  • October 12 - Glenn Beckert
    Glenn Beckert
    Glenn Alfred Beckert is a former American professional baseball player. He played in Major League as a second baseman for the Chicago Cubs for nine seasons from to before ending his career with the San Diego Padres in .-Baseball career:Beckert was drafted from Allegheny College as an amateur...

  • October 14 - Tommy Harper
    Tommy Harper
    Tommy Harper is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder and third baseman. He played with the Cincinnati Reds , Cleveland Indians , Seattle Pilots , Milwaukee Brewers , Boston Red Sox , California Angels , Oakland Athletics , and the Baltimore Orioles .-High School...

  • October 21 - Ted Uhlaender
    Ted Uhlaender
    Theodore Otto Uhlaender was a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds from –. He was also the father of Olympic women's skeleton competitor Katie Uhlaender.Signed by the Twins out of Baylor University in 1961, he made his major league...

  • November 8 - Joe Nossek
    Joe Nossek
    Joseph Rudolph Nossek is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder, coach and scout. He threw and batted right-handed, and stood 6' tall and weighed 178 pounds as an active player....

  • November 18 - Cal Koonce
    Cal Koonce
    Calvin Lee Koonce , was a professional baseball player who played pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1962-1971. He played for the New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago Cubs.-External links:...

  • November 21 - Tommy McCraw
    Tommy McCraw
    Tommy Lee McCraw was a Major League first baseman and outfielder for the Chicago White Sox , Washington Senators , Cleveland Indians and California Angels ....

  • November 23 - Luis Tiant
    Luis Tiant
    Luis Clemente Tiant Vega , born November 23, 1940 in Marianao, Cuba, , is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians , Minnesota Twins , Boston Red Sox , New York Yankees , Pittsburgh Pirates and California Angels...

  • December 3 - Chico Salmon
    Chico Salmon
    Ruthford Eduardo "Chico" Salmon was a Panamanian Major League Baseball utility player. He played for the Cleveland Indians and the Baltimore Orioles...

  • December 13 - Nate Oliver
    Nate Oliver
    Nathaniel Oliver had a seven-year major league career in the 1960s, mostly with the Los Angeles Dodgers.Nate is the son of Jim Oliver, Sr., who had played in the Negro Leagues. James Oliver Field in St...

  • December 22 - Elrod Hendricks
    Elrod Hendricks
    Elrod Jerome "Ellie" Hendricks was a catcher and coach in Major League Baseball. Hendricks played during a 12-year career that lasted from through for the Baltimore Orioles , Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees...

  • December 26 - Ray Sadecki
    Ray Sadecki
    Raymond Michael Sadecki is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. A left-hander, Sadecki pitched for the St...

  • December 28 - Don Thompson
    Don Thompson (baseball)
    Donald Newlin Thompson was a Major League Baseball player. He was an outfielder for the Boston Braves and Brooklyn Dodgers from 1949 to 1954.-Baseball career:...


Deaths

  • January 3 - Parke Swartzel, 74, pitcher for the 1889 Kansas City Cowboys.

  • February 13 - Walter Barnes, 79, sports editor for several Boston newspapers from 1891 to 1933 who was that city's first regular sports columnist

  • February 15 - Chick Fulmer
    Chick Fulmer
    Charles John "Chick" Fulmer , was a Major League Baseball player who played shortstop from -. He played for the Rockford Forest Citys, New York Mutuals, Philadelphia White Stockings, Louisville Grays, Buffalo Bisons, Cincinnati Red Stockings, and St. Louis Browns...

    , 89, shortstop for 11 seasons from 1871 to 1884.

  • February 15 - Ray Morgan
    Ray Morgan
    Raymond Caryll Morgan was an infielder in Major League Baseball, playing mainly as a second baseman for the Washington Senators from through . Listed at 5' 8", 155 lb., Morgan batted and threw right-handed...

    , 50, second baseman who was part of a stellar double play combo along with shortstop George McBride
    George McBride
    George Florian "Pinch" McBride is a former shortstop for the Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, and the Washington Senators from 1901 to 1920. He started off with the short-lived Milwaukee Brewers , but he only had 12 at-bats in three games...

     for the Washington Senators from 1911 through 1918.

  • March 2 - Matt Kilroy
    Matt Kilroy
    Matthew Aloysius Kilroy was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Rookie season:...

    , 73, pitcher who holds the all-time strikeout record of 513, in 1886. Won 46 games in 1887, and led the league in games pitched twice, games started twice, complete games three times, and innings pitched once.

  • May 5 - Bill Wise
    Bill Wise (baseball)
    William E. Wise was an American Major League Baseball pitcher and outfielder for three seasons from to . He played for the Baltimore Orioles of the American Association, the Washington Nationals of the Union Association, and the Washington Nationals of the National League. Wise died in his...

    , 79, pitcher/outfielder for three seasons from 1882 to 1886.

  • June 1 - Logan Drake
    Logan Drake
    Logan Gaffney Drake [L.G.] was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Cleveland Indians. Listed at 5' 10.5", 165 lb., Drake batted and threw right-handed...

    , 40, relief pitcher for the Cleveland Indians from 1922 to 1924

  • July 20 - Red Ehret
    Red Ehret
    Philip Sydney "Red" Ehret , is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played in the majors from 1888-1898 for the Kansas City Cowboys, Louisville Colonels, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Browns, and Cincinnati Reds.-External links:...

    , 71, pitcher for 11 seasons from 1888 to 1898.

  • August 21 - Ernest Thayer
    Ernest Thayer
    Ernest Lawrence Thayer was an American writer and poet who wrote "Casey at the Bat".-Biography:Thayer was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts and raised in Worcester. He graduated magna cum laude in philosophy from Harvard in 1885, where he was editor of the Harvard Lampoon...

    , 77, newspaper editor whose 1888 poem "Casey at the Bat
    Casey at the Bat
    "Casey at the Bat: A Ballad of the Republic Sung in the Year 1888" is a baseball poem written in 1888 by Ernest Thayer. First published in The San Francisco Examiner on June 3, 1888, it was later popularized by DeWolf Hopper in many vaudeville performances.The poem was originally published...

    " became a staple of baseball culture

  • October 17 - George Davis, 70, shortstop for the Giants and White Sox who set records for career hits (2600+) and RBI (1437) by a switch-hitter, and ranked third in total games upon retirement; batted .308 in 1906 World Series as White Sox upset Cubs

  • November 4 - George Bird
    George Bird
    George Raymond Bird was a Major League Baseball center fielder in the 19th century. He played for the Rockford Forest Citys of the National Association in 1871...

    , 90, outfielder for the 1871 Rockford Forest Citys.

  • November 12 - Joe Quinn, 75, second baseman who played 17 seasons. From 1884 to 1901, he played in 1768 games and had 1797 hits.

  • December 15 or 16 - Billy Hamilton, 74, center fielder and leadoff hitter for Philadelphia and Boston who batted .344 lifetime, winning two batting titles; led NL in runs four times and in walks and steals five times each; had eleven 100-run seasons including record 192 in 1894, and his 1690 career runs - over one per game - ranked second in history upon retirement; batted .343 and .369 for 1897-98 Boston champions
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