1931 Major League Baseball season

Last updated

1931 MLB season
League American League (AL)
National League (NL)
Sport Baseball
DurationRegular season:
  • April 14 – September 27, 1931
World Series:
  • October 1–10, 1931
Number of games154
Number of teams16 (8 per league)
Regular season
Season MVP AL: Lefty Grove (PHA)
NL: Frankie Frisch (SLC)
AL champions Philadelphia Athletics
  AL runners-up New York Yankees
NL champions St. Louis Cardinals
  NL runners-up New York Giants
World Series
Champions St. Louis Cardinals
  Runners-up Philadelphia Athletics
MLB seasons
Locations of teams for the 1923–1931 American League seasons
ButtonRed.svg American League
Locations of teams for the 1920–1931 National League seasons
ButtonBlue.svg National League

The 1931 major league baseball season began on April 14, 1931. The regular season ended on September 27, with the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Athletics as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 28th World Series on October 1 and ended with Game 7 on October 10. In the second iteration of this World Series matchup (and a rematch of the previous year), the Cardinals defeated the Athletics, four games to three, capturing their second championship in franchise history, since their previous in 1926.

Contents

This was the first season that the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) selected a Most Valuable Player in each league.

Schedule

The 1931 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.

Opening Day, April 14, featured all sixteen teams, the first time since the 1926 season. The final day of the regular season was on September 27, which also saw all sixteen teams play on the final day continuing the trend which began the previous season. This was the first time that both Opening Day and the final day of the season saw all sixteen teams play. The World Series took place between October 1 and October 10.

Rule changes

The 1931 season saw the following rule changes: [1]

Teams

LeagueTeamCityStadiumCapacityManager
American League Boston Red Sox Boston, Massachusetts Fenway Park 35,000 Shano Collins
Chicago White Sox Chicago, Illinois Comiskey Park 52,000 Donie Bush
Cleveland Indians Cleveland, Ohio League Park 21,414 Roger Peckinpaugh
Detroit Tigers Detroit, Michigan Navin Field 30,000 Bucky Harris
New York Yankees New York, New York Yankee Stadium 62,000 Joe McCarthy
Philadelphia Athletics Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Shibe Park 33,000 Connie Mack
St. Louis Browns St. Louis, Missouri Sportsman's Park 34,023 Bill Killefer
Washington Senators Washington, D.C. Griffith Stadium 27,000 Walter Johnson
National League Boston Braves Boston, Massachusetts Braves Field 46,500 Bill McKechnie
Brooklyn Robins New York, New York Ebbets Field 28,000 Wilbert Robinson
Chicago Cubs Chicago, Illinois Wrigley Field 40,000 Rogers Hornsby
Cincinnati Reds Cincinnati, Ohio Redland Field 26,060 Dan Howley
New York Giants New York, New York Polo Grounds 56,000 John McGraw
Philadelphia Phillies Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Baker Bowl 18,800 Burt Shotton
Pittsburgh Pirates Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Forbes Field 41,000 Jewel Ens
St. Louis Cardinals St. Louis, Missouri Sportsman's Park 34,023 Gabby Street

Standings

American League

American League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Philadelphia Athletics 10745.704—60‍–‍1547‍–‍30
New York Yankees 9459.61413½51‍–‍2543‍–‍34
Washington Senators 9262.5971655‍–‍2237‍–‍40
Cleveland Indians 7876.5063045‍–‍3133‍–‍45
St. Louis Browns 6391.4094539‍–‍3824‍–‍53
Boston Red Sox 6290.4084539‍–‍4023‍–‍50
Detroit Tigers 6193.3964736‍–‍4125‍–‍52
Chicago White Sox 5697.36651½31‍–‍4525‍–‍52

National League

National League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
St. Louis Cardinals 10153.656—54‍–‍2447‍–‍29
New York Giants 8765.5721350‍–‍2737‍–‍38
Chicago Cubs 8470.5451750‍–‍2734‍–‍43
Brooklyn Robins 7973.5202146‍–‍2933‍–‍44
Pittsburgh Pirates 7579.4872644‍–‍3331‍–‍46
Philadelphia Phillies 6688.4293540‍–‍3626‍–‍52
Boston Braves 6490.4163736‍–‍4128‍–‍49
Cincinnati Reds 5896.3774338‍–‍3920‍–‍57

Postseason

Bracket

World Series
         
AL Philadelphia Athletics 60 2 31 82
NL St. Louis Cardinals 2 250 51 4

Managerial changes

Off-season

TeamFormer ManagerNew Manager
Boston Red Sox Heinie Wagner Shano Collins
New York Yankees Bob Shawkey Joe McCarthy

League leaders

American League

Hitting leaders
StatPlayerTotal
AVG Al Simmons (PHA).390
OPS Babe Ruth (NYY)1.195
HR Lou Gehrig (NYY)
Babe Ruth (NYY)		46
RBI Lou Gehrig (NYY)185
R Lou Gehrig (NYY)163
H Lou Gehrig (NYY)211
SB Ben Chapman (NYY)61
Pitching leaders
StatPlayerTotal
W Lefty Grove 1 (PHA)31
L Pat Caraway (CWS)
Sam Gray (SLB)		24
ERA Lefty Grove 1 (PHA)2.06
K Lefty Grove 1 (PHA)175
IP Rube Walberg (PHA)291.0
SV Firpo Marberry (WSH)
Wilcy Moore (BRS)		8
WHIP Lefty Grove (PHA)1.077

1 American League Triple Crown pitching winner

National League

Hitting leaders
StatPlayerTotal
AVG Chick Hafey (SLC).349
OPS Rogers Hornsby (CHC).996
HR Chuck Klein (PHP)31
RBI Chuck Klein (PHP)121
R Chuck Klein (PHP)
Bill Terry (NYG)		121
H Lloyd Waner (PIT)214
SB Frankie Frisch (SLC)28
Pitching leaders
StatPlayerTotal
W Jumbo Elliott (PHP)
Bill Hallahan (SLC)
Heinie Meine (PIT)		19
L Si Johnson (CIN)19
ERA Bill Walker (NYG)2.26
K Bill Hallahan (SLC)159
IP Heinie Meine (PIT)284.0
SV Jack Quinn (BKN)13
WHIP Carl Hubbell (NYG)1.121

Awards and honors

Regular season

Home field attendance

Team nameWins%±Home attendance%±Per game
Chicago Cubs [7] 84−6.7%1,086,422−25.8%14,109
New York Yankees [8] 949.3%912,437−22.0%11,850
New York Giants [9] 870.0%812,163−6.5%10,412
Brooklyn Robins [10] 79−8.1%753,133−31.4%9,910
Philadelphia Athletics [11] 1074.9%627,464−13.1%8,366
St. Louis Cardinals [12] 1019.8%608,53519.7%7,802
Boston Braves [13] 64−8.6%515,00510.8%6,603
Washington Senators [14] 92−2.1%492,657−19.8%6,236
Cleveland Indians [15] 78−3.7%483,027−8.6%6,356
Detroit Tigers [16] 61−18.7%434,056−33.2%5,637
Chicago White Sox [17] 56−9.7%403,550−0.6%5,241
Boston Red Sox [18] 6219.2%350,975−21.0%4,387
Philadelphia Phillies [19] 6626.9%284,849−4.7%3,748
Cincinnati Reds [20] 58−1.7%263,316−31.9%3,420
Pittsburgh Pirates [21] 75−6.3%260,392−27.2%3,338
St. Louis Browns [22] 63−1.6%179,12617.8%2,326

Events

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References

  1. ↑ "MLB Rule Changes | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  2. ↑ O'Gara, Connor. "Future Hall of Famer Al López Hits the Last 'Bounce' Home Run in Big League History". Baseball Hall of Fame. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Changes are Made in the Baseball Playing Rules by Joint Rules Committee". Santa Cruz Evening News. Santa Cruz, California. December 17, 1930. p. 8. Retrieved April 16, 2020– via newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ sabr. "How Rules Changes in 1920 Affected Home Runs – Society for American Baseball Research" . Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  5. ↑ admin. "Impact of the Varying Sacrifice Fly Rules on Batting Champs, 1931–2019 – Society for American Baseball Research" . Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Most Valuable Player Award by The Sporting News | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  8. ↑ "New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  9. ↑ "San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  12. ↑ "St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Atlanta Braves 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. ↑ "Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  16. ↑ "Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  23. ↑ "THT Live". hardballtimes.com. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  24. ↑ Mackin, Bob (2004). The Unofficial Guide to Baseball's Most Unusual Records. Canada: Greystone Books. p. 240. ISBN   9781553650386.
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