1939 Major League Baseball season

Last updated

1939 MLB season
League American League (AL)
National League (NL)
Sport Baseball
DurationRegular season:
  • April 18 – October 1, 1939 (AL)
  • April 17 – October 1, 1939 (NL)
World Series:
  • October 4–8, 1939
Number of games154
Number of teams16 (8 per league)
Regular season
Season MVP AL: Joe DiMaggio (NYY)
NL: Bucky Walters (CIN)
AL champions New York Yankees
  AL runners-up Boston Red Sox
NL champions Cincinnati Reds
  NL runners-up St. Louis Cardinals
World Series
Champions New York Yankees
  Runners-up Cincinnati Reds
MLB seasons
Locations of teams for the 1934–1939 American League seasons
ButtonRed.svg American League
Locations of teams for the 1938–1940 National League seasons
ButtonBlue.svg 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, capturing their eighth championship in franchise history, and their last in a four-World Series run, becoming the first team to win four consecutive World Series.

Contents

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

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 continued the trend from 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

The 1939 season saw the following rule change:

Teams

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

LeagueTeamCityStadiumCapacityManager
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 34,023 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

American League

American League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
New York Yankees 10645.702—52‍–‍2554‍–‍20
Boston Red Sox 8962.5891742‍–‍3247‍–‍30
Cleveland Indians 8767.56520½44‍–‍3343‍–‍34
Chicago White Sox 8669.5552250‍–‍2736‍–‍42
Detroit Tigers 8173.52626½42‍–‍3539‍–‍38
Washington Senators 6587.42841½37‍–‍3928‍–‍48
Philadelphia Athletics 5597.36251½28‍–‍4827‍–‍49
St. Louis Browns 43111.27964½18‍–‍5925‍–‍52

National League

National League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Cincinnati Reds 9757.630—55‍–‍2542‍–‍32
St. Louis Cardinals 9261.6014½51‍–‍2741‍–‍34
Brooklyn Dodgers 8469.54912½51‍–‍2733‍–‍42
Chicago Cubs 8470.5451344‍–‍3440‍–‍36
New York Giants 7774.51018½41‍–‍3336‍–‍41
Pittsburgh Pirates 6885.44428½35‍–‍4233‍–‍43
Boston Bees 6388.41732½37‍–‍3526‍–‍53
Philadelphia Phillies 45106.29850½29‍–‍4416‍–‍62

Postseason

Bracket

World Series
      
AL New York Yankees 2*47710
NL Cincinnati Reds 1 0 3 4

*Denotes walk-off

Managerial changes

Off-season

TeamFormer ManagerNew 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

TeamFormer ManagerNew Manager
Philadelphia Athletics Connie Mack Earle Mack

League leaders

American League

Hitting leaders
StatPlayerTotal
AVG Joe DiMaggio (NYY).381
OPS Jimmie Foxx (BRS)1.158
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
StatPlayerTotal
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
WHIP Ted Lyons (CWS)1.089

National League

Hitting leaders
StatPlayerTotal
AVG Johnny Mize (SLC).349
OPS Johnny Mize (SLC)1.070
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
StatPlayerTotal
W Bucky Walters 1 (CIN)27
L Max Butcher (PIT/ PHP )
Bob Klinger (PIT)		17
ERA Bucky Walters 1 (CIN)2.29
K Claude Passeau (CHC/ PHP )
Bucky Walters 1 (CIN)		137
IP Bucky Walters (CIN)319.0
SV Clyde Shoun (SLC)9
WHIP Bucky Walters (CIN)1.125

1 National League Triple Crown pitching winner

Awards and honors

Regular season

Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards
BBWAA AwardNational LeagueAmerican League
Most Valuable Player Bucky Walters (CIN) Joe DiMaggio (NYY)

Other awards

The Sporting News Awards
AwardNational LeagueAmerican League
Most Valuable Player [2] Bucky Walters (CIN) Joe DiMaggio (NYY)
Player of the Year [3] — Joe DiMaggio (NYY)
Manager of the Year [4] Leo Durocher (BKN)—
Executive of the Year [5] Larry MacPhail (BKN)—

Baseball Hall of Fame

Home field attendance

Team nameWins%±Home attendance%±Per game
Cincinnati Reds [6] 9718.3%981,44338.9%12,117
Brooklyn Dodgers [7] 8421.7%955,66844.1%12,252
New York Yankees [8] 1067.1%859,785−11.4%11,166
Detroit Tigers [9] 81−3.6%836,2794.6%10,722
Chicago Cubs [10] 84−5.6%726,663−23.6%9,083
New York Giants [11] 77−7.2%702,457−12.2%9,493
Chicago White Sox [12] 8530.8%594,10475.6%7,716
Boston Red Sox [13] 891.1%573,070−11.4%7,641
Cleveland Indians [14] 871.2%563,926−13.5%7,324
St. Louis Cardinals [15] 9229.6%400,24537.3%5,066
Philadelphia Athletics [16] 553.8%395,0222.5%5,198
Pittsburgh Pirates [17] 68−20.9%376,734−41.2%4,893
Washington Senators [18] 65−13.3%339,257−35.1%4,406
Boston Bees [19] 63−18.2%285,994−16.2%3,918
Philadelphia Phillies [20] 450.0%277,97367.3%3,756
St. Louis Browns [21] 43−21.8%109,159−16.3%1,399

Retired numbers

Events

Deaths

Barney Pelty Barney Pelty.jpg
Barney Pelty

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References

  1. ↑ admin. "The Sacrifice Fly – Society for American Baseball Research" . Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Most Valuable Player Award by The Sporting News | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Major League Player of the Year Award by The Sporting News | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Manager of the Year Award by The Sporting News | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
  5. ↑ "MLB Executive of the Year Award | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Los Angeles Dodgers 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. ↑ "Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  11. ↑ "San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  15. ↑ "St. Louis Cardinals 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. ↑ "Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Brief Record". goldenrankings.com. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  23. ↑ Pellowski, Michael J (2007). The Little Giant Book of Baseball Facts . United States: Sterling Publishing Co. pp.  352. ISBN   9781402742736.
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