1939 Major League Baseball season

This article is about the 1939 Major League Baseball season only. For information on all of baseball, see 1939 in baseball.

1939 MLB season
League	American League (AL) National League (NL)
Sport	Baseball
Duration	Regular season: April 18 – October 1, 1939 (AL) April 17 – October 1, 1939 (NL) World Series: October 4–8, 1939
Number of games	154
Number of teams	16 (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
← 1938 1940 →

Red Sox

White Sox   

Indians

Tigers

Athletics

Browns

Yankees

Senators

Locations of teams for the 1934–1939 American League seasons
American League

Bees

Dodgers

Cubs

Reds

Giants

Phillies

Pirates

Cardinals

Locations of teams for the 1938–1940 National League seasons
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.

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

See also: Major League Baseball 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:

• The scoring sacrifice fly, exempting a batter from a time at bat when a runner scored after the putout on a fly ball, was restored for the first time since its elimination in 1931. This would last only one season. ^[1]

Teams

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

League	Team	City	Stadium	Capacity	Manager
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

• v
• t
• e

American League

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
New York Yankees	106	45	.702	—	52‍–‍25	54‍–‍20
Boston Red Sox	89	62	.589	17	42‍–‍32	47‍–‍30
Cleveland Indians	87	67	.565	20½	44‍–‍33	43‍–‍34
Chicago White Sox	86	69	.555	22	50‍–‍27	36‍–‍42
Detroit Tigers	81	73	.526	26½	42‍–‍35	39‍–‍38
Washington Senators	65	87	.428	41½	37‍–‍39	28‍–‍48
Philadelphia Athletics	55	97	.362	51½	28‍–‍48	27‍–‍49
St. Louis Browns	43	111	.279	64½	18‍–‍59	25‍–‍52

National League

• v
• t
• e

National League

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
Cincinnati Reds	97	57	.630	—	55‍–‍25	42‍–‍32
St. Louis Cardinals	92	61	.601	4½	51‍–‍27	41‍–‍34
Brooklyn Dodgers	84	69	.549	12½	51‍–‍27	33‍–‍42
Chicago Cubs	84	70	.545	13	44‍–‍34	40‍–‍36
New York Giants	77	74	.510	18½	41‍–‍33	36‍–‍41
Pittsburgh Pirates	68	85	.444	28½	35‍–‍42	33‍–‍43
Boston Bees	63	88	.417	32½	37‍–‍35	26‍–‍53
Philadelphia Phillies	45	106	.298	50½	29‍–‍44	16‍–‍62

Postseason

Bracket

	World Series
	AL	New York Yankees	4
	NL	Cincinnati Reds	0

Managerial changes

Off-season

Team	Former Manager	New 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

Team	Former Manager	New Manager
Philadelphia Athletics	Connie Mack	Earle Mack

League leaders

American League

Hitting leaders

Stat	Player	Total
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

Stat	Player	Total
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

Stat	Player	Total
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

Stat	Player	Total
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 Award	National League	American League
Most Valuable Player	Bucky Walters (CIN)	Joe DiMaggio (NYY)

Other awards

The Sporting News Awards
Award	National League	American 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

Main article: National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

• George Sisler
• Lou Gehrig
• Eddie Collins
• Willie Keeler
• Cap Anson
• Buck Ewing
• Charles Radbourn
• Charles Comiskey (executive/pioneer contributor)
• Candy Cummings (executive/pioneer contributor)
• Albert Spalding (executive/pioneer contributor)

Further information: 1939 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting

Home field attendance

Team name	Wins	%±	Home attendance	%±	Per game
Cincinnati Reds [6]	97	18.3%	981,443	38.9%	12,117
Brooklyn Dodgers [7]	84	21.7%	955,668	44.1%	12,252
New York Yankees [8]	106	7.1%	859,785	−11.4%	11,166
Detroit Tigers [9]	81	−3.6%	836,279	4.6%	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]	85	30.8%	594,104	75.6%	7,716
Boston Red Sox [13]	89	1.1%	573,070	−11.4%	7,641
Cleveland Indians [14]	87	1.2%	563,926	−13.5%	7,324
St. Louis Cardinals [15]	92	29.6%	400,245	37.3%	5,066
Philadelphia Athletics [16]	55	3.8%	395,022	2.5%	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]	45	0.0%	277,973	67.3%	3,756
St. Louis Browns [21]	43	−21.8%	109,159	−16.3%	1,399

Retired numbers

• Lou Gehrig had his No. 4 retired by the New York Yankees on July 4. This was the first number retired by the team and first retired number in MLB history.

Events

• January 24 – George Sisler, Eddie Collins and Willie Keeler are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
• April 20 – The Boston Red Sox show off their prize rookie Ted Williams before 30,278 in Opening Day at Yankee Stadium, delayed two days because of rain. After striking out twice, Williams collects a double off pitcher Red Ruffing, who wins 2–0. Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig makes an error, goes hitless, and lines into two double plays in the only game featuring the two great sluggers. Other notables in what will become a historic box score include Joe DiMaggio, Bill Dickey, Jimmie Foxx, Joe Cronin, Bobby Doerr, Red Rolfe, and losing pitcher Lefty Grove. The Yankees score their first run on a home run by Dickey and their second tally on an error by Foxx. Boston has baserunners in each inning, but Ruffing tosses just the second opening day shutout in Yankees history. Four umpires work the game including third base umpire George Pipgras, the starting pitcher for the Yankees in the 1929 opener; his opponent for the Red Sox that day was Ruffing.
• April 21 – Ted Williams plays his first game at Fenway Park, scoring the first run for the Boston Red Sox on a Frankie Hayes passed ball, in a Boston 9–2 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics.
• April 23 – In a Philadelphia Athletics 12–8 win over the Boston Red Sox, Ted Williams connects his first major league home run against pitcher Bud Thomas while going 4-for-5.
• April 29 – In the seventh game of the season, New York Yankees center fielder Joe DiMaggio makes a sharp turn while fielding a liner facing the Washington Senators and tears muscles in his right foot. The Yankees lose the game and DiMaggio will miss the next 35 games.
• April 30 – Lou Gehrig goes hitless in four at-bats against the Washington Senators and is now hitting just .143 this season. He had just played his 2,130th consecutive major league game. No one knew it would be the last of his career.
• May 4 – The mother of Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller watches her son pitch for the first time, against the Chicago White Sox. Chicago player Marv Owen fouled a pitch into the stands which knocked her out. She recovered, but would need stitches to close the wound. ^[22]
• July 4 – Lou Gehrig day was held at Yankee Stadium. Numerous people, including many from other major league teams, came forward to give Gehrig gifts and to shower praise on the dying slugger. The Yankees retired his uniform number 4; the first player in major league history to be afforded that honor. Babe Ruth even showed up and ended their long-standing feud by giving his old teammate a hug. After the presentations, Gehrig approached the microphone, and addressed the crowd: "Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break I got. Yet today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. I have been to ballparks for seventeen years and I have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans."
• July 11 – In the first of three times that the All-Star Game has been held at Yankee Stadium, the American League defeats the National League, 3–1, behind pitchers Red Ruffing, Tommy Bridges, and Bob Feller, and a home run by Joe DiMaggio.
• July 25 – Yankees pitcher Atley Donald sets a league record for consecutive wins by a rookie, bringing his record to 12–0 with a 5–1 victory over the St. Louis Browns.
• July 26 – The New York Yankees tied a major league record by scoring in every inning against the St. Louis Browns. Bill Dickey hit three home runs in the 14–1 win.
• August 9 – Red Rolfe of the New York Yankees started a streak of 18 consecutive games in which he scored at least one run. During those games, he scored a total of 30 runs.
• August 26 – The first Major League game to be televised occurs, when WXBS-TV broadcasts the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field. ^[23]
• October 8 – The New York Yankees win Game Four of the World Series to clinch the four-game sweep against the Cincinnati Reds.
• December 6 – In a trade of veteran shortstops, or "worn-out shortstops", as one newspaper described it, the Chicago Cubs acquire Billy Rogell from the Detroit Tigers for Dick Bartell. Rogell, who injured his arm playing handball the previous year, hits just .136 before hanging up his spikes. The Tigers will release "Rowdy Richard" five games into the 1941 season, but he will stick with the New York Giants until 1946.

Deaths

Barney Pelty

• January 13 – Jacob Ruppert, 71, Yankees owner since 1914
• January 19 – Cliff Heathcote, 40, NL outfielder who batted .275 over 15 seasons
• January 25 – Abner Dalrymple, 81, star outfielder of the 1880s, leadoff hitter for five Chicago pennant winners
• March 8 – Scott Stratton, 69, pitcher, primarily with Louisville, who posted a 34-win season in 1890 which included 15 straight victories
• March 28 – Fred Goldsmith, 82, pitcher who steadfastly maintained that he had first thrown the curveball in 1870, six years earlier than Candy Cummings, who gained credit for the development
• May 24 – Barney Pelty, 58, pitcher for the St. Louis Browns and one of the first Jewish players in the AL
• June 17 – Allen Sothoron, 46, spitball pitcher who spent most of his career with the St. Louis Browns and Cardinals
• July 7 – Deacon White, 91, star bare-handed catcher and third baseman for six championship teams in the 1870s and 1880s, and the fourth player to collect 1000 hits
• September 25 – Frank LaPorte, 59, infielder who batted .300 three times and led the Federal League in RBIs in 1914
• December 3 – Frank Killen, 69, winner of 164 games from 1891 to 1900, including two 30-win seasons
• December 18 – Heywood Broun, 51, sportswriter and editor in New York City since the early 1910s
• December 26 – Clyde Engle, 55, utility player who scored the tying run for Boston in the 10th inning of Game 8 of the 1912 World Series, after his earlier pop fly had been dropped

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.

External links

• 1939 Major League Baseball season schedule at Baseball Reference