1948 Brooklyn Dodgers season

Last updated

1948  Brooklyn Dodgers
League National League
Ballpark Ebbets Field
City Brooklyn, New York
Owners James & Dearie Mulvey, Walter O'Malley, Branch Rickey, John L. Smith
President Branch Rickey
Managers Leo Durocher, Ray Blades, Burt Shotton
Radio WMGM
Red Barber, Connie Desmond, Ernie Harwell
←  1947
1949  →

Leo Durocher returned as manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers to start the 1948 season but was fired in mid-season. He was replaced first by team coach Ray Blades and then by Burt Shotton, who had managed the team to the 1947 pennant. The Dodgers finished third in the National League after this tumultuous season.

Contents

The 1948 Dodgers were very much a work in progress, beginning to coalesce into the classic "Boys of Summer" teams of the 1950s. Gil Hodges was in the opening day lineup, but as a catcher. He would only be shifted to first base after the emergence of Roy Campanella. Jackie Robinson started the season at second base—Eddie Stanky had been traded just before the start of the season to make room for Robinson at his natural position; he had played first base during his 1947 rookie season. Pee Wee Reese was the only "Boys of summer" regular to already be ensconced at his position, shortstop. Billy Cox had been acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates during the offseason, but as one of nine players who would see time at third for the team that year, he only played 70 games at the position. Carl Furillo was already a regular, but in center field. Duke Snider was brought up to the team in mid-season, and it was not until 1949 that Furillo moved to right field and Snider became the regular center fielder.

Preacher Roe and Ralph Branca were in the starting rotation, but Carl Erskine only appeared in a handful of games, and Don Newcombe would not join the staff until the following year.

Offseason

Regular season

Future Hall of Famer Roy Campanella made his major league debut on April 20. [6] In July, Campanella replaced Bruce Edwards as the club's starting catcher. This marked the first time that a major league team had two black players in its everyday lineup. [7]

On September 9, Rex Barney pitched a no-hitter against the New York Giants. He walked two batters and struck out four in a 2–0 victory.

Season standings

National League 		W L Pct. GB Home Road
Boston Braves 91620.595—45–3146–31
St. Louis Cardinals 85690.5526½44–3341–36
Brooklyn Dodgers 84700.5457½36–4148–29
Pittsburgh Pirates 83710.5398½47–3136–40
New York Giants 78760.50613½37–4041–36
Philadelphia Phillies 66880.42925½32–4434–44
Cincinnati Reds 64890.4182732–4532–44
Chicago Cubs 64900.41627½35–4229–48

Record vs. opponents

1948 National League record

Sources:
TeamBOSBRCHCCINNYGPHIPITSTL
Boston —14–816–6–113–811–1114–812–1011–11
Brooklyn 8–14—11–1118–411–11–115–79–1312–10
Chicago 6–16–111–11—10–1211–117–158–1411–11
Cincinnati 8–134–1812–10—10–1211–119–1310–12
New York 11–1111–11–111–1112–10—14–812–107–15
Philadelphia 8–147–1515–711–118–14—12–10–15–17
Pittsburgh 10–1213–914–813–910–1210–12–1—13–9–1
St. Louis 11–1110–1211–1112–1015–717–59–13–1—

Opening Day lineup

Opening Day lineup
NamePosition
Jackie Robinson Second baseman
Arky Vaughan Left fielder
Preston Ward First baseman
Carl Furillo Center fielder
Pee Wee Reese Shortstop
Dick Whitman Right fielder
Billy Cox Third baseman
Gil Hodges Catcher
Rex Barney Starting pitcher

Notable transactions

Roster

1948 Brooklyn Dodgers
Roster
PitchersCatchers

Infielders

OutfieldersManager

Coaches

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg.= Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

PosPlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
C Roy Campanella 8327972.258945
1B Gil Hodges 134481120.2491170
2B Jackie Robinson 147574170.2961285
3B Billy Cox 8823759.249315
SS Pee Wee Reese 151566155.274975
OF Gene Hermanski 133400116.2901560
OF Carl Furillo 108364108.297444
OF Marv Rackley 8828192.327015

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg.= Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

PlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
Bruce Edwards 9628679.276854
Eddie Miksis 8622147.213216
Dick Whitman 6016548.291020
George Shuba 6316143.267432
Duke Snider 5316039.244521
Preston Ward 4214638.260121
Tommy Brown 5414535.241220
Pete Reiser 6412730.236119
Arky Vaughan 6512330.244322
Spider Jorgensen 319027.300113
Don Lund 276913.18815
Gene Mauch 12132.15400
Bobby Bragan 9122.16700
Bob Ramazzotti 430.00000

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

PlayerGIPWLERASO
Rex Barney 44246.215133.10138
Ralph Branca 36215.21493.51122
Harry Taylor 1780.2275.3632

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

PlayerGIPWLERASO
Joe Hatten 42208.213103.5873
Preacher Roe 34177.21282.6386
Erv Palica 41125.1664.4574
Carl Erskine 1764.0633.2329
Lefty Sloat 47.1016.141
Jack Banta 23.1018.101

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

PlayerGWLSVERASO
Hank Behrman 345474.0542
Paul Minner 284312.4423
Willie Ramsdell 274445.1934
Hugh Casey 223048.007
Clyde King 90108.035
Johnny Van Cuyk 30003.601
John Hall 30006.232
Elmer Sexauer 200013.500
Phil Haugstad 10000.000

Awards and honors

League top five finishers

Rex Barney

Ralph Branca

Pee Wee Reese

Jackie Robinson

Preacher Roe

Farm system

Level TeamLeagueManager
AAA Montreal Royals International League Clay Hopper
AAA St. Paul Saints American Association Walter Alston
AA Fort Worth Cats Texas League Les Burge
George Dockins
Bobby Bragan
AA Mobile Bears Southern Association Alfred Todd
A Greenville Spinners South Atlantic League Greg Mulleavy
A Pueblo Dodgers Western League John Fitzpatrick
B Asheville Tourists Tri-State League Clay Bryant
B Danville Dodgers Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League Paul Chervinko
B Lancaster Red Roses Interstate League Dibrell Williams
Jack Knight
B Nashua Dodgers New England League Al Campanis
B Newport News Dodgers Piedmont League Roy Schalk
C Abilene Blue Sox West Texas–New Mexico League Art Bowland
Otis Davis
C Greenwood Dodgers Cotton States League Jim Bivin
C Idaho Falls Russets Pioneer League Jay Kirke, Jr.
Lewis Garland
C Johnstown Johnnies Middle Atlantic League Roy Nichols
C Santa Barbara Dodgers California League Chester Kehn
D Trois-Rivières Royals Canadian–American League Ed Head
D Cairo Dodgers Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League Hugh Holliday
Norbert Hall
D Cambridge Dodgers Eastern Shore League Bob Vickery
Stew Hofferth
D Medford Nuggets Far West League Larry Shepard
D Olean Oilers Pennsylvania–Ontario–New York League Greg Mulleavy
D Ponca City Dodgers Kansas–Oklahoma–Missouri League Boyd Bartley
D Pulaski Counts Appalachian League George Pfister
D Sheboygan Indians Wisconsin State League Joe Hauser
D Valdosta Dodgers Georgia–Florida League Lou Rochelli
D Zanesville Dodgers Ohio–Indiana League Ray Hathaway

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Montreal, St. Paul, Ft. Worth, Greenville, Nashua, Newport News, Santa Barbara, Pulaski, Sheboygan, Zanesville

Notes

  1. ↑ Stan Rojek page at Baseball Reference
  2. ↑ Ed Stevens page at Baseball Reference
  3. 1 2 Jimmy Bloodworth page at Baseball Reference
  4. ↑ Dixie Walker page at Baseball Reference
  5. ↑ Eddie Stanky page at Baseball Reference
  6. ↑ Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson's First Season, p. 267, Jonathan Eig, Simon & Schuster, 2007, New York, ISBN   978-0-7432-9461-4
  7. ↑ Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson's First Season, p. 267
  8. ↑ Ray Sanders page at Baseball Reference

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References

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