1951 in baseball

Last updated November 15, 2024

The following are the baseball events of the year 1951 throughout the world.

Headline Event of the Year

Baseball's Shot Heard 'Round the World gives the New York Giants the National League Pennant in the third game of a best-of-three-games tiebreaker series over the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Although the Negro American League would last until 1960, 1951 was, notably, the last season in which the Negro American League was considered major-league caliber, which was itself the last major Negro league baseball organization.

Champions

Major League Baseball

World Series: New York Yankees over New York Giants (4–2)
All-Star Game, July 10 at Briggs Stadium: National League, 8–3

Awards and honors

Statistical leaders

Type	Name	Stat	Name	Stat
	American League		National League
AVG	Ferris Fain PHA	.344	Stan Musial SLC	.355
HR	Gus Zernial PHA	33	Ralph Kiner PIT	42
RBI	Gus Zernial PHA	129	Monte Irvin NYG	121
Wins	Bob Feller CLE	22	Larry Jansen NYG & Sal Maglie NYG	23
ERA	Saul Rogovin CHW	2.78	Chet Nichols BSB	2.88
Ks	Vic Raschi NYY	164	Don Newcombe BKN & Warren Spahn BSB	164

Major league baseball final standings

American League final standings

v
t
e
American League
Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
New York Yankees	98	56	.636	—	56‍–‍22	42‍–‍34
Cleveland Indians	93	61	.604	5	53‍–‍24	40‍–‍37
Boston Red Sox	87	67	.565	11	50‍–‍25	37‍–‍42
Chicago White Sox	81	73	.526	17	39‍–‍38	42‍–‍35
Detroit Tigers	73	81	.474	25	36‍–‍41	37‍–‍40
Philadelphia Athletics	70	84	.455	28	38‍–‍41	32‍–‍43
Washington Senators	62	92	.403	36	32‍–‍44	30‍–‍48
St. Louis Browns	52	102	.338	46	24‍–‍53	28‍–‍49

National League final standings

v
t
e
National League
Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
New York Giants	98	59	.624	—	50‍–‍28	48‍–‍31
Brooklyn Dodgers	97	60	.618	1	49‍–‍29	48‍–‍31
St. Louis Cardinals	81	73	.526	15½	44‍–‍34	37‍–‍39
Boston Braves	76	78	.494	20½	42‍–‍35	34‍–‍43
Philadelphia Phillies	73	81	.474	23½	38‍–‍39	35‍–‍42
Cincinnati Reds	68	86	.442	28½	35‍–‍42	33‍–‍44
Pittsburgh Pirates	64	90	.416	32½	32‍–‍45	32‍–‍45
Chicago Cubs	62	92	.403	34½	32‍–‍45	30‍–‍47

Red Sox

White Sox

Indians

Tigers

Athletics

Browns

Yankees

Senators

Locations of teams for the 1942–1953 American League seasons

American League

Braves

Dodgers

Cubs

Reds

Giants

Phillies

Pirates

Cardinals

Locations of teams for the 1943–1952 National League seasons

National League

All-American Girls Professional Baseball League final standings

First half

Rank	Team	W	L	W-L%	GB
1	Grand Rapids Chicks	40	13	.755	—
2	Fort Wayne Daisies	34	17	.667	5
3	South Bend Blue Sox	38	22	.633	5½
4	Rockford Peaches	31	26	.544	11
5	Peoria Redwings	28	25	.528	12
6	Kenosha Comets	21	36	.368	21
7	Kalamazoo Lassies	19	38	.333	23
8	Battle Creek Belles	11	45	.196	30½

Second half

Rank	Team	W	L	W-L%	GB
1	South Bend Blue Sox	38	14	.731	—
2	Rockford Peaches	34	15	.694	2½
3	Fort Wayne Daisies	34	18	.654	4
4	Grand Rapids Chicks	31	22	.585	7½
5	Peoria Redwings	21	31	.404	17
6	Battle Creek Belles	19	35	.352	20
7	Kenosha Comets	15	35	.333	22
8	Kalamazoo Lassies	15	37	.288	23

Overall

Rank	Team	W	L	W-L%	GB
1	South Bend Blue Sox	76	36	.679	—
2	Grand Rapids Chicks	71	35	.670	2
3	Fort Wayne Daisies	68	35	.660	3½
4	Rockford Peaches	65	41	.613	8
5	Peoria Redwings	49	56	.467	23½
6	Kenosha Comets	36	71	.336	37½
7	Kalamazoo Lassies	34	75	.312	40½
8	Battle Creek Belles	30	80	.273	45

Nippon Professional Baseball final standings

Central League final standings

Central League	G	W	L	T	Pct.	GB
Yomiuri Giants	114	79	29	6	.731	—
Nagoya Dragons	113	62	48	3	.564	18.0
Osaka Tigers	116	61	52	3	.540	20.5
Shochiku Robins	115	53	57	5	.482	27.0
Kokutetsu Swallows	107	46	59	2	.438	31.5
Taiyo Whales	108	40	64	4	.385	37.0
Hiroshima Carp	99	32	64	3	.333	41.0

Pacific League final standings

Pacific League	G	W	L	T	Pct.	GB
Nankai Hawks	104	72	24	8	.750	—
Nishitetsu Lions	105	53	42	10	.558	18.5
Mainichi Orions	110	54	51	5	.514	22.5
Daiei Stars	101	41	52	8	.441	29.5
Hankyu Braves	96	37	51	8	.420	31.0
Tokyu Flyers	102	38	56	8	.404	33.0
Kintetsu Pearls	98	37	56	5	.398	33.5

Events

January

January 23 – Guido Rugo, one of the "Three Little Steam Shovels", the construction magnates who bought the Boston Braves in 1944, sells his interest to majority partner Lou Perini and minority partner Joe Maney.
January 26 – The BBWAA votes retired sluggers Jimmie Foxx and Mel Ott into the Baseball Hall of Fame. At 534 and 511 career home runs respectively, they are the only men to crack the 500-homer mark—apart from Babe Ruth and his legendary 714 blows.

February

February 5 – California governor Earl Warren dispels the rumor that he is a candidate for the position of Commissioner of Baseball.^[1]

March

March 10 – The owners of the St. Louis Browns reveal plans to mortgage Sportsman's Park and a minor-league facility in San Antonio, Texas, to raise $600,000 to pay off debts, amid rumors the American League club may be sold and moved elsewhere.
March 12 – For the second time in three months, Commissioner of Baseball Happy Chandler loses his bid for a new contract when he fails to secure the required support of 12 of the 16 MLB owners.^[2] The final tally is nine for Chandler, seven against. The former U.S. Senator, who became baseball's second permanent "czar" in April 1945, will serve as "lame duck" commissioner until he steps down July 14.
March 21 – During spring training, Pittsburgh Pirates left-handed-throwing first baseman Dale Long appears as a catcher in an exhibition game at San Diego, after Pirates general manager Branch Rickey decides to flout tradition. The experiment goes nowhere, with Long appearing almost exclusively as a pinch hitter and playing seven innings at first base before he's sent the St. Louis Browns on waivers June 1. Long eventually catches catch two innings in 1958 as a member of the Chicago Cubs, using his first baseman's mitt.

April

April 1 – The Cleveland Indians trade third baseman Fred Marsh and $35,000 to the St. Louis Browns for second baseman Snuffy Stirnweiss and shortstop Merl Combs.
April 17
- Nineteen-year-old rookie Mickey Mantle makes his MLB debut playing right field and batting third for the New York Yankees in The Bronx against the Boston Red Sox. His sixth-inning single off Bill Wight produces his first-ever hit, RBI and run scored. The Yanks shut out Boston 5–0 behind Vic Raschi.
- At Shibe Park, the Philadelphia Athletics and the Washington Senators play the first Opening Day night game in American League history.^[3] The Senators prevail, 6–1, behind the solid pitching of Cuban 40-year-old Connie Marrero, as his batterymate Mickey Grasso hits a three-run home run. Marrero pitches nine strong innings, allowing one earned run on seven hits and two walks while striking out six batters. Bobby Shantz is the losing pitcher.^[4] Marking another milestone, this is the Philadelphia AL franchise's first Opening Day with someone other than legendary Connie Mack at the helm; he had managed the Athletics for 50 years and 7,466 games before his retirement in October 1950 at age 87. Jimmy Dykes, Mack's former stalwart third baseman, runs the Philadelphia bench this season.
April 23 – In 16 innings, the Brooklyn Dodgers edge the Boston Braves at Ebbets Field, 2–1.
April 30 – Three American League clubs combine on a trade, in which the Chicago White Sox obtain future Baseball Hall of Famer Minnie Miñoso from the Cleveland Indians and fellow outfielder Paul Lehner from the Philadelphia Athletics. Simultaneously, the ChiSox send catcher Gus Niarhos and outfielder Dave Philley to Philadelphia, and the Indians obtain pitcher Lou Brissie from the Athletics in exchange for pitcher Sam Zoldak and catcher Ray Murray.

May

May 1 – On Mother's Day, New York Yankees rookie Mickey Mantle hits the first home run of his MLB career off Randy Gumpert in an 8–3 victory over the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park. In the same game, Cuban third baseman and former Negro leagues star Minnie Miñoso becomes the first black player in White Sox franchise history. In his first MLB at-bat, Miñoso homers off Yankees' starter Vic Raschi.^[5]
May 6 – In the second game of a doubleheader at Braves Field, Cliff Chambers pitches a no-hitter, as the Pittsburgh Pirates top the Boston Braves, 3–0.
May 10 – The Cleveland Indians obtain veteran outfielder Sam Chapman from the Philadelphia Athletics for infielder Lou Klein and outfielder Allie Clark.
May 14 – The New York Yankees trade third baseman Billy Johnson to the St. Louis Cardinals for first baseman Don Bollweg and $15,000. Johnson, 32, has won four World Series rings as a Yankee since 1943.
May 15 – The Detroit Tigers trade right-hander Saul Rogovin to the Chicago White Sox for southpaw Bob Cain. On August 19, 1951, Cain will be on the mound at Sportsman's Park during Bill Veeck's most famous promotional stunt.
May 16 – The contract of third baseman Bob Dillinger, a speedy .300 hitter and former American League All-Star notorious for lackadaisical play in the field,^[6] is sold to the Chicago White Sox by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
May 17
- The Boston Red Sox trade pitchers Jim Suchecki and Jim McDonald ("player to be named later"/PTBNL), catcher Matt Batts and $100,000 to the St. Louis Browns for catcher Les Moss.
- The Pittsburgh Pirates trade shortstop Stan Rojek to the St. Louis Cardinals for first baseman Rocky Nelson and outfielder/infielder/pitcher Erv Dusak.
May 28 – After starting his MLB career 0-for-12, rookie New York Giants outfielder Willie Mays gets his first major league hit, a home run off Boston Braves ace Warren Spahn at the Polo Grounds.
May 30 – On Memorial Day, the Chicago White Sox sweep the St. Louis Browns in a Comiskey Park doubleheader, 5–2 and 8–1, to extend their winning streak to 14 games dating to May 15. Under first-year manager Paul Richards, the ChiSox are the early surprises of the American League, ending today with a 26–9 (.743) record and a two-game lead over the New York Yankees in the early-season pennant race. In contrast, the 1950 Pale Hose had gone 60–94 and finished sixth.

June

June 4
- Gus Bell of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits for the cycle, drives in three runs and scores two more, to lead Pittsburgh to a 12–4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at Shibe Park.^[7]
- Frank Lane, the prolific trade-maker and general manager of the Chicago White Sox, makes two deals. First, he acquires infielder Kermit Wahl from the Philadelphia Athletics for third baseman Hank Majeski, then he packages Wahl, outfielder Paul Lehner and cash to obtain outfielder Don Lenhardt from the St. Louis Browns.
June 15
- At the trading deadline, the Brooklyn Dodgers—already six games in front in the National League standings—get even stronger, acquiring slugging outfielder Andy Pafko from the Chicago Cubs in an eight-player trade. The full transaction sees Brooklyn get five-time All-Star Pafko, pitcher Johnny Schmitz, catcher Rube Walker and infielder Wayne Terwilliger from the Cubs for pitcher Joe Hatten, catcher Bruce Edwards, infielder Eddie Miksis and outfielder Gene Hermanski.
- The New York Yankees make two deals. They acquire left-hander Bob Kuzava from the Washington Senators for three right-handed hurlers, Tom Ferrick, Bob Porterfield and Fred Sanford. Then the Yankees also obtain southpaw Stubby Overmire from the St. Louis Browns for lefty Tommy Byrne and $25,000.
- The Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals make a two for five trade, with the Pirates sending hurler Cliff Chambers and outfielder Wally Westlake to the Cardinals for pitchers Howie Pollet and Ted Wilks, catcher Joe Garagiola, infielder Dick Cole and outfielder Bill Howerton.
June 19 – Billy Southworth resigns as manager of the Boston Braves with his team tied for fifth place in the National League and 10½ games out of the lead. The Braves promote popular former right fielder Tommy Holmes, 34, from Hartford to replace him. Southworth, 58, retires from managing with a 1,044–704 record over 13 seasons; his .597 winning percentage is second-best all-time. He won four NL pennants: three straight (1942–1944) as skipper of the St. Louis Cardinals (along with the 1942 and 1944 World Series); and one with the Braves (in 1948). He will be posthumously elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008.
June 22 – Bill Veeck, the flamboyant former owner of the Cleveland Indians, announces that he has purchased controlling interest in the downtrodden St. Louis Browns from owners Bill and Charles DeWitt. Veeck, 37, will complete the transaction July 4 when he acquires additional stock in the Browns to assume 75 percent ownership. He has been out of baseball since 1949, when he sold his share in the Indians during a divorce settlement.
June 30 – The New York Giants claim utility infielder Hank Schenz on waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Schenz will appear in only eight games while spending the rest of the season on New York's roster; however, decades later, it will be alleged that the spyglass he employs to steal signs will be instrumental in the Giants' white-hot 37–7 late-season winning streak that propels them into the 1951 National League tie-breaker series.

July

July 1 – In the first game of a doubleheader, Bob Feller tosses the third no-hitter of his career for the Cleveland Indians in a 2–1 win over the Detroit Tigers.
July 4
- At Ebbets Field, the Brooklyn Dodgers sweep a Fourth of July doubleheader from their archrivals, the New York Giants, 6–5 (11 innings) and 4–2. The twin victories enable the Dodgers (46–26) to widen their National League lead to 6½ games over the second-place Giants (41–34) at the 1951 season's unofficial halfway mark. Meanwhile, in the American League, the Chicago White Sox (46–27) regain a slim, half-game lead when they split a twin bill with the Detroit Tigers, and the onrushing New York Yankees (44–26) are slowed by dropping a doubleheader to the Washington Senators.
- Ralph Kiner belts two home runs in the second game of a Forbes Field holiday twin bill, enabling his Pittsburgh Pirates to overwhelm the Cincinnati Reds 16–4 in a seven-inning official game halted by rain. The Pirates and Reds split the doubleheader, but Cincinnati manager Luke Sewell protests both contests because Kiner remains in the Bucs' lineup despite being suspended by the National League just before the start of Game 1 for a recent dust-up with umpire Jocko Conlan.
July 5 – With his estimated $1.5 million purchase completed, Bill Veeck becomes president and 75% owner of the St. Louis Browns. He promises "sweeping changes" for the last-place team, which has also finished last in MLB team attendance for every year since 1946.
July 10 – Exploding for a record four home runs, the National League trounces the American League, 8–3, at the annual All-Star Game, at Briggs Stadium in Detroit. Pittsburgh Pirates' slugger Ralph Kiner hits a home run for the third year in a row.
July 12
- New York Yankees hurler Allie Reynolds pitches a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians in a 1–0 win.
- It takes 17 innings to settle a "Battle of the Soxes," but the Boston Red Sox defeat the Chicago White Sox, 5–4, at Comiskey Park. Boston's Ellis Kinder throws ten innings of shutout relief, and Chicago's starting pitcher, Saul Rogovin, goes all 17 innings and ends up with the loss. The win is the Red Sox' seventh straight and gives them a 1½-game lead in the AL standings.
July 14
- Although he had vowed to serve out his term "until the last second" when it expires on April 30, 1952, lame-duck Commissioner of Baseball Happy Chandler resigns, leaving the post temporarily vacant.^[8] Prominent names such as retired General of the Army Douglas MacArthur are floated as possible successors, but it's quickly reported that MLB owners wish to promote someone from inside the game to replace Kentucky politician Chandler.
- After pitching for Bill Veeck in Cleveland in 1948–1949, 45-year-old free agent Satchel Paige rejoins him with the St. Louis Browns.
July 15 – Left-hander Sam Zoldak of the Philadelphia Athletics one-hits the Chicago White Sox, while getting two "knocks" and two RBIs himself. Chico Carrasquel's third-inning single is Chicago's only hit—and Zoldak picks him off first base. The 5–0 win enables the lowly Athletics to sweep the twin bill at Comiskey Park.
July 19 – Paul Lehner is claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Indians, enabling the veteran outfielder to play for four of the eight American League teams during the 1951 regular season.
July 21 – The Chicago Cubs (35–45, seventh in the NL) change pilots, replacing veteran Frankie Frisch with a player-manager, first baseman Phil Cavarretta. The move signals the end of the Baseball Hall of Fame second baseman's 16-year managing career.
July 22 – The New York Yankees sweep a Sunday doubleheader from the St. Louis Browns at Sportsman's Park, 9–0 and 7–3, and the Boston Red Sox defeat the Detroit Tigers, 10–9 at Briggs Stadium, in their single game. Coupled with the Chicago White Sox' twin defeats at the hands of the Washington Senators at Griffith Stadium, 7–6 and 11–5, the Yankees pull into a virtual tie for first place with the Red Sox and White Sox.
July 23 – A "ding-dong" affair at Forbes Field sees the Boston Braves score seven runs in the first inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates respond with six tallies of their own. The Bucs take the lead 14–11 after six innings, but Boston battles back with four runs in the seventh and eighth, and pulls out a 15–14 win. Of the Braves' 22 hits, the winning blow is an eighth-inning single by Roy Hartsfield.^[9]
July 28
- Clyde Vollmer, who started the month on the Boston Red Sox' bench, continues his slugging fireworks against the Cleveland Indians. Vollmer singles in the tying run in the 15th inning and then in the 16th hits a grand slam off reliever Bob Feller for an 8–4 Red Sox win. The slam is the latest hit in a game in major-league history. Mickey McDermott pitches all 16 innings for the Sox, striking out 15 and walking one.
- Billy Evans, general manager of the Detroit Tigers since January 1, 1947, announces his resignation, effective October 1. Charlie Gehringer, the Tigers' Hall of Fame former second baseman, will succeed him.

August

August 1 – The regular season's penultimate month dawns with the Brooklyn Dodgers (63–32) leading the New York Giants (56–44) by 9½ games (12 in the loss column) in the National League standings. In the American League, the New York Yankees (59–35) lead the second-place Cleveland Indians (58–38) by two lengths and the third-place Boston Red Sox (57–39) by three.
August 7 – Dick Sisler's RBI single in the home half of the 15th gives the Philadelphia Phillies a 1–0 triumph over the Boston Braves. Defending NL champion Philadelphia is 55–51 and, at 13½ games, well out of the 1951 pennant race.
August 9 – The Brooklyn Dodgers complete a three-game, Ebbets Field series sweep of the second-place New York Giants, 6–5. Roy Campanella bashes two homers, including the game-winner in the seventh inning off Sheldon Jones, and Clyde King picks up his second victory in as many games. The Giants now trail the Dodgers by 121⁄2 games—15 in the loss column—with 45 games left in the regular season.
August 11 – Robin Roberts of the Philadelphia Phillies beats the Giants, 4–0, briefly dropping the New Yorkers a season-high 131⁄2 games behind the first-place Brooklyn Dodgers. However, the Dodgers lose a half-game of their lead when they come up short in the second game of a Saturday doubleheader, 8–4, to the Boston Braves.

August 12 – The Giants sweep the Phillies in a Polo Grounds Sunday twin bill, 3–2 and 2–1. The victories begin the Giants' 16-game winning streak and a phenomenal 37–7 (.841) stretch run that enables them to tie for the NL pennant on the regular season's final day.
August 15 – The Cleveland Indians defeat the St. Louis Browns behind Early Wynn at Sportsman's Park. The victory is Cleveland's 13th in a row and enables the Tribe to maintain a 2½-game advantage over the New York Yankees.
August 19 – Bill Veeck, the showman and maverick owner of the St. Louis Browns, pulls off one of the greatest stunts in baseball history. In the second game of a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers, Veeck sends Eddie Gaedel to the plate as a pinch-hitter for leadoff batter Frank Saucier. At 3 feet 7 inches (1.09 m) tall, Gaedel becomes the shortest player in baseball annals. Due to his extremely small strike zone, Gaedel walks on four consecutive pitches and is immediately replaced by a pinch-runner. American League president Will Harridge, saying Veeck is making a mockery of the game, voids Gaedel's contract the next day. Detroit goes on to win the game, 6–2.
August 24 – Just five days after the Gaedel stunt, Veeck stages another headlining promotion, "Grandstand Managers Night," at Sportsman's Park. A select group of 1,000 fans seated in a special section of the ballpark and equipped with YES and NO placards decides game strategy — while the St. Louis Browns' veteran manager, Zack Taylor, sits in a rocking chair, smoking a pipe, in the Brownie dugout. The "grandstand managers" even help Taylor make out his lineup card. The promotion has mixed results: a paltry 3,925 attend the contest, but the 38–81 Browns defeat the 49–75 Philadelphia Athletics, 5–3, with Ned Garver improving to 15–8 on the season.^[10]^[11]
August 27 – The New York Giants extend their winning streak to 16 games, sweeping the Chicago Cubs in a Polo Grounds doubleheader, 5–4 (12 innings) and 6–3. The Giants have now shaved the Brooklyn Dodgers' National League lead to five games, six in the loss column.
August 29 – With four-plus weeks remaining in the regular season, there is a torrid pennant race in the American League. The Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees have been trading blows all this month; today Cleveland, which held a three-game lead as recently as August 23, falls into a dead heat with the Yankees at 80–47, when they fall to the Philadelphia Athletics, 3–0, and the Yankees overwhelm the St. Louis Browns, 15–2.

September

September 1 – New York Giants outfielder Don Mueller hits three home runs and drove in five runs in an 8–1 victory over the Brooklyn Dodgers at Polo Grounds. Sal Maglie is the winning pitcher. Dodgers starter Ralph Branca‚ coming off two consecutive shutouts‚ lasts only four innings. The only run for Brooklyn comes on a hit by pitch, when Maglie hits Jackie Robinson with the bases loaded in the third inning. The Giants' Whitey Lockman is plunked twice, by Dodgers relievers Bud Podbielan and Phil Haugstad. In a flashy fielding play, shortstop Alvin Dark and second baseman Eddie Stanky combine in the fifth inning on a triple play off a liner by Dodgers shortstop Pee Wee Reese.^[12]
September 3 – Labor Day doubleheaders see the Dodgers sweep the Boston Braves and the Giants split with the Philadelphia Phillies. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Indians sweep the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees split with the Philadelphia Athletics. The standings: in the National League, the Dodgers (84–47) lead the Giants (79–54) by six games; and in the American League, Cleveland (84–49) holds a half-game edge over New York (82–48).
September 7 – In one of 1951's longest games, the Cincinnati Reds defeat the visiting Chicago Cubs 7–6 in 18 innings. Catcher Dixie Howell's sacrifice fly plates the Reds' winning run.
September 14 – At Fenway Park, Bob Nieman of the St. Louis Browns becomes the first player in history to hit two home runs in his first two MLB plate appearances. Nieman will be joined by Bert Campaneris (1964), Mark Quinn (1999), J.P. Arencibia (2010) and Trevor Story (2016) in the select group of players who have hit two homers in their debut game.
September 17 – A crucial, three-game series between the American League's two top teams in The Bronx concludes, turning the tide of the pennant race. The New York Yankees (now 89–53) defeat the Cleveland Indians, 2–1, when Phil Rizzuto's ninth-inning bunt single scores Joe DiMaggio from third base with the winning run. Eddie Lopat wins his 20th game, defeating Bob Lemon. The Yankees take two out of three from Cleveland (now 90–56) and a one-game lead in the standings. The Indians will go only 3–5 over their final eight games, while the Yankees will finish 9–3, including a humiliating five-game sweep over the visiting, third-place Boston Red Sox to close the season. They will clinch the pennant September 28.
September 20 – Ford Frick, 56, president of the National League since 1934, is elected the third Commissioner of Baseball and takes office immediately. Cincinnati Reds president/general manager Warren Giles, 55, the runner-up in the balloting, will succeed Frick as the Senior Circuit's chief executive. In Frick, MLB owners choose a baseball insider, unlike the first two Commissioners, a federal judge (Kenesaw Mountain Landis) and a politician (Happy Chandler).
September 25 – Defeating Ralph Branca and Carl Erskine, the fourth-place Boston Braves sweep the Brooklyn Dodgers (93–56) in a Tuesday doubleheader at Braves Field, 6–3 and 14–2. Meanwhile, the New York Giants (93–58) win their single game against the Philadelphia Phillies behind Jim Hearn, 5–1 at Shibe Park. Brooklyn's NL lead shrinks to a single game, two in the loss column.
September 27 – Gabe Paul, vice president and traveling secretary of the Cincinnati Reds, is promoted to general manager, succeeding long-time mentor Warren Giles, now president of the National League. At 41, Paul is the youngest general manager in the majors.
September 28
- Allie Reynolds turns in the second no-hitter of his career, and his second this season, as the New York Yankees blank the Boston Red Sox, 8–0, in the first game of a doubleheader in The Bronx. Reynolds' no-no clinches a tie for the American League pennant. Then, in Game 2, the Yankees seal their 18th league title with an 11–3 thumping.
- When the clock strikes midnight on the Friday evening of the 1951 season's final weekend, the National League pennant race is dead even. The Brooklyn Dodgers, only 12–13 so far in September, bow to the host Philadelphia Phillies, 4–3, as Carl Erskine is defeated by the Phillie tandem of starter Karl Drews and reliever Andy Hansen. Willie "Puddin' Head" Jones drives home the winning run in the home half of the ninth inning. The New York Giants, 18–5 so far this month, have an open date. Both teams boast 94–58 records with two games remaining.
September 29 – The NL race remains a dead heat as both the Dodgers (5–0, behind Don Newcombe) and Giants (3–0, behind Sal Maglie) shut out the Phillies and Boston Braves on the road.
September 30
- The New York Giants clinch at least a tie for the 1951 National League pennant by defeating the Boston Braves, 3–2, behind Larry Jansen's 22nd victory of the year. Bobby Thomson jump-starts the Giants' scoring with a second-inning home run.
- At Shibe Park, the Brooklyn Dodgers overcome an early 6–1 deficit to send their game with the Philadelphia Phillies into extra innings, 8–8. Neither team scores until the top of the 14th when Jackie Robinson—who in the 12th had saved the Dodgers' season with a brilliant, diving catch of Eddie Waitkus' bases-loaded line drive—belts a solo home run off Phillies' ace Robin Roberts, pitching in relief, to give Brooklyn a 9–8 lead. The Dodgers' Bud Podbielan then holds the Phillies off the scoreboard in the bottom of the 14th. The Brooklyn victory sets up the second best-of-three tie-breaker series in the NL's 75-year history.

October

October 1–2 – The New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers split the first two games of the 1951 National League tie-breaker series. With Jim Hearn tossing a five-hitter and Bobby Thomson bashing a difference-making two-run homer off Ralph Branca, New York takes Game 1 at Ebbets Field, 3–1. The next day, Brooklyn answers with a 10–0 whitewashing behind Clem Labine's six-hit shutout and Jackie Robinson's three hits and three RBI. Game 3 on October 3 will decide the league champion.
October 3 – The Giants had been 131⁄2 games behind the National League leading Dodgers in mid-August, but under Leo Durocher's guidance and with the aid of a 16-game winning streak, they complete their improbable comeback. In Game 3 of the NL playoffs at the Polo Grounds, Brooklyn leads 4–2 with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning. With Giants' runners on second and third, New York's Bobby Thomson hits reliever Branca's third pitch for a line-drive home run into the left-field stands to win the game, 5–4. His "shot heard 'round the world" wins the NL pennant in "walk off" style, and WMCA-AM's Russ Hodges' frantic "The Giants win the pennant!", said four times consecutively, becomes one of the most famous home run calls in baseball history.
October 4 – For the 14 clubs not in the 1951 World Series, the off-season trading period kicks off when the Chicago Cubs deal 24-year-old catcher Smoky Burgess and outfielder Bob Borkowski to the Cincinnati Reds for catcher Johnny Pramesa and outfielder Bob Usher.
October 8 – In a marriage of opposite personalities, showman owner Bill Veeck names cantankerous former Baseball Hall of Fame second baseman Rogers Hornsby manager of the 1952 St. Louis Browns, replacing Zack Taylor. Upon his appointment, Hornsby promises "no midgets, no gimmicks, just good baseball."^[13]
October 10
- The New York Yankees defeat the New York Giants, 4–3, in Game 6 of the World Series to win their third consecutive Series championship and 14th overall. The Yanks' Eddie Lopat goes 2–0 (0.50) with two complete games, and Gil McDougald drives in seven runs for the victors, while Monte Irvin (11 hits, .458) and Alvin Dark (ten hits, .417) star in a losing cause. Just before today's game, Giants manager Leo Durocher turns over a letter he received to newly installed Commissioner Ford Frick that offered the Giants manager a $15,000 bribe "if the Giants managed to lose the next three games".
- In an all-pitcher, six-player transaction, the independently operated Seattle Rainiers of the Pacific Coast League trade Marv Grissom and Hal Brown to the Chicago White Sox for Jerry Dahlke, Bill Fischer, Marv Rotblatt and minor-leaguer Richard Duffy.
October 11 – The Boston Braves trade outfielder Bob Addis to the Chicago Cubs for shortstop Jack Cusick.
October 14 – The Cincinnati Reds trade outfielder Jim Bolger to Buffalo of the Triple-A International League for pitchers Tom Acker and Moe Savransky.
October 17 – The Yomiuri Giants win the Japan Series over the Nankai Hawks. The Giants went on to win the Central League pennant 19 times in the next 23 years, including nine in succession (1965–73).
October 22 – The third-place Boston Red Sox, who lost 12 of their last 13 games to finish 87–67 in 1951, replace veteran manager Steve O'Neill with infielder Lou Boudreau, who has just completed his first season in a Red Sox uniform. Boudreau, 34, formerly was the player-manager of the Cleveland Indians from 1942 to 1950, and in his most famous season, 1948, led the Indians to a playoff victory over the Red Sox, and—ultimately—a World Series championship.^[14]
October 24 — The Washington Senators send slick-fielding shortstop Willy Miranda to the Chicago White Sox for veteran infielder Floyd Baker.

November

November 1 – Brooklyn Dodgers catcher Roy Campanella is named National League Most Valuable Player, the first of three MVP awards he will receive during his Hall of Fame career. In 1951, Campanella, 29, batted .325, fourth in the NL, with 33 home runs and 108 run batted in in 143 games.
November 8 – Campanella's opposite number in The Bronx, Yogi Berra, wins the first of his three American League Most Valuable Player Awards. Cooperstown-bound Berra, 26, batted .294 (27 homers, 88 runs batted in) for the AL champion New York Yankees in 1951. In the balloting, he defeats pitcher Ned Garver by 27 points. Right-hander Garver had gone 20–12 with 24 complete games for a St. Louis Browns squad that won only 52 games all season.
November 10 – In Tokyo, 50,000 fans are on hand as an American All-Star team battles a Japanese Central League All-Star team. Joe DiMaggio hits a 400-foot home run in the eighth inning to tie the game at 1–1, then his younger brother Dom laces an RBI-triple in the ninth and later scores to give the Americans a 3–2 victory. The Americans have won 12 games and tied one.
November 13 – The Chicago White Sox remain active in the trade market under general manager "Frantic" Frank Lane, dealing pitcher Randy Gumpert and outfielder Don Lenhardt to the Boston Red Sox for left-hander Chuck Stobbs and infielder Mel Hoderlein.
November 15 – Willie Mays, the brilliant, 20-year-old centerfielder of the New York Giants, and Gil McDougald, 23, versatile infielder of the New York Yankees, win their circuits' respective "Rookie of the Year" awards. For Mays, it is the first major honor in a Hall of Fame career.
November 23 – The New York Yankees send young catcher Clint Courtney to the St. Louis Browns in exchange for pitcher Jim McDonald. Courtney, a scrapper despite being the first major-league catcher to wear eyeglasses, had appeared in one game for New York. He'll appear in 945 more American League contests through 1961.
November 24 – The St. Louis Cardinals fire manager Marty Marion after only one season at the team's helm. Eight-time NL All-Star shortstop Marion, 33, led the 1951 Redbirds to an 81–73 mark and third-place finish.
November 27
- In an eight-player trade, the St. Louis Browns send catcher Sherm Lollar, pitcher Al Widmar and infielder Tom Upton to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for catcher Gus Niarhos, pitcher Dick Littlefield, first baseman Gordon Goldsberry, shortstop Joe DeMaestri and outfielder Jim Rivera. Rivera, a favorite of Browns' manager Rogers Hornsby, will be traded back to the ChiSox in eight months. Lollar will be Chicago's regular catcher for a decade, and make eight AL All-Star teams.
- The White Sox also swap shortstops with the Washington Senators, dealing Tom Upton to Washington for Sam Dente.
November 28 – The Browns trade Niarhos, along with outfielder Ken Wood, to the Boston Red Sox for catcher Les Moss and outfielder Tom Wright. The Browns also sign veteran free-agent shortstop Marty Marion, fired as the St. Louis Cardinals' manager four days earlier, as a player-coach.

December

December 5 – The Pittsburgh Pirates reacquire first baseman Dale Long on waivers from the St. Louis Browns. In March, the Pirates and Long had made headlines when he was briefly auditioned as a left-handed-throwing catcher. When that experiment was abandoned, he returned to his original position. Long will spend 1952 through 1954 in the minor leagues before winning the Pirates' first base job in 1955 and setting an MLB record for homers in consecutive games in 1956.
December 10 – The Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies pull off a seven-player trade, with the Reds dealing pitcher Howie Fox, catcher Smoky Burgess and infielder Connie Ryan to the Phils for pitcher Niles Jordan, catcher Andy Seminick, infielder Eddie Pellagrini and outfielder Dick Sisler. Burgess and Seminick will eventually be traded for each other as part of a six-player swap in April 1955.
December 11
- Three-time MVP and 13-time All Star center fielder Joe DiMaggio officially retires as a member of the New York Yankees at age 37. In a 13-season career for the club, DiMaggio posted a .325 batting average with 2,214 hits, 361 home runs and 1,537 runs batted in in 1,736 games played. A future Baseball Hall of Famer, his 56-game consecutive-game hitting streak in the 1941 season is the longest in Major League Baseball history and will stand as one of the all-time best diamond achievements.^[15]
- The St. Louis Cardinals and New York Giants conclude weeks of negotiation and rumors, with the Cardinals acquiring scrappy veteran second baseman Eddie Stanky from the Giants for pitcher Max Lanier and outfielder Chuck Diering. Stanky, 36, immediately signs a two-year contract to succeed Marty Marion as manager of the Redbirds.^[16]

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