1952 Major League Baseball season

Last updated

1952 MLB season
League American League (AL)
National League (NL)
Sport Baseball
DurationRegular season:
  • April 15 – September 28, 1952
World Series:
  • October 1–7, 1952
Number of games154
Number of teams16 (8 per league)
Regular season
Season MVP AL: Bobby Shantz (PHA)
NL: Hank Sauer (CHC)
AL champions New York Yankees
  AL runners-up Cleveland Indians
NL champions Brooklyn Dodgers
  NL runners-up New York Giants
World Series
Champions New York Yankees
  Runners-up Brooklyn Dodgers
Finals MVP Johnny Mize (NYY)
MLB seasons
Locations of teams for the 1942–1953 American League seasons
ButtonRed.svg American League
Locations of teams for the 1943–1952 National League seasons
ButtonBlue.svg National League

The 1952 major league baseball season began on April 15, 1952. The regular season ended on September 28, with the Brooklyn Dodgers 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 49th World Series on October 1 and ended with Game 7 on October 7. The Yankees defeated the Dodgers, four games to three, capturing the 15th championship in franchise history, in the midst of a 5-year World Series winning streak. This was the fourth World Series between the two teams.

Contents

The 19th Major League Baseball All-Star Game was played on July 8, hosted by the Philadelphia Phillies in Philadelphia, Pennyslvania, with the National League winning, 3–2. To date, it was the only All-Star Game to be called early due to rain.

The 1952 season would prove to be the final season of a 50-season run which saw no team relocate from one city to another, as the Boston Braves would move to Milwaukee, Wisconsin the following year as the Milwaukee Braves. 1952 would also be Ford Frick's first full year as commissioner.

Schedule

The 1952 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 took place on April 15, featuring 12 teams. The final day of the scheduled regular season was on September 28, which saw all sixteen teams play, continuing the trend from 1946. The World Series took place between October 1 and October 7.

Teams

LeagueTeamCityStadiumCapacityManager
American League Boston Red Sox Boston, Massachusetts Fenway Park 35,200 Lou Boudreau
Chicago White Sox Chicago, Illinois Comiskey Park 47,400 Paul Richards
Cleveland Indians Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland Stadium 73,811 Al López
Detroit Tigers Detroit, Michigan Briggs Stadium 58,000 Red Rolfe, Fred Hutchinson
New York Yankees New York, New York Yankee Stadium 67,000 Casey Stengel
Philadelphia Athletics Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Shibe Park 33,166 Jimmy Dykes
St. Louis Browns St. Louis, Missouri Sportsman's Park 34,000 Rogers Hornsby, Marty Marion
Washington Senators Washington, D.C. Griffith Stadium 29,731 Bucky Harris
National League Boston Braves Boston, Massachusetts Braves Field 37,106 Tommy Holmes, Charlie Grimm
Brooklyn Dodgers New York, New York Ebbets Field 32,111 Chuck Dressen
Chicago Cubs Chicago, Illinois Wrigley Field 36,755 Phil Cavarretta
Cincinnati Reds Cincinnati, Ohio Crosley Field 29,980 Luke Sewell, Rogers Hornsby
New York Giants New York, New York Polo Grounds 54,500 Leo Durocher
Philadelphia Phillies Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Shibe Park 33,166 Eddie Sawyer, Steve O'Neill
Pittsburgh Pirates Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Forbes Field 33,730 Billy Meyer
St. Louis Cardinals St. Louis, Missouri Sportsman's Park 34,000 Eddie Stanky

Standings

American League

American League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
New York Yankees 9559.617—49‍–‍2846‍–‍31
Cleveland Indians 9361.604249‍–‍2844‍–‍33
Chicago White Sox 8173.5261444‍–‍3337‍–‍40
Philadelphia Athletics 7975.5131645‍–‍3234‍–‍43
Washington Senators 7876.5061742‍–‍3536‍–‍41
Boston Red Sox 7678.4941950‍–‍2726‍–‍51
St. Louis Browns 6490.4163142‍–‍3522‍–‍55
Detroit Tigers 50104.3254532‍–‍4518‍–‍59

National League

National League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Brooklyn Dodgers 9657.627—45‍–‍3351‍–‍24
New York Giants 9262.5974½50‍–‍2742‍–‍35
St. Louis Cardinals 8866.5718½48‍–‍2940‍–‍37
Philadelphia Phillies 8767.5659½47‍–‍2940‍–‍38
Chicago Cubs 7777.50019½42‍–‍3535‍–‍42
Cincinnati Reds 6985.44827½38‍–‍3931‍–‍46
Boston Braves 6489.4183231‍–‍4533‍–‍44
Pittsburgh Pirates 42112.27354½23‍–‍5419‍–‍58

Postseason

Bracket

World Series
         
AL New York Yankees 2 73 25 34
NL Brooklyn Dodgers 41 50 6112 2

Managerial changes

Off-season

TeamFormer ManagerNew Manager
Boston Red Sox Steve O'Neill Lou Boudreau
St. Louis Browns Zack Taylor Rogers Hornsby
St. Louis Cardinals Marty Marion Eddie Stanky

In-season

TeamFormer ManagerNew Manager
Boston Braves Tommy Holmes Charlie Grimm
Cincinnati Reds Luke Sewell Rogers Hornsby
Detroit Tigers Red Rolfe Fred Hutchinson
Philadelphia Phillies Eddie Sawyer Steve O'Neill
St. Louis Browns Rogers Hornsby Marty Marion

League leaders

American League

Hitting leaders
StatPlayerTotal
AVG Ferris Fain (PHA).327
HR Larry Doby (CLE)32
RBI Al Rosen (CLE)105
R Larry Doby (CLE)104
H Nellie Fox (CWS)192
SB Minnie Miñoso (CWS)22
Pitching leaders
StatPlayerTotal
W Bobby Shantz (PHA)24
L Art Houtteman (DET)20
ERA Allie Reynolds (NYY)2.06
K Allie Reynolds (NYY)160
IP Bob Lemon (CLE)309.2
SV Harry Dorish (CWS)11

National League

Hitting leaders
StatPlayerTotal
AVG Stan Musial (SLC).336
HR Ralph Kiner (PIT)
Hank Sauer (CHC)		37
RBI Hank Sauer (CHC)121
R Solly Hemus (SLC)
Stan Musial (SLC)		105
H Stan Musial (SLC)194
SB Pee Wee Reese (BKN)30
Pitching leaders
StatPlayerTotal
W Robin Roberts (PHP)28
L Murry Dickson (PIT)21
ERA Hoyt Wilhelm (NYG)2.43
K Warren Spahn (BSB)183
IP Robin Roberts (PHP)330.0
SV Al Brazle (SLC)16

Awards and honors

Regular season

Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards
BBWAA AwardNational LeagueAmerican League
Rookie of the Year Joe Black (BKN) Harry Byrd (PHA)
Most Valuable Player Hank Sauer (CHC) Bobby Shantz (PHA)

Other awards

The Sporting News awards

Baseball Hall of Fame

Home field attendance

Team nameWins%±Home attendance%±Per game
New York Yankees [5] 95−3.1%1,629,665−16.4%21,164
Cleveland Indians [6] 930.0%1,444,607−15.3%18,761
Chicago White Sox [7] 810.0%1,231,675−7.3%15,591
Boston Red Sox [8] 76−12.6%1,115,750−15.0%14,490
Brooklyn Dodgers [9] 96−1.0%1,088,704−15.1%13,609
Detroit Tigers [10] 50−31.5%1,026,846−9.3%13,336
Chicago Cubs [11] 7724.2%1,024,82614.6%13,309
New York Giants [12] 92−6.1%984,940−7.0%12,791
St. Louis Cardinals [13] 888.6%913,113−9.9%11,859
Philadelphia Phillies [14] 8719.2%755,417−19.4%9,940
Washington Senators [15] 7825.8%699,4570.6%8,967
Pittsburgh Pirates [16] 42−34.4%686,673−30.0%8,918
Philadelphia Athletics [17] 7912.9%627,10034.7%8,040
Cincinnati Reds [18] 691.5%604,1972.7%7,847
St. Louis Browns [19] 6423.1%518,79676.6%6,651
Boston Braves [20] 64−15.8%281,278−42.3%3,653

Retired numbers

Events

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Robin Roberts Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com .
  2. ↑ "Robin Roberts Baseball Almanac Awards". Baseball Almanac .
  3. ↑ "Bobby Shants Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com .
  4. ↑ "Bobby Shantz Baseball Almanac Awards". Baseball Almanac .
  5. ↑ "New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  12. ↑ "San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  13. ↑ "St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  16. ↑ "Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  21. ↑ "April 23, 1952 boxscore from Baseball Reference". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  22. ↑ "Strange and Unusual Plays". www.retrosheet.org. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  23. ↑ "Odd Baseball Facts Archive – II: One At-Bat, Two Ejections". goldenrankings.com. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
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