1949 Major League Baseball season
| 1949 MLB season | |
|---|---|
| League | American League (AL) National League (NL) |
| Sport | Baseball |
| Duration | Regular season:
|
| Number of games | 154 |
| Number of teams | 16 (8 per league) |
| Regular season | |
| Season MVP | AL: Ted Williams (BOS) NL: Jackie Robinson (BRO) |
| AL champions | New York Yankees |
| AL runners-up | Boston Red Sox |
| NL champions | Brooklyn Dodgers |
| NL runners-up | St. Louis Cardinals |
| World Series | |
| Champions | New York Yankees |
| Runners-up | Brooklyn Dodgers |
| Finals MVP | Joe Page (NYY) |
The 1949 major league baseball season began on April 18, 1949. The regular season ended on October 2, 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 46th World Series on October 5 and ended with Game 5 on October 9. In the third iteration of this Subway Series World Series matchup, the Yankees defeated the Dodgers, four games to one, capturing their 12th championship in franchise history, since their previous in 1947, and their first in a five-run World Series. Going into the season, the defending World Series champions were the Cleveland Indians from the 1948 season.
The 16th Major League Baseball All-Star Game was held on July 12 at Ebbets Field in New York, New York, home of the Brooklyn Dodgers. The American League won, 11–7, for their fourth straight win.
With the Negro National League folding and the Negro American League losing their major-league status prior to the 1949 season, as per MLB's 2020 designation of Negro Leagues, the National and American Leagues remain as the sole major-leagues of baseball, a fact which continues to the present day.
On July 8, the New York Giants become the fourth team in professional baseball to break the color line when they fielded Hank Thompson (who previously integrated the St. Louis Browns, becoming the only player to integrate two teams) and Monte Irvin.[1]
Schedule
[edit]The 1949 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 18, featuring four teams. The final day of the regular season was on October 2, which saw all sixteen teams play, continuing the trend from 1946. The World Series took place between October 5 and October 9.
Rule changes
[edit]The 1949 season saw the following rule changes:
- Regarding the bonus rule, the amount of the bonus must now be made public before a contract was signed, including "such payments as are made to college men to help them with their education."[2]
- Rules regarding night games were amended:[2]
- In addition to Sundays and holidays, night games were banned a day before a scheduled doubleheader, as well as on the night of a visiting team's departure for another city.
- In the American League, the number of night games which did not require consent from the visiting team was increased from two to four.
- In the National League, the number of night games which did not require consent from the visiting team was increased to five.
Teams
[edit]Standings
[edit]American League
[edit]| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Yankees | 97 | 57 | .630 | — | 54–23 | 43–34 |
| Boston Red Sox | 96 | 58 | .623 | 1 | 61–16 | 35–42 |
| Cleveland Indians | 89 | 65 | .578 | 8 | 49–28 | 40–37 |
| Detroit Tigers | 87 | 67 | .565 | 10 | 50–27 | 37–40 |
| Philadelphia Athletics | 81 | 73 | .526 | 16 | 52–25 | 29–48 |
| Chicago White Sox | 63 | 91 | .409 | 34 | 32–45 | 31–46 |
| St. Louis Browns | 53 | 101 | .344 | 44 | 36–41 | 17–60 |
| Washington Senators | 50 | 104 | .325 | 47 | 26–51 | 24–53 |
National League
[edit]| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Dodgers | 97 | 57 | .630 | — | 48–29 | 49–28 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 96 | 58 | .623 | 1 | 51–26 | 45–32 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 81 | 73 | .526 | 16 | 40–37 | 41–36 |
| Boston Braves | 75 | 79 | .487 | 22 | 43–34 | 32–45 |
| New York Giants | 73 | 81 | .474 | 24 | 43–34 | 30–47 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 71 | 83 | .461 | 26 | 36–41 | 35–42 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 62 | 92 | .403 | 35 | 35–42 | 27–50 |
| Chicago Cubs | 61 | 93 | .396 | 36 | 33–44 | 28–49 |
Postseason
[edit]The postseason began on October 5 and ended on October 9 with the New York Yankees defeating the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1949 World Series in five games.
Bracket
[edit]| World Series | ||||
| AL | New York Yankees | 4 | ||
| NL | Brooklyn Dodgers | 1 | ||
Managerial changes
[edit]Off-season
[edit]| Team | Former Manager | New Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago White Sox | Ted Lyons | Jack Onslow |
| Detroit Tigers | Steve O'Neill | Red Rolfe |
| New York Yankees | Bucky Harris | Casey Stengel |
In-season
[edit]| Team | Former Manager | New Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Boston Braves | Billy Southworth | Johnny Cooney |
| Chicago Cubs | Charlie Grimm | Frankie Frisch |
| Cincinnati Reds | Bucky Walters | Luke Sewell |
League leaders
[edit]American League
[edit]| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| AVG | George Kell (DET) | .343 |
| OPS | Ted Williams (BOS) | 1.141 |
| HR | Ted Williams (BOS) | 43 |
| RBI | Vern Stephens (BOS) Ted Williams (BOS) |
159 |
| R | Ted Williams (BOS) | 150 |
| H | Dale Mitchell (CLE) | 203 |
| SB | Bob Dillinger (SLB) | 20 |
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| W | Mel Parnell (BOS) | 25 |
| L | Paul Calvert (WSH) Ned Garver (SLB) Sid Hudson (WSH) |
17 |
| ERA | Mike Garcia (CLE) | 2.36 |
| K | Virgil Trucks (DET) | 153 |
| IP | Mel Parnell (BOS) | 295.1 |
| SV | Joe Page (NYY) | 27 |
| WHIP | Fred Hutchinson (DET) | 1.161 |
National League
[edit]| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| AVG | Jackie Robinson (BRO) | .342 |
| OPS | Ralph Kiner (PIT) | 1.089 |
| HR | Ralph Kiner (PIT) | 54 |
| RBI | Ralph Kiner (PIT) | 127 |
| R | Jackie Robinson (BRO) | 132 |
| H | Stan Musial (STL) | 207 |
| SB | Jackie Robinson (BRO) | 37 |
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| W | Warren Spahn (BSN) | 21 |
| L | Howie Fox (CIN) | 19 |
| ERA | Dave Koslo (NYG) | 2.50 |
| K | Warren Spahn (BSN) | 151 |
| IP | Warren Spahn (BSN) | 302.1 |
| SV | Ted Wilks (STL) | 9 |
| WHIP | Dave Koslo (NYG) | 1.113 |
Milestones
[edit]Batters
[edit]- Willie Jones (PHI):
- On April 20, Jones ties Dick Bartell (1933) and Ernie Lombardi (1935) for most consecutive doubles in the National League at four.
- Elmer Valo (PHA):
- On May 1, Valo becomes the first American League player to hit two bases-loaded triples in a game, against the Washington Senators.
- Wally Westlake (PIT):
- On June 14, Westlake hits for the cycle at home against the Boston Braves.
- Gil Hodges (BRO):
- On June 25, Hodges hits for the cycle against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh.
- Walker Cooper (CIN):
- On July 6, Cooper ties a modern record with six hits in seven at-bats, including three home runs with 10 RBI, against the Chicago Cubs.
- Stan Musial (STL):
- On July 24, Musial hits for the cycle against the Brooklyn Dodgers in Brooklyn.
- Wally Moses (PHA):
- Recorded his 2,000th career hit on July 26 against the St. Louis Browns.
- Ralph Kiner (PIT):
- On September 13, Kiner tied a Major League record held by six players with his 4th grand slam of the season, against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Miscellaneous
[edit]- Philadelphia Phillies:
- Tie a Major League record for a team hitting the most home runs in a single inning, with five home runs in the eighth inning on June 2 against the Cincinnati Reds.
- Washington Senators:
- Set a Major League record for giving up most bases on balls in an inning, surrendering 11 in the third inning on September 11 against the New York Yankees.
Awards and honors
[edit]Regular season
[edit]| Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| BBWAA Award | National League | American League |
| Rookie of the Year | Don Newcombe (BRO) | Roy Sievers (SLB) |
| Most Valuable Player | Jackie Robinson (BRO) | Ted Williams (BOS) |
| Babe Ruth Award (World Series MVP) |
— | Joe Page (NYY)[8][9] |
Other awards
[edit]| The Sporting News Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Award | National League | American League |
| Player of the Year[10] | — | Ted Williams (BOS) |
| Pitcher of the Year[11] | Howie Pollet (STL) | Ellis Kinder (BOS) |
| Rookie of the Year[12] | Don Newcombe (BRO) | Roy Sievers (SLB) |
| Manager of the Year[13] | — | Casey Stengel (NYY) |
| Executive of the Year[14] | Bob Carpenter (PHI) | — |
Baseball Hall of Fame
[edit]Home field attendance
[edit]| Team name | Wins | %± | Home attendance | %± | Per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Yankees[15] | 97 | 3.2% | 2,283,676 | −3.8% | 29,278 |
| Cleveland Indians[16] | 89 | −8.2% | 2,233,771 | −14.8% | 29,010 |
| Detroit Tigers[17] | 87 | 11.5% | 1,821,204 | 4.5% | 23,349 |
| Brooklyn Dodgers[18] | 97 | 15.5% | 1,633,747 | 16.8% | 20,945 |
| Boston Red Sox[19] | 96 | 0.0% | 1,596,650 | 2.4% | 20,736 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates[20] | 71 | −14.5% | 1,449,435 | −4.5% | 18,824 |
| St. Louis Cardinals[21] | 96 | 12.9% | 1,430,676 | 28.7% | 18,110 |
| New York Giants[22] | 73 | −6.4% | 1,218,446 | −16.5% | 15,423 |
| Chicago Cubs[23] | 61 | −4.7% | 1,143,139 | −7.6% | 14,846 |
| Boston Braves[24] | 75 | −17.6% | 1,081,795 | −25.7% | 14,049 |
| Chicago White Sox[25] | 63 | 23.5% | 937,151 | 20.5% | 12,171 |
| Philadelphia Phillies[26] | 81 | 22.7% | 819,698 | 6.8% | 10,645 |
| Philadelphia Athletics[27] | 81 | −3.6% | 816,514 | −13.6% | 10,604 |
| Washington Senators[28] | 50 | −10.7% | 770,745 | −3.1% | 10,010 |
| Cincinnati Reds[29] | 62 | −3.1% | 707,782 | −14.0% | 9,074 |
| St. Louis Browns[30] | 53 | −10.2% | 270,936 | −19.3% | 3,519 |
See also
[edit]- 1949 in baseball (Events, Movies, Births, Deaths)
- 1949 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League season
- 1949 Nippon Professional Baseball season
References
[edit]- ^ "These players integrated each MLB team". MLB.com. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
- ^ a b Levy, Gary. "1948 Winter Meetings: Concerns and Conflicts Regarding Televised Baseball Grow Stronger – Society for American Baseball Research". Retrieved June 3, 2025.
- ^ "1949 Major League Managers". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
- ^ "1949 American League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
- ^ "1949 American League Pitching Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
- ^ "1949 National League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
- ^ "1949 National League Pitching Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
- ^ "Babe Ruth Award Goes To Joe Page". The New London Day. January 20, 1950. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
- ^ "1949 World Series". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on June 23, 2008. Retrieved September 20, 2009.
- ^ "Major League Player of the Year Award by The Sporting News | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- ^ "Pitcher of the Year Award by The Sporting News | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- ^ "Rookie of the Year Award by The Sporting News | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- ^ "Manager of the Year Award by The Sporting News | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- ^ "MLB Executive of the Year Award | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- ^ "New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Philadelphia Phillies Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 1949 in Major League Baseball.