Baseball – 1940

Baseball in 1940

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January


January 4The Reds send sore-armed lefty Lee Grissom to the Yankees for 26-year-old pitcher Joe Beggs. As noted by historian Lyle Spatz‚ Beggs had to clear waivers from all 7 AL teams‚ who likely were not aware of the impending swap. This is due to the new rule voted last month barring the AL pennant winner (read Yankees) from any trades within the league. Beggs will go 12-3 for the Reds‚ while Grissom will be sold to the Dodgers on May 15.
January 14Commissioner Kenesaw Landis gives free agency to 91 Detroit players and farm hands. Citing cover-ups in its organization‚ Landis hands freedom to Roy Cullenbine‚ Benny McCoy‚ Lloyd Dietz‚ and Steve Rachunok from the parent roster and orders $47‚250 paid as compensation to 14 players. Johnny Sain is one of 23 players who will later make it to the ML. Landis’s edict nullifies a deal that would have brought Wally Moses to the Tigers for Benny McCoy and George Coffman. McCoy is considered the plum of the emancipation‚ and several clubs bid for the 2B. Connie Mack keeps Moses and signs McCoy for a $45‚000 bonus and 2-season contract at $10‚000 a year.

February


February 8The Browns make one of their best acquisitions ever when they purchase Elden Auker from the Red Sox. Auker will become the ace of the staff winning 44 games over the next 3 seasons.
February 12The Dodgers purchase OF Joe Vosmik from the Red Sox.
February 15The Tiger roster lists Hank Greenberg as an OF. The willingness of the team’s leading power hitter to switch‚ at a contract boost‚ from 1B allows manager Del Baker to find a position for Rudy York. Also on the list are Dick Bartell‚ picked up from the Cubs for Billy Rogell‚ and Pinky Higgins‚ who had been shopped around. The four‚ along with Barney McCosky and Charlie Gehringer‚ produce the stuff that will move the Tigers from fifth to first‚ although its .588 mark will be as low as that of any pennant-winner yet.
February 23The A’s waive Lynn Nelson to Detroit. Nelson was the A’s top winner last year with 10 victories‚ but he’ll go 1-1 with Detroit before bowing out.
February 29The First National Bank of Chicago tries to force a sale of the White Sox by the heirs of the late Louis Comiskey. A local judge denies the effort of the club’s principal lender‚ saying that Mrs. Grace Comiskey can keep the club for their 14-year-old son‚ Charles II‚ until he is 35.

March


March 3The Boston Bees sell Debs Garms to the Pirates. Garms will get only 358 at bats for the Bucs but‚ nevertheless‚ will lead the NL in hitting with a .355 average. Unlike the AL’s 400 at bats‚ the NL rules state that a player must appear in at least a hundred games: Garms will play in 103. Ford Frick‚ NL prexy‚ will clarify this in September when it is clear that Garms will not reach the 400 ABs. (Pirate teammate Virgil Davis will be the nominal runnerup at .326‚ but play just 99 games). Garms will drop to .264 in 1941 and he will be out of baseball in 1942.
March 17An inter-league all-star game is played in Florida for the benefit of Finland‚ which has been attacked by the Soviet Union. Over $20‚000 is raised‚ but the Finlanders give up their battle within a few days of the benefit.
March 19In an exhibition game that might be a spring training record of sorts‚ the Kansas City Blues pound the Washington Senators‚ 22-5. The Blues collect 23 hits for 46 bases. French Bordagaray starts the scoring with a HR in the 1st; Jack Saltzgaver is 3-for-3 with 3 triples and 5 RBIs. Another familiar name‚ Johnny Lindell‚ yields 3 hits in 3 innings for the Blues.

The Giants sign Paul Dean‚ recently released by the Cardinals. Dizzy’s younger brother will win 4 games for New York this year.
March 26After being released by the Pirates‚ Chuck Klein signs for his third stint with the Phils.
March 28During a 10-1 loss to the Cubs at Wrigley Field in LA‚ White Sox vet 2B Jackie Hayes catches a cinder in his eye. The eye will become infected and though he finishes the season‚ he loses the sight in the eye. In 1943 he will lose the sight in both eyes.

April


April 5At Greensboro‚ NC a game between the Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox is called at the end of 8 innings because the supply of balls is exhausted. The Reds win 12-10. The same happened to the two teams on April 6‚ 1939 in Florence‚ SC.
April 10In an exhibition game in Ashland‚ KY‚ the Yankees collect only 2 hits off Max Macon and Newt Kimball but beat the Dodgers‚ 7-6. The scoring comes in the 4th on Rolfe’s single‚ 4 walks‚ and 2 errors‚ and in the 6th on Dahlgren’s solo HR. The Yanks do lose Jake Powell‚ who suffers a brain concussion in a collision. Powell will play just 12 games this season.
April 14With two outs in the 9th inning of an exhibition game against the Dodgers in Brooklyn‚ Joe DiMaggio injures his knee sliding into 2B. Joe will miss Opening Day for the 4th time in five years.

At the Bee Hive in Boston‚ the Bees beat the Red Sox‚ 7-5‚ before a crowd of 9‚900. Yesterday’s match was called off because of bad weather.

In Los Angeles‚ Carlos Bernier homers in the 18th inning to give Hollywood a 6-5 PCL win over the Angels. It is the longest game ever at Wrigley Field.
April 16Every White Sox player ends the day with the same batting average he starts with. Working in 47-degree weather‚ Bob Feller of the Cleveland Indians throws an Opening Day no-hitter‚ winning 1-0 at Comiskey Park. Edgar Smith is the losing pitcher. Rollie Hemsley has the only RBI.

In the earliest start of today’s openers‚ the Reds shade the visiting Cubs‚ 2-1. Derringer outguns Lee‚ with all the runs coming on homers: McCormick‚ Goodman‚ and Galan for the Cubs.

At Griffith Stadium‚ President Roosevelt throws out the first ball for the Washington-Boston game. Lefty Grove then allows just two hits as Boston edges the Senators‚ 1-0.

Before 20‚187 at Shibe Park‚ Chubby Dean outlasts Red Ruffing as the A’s defeat the defending champion Yankees‚ 2-1‚ in ten innings. It is Dean’s first complete game in the majors. New York’s only run is unearned in the 3rd inning‚ but the A’s tie it up on a Bob Johnson solo homer. Chubby Dean‘s long sac fly in the 10th off Ruffing drives in the winning run.

At Detroit‚ the majors largest crowd-49‚417-watch the Browns upset the Tigers‚ 5-1. Detroit castoff George Coffman is the winner over Buck Newsom.

The highest score of the day is the 6-4 Pirates win over the Cards‚ with pitchers collectively turning in one of the best openers in history. The Philadelphia Inquirer attributes this to the new rule that allows pitchers to start their delivery with one foot off the rubber. The rule change was made because of the complaints that the lively ball had given the advantage to the batters.
April 23A flood at Crosley Field washes out a game against the St. Louis Cardinals‚ the first time a flood has caused the postponement of an NL game. The teams will later decide to replay the game on May 13th when both teams will be heading east from St. Louis‚ but they neglect to inform the NL office.
April 24At Philadelphia‚ the Yankees whip the A’s‚ 9-4‚ behind Red Ruffing. Master deceiver Frankie Crosetti pulls off at least his 6th successful hidden ball trick (as noted by Bill Deane) when he nabs the A’s Al Brancato.
April 25Dizzy Dean allows 2 runs in the 1st‚ but settles down to win 4-2 over the Reds. The Cubs beat Paul Derringer‚ who loses for the first time after winning 11 straight decisions. Derringer’s last loss was August 10 of last year‚ the same date Diz recorded his last win.
April 26Yankee Red Rolfe has nine assists at 3B against Boston‚ but the Red Sox win 8-1.

The Giants send slow-footed slugger Zeke Bonura back to the Senators for P Rene Monteagudo and $10‚000.
April 27Rookie SS Lou Boudreau‘s first ML HR leads off the game against Detroit’s Hal Newhouser. He adds another + a single against Prince Hal‚ as Cleveland wins 4-2.

At the Polo Grounds‚ the Dodgers beat the Giants‚ 4-1‚ to go to 7-0‚ their best start in 50 years. Hot Potato Hamlin is the winner: he beat the Giants 5 straight times in 1939.
April 28The Indians take a 9-3 lead into the 9th but the Tigers score 6 to tie. Hal Trosky wins it for the Indians with a 2-run‚ 2-out HR in the 10th‚ 11-9.
April 29At Detroit‚ Bob Feller walks in the winning run in the 8th inning and loses to the Tigers‚ 4-3. Cotton Pippen is the winner with 8 1/3 innings of relief. The Indians (7-3) are now tied with the Red Sox for 1st place.
April 30Tex Carleton of the Brooklyn Dodgers‚ who dropped to the minors in 1939 after successfully hurling for the Cards and Cubs‚ tosses a no-hitter‚ blanking the Reds 3-0 in a dried-out Cincinnati. Pete Coscarart‘s three-run homer in the 5th off Jim Turner is all the scoring. The win is the 9th straight for Brooklyn since Opening Day‚ which ties a 20th C ML record set by the Giants in 1918. Carleton had been released by the Minneapolis Millers after the 1939 season‚ and Brooklyn signed him as a free agent. Cincinnati ends the streak tomorrow‚ winning 9-2‚ to move two games behind the Dodgers.

The Browns Emil Bildilli gives up hits to the first 2 Yankee batters‚ and that’s all as St. Louis wins‚ 2-1. New York is 4-6.

May


May 1The Reds Bill Werber has just 2 hits‚ but his homer and double come in an 8-run 4th inning. The Reds beat Hugh Casey and Brooklyn‚ 9-2.
May 5The visiting Dodgers use 22 players and the Cards use 17 for a ML record 39 players in a nine-inning game. The Dodgers score four runs in the 9th to win‚ 9-6.
May 6Forget yesterday’s mark. Two ML records are set as Pittsburgh uses 24 players and both clubs use 40 as the Boston Bees win in 12 innings‚ 10-7. The Bucs have lost 6 in a row.
May 7The Dodgers are drubbed by the Cardinals‚ 18-2 when St. Louis totals 49 bases on 20 hits. The Cards have 13 extra base hits‚ 7 of them HRs to set a NL mark for extra bases on long hits (29). Eddie Lake and Johnny Mize each have a pair. Brooklyn then becomes the first NL team to ?y‚ going from St. Louis to Chicago on two planes. The Red Sox flew the same route July 30‚ 1936‚ but for reasons of cost and risk‚ no other teams try the airlines. The Dodgers will fly from New York from Chicago.
May 8The Waner brothers‚ Lloyd and Paul‚ lose their places in the Pittsburgh OF when new manager Frank Frisch acquires Vince DiMaggio for Johnny Rizzo‚ who hit 23 HRs as a rookie in 1938 with Cincinnati. Vince takes over CF‚ flanked by Maurice Van Robays and Bob Elliott‚ each playing their first full season. Yesterday the Bucs sold OF Fern Bell to Toronto.
May 9The press reports the impending sale of the Yankees by the Ruppert estate to political bigwigs Jim Farley and Jesse Jones. The Sporting News declares the sale will be for $4 million. The imminent sale will resurface on the front page several times during the next year‚ but it never happens.

After yesterday’s rainout at Wrigley‚ the Dodgers score three in the 10th to beat Larry French‚ 4-1. Newt Kimball is the winner.
May 11The Red Sox top the Yankees 9-8 with 2 runs in the bottom of the 11th after New York had taken the lead on Tommy Henrich‘s 2nd HR of the game. Manager Joe McCarthy benches Frankie Crosetti‚ hitting .150‚ but New York (6-8) still loses their 8th in a row at home to drop into last place. Meanwhile‚ Boston takes their 6th straight. With Crosetti’s benching‚ he ends his consecutive games played at 420‚ the longest current streak in the majors.

Syracuse SS Ace Parker‚ the IL’s leading hitter‚ breaks his leg sliding home in a win over Toronto. Parker will miss the rest of the baseball season but be the 1940 MVP in the National Football League. At the end of the year he will announce that he is giving up baseball for football.
May 12Behind the six-hit pitching of Red Ruffing‚ the Yankees beat the Bosox‚ 4-0‚ and stop New York’s 8-game losing streak. New York (7-14) is still in last place while Boston (16-6) sits atop the AL.

The Reds (15-4) follow up yesterday’s win over St. Louis‚ with a doubleheader sweep‚ winning 7-1 and 13-4. Ival Goodman has a homer in the openers and three Reds-Frank McCormack‚ Lonnie Frey‚ and Harry Craft-come through with circuit clouts in the second game. The Cards help with seven errors in the two games.
May 13In a replay of their washed-out game of April 23rd called on account of darkness‚ the Reds and the Cards neglect to inform the league office‚ and no umpires are assigned to Crosley Field. Coach Jimmy Wilson and P Lon Warneke are pressed into service as umpires before umpire Larry Goetz‚ at home in Cincinnati on a day off‚ arrives to officiate. Warneke will later become a full-time umpire‚ while Wilson will return to active duty at the end of the year and star in the WS. Johnny Mize of the St. Louis Cardinals hits 3 HRs‚ and the Reds Bill Werber has 5 hits and collects 4 consecutive doubles in a 14-inning‚ 8-8 tie with the Reds. Werber is the only one to do it in bothe leagues. Mize’s is his 3rd 3-homer game‚ breaking the tie for the NL record he shared with George Kelly. After 1910‚ there will be only 5 games this century in which active players umpire: Besides today these are: 1912: Ham Hyatt (Pit-N) and Ed Phelps (Bro-N); 1935: Jocko Conlan (Chi-A); 1941: Johnny Cooney (Bos-N) and Freddie Fitzsimmons (Bro-N); and 1978: Don Leppert (coach‚ Tor-A) and Jerry Zimmerman (coach‚ Min-A). (as noted by historian Wayne McElreavy).

Bees reliever Jim Callahan walks seven‚ including 5 straight Giant batters after 2 are out in the 4th. He throws 18 straight balls in the inning‚ though the Giants just score 2. Gumbert is the winner in relief‚ 11-5.
May 14Boston’s Jimmie Foxx blasts a 10th inning HR off White Sox P Johnny Rigney to give first place Boston a 7-6 win. The ball goes over the LF roof‚ the longest poke in Comiskey Park history.
May 151B Art Mahan and 2B Herman Schulte establish themselves as regulars at their positions with the Phillies. Fewer than a dozen players have been 120-or-more-game regulars in their only season in the ML‚ and the Phillies‚ again locked in last place‚ have 2 of them in one season. Neither Phillie will hit .250‚ but Schulte will top 2B in fielding.

In the Pirates 5-2 loss to the Giants‚ only 3 Bucs bat in the 2nd‚ but all reach base. Maurice Van Roblys singles and is picked off; Vince DiMaggio walks and is forced at 2B by Frankie Gustine‚ who is caught stealing.
May 17Chicago’s Stan Hack‚ is struck by a foul line drive off the bat of teammate Hank Lieber and suffers a concussion. Hack was the runner at 3rd base and in foul territory when he was struck. The Cubs top the host Giants‚ 4-0‚ with Claude Passeau outdueling Hal Schumacher. Passeau allows just 2 singles‚ both by Joe Moore.

Ival Goodman cracks an 11th inning grand slam to pace the Reds to a 7-2 victory over the Phils in Philadelphia. Frank McCormick‘s 2-run HR in the 8th tied the score.

Cleveland rolls over the Senators‚ 18-1‚ scoring 10 runs in the 1st inning.
May 18After beating the Phillies 11 straight times over 2 1/2 years‚ the Reds Paul Derringer finally loses‚ 8-3. The Phils collect 12 hits in 8 innings off Derringer.

The Cards collect just 7 hits off Hot Potato Hamlin‚ but all are for extra bases to tie an NL record. The Dodgers lose‚ 6-2. Five of the hits are HRs-2 each by Mize and Terry Moore. Pee Wee Reese steals his 17th base in 26 games; the Cards have just 5 stolen bases.

The Yanks vacate last place by beating the White Sox‚ 3-0‚ behind Monte Pearson‘s 2-hitter.
May 19At Memphis‚ 53-year-old manager Truck Hannah catches a doubleheader win over Nashville. Truck is forced to play because of injuries to his two catchers.
May 20Behind 7-1‚ the Phils score 7 runs in the 9th inning to edge the Pirates‚ 8-7. Morrie Arnovich‚ with a single his first time up in the 9th‚ walks with the bases loaded to push across the winning run. Wally Berger‘s two run single had tied the contest at 7-7.

Pinky Higgins clouts three successive homers and drives in seven runs to lead Detroit to a 10-7 victory over the leading Red Sox. Pinky’s first two clouts come off Lefty Grove‚ and the last off Jack Wilson‚ who is charged with the loss. Jimmy Foxx hits his 10th homer of the year‚ a 5th inning grand slam‚ and Lefty Grove homers in the 2nd.

The Yankees slip back into last place‚ losing to the Indians‚ 10-2. Al Smith allows just 3 NY hits.
May 21Jimmie Foxx hits a grand-slam home run for the 2nd day in a row against Detroit in an 11-8 Red Sox win. Only Ruth‚ twice‚ and Dickey have slammed in consecutive days in the AL. Williams‚ Doerr‚ and Roger Cramer also homer for Boston. Greenberg and York homer for the Bengals‚ while Wally Moses has a pair of triples and 2 singles.

Against his old teammates‚ Chicago 1B Joe Kuhel has 5 hits‚ including 2 doubles and a HR‚ to help the White Sox beat Washington 9-8.

The Phils sign pitcher Cy Blanton when he is made a free agent by the Pirates on orders from Commissioner Landis.
May 23In front of just 793 paid customers in St. Louis‚ the Browns trip the Senators‚ 8-7‚ in 12 innings. Jimmy Bloodworth‘s 2-run HR gives the Nats the lead in the top of the 12th‚ but the George McQuinn‘s 2nd homer of the day‚ a single‚ and a triple by Rip Radcliff‚ who scores on a sac fly gives St. Louis the win over Sid Hudson.
May 24Before 22‚260‚ the New York Giants rip the Boston Bees 8-1 in the first night game at the Polo Grounds. Harry Gumbert is the winner.

The Cleveland Indians edge the St. Louis Browns‚ 3-2‚ in the first night game at Sportsman’s Park before 24‚827‚ the biggest crowd since 1922. Bob Feller beats Eldon Auker and his first ML homer is the margin of victory.
May 26The Reds receive their 1939 World Series rings from Commissioner Landis and then beat the Cardinals 1-0 on Paul Derringer‘s one-hitter. Stuart Martin’s 1st inning single is the only hit. In the stands are 21 fans who saw the 1869 champion Reds in action.
May 27Brooklyn trades OF Roy Cullenbine to the Browns for OF Joe Gallagher. In 2 days the Dodgers will sell OF Gene Moore back to the Boston Bees.
May 30The Giants sweep the Dodgers 7-0 and 12-5 in 12 innings dropping Brooklyn out of 1st place. In the opener‚ Carl Hubbell uses just 81 pitches and gives up only a 2nd inning single to Johnny Hudson‚ who is erased on a DP. Only Lavagetto gets to a 3-2 count. Bill Lohrman wins the 2nd game in 12 innings.

June


June 1Filling in for Leo Durocher‚ rookie Pee Wee Reese gets beaned by Cubs pitcher Jake Mooty. Chicago edges the Dodgers‚ 4-3‚ in 12 innings‚ as Mooty is the winner over Tot Pressnell.
June 2Bucky Walters wins his 9th in a row‚ 11-1 over the Bees‚ then Boston stings the Reds in game 2‚ winning 2-0. Dick Erickson applies the whitewash‚ though he is nearly matched by ex-Bee Jim Turner. Turner face just 18 batters in the first six innings. Brooklyn takes a pair from the Cubs to move two games in back of the first place Reds.

The Red and White Sox split a doubleheader in Boston. Ted Lyons wins the opener‚ 6-0‚ for his 225th career victory. It is his 4th win this season. The Red Sox come back in the nitecap‚ 10-8‚ when Jimmy Foxx cracks his 13th homer of the year in the 9th inning into the LF screen with Ted Williams on base. Boston stays two games ahead of Cleveland‚ which split today with the A’s.
June 3The Cubs get waivers from all 15 teams and send Dizzy Dean to Tulsa (Texas League). Dean has submitted to a number of treatments‚ including teeth extraction‚ but his arm has not responded‚ and the Cubs hope the Texas League sun will help. He will pitch moderately well and is a great ticket seller.

Chicago loses to Brooklyn‚ 3-2‚ when Dolf Camilli homers off Claude Passeau.
June 4The Pirates rout the Boston Bees 14-2 in the first night game at Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field. 20‚319 Pirate fans look on.

At Sportsman’s Park‚ the Cardinals play their first home night game‚ losing 10-1 to the Dodgers. The Browns lost their 1st home night game at Sportsman’s Park 10 days earlier. Brooklyn scores 5 in the first inning‚ led by Pete Coscarart‘s three run homer. Ducky Medwick goes 5-for-5 for the Cardinals.
June 7With the Cardinals starting badly (14-24)‚ owner Sam Breadon fires Ray Blades as manager. Bill Southworth is brought back from Rochester to replace him. Mike Gonzales is the interim manager until Southworth arrives.

After 9 straight wins‚ Bucky Walters suffers his first defeat as the Dodgers beat the Reds‚ 4-2‚ in 11 innings.
June 8At Cincinnati‚ reliever Carl Doyle of the Dodgers gives up 16 hits and 14 runs in just 4 innings‚ as the Reds pound out 27 hits in a 23-2 win‚ regaining 1st place. Cincy is paced by Harry Craft‚ who hits for the cycle and adds a single and scores 4 runs. Teammate Frank McCormick scores 5 runs. Doyle also manages to throw 2 wild pitches and hit 4 Cincinnati batters in the game to help set a bitter tone to the Cincinnati-Dodgers rivalry‚ which will continue through the decade. Doyle‚ however‚ won’t be around as Brooklyn ships him to the Cards in four days. His 4 hit batsmen ties an NL record.
June 11In the 2nd of two‚ Paul Dean debuts with the Giants and beats the Cubs‚ 3-1‚ on 4 hits. Joe Moore runs his hitting streak to 14 games when he belts an 8th inning homer off Claude Passeau. The Giants win the opener 4-0 behind Bill Lohrman to pull within 1 1/2 games of the Reds and Dodgers. Bill Lee is the losing Cubs hurler in that one.

In Boston‚ the Indians chase Bob Feller‚ 9-2‚ on homers by Williams and Cronin. Williams adds a triple‚ while Finney has four hits including a pair of doubles. During the game‚ Tribe manager Oscar Vitt openly criticizes Feller‚ saying “Look at him. He’s supposed to be my ace. How am I supposed to win a pennant with that kind of pitching.” The Boston win keeps the Sox a game ahead of Detroit and Cleveland.
June 12In a sweet trade for Brooklyn‚ GM Larry MacPhail perfects his outfield and gets one pitcher: Joe Medwick and 37-year-old Curt Davis‚ a 22-game winner last year‚ are acquired from the Cardinals for Ernie Koy‚ P Carl Doyle‚ minor leaguers Bert Haas and Sam Nahem‚ and $125‚000. Medwick is hitting .338.

The first place Red Sox club veteran Indians’ P Mel Harder for a 9-5 win‚ handing the Tribe their 8 loss in 13 games. Cleveland’s Ossie Vitt‚ in lifting Harder‚ snarls‚ “It’s about time you won one‚ the money you’re making.” The criticism‚ plus the same type of remarks made earlier about Feller‚ will prompt Harder to request a meeting with Cleveland owner Alva Bradley tomorrow morning in Cleveland.
June 13At Cooperstown‚ Ted Williams hits 2 homers against the Cubs‚ but Chicago counters with 4 round trippers to win the 7-inning exhibition‚ 10-9.

The Cleveland players petition owner Alva Bradley to remove Oscar Vitt as manager. “Sometimes it seems he’ll drive us all nuts‚” says Bob Feller. “Maybe it’s just his nervousness.” Bradley declines‚ stating that the club is just 2 games behind Boston. The Indians tip the Tigers‚ 3-2‚ in 11 innings‚ winning on Charlie Gehringer‘s throwing error. Cleveland has their best month of the year‚ settling into first place‚ which they will hold until the final 2 weeks of the season.
June 14In the Bees 4-2 win over the Cubs‚ Boston 1B Buddy Hassett fouls out in the 8th inning after hitting safely in 10 straight at bats over 3 games. He walked once in the streak. Before the game‚ Boston sends C Al Lopez to Pittsburgh for C Paul Burris and cash.

Luke Hamlin holds the Reds to two hits and Brooklyn wins‚ 2-0‚ to take over first place from the Reds. Joe Medwick‘s safety drives in the first run‚ and Vosmik Joe adds another.

In his first appearance as Ray Blades successor‚ new Cardinal manager Billy Southworth wins a 6-2 verdict over the Phillies. New Card Ernie Koy has two hits to lead a 9 hits attack for Bob Bowman.

Gordon Cobbledick breaks the story in the Cleveland Plain Dealer about the players’ mutiny against Oscar Vitt. Vitt meets with owner Bradley but declines to comment on the mutiny. He will stay on and today the players hand him a 8-0 win over Detroit. Johnny Allen tosses a two-hitter.
June 15Harry Danning hits for the cycle‚ as the Giants beat visiting Pittsburgh. Danning’s HR is an inside-the-park hit that lands 460 feet on the ?y in front of the Giants’ clubhouse. It lodges behind the Eddie Grant memorial‚ and CF Vince DiMaggio cannot extricate the ball in time. Danning is the last player this century to include an IPHR in his cycle. The Giants win 12-1‚ their 8th straight win.

The Reds send recently acquired Johnny Rizzo to the Phillies for OF Morrie Arnovich.
June 16The Reds manage just two hits off Wyatt but beat the Dodgers‚ 1-0‚ at Ebbets Field. Lonny Frey‘s unusual home run in the 9th settles the game: Frey’s hit strikes the top of the RF wall‚ bounces straight up‚ and settles on a ledge on top of the wall next to the scoreboard.

Cleveland fans cheer manager Oscar Vitt and boo the “crybaby’s‚” Hal Trosky and Bob Feller. Feller answers with a 3-hit win over the A’s‚ striking out 12 in the 4-2 game. Al Milnar takes the nitecap by the same score.

Ted Williams cracks a 12th inning HR to give Boston a 4-3 win over the White Sox in game 1. Ted thumps another in the 14-5 nitecap win. Winning P Jack Wilson clubs a pair of homers‚ as does Joe Cronin. Foxx homers as well as the Sox collect 20 hits.
June 17Not a single assist is recorded by any of the Boston Bee infielders in the first game of a doubleheader versus Pittsburgh. Boston wins 5-3‚ then takes the nitecap‚ 5-1.

Citing upset nerves‚ Cleveland catcher Frank Pytlak quits the team. Pytlak‚ who had been a holdout all spring training‚ will be dealt to the Red Sox in December. The Indians bring up young Jim Hegan from Wilkes-Barre.
June 18Joe Medwick‚ in the Dodger lineup for 6 days after his trade from the Cardinals‚ is beaned by St. Louis P Bob Bowman at Ebbets Field in the 2nd game of a doubleheader. Allegedly‚ Medwick had been tipped off by 3B coach Chuck Dressen‚ who had stolen the sign‚ to expect a curve. The Cards win their 6th straight in 11 innings 7-5‚ as Bowman is escorted from the park by policemen. Hospitalized‚ Medwick will return to the lineup after several days‚ but he is never again a major power hitter. Larry MacPhail wants Bowman banned for life. The night before‚ Bowman allegedly got into an argument with Medwick and Leo Durocher in a hotel elevator.

The Browns top the Red Sox 11-7 in St. Louis when Johnny Berardino cracks a grand slam off Jim Bagby in the 10th inning.
June 19In a night game following the Medwick beaning‚ the Cards make 7 errors in an 8-3 loss to Brooklyn. Slick-fielding Cardinal SS Marty Marion makes 3 errors in the 7th inning.
June 20The Yankees lose to the White Sox 1-0 in 11 innings‚ their 6th straight loss‚ then protest a “catch” by Sox LF Moose Solters‚ contending he dropped the ball in the 2nd inning when he was reaching for his cap. Umpire George Quinn apparently missed the error and the protest is upheld. The game will be replayed September 18‚ but‚ for several years‚ all of today’s records count including Monte Pearson‘s loss and Johnny Rigney‘s win‚ will count. It is the first time since 1919 that the Yankees have been shut out in extra innings by one pitcher: they lost on May 19‚ 1935 in extra innings to 2 pitchers‚ Stewart and Brown.

Boston loses a pair-and the 4 game series-to the Browns‚ 2-1 and 11-4‚ and drops out of first place. The Indians take over 1st with a 12-1 drubbing of the Senators. The new issue of The Sporting News headlines “‘I’ll be Nice if I Can‚’ says Vitt of Tribe Truce.”
June 21Washington rookie Sid Hudson takes a no-hitter into the 9th inning‚ but the Browns Rip Radcliff hits a pop fly double down the RF line with no outs. A passed ball puts him on 3rd‚ but Hudson retires 3 for a 1-0 win. He’ll beat the A’s on a one-hit shutout in August.
June 22After winning 1-0 yesterday‚ the Senators trip the Browns‚ 11-10. The Browns take an early lead on Harlond Clift‘s grand slam and two homers by Johnny Berardino‚ the 2nd with 2 men on.

The Cardinals squash the Boston Bees‚ 9-2 with a 7 run 6th inning. Boston contributes 8 errors including 3 in the Birds’ big frame. Stu Miller reaches base twice on errors in the 6th‚ the only NL player to do so this century.
June 23With 52‚657 in attendance at the Polo Grounds‚ the Giants Billy Jurges is hit on the head by a pitch thrown by Bucky Walters of the Reds He leaves the field on a stretcher. A shaken Walters then allows 2 runs and is lifted. The Giants have a 4-2 lead with 2 out in the 9th‚ but the Reds score 5 runs on 6 hits to win 7-4. Cincy takes the 2nd game 2-0. Jurges will stay in the hospital 6 days and the Giants will go 39-61 and tailspin from 2nd place to 6th after his injury.

In Cleveland‚ 56‚659 watch the Indians split with Boston. Cleveland wins the opener 4-1 for their 8th win in a row‚ then Boston wins the nitecap 2-0 on two Jim Tabor HRs. In game 1‚ Ted Williams and Doc Cramer collide chasing a fly ball. Williams is knocked unconscious and the ball goes for an inside-the-park home run.

Bobo Newsom wins his 9th in a row‚ stopping the Yankees on 4 hits. The Tigers move to a game and a half in back of the 1st place Indians.
June 25The Cubs score 5 times in the 13th to beat the Dodgers‚ 8-3. Claude Passeau pitches 4 innings of relief for the win. It’s the Dodgers 7th loss in 9 games.
June 26Sam Chapman is 5-for-5 including a grand slam to lead the Browns to a win over the A’s.
June 27Buck Newsom (10-1) wins his 10th in a row as the 2nd place Tigers whip St. Louis 2-1. Detroit manages just 3 hits‚ but 2 are homers by Greenberg and Gehringer.

At Brooklyn‚ the Dodgers honor Jack Norworth‚ who wrote the lyrics to “Take Me Out To The Ball Game.” Norworth penned the lyrics 32 years ago‚ but this is the first baseball game he’s ever seen. Albert Von Tilzer‚ who wrote the music‚ waited 20 years to see his first game (according to columnist Hal Lebovitz). The Dodgers manage a 5-4 win over the Cubs to move a game and a half behind the first place Reds.
June 28Johnny Vander Meer‚ plagued with control problems‚ is optioned by the Reds to Indianapolis. Vandy was ineffective in the Reds pennant drive last year and was knocked out in his only 2 starts this year.
June 29Bob Feller fans 11 White Sox in gaining his 12th win of the year‚ 7-3. Lee takes the loss. The Tribe now lead the AL by 2 1/2 games.

July


July 1Detroit’s Bobo Newsom wins his 11th victory in a row‚ 3-1‚ over the White Sox. Rigney takes the loss.
July 2Detroit takes over 1st place by beating the White Sox‚ 10-9‚ taking advantage of 10 walks handed out. Meanwhile‚ the Indians lose their 2nd straight to the Browns‚ 5-3.

At Boston‚ the Red Sox split a pair with the A’s‚ losing 4-3 before winning 15-9. The Sox score in 6 of the 8 innings in the nitecap getting homers from Foxx and Cronin. Al Simmons hits his 1st homer of the year for the A’s.
July 3At the Polo Grounds‚ the Dodgers tie the Giants 3-3 in the 9th‚ then Pee Wee Reese‘s grand slam gives the Dodgers a 7-3 win.

Paced by a Jimmie Foxx home run‚ the Red Sox score 6 in the 9th to defeat the A’s‚ 12-11 to erase a 7-run deficit after the 7th. Williams and Tabor clout 3-run homers‚ with Ted’s tying the game. Cronin also homers for the Hubmen‚ while Sam Chapman (2) and Siebert homer for the A’s.
July 4The Tigers draw the largest crowd in their history‚ 56‚272‚ for the first-place showdown with the Indians. Detroit takes the opener‚ 5-3‚ behind Tommy Bridges complete game. The Indians bounce back to win the nitecap in 11 innings‚ 2-1‚ to regain first place. Their previous largest crowd was last year on opening day at the newly enlarged Briggs Stadium.

Ab Wright of Minneapolis (AA) follows one HR in the morning game of a holiday doubleheader with 4 HRs and a triple-19 total bases-against St. Paul at Nicollet Park. Wright’s first homer in game two is a monster shot that clears the center-field wall. His 4 homers in a game ties the 1935 mark of Dale Alexander of KC off Steve Sundra of Minneapolis‚ and the 19 TB is a new AA record. The Millers win the 2nd game‚ 17-5‚ after losing the a.m. game‚ 3-2. Wright will win the AA Triple Crown‚ hitting .369‚ 39 HRs‚ and 159 RBIs.
July 5The Brooklyn Dodgers outlast Boston 6-2 in 20 innings in a contest lasting 5 hours and 19 minutes. The 2 teams’ epic marathon ties record-setters of 1920 and 1939. Bees manager Casey Stengel is tossed in the 10th after complaining too hard to Bick Campbell. Campbell ordered Dolf Camilli to bat again after flying out‚ because the ump had not seen the pitch.

The Phils hand Wally Berger his unconditional release.

Lacrosse (Wisconsin State League) righty Merv Henley pitches a doubleheader against Fon Du Lac‚ allowing just one run in 16 innings‚ a 7th inning HR in game 2. He allows 7 hits and no walks. The 30-year-old Henley will finish the season at 20-3.
July 6The Tigers sweep a pair from the Browns and move within 2 percentage points of the Indians. In an 11-2 win‚ Bobo Newsom allows three hits in winning his 12th straight-all complete games as Detroit pounds Vern Kennedy for 12 hits in 4+ innings. Detroit scores two unearned runs in the nitecap to give young Johnny Gorsica the win over John Niggeling. Niggeling allows just 4 hits.

At Chicago‚ Paul Derringer allows just one hit-Stan Hack‘s double in the 6th-as the Reds top the Cubs‚ 4-0. Frank McCormick‘s three-run homer in the first is the big Red blow.
July 7The Bees sting the Dodgers twice by one run‚ dropping Brooklyn out of first place. Manuel Salvo wins the opener‚ 1-0‚ when Johnny Cooney drives home the lone run off Whit Wyatt. Coffman checks the Dodgers in the nitecap‚ 2-1. The Reds‚ 4-3 winners at Chicago‚ take over the NL lead‚ which they will not relinquish.

At the NL club owners meeting in St. Louis‚ Ford Frick proposes batting helmets for hitters. Frick admitted his idea had met with a lukewarm response when players and managers were polled. Frankie Frisch talked it over with the Pirates and most were against it.
July 10Boston Bees OF Max West‚ a late replacement for Mel Ott‚ hits a 3-run HR in the first inning to lead the NL to a 4-0 victory over the AL in the All-Star Game at Sportsman’s Park. It is the first shutout in All-Star history. Joe Cronin directs the AL when Joe McCarthy steps aside‚ stating he has “had the honor often enough.”
July 12A single by Dick Siebert in the 8th inning deprives Bob Feller of a no hitter‚ but the Indians ace blanks the A’s‚ 1-0‚ striking out 13 in a night game. It is Feller’s 4th one-hitter.
July 13In a Fenway rarity‚ the White Sox whitewash the home team in both games of a doubleheader. Ted Lyons wins the opener‚ 5-0‚ and Jack Knott ties up the Red Sox in the nitecap‚ 7-0.

It’s lucky 13 for Bobo Newsom as the Detroit ace wins his 13th straight. Bobo allows 2 Washington hits in shutting out the Nats‚ 4-0‚ in the nitecap of 2. Detroit wins the opener as well‚ 4-3. The 2 wins move the Bengals within a point of 1st place.

The Cardinals edge the visiting Giants in a brace of games‚ 7-6 and 4-3. Johnny Mize hits for the cycle in the opener for the Birds.
July 14In the aftermath of the beanball wars‚ Spalding advertises a batting helmet with ear flaps in The Sporting News. Players express no interest‚ but next year Brooklyn will introduce a cap liner‚ which some batters start to use.

Freddie Fitzsimmons of the Dodgers wins his 200th career game‚ a 4-hitter over Pittsburgh. Fat Freddy will win 6 games each from the Pirates and Philadelphia on the way to a 16-2 won-loss mark. Fat Freddie will win his 16 in just 134 innings of work‚ the best ration of wins to innings pitched of any starter in the 20th century.

Swish Nicholson homers in the bottom of the 13th off Paul Dean to give the Cubs a 6-5 win over the Giants. Claude Passeau works 6 innings of relief to pick up his 10th win. In the nitecap‚ Bill Lohrman shuts out the Cubs‚ 2-0‚ to pin the loss on Ken Raffensberger.

The Senators score two runs in the 9th inning after two are out to tie the Indians‚ 5-5. Then with the sacks full in the 11th‚ Buddy Lewis hits a long drive to bring home the Nats winning run‚ 6-5. Detroit stays a game in front of the Tigers‚ losers of a doubleheader with the A’s.
July 17Going for his 14th straight win‚ Detroit’s Bobo Newsom breaks his right thumb in the 4th inning against Boston‚ and the Sox pound relievers to win the opener‚ 8-3. Al Benton takes the loss as Bobo leaves with a 3-2 lead. Detroit loses the nitecap‚ 8-5‚ and drops into a 2nd place tie with the Red Sox. Bobo’s injury occurs in the 4th when he is covers 1st and takes a throw from Rudy York. The doctor predicts Newsom will be out 4 weeks but Bobo says 10 days.

Thanks to a AL record-tying 4 errors by Chicago 3B Eric “Boob” McNair‚ the Senators trip the White Sox‚ 5-3. Gee Walker has 4 Nats hits.
July 18A triple play and three walks off Jackie Wilson in the final frame help the Tigers top the Red Sox‚ 10-8‚ and return to first place.

The Browns lose their club-record 14th straight as the A’s pound 5 pitchers to win‚ 10-3.
July 19Catcher Buddy Rosar hits for the cycle and Babe Dahlgren homers twice to lead the Yanks to a 15-6 win over Cleveland. Gomez and Murphy combine for the win.

At Wrigley‚ Hank Lieber hits a 1st inning grand slam as the Cubs blast the Dodgers‚ 11-4. In the 8th inning‚ Chicago’s Swish Nicholson adds a 2-run HR‚ but the real action comes after Brooklyn P Hugh Casey plunks Chicago pitcher Claude Passeau in the back with a pitch. When Passeau throws his bat at Casey‚ both benches erupt. Dodger reserve Joe Gallagher and Passeau are tossed‚ but the pitcher picks up his 11th win of the year. The bat-tossing will cost Passeau $75.
July 21The Reds Paul Derringer retires the 1st 21 New York batters before Babe Young homers to lead off the 8th. The Giants get one more hit and lose‚ 6-1.
July 22Cubs buy 1B Zeke Bonura from the Senators for $10‚000.
July 23Commissioner Landis rules that Red Sox farmhand Larry Jansen is a free agent and the Judge fines Boston $500 for its mishandling of Jansen’s contract. Jansen won’t arrive in the majors until 1947 but will be 21-5 in his rookie year with the Giants.

The Reds sweep their 10th doubleheader of the year‚ beating the Dodgers 4-3 in 11 innings‚ and 9-2. The first game is marked by a huge brawl in the 8th inning as Reese and Frey get into it after a hard slide at 2B. Frey and Coscarart get chased and Reds P Junior Thompson leaves after getting spiked in the fight. Whit Wyatt‚ who was injured last year in a collision with Frey‚ wails on him with a glove and will get fined $25 for it. The brawl is bigger than the one in Chicago 4 days earlier.

The Dodgers buy Pete Reiser from Montreal.
July 24The Yankees (6) and Browns (5) tie a ML record for most pitchers in a 9-inning game. The Browns pound out a 14-12 win as Judnich hits a HR‚ 2 doubles and 2 singles. He had 2 homers in yesterday’s win over NY. The Yanks counter with homers by DiMaggio‚ Dickey‚ Gordon‚ and Henrich.
July 26New York P Spud Chandler beats the White Sox with his bat‚ knocking in 6 runs with a single and 2 HRs‚ one a grand slam off Pete Appleton. The 6 RBI by a pitcher ties the ML record held by Appleton‚ George Uhle‚ and Wes Ferrell. Joe Gordon also hits a homer‚ his 7th in 8 games. Tonight’s game was the last night game for New York this year: their record after dark is 3-2.
July 27Bob Feller wins his 16th in pitching the Indians to a 13-2 win over the Senators. Feller fans four and‚ for the first time in his career‚ does not walk a batter. He also collects a pair of doubles. The Indians now trail the league-leading Tigers by a half-game.
July 28King Kong Keller clouts 3 HRs and DiMaggio adds 2 HRs-each hitting back-to-back homers twice-for the New York Yankees in a 10-9 win over Chicago in the first game of a doubleheader. Webb is 5-for-6 with a homer for the Sox. The Sox rebound for an 8-4 win in the nitecap.
July 29The Pirates use 21 players and rally for 6 runs in the 9th‚ but still lose to Brooklyn‚ 7-6.
July 31The Phils beat up the Cubs‚ 7-3‚ at Shibe Park‚ as the Cubs lose Augie Galan as well. The veteran left fielder breaks his left kneecap in the 5th inning when he crashes into the concrete wall‚ and is out for the year. Galan injured the same knee three days before the end of the 1938 season. Earlier the Cubs lose Gabby Hartnett‚ when he is struck by Mel Mazzera’s bat after the latter strikes out. Hugh Mulcahy‚ staked to a three-run lead in the 4th when Johnny Rizzo homers‚ keeps the Cubs scoreless till the 8th.

The Indians rally for four runs in the 8th inning to trip the Red Sox‚ 12-11. Jimmy Foxx returns to the Sox lineup as catcher and has two hits and two RBIs. The move behind the plate is to keep hard-hitting Lou Finney‚ the first major leaguer to reach 100 hits this season‚ at first base.

Detroit 57-38) remains in a tie for first place with Cleveland‚ by beating the Yankees‚ 7-6‚ in 11 innings. The Tigers thought they had the game won when Pinky Higgins hit a bases-loaded triple in the 8th to make it 5-4. In the 11th‚ two walks by Lefty Gomez and a Hank Greenberg single ends it.

Pony League umpire James Gaynor quits baseball to enter the service‚ the first professional umpire to enter the military for WW2.

August


August 2In Detroit‚ the Red Sox pound 14 hits in beating the Tigers‚ 12-9. Shortstop Joe Cronin is 4-for-5 and hits for the cycle‚ the 5th cycle in Sox history. Cronin cycled in 1929‚ not the first player to cycle twice‚ but the first to do it a decade apart. His 8th inning homer‚ off Archie McKain‚ follows a Doc Cramer triple and ices it for the Sox. Boston also gets homers from Dom DiMaggio and catcher Jimmy Foxx‚ his 23rd. Ted Williams‚ pinch hitting in the 4th‚ draws a walk. Jack Wilson beats Tom Seats‚ with both pitching in relief.

In San Antonio‚ a crowd of 11‚956 is on hand to watch veteran Dizzy Dean pitch for the Cubs’ affiliate Tulsa Oilers (Texas League) against the Missions. Dean is rocked for 10 hits and 5 runs in 5 innings as the Mission hit seven “crowd rule doubles” in the game. Bob Muncrief allows 11 hits but pitches a 7-3 complete game for his 20th win.
August 3With Ernie Lombardi hurt‚ Reds C Willard Hershberger is hitting .309 after taking over. However‚ depressed in recent weeks‚ Hershberger commits suicide by slashing his throat in Boston’s Copley Plaza Hotel. Hershberger blamed himself for calling wrong pitches in the July 31st 5-4 10-inning loss to New York. Leading 4-1‚ Bucky Walters retired the first two batters in the 9th and had two strikes on each of the next four batters. But Harry Danning and Burgess Whitehead each homered with a man on. Hershberger’s father also committed suicide‚ in 1928.
August 4Jimmie Foxx‚ who started as a catcher in 1925‚ is behind the plate for the Red Sox to catch a 7-3 win for long-time teammate Lefty Grove. Foxx cracks his 24th HR to start the Sox on an 8-game skein in which they will hit 20 homers.

In Boston‚ the two teams dedicate the game in memory of Willard Hershberger. Then Frank McCormick drives in 6 runs to lead the Reds to a 12-9 win over the Braves after Bucky Walters loses the opener‚ 5-3‚ for his 3rd straight defeat.
August 5In a twin bill nitecap in St. Louis‚ the Browns John Whitehead pitches a 6-inning rain-shortened no-hitter against the Tigers‚ winning 4-0. An ankle injury will sideline him and this will be Silent John’s only 1940 victory. Detroit wins the opener‚ 9-2.
August 6In an 11-0 laugher‚ rookie Sid Hudson one-hits the A’s on his way to a 17-win season for the hapless Senators. It’s his second 1-hit shutout this year. Hudson pitched for Sanford (Class D Florida) last year and was 24-4.
August 7A crowd of 53‚997‚ an NL record for a night game‚ watches the Dodgers beat the Giants 8-4 on Mel Ott Night at the Polo Grounds. Only Chicago and Boston are without lights in the NL. New York’s large turnout is due to its being Mel Ott Night.
August 8At Fenway‚ 27-year-old Tiny Bonham makes his ML debut for the Yankees and loses‚ 4-1‚ to Fritz Ostermueller. Tiny‚ brought up to replace the sore-armed Lefty Gomez‚ will still end the season at 9-3‚ complete 10 games‚ and toss three shut outs. His ERA will be 1.90 (Feller will lead with 2.61)
August 9Steve Sundra posts his first win of the year for the Yankees‚ beating the A’s and Johnny Babich‚ 2-0. The Yankees‚ at 51-51‚ seem to be out of the running for their 5th straight championship. However‚ they will go 37-15 the rest of the way and actually make the top for a few hours on September 11th. The Yanks will ultimately finish 3rd‚ losing three straight to the Browns on September 15-16.
August 12Cleveland and Detroit‚ deadlocked for 1st place (64-44)‚ square off. In the initial pitching duel between the two aces‚ Bob Feller tops Hal Newhouser‚ 8-5‚ to become the majors’ first 20-game winner.
August 13The Indians move 2 games in front by besting the Tigers again‚ 6-5. Cleveland will win their next 2 games to go up by 3.
August 14Cleveland’s Al Smith pitches a one hitter in beating the White Sox‚ 4-0‚ for his 13th victory. A 3rd inning single is the only safety.
August 15Chicago ace Claude Passeau tosses a five-hitter and doesn’t allow a runner past first after the first inning as he beats the Reds‚ 1-0. Paul Derringer takes the loss.

In a 4-2 loss to the Phillies‚ Dodger SS Pee Wee Reese fractures his heel bone sliding into 2B and is out for the season. The Dodgers must like what they see in winning pitcher Kirby Higbe‚ who will go to the Dodgers in the off season.
August 16Jimmie Foxx smashes 2 homers to help the Red Sox beat the Senators‚ 7-6. The two round trippers move him ahead of Gehrig on the all time list with a total of 495.
August 17Stan Hack’s 4th hit of the game‚ a 2-out single in the 13th‚ gives the Cubs a 6-5 win over the Pirates. Claude Passeau‚ the last of 5 Cub pitchers‚ is the winner. Veteran Danny MacFayden takes the loss for the Bucs.

Jimmy Foxx homers in his 5th straight game as the Red Sox outslug the Senators‚ 12-9. Foxx’s feat sets a club record.
August 18The Sunday New York Daily News publishes a shocking article written by its sports editor‚ Jimmy Powers‚ suggesting that the 5th place Yankees‚ had been hit by a “mass polio epidemic.” Powers charges that Lou Gehrig‘s “infantile paralysis” had infected the other Yankees‚ accounting for the team’s uncharacteristic reversal of form. The article immediately causes a sensation among readers and fans. At Gehrig’s request‚ Milton Eisenberg‚ a Brooklyn attorney‚ brings suit for $1 million against Powers and newspaper charging that Gehrig’s reputation and credit had been hurt and that the article had caused him considerable mental anguish. Other angry Yankees‚ including Bill Dickey‚ also file suit against the News‚ causing the newspaper to issue a public apology on September 26‚ The three and a half column story appears under the headline “OUR APOLOGIES TO LOU GEHRIG AND THE YANKEES.” In his apology‚ Powers admits he had no business getting ‘snarled up in medical controversy‚” stating “Gehrig has no communicable disease and was not suffering from the mysterious polio germ that supposedly played havoc with the Yankee ball club.” Lou is a personal hero‚ Powers adds. “Hurting his feelings was far from my mind.’
August 19Hot-hitting Jimmy Foxx belts his 33rd HR‚ against Cleveland‚ as the host Red Sox roll to a 16-7 win.
August 20In the second of two games‚ Wally Moses steals home in the 10th inning to give the A’s the 4-3 victory over the White Sox. Chicago wins the opener‚ 6-1.

The Reds score 3 runs in the 9th-2 coming home on a single by Frank McCormick-to defeat the Giants‚ 3-2.
August 21Rookie pitcher Charlie Frye belts a 2-run pinch homer off Ken Raffensberger to give the Phils a 7-5 win over the Cubs. It’s Frye’s only ML homer.
August 22Les Mueller‚ pitching for Beaumont (Texas League) pitches a no-hitter over Dallas.
August 23The Reds purchase Jimmy Ripple from the Dodgers.
August 24At Fenway‚ LF Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox pitches the last 2 innings in a 12-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers and Tommy Bridges. Williams allows 3 hits and one run scores when 3B Charlie Gelbert juggles a DP grounder. On 3 pitches Williams strikes out Tiger slugger Rudy York‚ who had driven in 5 Detroit runs. Joe Glenn‚ who caught Babe Ruth‘s last pitching appearance in 1933‚ is Williams’ catcher. Pitcher Jim Bagby plays the OF for the Sox.

The Dodgers split a pair in Pittsburgh‚ losing the opener‚ 4-3 before winning‚ 8-1. In the nitecap‚ Joe Gallagher hits a double and homer in the same inning.
August 25Lefty Tom George‚ who started in pro ball in 1907‚ returns to the mound for York (Interstate League) at age 54‚ and wins 3-2. He had been inactive for 5 years.

After losing 7-2 to the Browns in game 1 of a twinbill‚ the Red Sox explode in the 2nd game for 11 runs in the 6th inning. Jimmie Foxx hits his 3rd grand slam of the year in the inning‚ connecting off the Browns Emil Bildilli. The game is called after 7 innings‚ with the Sox ahead 17-3.
August 26Bucky Walters pitches the first-place Reds to a 3-2 win over the lowly Phillies. Bucky wins his 18th‚ driving in two runs with a homer and single. Ancient-40 in December-Syl Johnson then holds the Reds to three hits to win the nitecap‚ 6-1.

Bob Feller rescues Mel Harder in the 7th and the Indians top the Senators‚ 4-3. Hal Trosky’s two-run homer off Dutch Leonard is the big blow for the Tribe. Cleveland leads the idle Tigers by 3 games.
August 28Homestead Grays (Negro League) P Ray Brown earns his 27th consecutive victory over a 2-year span when he shuts out the Baltimore Elite Giants 5-0 on a 3-hitter. The win raises his record to 12-0 for the season.

The Cubs recall Dizzy Dean from Dallas and release Billy Rogell.

September


September 2With the decision to play all their September games at Municipal Stadium‚ the Indians promptly drop a Labor Day doubleheader to the 7th place St. Louis Browns. The Tribe loses 2-1 and 3-0 and now lead the Yankees by 3 1/2 games. Vern Kennedy wins the opener‚ collecting 3 hits.

Washington’s Sid Hudson beats the Red Sox Lefty Grove‚ 1-0‚ in 13 innings.

Recent call-up Danny Litwhiler drives in 8 runs on 6 hits to lead the Phils to a sweep of the Giants at Shibe Park. Kirby Higbe wins the opener‚ 11-2‚ and Litwhiler has a grand slam. The Phils win the nitecap‚ 6-5‚ on Bobby Bragan‘s 10th inning HR.
September 3Detroit‚ in 3rd place behind the Indians and Yankees‚ gets HRs from Gehringer‚ Greenberg and Campbell‚ to beat the visiting Indians and Bob Feller‚ 7-2. Schoolboy Rowe is the winner.
September 4In Detroit‚ the Tigers get two 3-run HRs‚ from Campbell and Gehringer‚ to again top the slumping Tribe‚ 11-3. Tommy Bridges and Al Benton combine for the win.
September 5Before the start of their game with the Dodgers‚ the Phillies honor Chuck Klein‚ and present The Clouting Kraut with a box of coins and a ham. The Dodgers then present the Phils with an 8-5 loss.
September 6Detroit’s Bobo Newsom wins his 18th and hands Cleveland its 5th straight loss‚ topping the Tribe 10-5. The Indians now lead the AL by a game.
September 7The Tigers trip the Browns 5-4‚ scoring three runs in the 9th inning to win. Hank Greenberg hits his 29th homer of the year‚ 2nd best in the AL‚ while Brownie star Rip Radcliff is hitless. Radcliff (.345) leads Ted Williams .341) in hitting. With the White Sox handing the Indians their 6th loss in a row‚ Cleveland now leads the AL by just .011 percentage points.

Pittsburgh rallies to score 8 runs in the 8th and 3 more in the 9th to beat the Cardinals‚ 14-9. Three homers were hit‚ by Arky Vaughan‚ Terry Moore‚ and Vince DiMaggio.

The Giants beat the Dodgers‚ 4-1‚ when Babe Young clouts a fifth inning grand slam off Randy Gumpert. The Dodgers score comes on a homer by Jimmy Wasdell.

The International League awards the MVP to 35-year-old hurler Mike Ryba‚ recently recalled by the Red Sox.
September 8In the opener of a Sunday doubleheader‚ Johnny Mize of the St. Louis Cardinals sets 4 ML records as he rips 3 consecutive HRs‚ his second 3-homer game of the season and the 4th time in his career. For “Big John‚” it is number 38 through 40 homers of the year. Pittsburgh still sweeps the 2 games‚ 16-14 on 21 hits‚ and 9-4 in 5 innings.

In a 9-4 win against the Red Sox‚ Yankee Joe Gordon hits for the cycle to back Spud Chandler‘s pitching.
September 9The Indians lose their 7th straight as White Sox lefty Thornton Lee beats them‚ 2-1. The Tigers take over first place with the Yankees one game back. Tomorrow’s opener in Cleveland with the Yanks will be rained out.
September 10Boston’s Lefty Grove slows the Tigers‚ beating Bobo Newsom 6-5‚ in 13 innings. It is Lefty’s 2nd 13-inning win in succession. The win puts Cleveland back in first by .001.

Hitting against Washington’s Ken Chase‚ Chicago’s Bob Kennedy‚ with 2 on and no out in the 9th‚ lines into a triple play to end the game‚ a 5-2 win for the Nats. It’s the Nats 2nd triple play of the year. His previous at bat in the game‚ Kennedy hit into a DP‚ and will do the same tomorrow in his first at bat.

In a twinbill loss to the Pirates‚ the Phils lose catcher Ben Warren when he suffers a brain concussion after being hit by a pitch from Luke Sewell in game 2. The Pirates sweep‚ winning 11-3 and 11-1 with the wins going to Joe Bowman and Rip Sewell.

Former ML infielder Sam Crane‚ serving time for the 1930 murder of his former sweetheart and her boyfriend‚ starts parole proceedings.
September 11In a doubleheader‚ the Yankees’ first-game win at Cleveland puts them atop the AL‚ as Ernie Bonham beats Bob Feller‚ 5-3. A 2nd game loss‚ 5-3‚ aided by Babe Dahlgren‘s costly error‚ drops them out of first‚ and they will never reach first again. Joe McCarthy will hold this error against Babe‚ contending that it cost them the pennant. He whispers to many that Dahlgren is a marijuana user‚ and will trade him after the season. The Dahlgren family will for years maintain that McCarthy essentially blackballed him out of the game and defamed him‚ though his .253 over 5 seasons might have played a part.

The Tigers route the Red Sox 11-7 to briefly take over first place. Three teams will hold first place today.

At Ebbets Field‚ Dizzy Dean makes a triumphant return to the Cubs‚ setting down the Dodgers‚ 3-2‚ in game 2. Reiser homers in the 7th against Diz‚ now pitching sidearm. The Cubs win the opener‚ 8-5.
September 12Hank Greenberg hits his 32nd homer to lead Detroit to a victory‚ 6-3‚ over visiting New York.

The Boston Bees sting the Cardinals twice‚ winning 17-7 and 6-1. Pitcher Jim Tobin wins the opener and helps out by scoring 4 runs‚ the last NL hurler this century to do so.
September 13Tommie Bridges shuts out the Yankees‚ 8-0‚ for his 16th victory and Detroit’s 8th win in 9 games. Greenberg hits his 33rd of the year.

The White Sox sweep a pair from the A’s‚ winning 6-2 and 8-4. A’s SS Al Brancato helps Chicago by making 3 errors in one inning in the nitecap‚ after making 2 errors in game 1.
September 14The Yankees finally erupt against Detroit pitching‚ bombarding Bobo Newsom for a 16-7 win. Joe Gordon clouts two homers and Joe DiMaggio has two doubles among his 4 hits as he takes over the AL hitting lead from Rip Radcliff. The Tigers lead the AL by a half game as Red Sox rookie Earl Johnson stops the Indians‚ 2-1.

The United States‚ Hawaii‚ Cuba‚ Mexico‚ Nicaragua‚ Venezuela‚ and Puerto Rico meet in the 3rd annual World Amateur Baseball Championship tourney‚ the first championship series to feature more than 3 participants. Cuba‚ the host country‚ is the victor for the 2nd consecutive year. The initial tourney had been held in England in 1939 and was also won by the host country‚ Great Britain.
September 15Washington stops first place Detroit‚ 6-1‚ behind knuckleballer Dutch Leonard.

The Indians sweep the A’s‚ winning 5-0 and 8-5. Feller wins the opener‚ allowing no hits until Dick Siebert bloops a single in the 8th inning. Feller allows one other hit and walks none.

On “Ted Lyons Day” at Comiskey Park‚ the veteran pitcher is given a $1550 auto purchased with dimes contributed by fans. The Comiskeys add a check for $1800‚ and there is cash and gifts from his teammates. Moe Berg contributes a money clip. Lyons completes the celebration by beating the Red Sox on 3 hits for his 232nd victory. His 2.10 ERA will lead the AL‚ the only time he’s been best in that.
September 16Rookie Johnny Lucadello of the St. Louis Browns hits HRs from each side of the plate versus the New York Yankees in a 16-4 Browns win. Only Wally Schang‚ in 1916‚ had accomplished the same in the AL. Mickey Mantle in 1955 will be the next AL player to do it. Today’s clouts are the only HRs Lucadello will hit all year. The Browns sweep by winning the nitecap‚ dropping the Yankees to 3 1/2 back of the Indians.

The Indians split a doubleheader with the last-place A’s‚ winning 8-3 and losing 3-2‚while the Tigers move to a 1/2 game back by beating the Senators‚ 9-2. Bobo Newsom cops his 19th win.

After the Dodgers lose to the Reds‚ 4-3 in ten innings‚ a rhubarb at Ebbets Field results in a suspension and fine for Leo Durocher for “inciting a riot.” Perhaps better known from the game is the photo showing an obese Brooklyn fan astride George Magerkurth‚ pummeling the veteran umpire.

Called up from the Eastern League in August‚ Phillies rookie Danny Litwhiler singles in both games of 7-1 and 3-2 losses to St. Louis‚ extending his hitting streak to 21 straight games. He will be stopped tomorrow by Whitey Moore at Cincinnati‚ but will hit .345 in 36 games.
September 17The Tigers regain first place defeating the Senators‚ 6-3‚ behind the pitching of Schoolboy Rowe (15-3). Rudy York hits his 29th homer.

The Reds Whitey Moore stops the Phils on 5 hits and stops Danny Litwhiler‘s 21-game hit streak‚ the longest of the year. The Reds are a game away from clinching.
September 18The A’s are mired deep in the cellar‚ but Connie Mack hits all the right buttons today. He sends 4 pinch batters to the plate in the 9th inning versus Detroit‚ and all 4 deliver hits‚ with an ML-record tying 3 scoring. Hank Greenberg matches that for Detroit with a grand slam as the two teams split a doubleheader. Detroit wins the opener‚ 14-0‚ and the A’s take the second game‚ 13-6.

Cleveland tops the Senators‚ 3-1‚ in game 1‚ as Johnny Allen picks up the victory Pitching on two days rest‚ Bob Feller wins his 26th in game 2‚ beating the Senators‚ 2-1. Sid Hudson takes the loss. The sweep moves Cleveland to a half-game ahead of Detroit.

The Reds clinch the NL flag‚ outdistancing the Dodgers and the late-rushing Cardinals. The Reds win in Philadelphia‚ 4-3‚ in 13 innings.
September 19The AL race is a tie when the Tigers sweep the A’s‚ 13-2 and 10-1. Floyd Giebell‚ 30‚ just up from Buffalo where he went 15-16‚ wins the opener and Dizzy Trout takes the nitecap. The Indians win and with 8 games left‚ the Tigers and Indians are knotted at 85-61.

Chicago’s Claude Passeau tops the Giants 8-2 to hand New York its 11th straight loss.
September 20At Detroit‚ the Tigers‚ down 4-1‚ jump on Bob Feller‚ in relief of Mel Harder‚ and Joe Dobson for 5 runs‚ and win 6-5. For the first time in 18 games the Tigers fail to hit a home run. The Tigers now lead the AL by a game over the Tribe. The Plain Dealer’s Gordon Cobbledick laments‚ “if the Indians fail to win the pennant‚ it will be because Feller has been worn to a frazzle by working in and out of turn.”
September 21With the Tigers‚ Indians‚ and Yankees neck-and-neck‚ the Tigers boost their lead to two games‚ as Schoolboy Rowe shuts out Cleveland 5-0. Rowe‚ seemingly washed up after anchoring the staff through Tiger championships in the mid-1930s‚ wins his 16th game.

Against the Reds‚ Pittsburgh’s Debs Garms laces 5 hits in a doubleheader to sew up the NL batting title with a .355 average. Garms has only 358 at bats but has appeared in 103 games‚ thus qualifying him for the crown. The Reds win‚ 8-1‚ then lose 8-7.

The Giants break their 11-game losing streak‚ beating the Bees‚ 3-1 in Boston.
September 22Bob Feller comes through again for Cleveland‚ whipping the Tigers‚ 10-5 before 56‚771 fans in Detroit. Detroit gets a homer from Greenberg‚ his 40th‚ but Feller matches that with his 2nd of the year‚ and Hal Trosky‚ Roy Weatherly‚ Ben Chapman‚ and Ken Keltner also go deep for the Tribe. Detroit’s lead is cut to a game.

At Chicago‚ the Cards sweep two‚ winning the opener 8-1 behind Mort Cooper. Dizzy Dean is the loser. Max Lanier takes the nitecap‚ 2-1‚ over Larry French.

The Reds Jim Turner 2-hits the Pirates‚ winning 2-1 in Pittsburgh. The Reds will set a ML record this year with 41 one-run victories.

At Brooklyn‚ the 2nd-place Dodgers sweep a pair from the last-place Phillies‚ winning 6-3 and 8-6. In between games‚ there is a 3-inning oldtimers match between the Robins and Dodger players of the 1930s. Included on the Robins side are fan favorite Zach Wheat‚ Tim Jordan‚ Otto Miller‚ Rube Marquard‚ Sherry Smith and Hy Myers. The Dodgers are represented by Fresco Thompson‚ Joe Stripp‚ Del Bissonette‚ Rube Bressler‚ Val Picinich‚ Waite Hoyt‚ and Dazzy Vance among others. Also on hand is turn of the century Brooklyn player Bill Dahlen. The 30’s youngsters whip the oldtime Robins‚ 6-3.
September 23Before a Wrigley crowd of 1‚843‚ Claude Passeau notches his 20th win as he scatters four Cardinal hits. Passeau helps his cause with a home run in the 10-0 romp.

Despite stranding 11 runners in the first 7 innings‚ Brooklyn beats the visiting Giants‚ 3-2‚ scoring 2 in the 8th and 1 in the 9th. Dolph Camilli homers into the CF bleachers with 2 out in the 9th. Winning P Tex Carleton relieves in the 9th with runners on 2B and 3B and one out. He intentionally walks PH Joe Moore to load the bases. He sprawls snagging Johnny McCarthy‘s popped bunt attempt for one out and then scrambles to 1B to complete the unassisted DP‚
September 24George Caster of the Philadelphia Athletics allows 6 HRs against the Boston Red Sox‚ four of them coming in the 6th inning when the Sox total 25 bases and an AL record 17 extra bases on long hits. Ted Williams‚ Jimmie Foxx‚ and Joe Cronin connect successively‚ with Foxx’s HR his 500th career homer. Bobby Doerr hits a triple and Jim Tabor adds another HR in the 6th as Boston barely wins‚ 10-9‚ in 10 innings‚ clouting 5 doubles‚ 3 triples‚ and 6 homers. Boston then wins the 2nd game‚ 3-2. It is the 3rd time that Foxx has been part of a three consecutive-homer barrage.

With all their September games now at Municipal Stadium‚ the Indians drop a 7-2 game to the lowly Browns. Red Sox and Tiger castoff Eldon Auker outpitches Mel Harder for his 15th win. With the Tigers rained out‚ the Indians are 1 1/2 back.

The Yankees sweep a pair from the Senators with fireman Johnny Murphy winning both games. Murphy pitches the 10th inning of the opening 6-5 win‚ then tosses 2 2/3 innings of the nitecap‚ a 9-4 win stopped after 6 1/2 innings because of darkness. The Murphy wins puts the Yankees at 2 1/2 games back.
September 25Walker Cooper‚ recently called up from Columbus (AA)‚ and Mort Cooper‚ pitching in relief‚ make up a brother battery in the Cards‚ 4-3 win over the Reds. In the 2nd game‚ Junior Thompson 2-hits the Cards to win‚ 5-0. Both hits are by Enos Slaughter.

The Indians Al Milnar stops the Browns‚ 4-2‚ his 5th straight win over St. Louis.

In Detroit‚ Bobo Newsom wins a clutch doubleheader for the Tigers‚ pitching 2 innings of relief in the opener against the White Sox for his 20th win. Detroit wins 10-9 in 10 innings on Rudy York‘s double. Bobo goes the distance in the nightcap for his 21st win‚ a 3-2 triumph. Greenberg contributes his 41st homer and 150th RBI in the 2nd game. Detroit now leads by 2 games.

In Chicago’s 2-1 and 6-4 sweep over the Pirates‚ Debs Garms takes over in LF in game 2 for the Bucs. For Garms‚ who was 0-for-5 in game 1‚ it is his 100th game‚ qualifying him for the batting title. Garms will play in 103 games and lead the NL in hitting with a .355 average in 358 at bats. The NL ruled in early September that there was no rule stating that a player had to be up 400 times to qualify for the title and 100 games would qualify.
September 26The Yankees stay in contention by sweeping a pair from the A’s‚ 5-4 and 2-0. New York‚ winners of 8 straight‚ are now 2 1/2 games behind Detroit and a half game behind Cleveland. Red Ruffing wins the openers with home run support from Joe Gordon and Bill Dickey. For Gordon‚ it is his 30th homer of the year. Ernie Bonham allows 4 hits in the nitecap.

The fading Red Sox lose to the Senators‚ 6-5‚ as the Nats have 3 straight hits in the 9th‚ including Cecil Travis‘s game-winning hit‚ to emerge victorious. Losing hurler Jim Bagby‚ Jr‚ sets a ML record for pitchers when he makes all 3 putouts in the 4th inning. It won’t be matched until 1963.

Behind Harry Gumbert and Bob Carpenter‚ the Giants beat the Phils‚ 3-1 and 2-1. Both Phillie tallies come in the 9th. Giants CF John Rucker‚ the Crabapple Comet‚ records his first homer in game one‚ and inside-the-park homer.
September 27Besides Bobo Newsom (21-5)‚ Schoolboy Rowe (16-3)‚ and Tommy Bridges (12-9)‚ the Tigers pitching staff combines for a losing record. Needing one victory to gain the title‚ manager Del Baker decides to withhold Newsom and Rowe and picks 30-year-old rookie Floyd Giebell. Giebell shuts out the Indians 2-0 to beat Bob Feller‚ who gives up just 3 hits‚ including a wind-blown two-run homer by Rudy York down the LF line. The ball would likely have been caught at League Park. Not eligible for the WS‚ Giebell never wins another game in the majors. During the game‚ unruly Cleveland fans shower the field with fruit and vegetables delaying the game. Greenberg is hit by a tomato while in the field. At one point‚ a basket of green tomatoes is dropped onto Tigers C Birdie Tebbetts‘ head while he sits in the bullpen‚ knocking him out for a few moments. When Birdie recovers‚ he finds the unruly fan‚ now in the hands of the police‚ and punches him.

In Pittsburgh’s 4-3 win at Cincinnati‚ Lonny Frey‚ Reds infielder‚ breaks his right foot in the dugout when the heavy metal cover of a water cooler falls and lands on it. Frey will miss the WS.

In New York‚ the Yankees‚ winners of 8 straight games‚ lose to the A’s Johnny Babich‚ 6-2. Babich is a former Yankee minor leaguer. New York is out of the World Series for the 1st time since 1935. Yankee C Arndt Jorgens‚ on the club’s active roster both last year and this‚ end the season without an appearance‚ certainly a ML record. Last season he scored a run as a pinch runner‚ but had no at bats.

The Red Sox pound the Senators‚ 24-4‚ at Fenway‚ scoring 10 runs in the 4th and 7 runs in the 8th. Boston bangs out 22 hits to make Fritz Ostermueller the winner. Dom D scores 5 runs and Williams drives in 4.

Hugh Mulcahy ends the last-place Phillies twelve-game losing streak and his personal 12-game win streak with a 6-0 whitewash of the Giants. Despite the win‚ Mulcahy‚ a member of the 1940 All-Star team‚ still leads the NL in losses with 22.
September 28At Fenway‚ A’s starter Chubby Dean goes all the way against the Red Sox despite giving up 19 hits. The Sox fatten their averages‚ winning 16-4. Boston will end the season with 5 wins and start the ’41 season with another 5 wins‚ their longest streak over 2 seasons.
September 29Johnny Rucker‚ a Life magazine cover boy at the start of the season‚ based on his .346 average with Atlanta and his speed afoot‚ never quite lives up to the ballyhoo. But this day he hits a grand slam and drives in seven runs in two consecutive innings‚ as the Giants whip Boston‚ 14-0.

The Reds win their 100th game‚ beating the visiting Pirates 11-3‚ behind Bucky Walters. With one error in the game‚ Bill McKechnie’s Cincinnati team totals just 117 errors during the season‚ a ML record and 18 less than any previous team. The .981 fielding mark is the best up to this time. The defense‚ plus the pitching of Bucky Walters‚ Paul Derringer‚ and reliever Joe Beggs‚ brings the 2nd straight NL flag to the Reds‚ despite multiple injuries to Ernie Lombardi. The big catcher went down again September 15th‚ and with Hershberger’s suicide‚ the club turns to 39-year-old coach Jimmy Wilson for some of the backstopping. Wilson will end up as a WS hero.

The AL finishes the season drawing 5‚433‚791‚ surpassing the attendance record set in 1924.

October


October 2The Series opens in Cincinnati‚ and the Reds lose 7-2‚ the 10th straight WS loss for a NL team. The Tigers bunch 5 singles‚ a walk‚ and an error in the 2nd off Paul Derringer to score 5 runs. Bruce Campbell adds a 2-run HR‚ and Bobo Newsom rations 8 hits and only one walk. Bobo’s father‚ visiting from South Carolina‚ dies in a Cincinnati hotel the next morning.
October 3Bucky Walters gives the NL its first Series game victory since Carl Hubbell beat the Yankees in 1937. Jimmy Ripple‘s 2-run HR in the 3rd provides the margin. Walters gives up only 3 hits‚ but is lucky to escape a jittery first inning.
October 4Detroit bombs 9 hits for 19 bases in the 7th and 8th innings off Jim Turner and successors to win 7-4 in the first game at Briggs Stadium. Tommy Bridges gives up 10 hits but goes the distance.
October 5Paul Derringer‚ who had lost 4 WS starts going back to 1931‚ finally breaks his jinx. His 5-hitter and Jim Ripple’s 3rd-inning double‚ which knocks Dizzy Trout from the mound‚ provide a 5-2 win.
October 6Detroit regains the advantage with Bobo Newsom pitching even better than he had in the first game. Newsom’s 8-0 three-hit whitewash is the first Detroit shutout in the WS since 1909.
October 7Back in Cincinnati‚ Bucky Walters evens the Series for the Reds with a 4-0 shutout‚ scattering 5 hits. Walters also becomes the first pitcher in 14 years to hit a HR in the Series.
October 8With only one day’s rest‚ Bobo Newsom comes back for the Tigers and nearly has enough to win. Detroit gets an unearned run off Paul Derringer in the 3rd‚ and Newsom holds the Reds scoreless through 6 innings. In the 7th‚ however‚ Frank McCormick and Jimmy Ripple hit consecutive doubles‚ and Ripple later ambles in from 3B on Billy Myers‘ sac ?y. Derringer gives up 7 hits in the first 6 innings but sets the Tigers down in order in the final 3 frames. Old Jimmy Wilson catches 6 of the 7 games‚ hits .353‚ and has the only SB of the Series. The Reds’ share is $5‚803 and the Tigers get $3‚532.
October 23The MVP in the NL goes to the Reds Frank McCormick‚ with Reds teammates Bucky Walters and Paul Derringer finishing 3rd and 4th. Cards slugger John Mize is 2nd.
October 25The Reds declare a $12 dividend to stockholders.
October 26Detroit slugger outfielder Hank Greenberg is named the MVP in the AL with 292 points. Greenberg won the MVP honors in 1935 as a first baseman. Bob Feller is 2nd with 222 points.

November


November 5Former Washington hurler Walter Johnson‚ who won 416 games for the Senators‚ goes down in defeat as a Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland.
November 11Brooklyn’s Larry MacPhail still needs a starting pitcher to make his Dodgers a threat to the Reds. He gets Kirby Higbe from the Phils for $100‚000‚ P Vito Tamulis‚ and Bill Crouch.
November 12Alva Bradley wouldn’t fire Ossie Vitt on his players’ demand during the season‚ but he does now. Today he hires Roger Peckinpaugh to become the Cleveland Indians boss‚ the 2nd hitch for Peck.
November 13The Giants sign C Gabby Hartnett‚ recently released as the Cubs’ manager.
November 17Jimmy Wilson gets his reward for managing the woeful Phillies in the 1930s and for his late-season role with the Reds. He becomes manager of the Cubs replacing Gabby Hartnett.

December


December 3The Browns purchase pitchers Denny Galehouse and Fritz Ostermueller from the Red Sox. Galehouse will go 50-58 in 6 seasons in St. Louis
December 4Larry MacPhail continues his dealing and gets his catcher. The Dodgers trade for Mickey Owen‚ giving C Gus Mancuso‚ P John Pintar and $85‚000 to the Cardinals.

The Cubs swap SS Bobby Mattick‚ OF Jim Gleeson and a player to be announced to the Reds for SS Billy Myers. Myers will split his time between Chicago and the minors in ’41 and quit in 1942 rather than take a pay cut.
December 9The Reds trade 3B Lew Riggs to Brooklyn for 2B Pep Young.
December 10In Chicago‚ a curious rule that was designed to “break up the Yankees” is continued by the AL‚ a rule which prohibits the team winning the championship from trading with any other club. The rule was voted in at the December‚ 1939 meetings by the 7 other AL owners after the Yankees won 4 straight WS.

The sac fly rule‚ reinstituted last year‚ is eliminated for the 1941 season. Though he would hit .400 without the rule change‚ Ted Williams will have 6 flies that score runners from 3B in 1941.

The Giants purchase Morrie Arnovich from the Reds and send SS Wayne Ambler to the Reds for P Milt Shoffner.

Umpire Bill Klem retires and is appointed NL chief of staff.

The major and minor leagues agree that players taken into the military will not count against roster limits.
December 11The ML extends Judge Landis another 4-year term. They also vote to limit night games to 7 per team.
December 12Washington sends Gee Walker to the Red Sox for Doc Cramer. Walker is then packed off to Cleveland with P Jim Bagby Jr.‚ OF and C Gene Desautels for C Frankie Pytlak‚ IF Odell Hale and P Joe Dobson. At the end of the War‚ on December 12‚ 1945‚ Bagby will return to the Red Sox. Boston also buys Pete Fox from Detroit.
December 13Vet ump George Moriarty is removed from active staff and transferred to the AL promotional department.
December 16The White Sox ship P Jack Knott to the A’s for INF Dario Lodigiani.
December 20Connie Mack acquires controlling interest in the Athletics from the Shibe family at the price of $42‚000 for 141 shares.
December 21Chicago writers name Indians SS Lou Boudreau as the outstanding rookie in the ML. He’ll be honored at the January banquet.
December 24Merry Christmas to Ben Chapman from the Indians who ship him to Washington for P Joe Krakauskas. The Tribe sells Johnny Allen to the Browns.
December 30The Yankees swap sore-armed Monte Pearson to the Reds for OF Don Lang and cash. Tomorrow‚ they’ll send Bump Hadley to the Giants for the waiver price and trade INF Bill Knickerbocker to the White Sox for C Ken Silvestri. The military will claim Silvestri for the next 4 years.