Baseball – 1948

Baseball in 1948

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January

January 29Commissioner Happy Chandler fines the Yankees‚ Cubs‚ and Phillies $500 each for signing high school players.
January 30Herb Pennock‚ 53-year-old general manager of the Phillies and former star southpaw‚ collapses in a New York hotel lobby and dies a short time later at a local hospital.

February

February 10The Phils acquire veteran SS Eddie Miller from the Braves‚ sending OF Johnny Wyrostek in exchange.
February 24In a key trade for New York‚ Ed Lopat goes to the Yankees from the White Sox in exchange for C Aaron Robinson‚ Bill Wight‚ and Fred Bradley. Lopat will star for 7 seasons in pinstripes‚ winning 21 in 1951 and going 16-4 in 1953. Robinson’s main value to the Sox will come at the end of the season when he’s swapped for another lefty pitcher‚ Billy Pierce.
February 27Newly elected to the Hall of Fame are Herb Pennock and Pie Traynor. Needing 91 votes for selection‚ Pennock‚ who died a month before‚ gets 94 votes‚ Traynor 93. Just missing are Al Simmons‚ Charlie Gehringer‚ and Bill Terry.

March

March 4Stan Musial ends his holdout and signs with the Cardinals for $31‚000. The next day Harry Brecheen agrees to a St. Louis pact for $16‚500.
March 6The Braves get veteran 2B Eddie Stanky from the Dodgers for Bama Rowell‚ minor leaguer Ray Sanders and a reported $60‚000. The Dodgers’ second base spot is now open for Robinson. The Dodgers will return Sander for cash next month.
March 29At St. Pete‚ the Yankees and Red Sox battle for 17 innings and end in a 2-2 tie. This spring training contest‚ one of the longest ever‚ takes 4 hours and 2 minutes. Two years ago in Miami the Braves and Giants played 17-innings for an NL pre-season record.
March 30The PCL integrates as San Diego’s John Ritchey pinch hits against Los Angeles. Ritchey‚ the AL (Negro League) batting champ last year‚ will homer tomorrow in a starting role and hit .323 in 103 games.

April

April 7The Cards trade first baseman Dick Sisler to the Phillies for infielder Ralph LaPointe and cash‚ a trade that will work out well for the Phils.
April 10Desperate for pitching help‚ the Giants sign the well-traveled Bobo Newsom‚ released by the Yankees. After an 0-4 start in 11 games‚ New York will pass the Buck‚ and he will be out of the majors until 1952.
April 12The Yanks give veteran Spud Chandler his release. Chandler won 109 games in 11 seasons as a Yank‚ the only ML team he played for. He was 9-5 last season‚ and finishes his ML career with a winning percentage of .717 (109-43).
April 16The White Sox beat the Cubs 4-1 at Wrigley Field with Jack Brickhouse at the WGN-TV mike. This is the first telecast on WGN-TV: the first broadcast for the Cubs was on WBKB-TV in 1946.

In an exhibition game between the Braves and Red Sox at Braves Field‚ the Sox unload 24 hits to win‚ 19-6. Ted Williams is 3-for-5 with a HR. There are a couple more hits as it takes both teams to break up a fight between Braves Earl Torgeson and Sox Billy Hitchcock.
April 18At Yankee Stadium‚ 62369 fans-the largest ever for an exhibition game-watch the Dodgers edge the Yankees‚ 5-3.

Before 26‚663 at Fenway‚ the Braves salvage a win in the 3-game series with the Red Sox‚ winning 3-2 behind Warren Spahn.
April 19At Griffith Stadium‚ President Harry Truman tosses out the first ball. Fans might’ve thought Truman stayed on the mound as the Yankees bat around in the opening inning against Nats starter Early Wynn. The second man up‚ Tommy Henrich‚ belts a two run homer‚ and a few batters later Allie Reynolds hits his first major league homer‚ a three run shot‚ that makes the score‚ 7-0. Wynn gives up 16 hits and all 12 runs before leaving in the 9th for Ramon Garcia. Reynolds wins 12-4‚ allowing 11 hits‚ four by Leon Culberson. The Yanks like what they see in Culberson‚ acquiring the first baseman on May 13th‚ but he will never play another game in the majors.

In the 2nd inning of the Patriot’s Day doubleheader at Fenway‚ the Sox slug three consecutive homers off A’s pitcher Phil Marchildon. Connecting for Boston are Stan Spence‚ Vern Stephens‚ and Bobby Doerr. The Sox don’t do much more‚ though‚ and the A’s win the A.M. game in 11 innings‚ 5-4. A’s rookie LH Lou Brissie then defeats the Red Sox 4-2 on 4 hits in the afternoon game. Wounded in W W II‚ Brissie‚ who has a metal plate in one leg and wears a shin guard as protection‚ is hit just above the guard by a Ted Williams line drive and is downed for several minutes.

At Cincinnati‚ the Reds open with a 4-1 win over the Pirates in a game delayed by a shower of bottles in the 8th. The rhubarb starts when Hank Sauer hits a HR with Young on 2B and the runner collides with SS Stan Rojek. The 2 start swinging and the RF bleacherites toss bottles.
April 20In the Opener at Comiskey Park‚ George Vico of the Tigers hits the first pitch thrown to him in the majors for a HR‚ a first in the AL. Chicago’s Joe Haynes is the pitcher. Mike Tresh answers for the Sox with his 2nd career homer‚ off Hal Newhouser; Tresh’s first career homer came back in May 19‚ 1940‚ off Dutch Leonard. The Tigers win‚ 5-2.

Red hot Murry Dickson shuts out the Reds‚ 4-0 in the home opener at St. Louis. In spring training‚ Dickson threw 2 shutouts‚ including a no hitter‚ over the Yankees.

Before an Opening Day crowd of 48‚130 at the Polo Grounds‚ the Dodgers rally for 4 runs in the 8th to beat the Giants‚ 7-6. Billy Cox‘s 2-run homer is the big blow. Robinson collects a 2-run double when Rhawn and Lockman collide on an easy popup. Roy Campanella makes his ML debut‚ coming in for Hodges behind the plate.
April 21Leo Durocher‚ back at the helm of the Dodgers after a one-year suspension‚ uses 24 men‚ a new ML record‚ in a 9-5 loss to the Giants. Robinson leaves with a bone bruise after 5 innings and 3 second baseman follow.

At Griffith Stadium‚ the Senators overcome a DiMaggio homer to beat the Yankees‚ 6-3. DiMag’s blast is a 450-foot shot.

The Cards Red Munger outpitches Johnny Vander Meer to beat the Reds‚ 5-2. Vandy does himself in by walking 12 batters.
April 23The Cards spoil the home opener for the Cubs‚ nipping Chicago‚ 1-0‚ despite garnering just two hits off Johnny Schmitz. Harry Brecheen is the winner.

On the 25th anniversary of the opening of Yankee Stadium‚ the Red Sox spoil the ceremonies by stopping New York‚ 4-0. A sick Babe Ruth cheers on the Yanks from the dugout.
April 24The Cubs hit 4 home runs at home in a 6-2 win over the Cards. Bill Nicholson‘s HR‚ off Al Brazle‚ is to the right of the Wrigley Field scoreboard‚ and lands on Sheffield Avenue. It bounces off a building and reportedly lands on the hood of a southbound car.
April 25Russ Meyer fires a one-hitter for the Cubs in a 3-1 win in Chicago over the Cardinals. Whitey Kurowski‘s hit in the 2nd inning is the only scratch against Meyer.

The Giants sweep a doubleheader with the Braves‚ winning 6-2 and 6-0. Bobo Newsom‚ pitching for his 9th team‚ makes his Giant debut in the first game but leaves with a injury.

Ted Kluszewski hits his first ML homer‚ a 3-run shot off Pirates P Hal Gregg‚ to give the Reds a 7-6 lead. The Pirates rally to win‚ 13-10.
April 26The White Sox take an 11-9 lead over the Indians after 5 innings‚ but the Tribe comes back to win 12-11 in 14 innings. Cleveland scores 2 in the 9th to tie. Lou Boudreau paces a 22-hit attack with 5 safeties‚ including a pair of doubles and a pair of triples. Christopher is the winner with 5 innings of shutout relief.
April 29Cards relief pitcher Ted Wilks bows 5-4 in 14 innings to the Cincinnati Reds on rookie Hank Sauer‘s single. Sauer’s HR in the 8th had tied the game. It is Wilks’ first loss after 77 mound appearances dating back to September‚ 1945. He had won 12 in a row.

At Shibe Park‚ Ted Williams thumps his 200th homer to lead the Red Sox to an 11-5 victory over the A’s.

Batting around in 3 innings‚ the Dodgers pound out 20 hits to break the Giants 6-game win streak‚ 17-7. Reiser has 5 RBIs-on a 3-run lefty homer and a 2-run righty triple-and Ward a grand slam. The Giants continue their HR string with homers by Mize and Thomson.
April 30A 5-hit game-HR‚ 2 doubles and 2 singles-by Stan Musial at Cincinnati is the first of 4 such performances by him during the year as The Man sparks the Cards‚ 13-7 win. He will do it again on May 19‚ June 22‚ and September 22. Only Cobb and Keeler have done it before. Joe Garagiola adds 3 hits including a grand slam in the 7-run 7th. Reliever Al Brazle is the winner.

In a 9-2 win over Purdue‚ University of Illinois pitcher Marv Rotblatt sets a Big 10 strikeout record with 18 K’s. After graduation in June‚ Rotblatt will pitch in 7 games for the White Sox this season.

May

May 2Rookie OF Hal Jeffcoat has 2 doubles in the Cubs’ 7-run 8th inning as Chicago rolls over Cincinnati 13-4. Peanuts Lowrey goes 4-for-5 in the game.

The Phillies and Dodgers divide a doubleheader‚ Brooklyn outslugging the Blue Jays 9-6 in the opener‚ then losing‚ 2-0‚ to Ken Heintzelman. Furillo has a HR‚ triple and single in the opener‚ while Duke Snider hits his first 2 ML homers-the first‚ inside-the-park-a triple and a single‚ good for 4 RBIs. Ben Chapman starts Dutch Leonard but after one out brings in Curt Simmons against the lefty Dodger lineup. In the nitecap‚ Furillo’s 2-out single in the 7th is the first hit off Heintzelman‚ who pitches a 4-hitter.
May 5Against the Tigers‚ Red Sox P Mel Parnell has 2 balks called on successive pitches. He scatters 10 hits and gets no decision as reliever Ellis Kinder is the 4-3 winner. SS Vern Stephens participates in 5 DPs with Boston getting another going Williams to Tebbetts.
May 7At Chicago‚ the Dodgers use 8 hits‚ 3 errors and 1 4 walks to subdue to Cubs‚ 9-5. Preston Ward‘s bases loaded triple off Ralph Hamner following 3 walks is the key blow. Hugh Casey wins with 5 innings of shutout relief.
May 8An infield single by Johnny Blatnik of the Phillies in the 7th prevents a perfect game by Harry Brecheen of the Cardinals. Brecheen will become the NL ERA leader with 2.24 and the winning percentage leader on a 20-7 record. The Cards win 5-0 and Brecheen scores his 3rd straight shutout.

At Griffith Stadium‚ Larry Doby pounds a 408-foot homer to CF‚ which hits the loudspeakers 35 high‚ to help the Indians top the Senators‚ 6-1. Larry’s ball bounces back onto the field and was initially declared in play. The 8th-inning three-run homer is the longest HR in the Stadium since Ruth’s shot in 1922‚ and is the first of Doby’s four career inside-the-park homers. World War 2 veteran Gene Bearden makes his first start‚ allowing just three Nat hits. He walks 4 in the 9th inning to allow the lone run‚ as Washington finally scores after three straight shutouts.

The A’s win their 6th straight‚ pull off a triple play‚ and batter the White Sox‚ 16-1. Winning pitcher Carl Scheib puts the game away with an 8th-inning grand slam‚ and the A’s are now tied for the AL lead with the Indians.

The A’s purchase 37-year-old P Nels Potter from the Browns for $20‚000.
May 9In the 2nd game of the Sunday doubleheader between the Pirates and the Dodgers‚ the umpire continues the game through a 7 P.M. curfew because he believes Pittsburgh to be stalling with a 5-4 lead. The Dodgers pass the Pirates for a 7-5 score‚ but Ralph Kiner hits a 3-run HR to carry Pittsburgh to a 10-8 victory. The Pirates are fined $100 for violating the curfew and Kiner will end up tying Mize with 40 home runs.

The Phils take 2 from the Reds‚ dropping Cincinnati into the NL basement. Curt Simmons wins his first ML decsion‚ 14-2‚ in the opener‚ and Ken Heintzelman applies a 2-0 whhitewash in the nitecap. Heintzelman has thrown 22 scoreless innings in a row. Ennis has 5 RBIs in the opener on 3 hits‚ while Sisler is 4-for-4. Sisler adds 3 more hits in the nitecap.

The Indians sweep a pair at Fenway‚ beating the Red Sox‚ 4-1 in 10 innings‚ and 9-5. A Williams homer in the opener is the only Sox score‚ while Ken Keltner belts a pair of homers. They both add another in the nitecap‚ but Doby clouts a monstrous 2-run shot to dead center for the Tribe. He’ll add another in a win tomorrow as Cleveland stays percentage points ahead of the A’s.
May 12At Cincinnati‚ the Reds score 3 in the 9th but come up short‚ losing to Brooklyn‚ 9-7. Reds starter and loser Johnny Vander Meer doubles in the 5th and doesn’t advance when Glenn Corbitt bounces a single over Billy Cox‘s head (as noted by Bill Deane). Reese retrieves the ball and keeps it‚ pulling off a hidden ball trick on Vandy when he wanders off 2B. Taking no chances‚ the Reds pinch hit for Vandy in the 6th.
May 14Andy Pafko hits a homer in the 8th inning to break up a pitching duel between the Cubs Meyer and the Reds Peterson. Chicago wins‚ 1-0.
May 15At Brooklyn‚ Russell’s first inning HR is the only score as Boston’s Warren Spahn beats Rex Barney‚ 1-0. It’s the 3rd shutout in a row for Brave hurlers.

The Pirates score 2 runs in the 6th inning to snap Harry Brecheen‘s consecutive scoreless innings pitched at 32 2/3 from the start of the year. The lefty still wins his 4th without a loss‚ 8-3.

In a PCL game‚ Seattle’s Dick Barrett stops Sacramento‚ 2-0 with a 7-inning perfect game.
May 16At Wrigley‚ the Cubs spot the Reds an 8-1 lead in the 2nd inning‚ then roar back to win‚ 13-11‚ in 10 innings. Andy Pafko has a perfect day with 2 homers‚ a double and 2 singles in 5 trips to the plate. Wyrostek opens the 10th with a triple and scores on a long fly ball. Galan plates the final run after a walk‚ error‚ and single.

Pete Gray‚ one-armed OF with the Browns in 1945‚ starts his comeback at Elmira after a year out of baseball. He will hit .290 in 82 games.
May 18The lowly Cubs edge the Phillies‚ 3-2‚ as Johnny Schmitz outduels young Curt Simmons. Four Phillie errors let in all three Cub runs.

An International League game in Jersey City draws less than 1‚700 on a night a Giants’ telecast is being received in 600 bars in Jersey. The minor leagues‚ especially in the East‚ are getting testy over the impact of the major leagues open television policy.
May 19The first-place Cards blast Dodger pitchers for a 14-7 victory. Stan Musial leads the way with 5 hits including a triple and double and scores 5 runs. The 2 teams combine to set a since-tied NL record (for night games) of 28 runners left on base‚ 14 each.
May 20At Chicago‚ Joe DiMaggio hits for the cycle and adds another homer to drive in six runs‚ as the Yanks coast‚ 13-2. DiMag almost has a 6th extra base hit‚ but left fielder Ralph Hodgin snares it at the wall. Johnny Lindell adds a homer to back Vic Raschi‘s pitching over Orval Grove‚ who lasts 5 innings. DiMaggio is the first Yankee in eight years to hit for the cycle. DiMag last cycled in 1937‚ when he also added a 2nd homer: He’s the only player to do that twice..

In a 13-4 Cleveland win‚ the Indians collect 18 bases on balls against the Red Sox to tie the AL record. Handing out the free passes are two Mickeys-Harris and McDermott (11 in 6 2/3 IP). Bob Lemon‚ Jim Hegan‚ and Ken Keltner all collect RBIs without the benefit of a hit.

Musial and the Cards continue slugging the Dodgers‚ winning 13-4‚ as The Man has 4 hits‚ including a HR and 2 doubles. Musial is 11-for-15 in the series. Enos Slaughter chips in three hits as Howie Pollet wins over Joe Hatten.

The Pirates batter the Braves‚ 13-0 behind Elmer Riddle‘s 4-hitter. The Bucs tally 8 runs in the 4th inning‚ with the scoring started by Ralph Kiner‘s 9th HR of the season. He adds a double in the inning.
May 21Frankie Gustine is 5-for-5 to lead Pittsburgh to an 8-4 win over the Dodgers.

At the Polo Grounds‚ the Giants drop an 8-3 decision to the Cubs. New York rookie Les Layton‚ in his first ML at bat‚ hits a pinch homer in the 9th off Johnny Schmitz. Les will have onemore career HR.
May 23Joe DiMaggio hits 3 consecutive HRs for the New York Yankees in a 6-5‚ first-game win against the Indians. The first 2 home runs are off Bob Feller. Behind Don Black‚ the Indians take the nightcap‚ 5-1‚ to preserve first place.
May 26Johnny Schmitz wins his 4th in a row as the Cubs beat Brooklyn‚ 4-1. Gil Hodges hits a homer for the Dodgers.
May 27Recently retired slugger Hank Greenberg buys an interest in the Cleveland club‚ becoming the Indians 2nd-largest stockholder.

The Yankees pound 14 hits to the A’s 7‚ but come up short‚ 6-5. It is the first-place A’s 7th straight win. A hit and run single in the 8th scores Sam Chapman all the way from 1B. Phil Rizzuto and Hank Majeski match home runs.

Bob Lemon keeps the Indians a game in back of the A’s by stopping the White Sox‚ 4-0‚ on 4 hits. Lemon‚ who shut out Washington 4 days ago‚ has not been scored on in 23 innings.
May 29Richie Ashburn hits his 1st ML homer‚ a leadoff inside-the-park HR‚ off Thornton Lee‘s 3rd pitch. It runs Ashburn’s hit streak to 18 games but it’s the Phils only run‚ as the Giants win‚ 7-1. Bill Rigney leads off the 1st‚ 3rd‚ and 5th innings with hits‚ while Sid Gordon adds a three-run homer in the 5th. Lee is a complete-game winner over another ex-AL hurler‚ Walt Dubiel.
May 30The Reds beat the Cubs and Johnny Schmitz‚ 6-1‚ as Grady Hatton‘s grand slam in the 8th accounts for the first score for Cincy. The Reds take game 2‚ 8-3.
May 31At Wrigley Field‚ the Cubs set a paid attendance record when 46‚965 pass through the turnstiles for a doubleheader with the Pirates. The Cubs take the opener‚ 4-3 behind reliever Bob Rush‚ then drop the nitecap‚ 4-2 to Elmer Riddle. Andy Pafko is the hitting star‚ pounding out five hits‚ including a homer in each game.

In Cincinnati‚ the Reds sweep a Memorial Day doubleheader from the Cards‚ 4-3 and 7-0. In the nitecap‚ Ken Raffensberger tosses a one-hitter‚ allowing just an 8th inning single by Nipsy Jones. Hank Sauer‘s homer in the opener breaks a tie. The Reds scoring in the nitecap is paced by homers from Augie Galan and Ted Kluszewski. The twin loss drops the Cards to second place as the Giants split a pair with the Dodgers.

The Senators‚ fresh from four wins over the Red Sox‚ drop a pair to the host Yankees before 62‚626. Spec Shea allows just two hits in coasting in the opener‚ 10-0. The Yanks collect 16 hits‚ including homers by Tommy Henrich and George McQuinn. The Yanks take the nitecap‚ 5-4‚ as Red Embree makes a rare start. Bobby Brown makes 7 straight hits in the two games‚ making out his first and last at-bats.

The Indians drub the Browns‚ 8-3‚ then lose 6-0‚ to stay in 2nd place behind the A’s. In the opener‚ Lou Boudreau hits a grand slam and Jim Hegan homers in the 5-run 6th inning. Gene Bearden is the winner. In the nitecap‚ Cliff Fannin allows just 4 hits to win.

The last place White Sox and 4th-place Tigers split a pair in Detroit. The Bengals take the opener‚ 5-4‚ with Dizzy Trout the winner over Orval Grove. The Sox take the nitecap‚ 9-3‚ with veteran Ike Pearson picking up the win. Ike will finish the year at 2-3 to close out hs career at 13-50; his .206 winning percentage is the worst in ML history for a pitcher with 50 losses.

A lefthander for Schenectady (Canadian-American League) named Tom Lasorda strikes out 25 in a 15-inning game against Amsterdam.

June

June 1Barney DeForge‚ pitcher-manager in the Carolina League‚ and Ed Weingarten‚ an official of clubs in the Tri-State and Blue Grass Leagues‚ are barred from baseball for life on charges of bribery‚ gambling‚ and game-throwing.
June 2At Detroit‚ the Yankees open the series with a 1-0 win behind Vic Raschi‚ but lose left fielder Charley Keller who breaks his hand. Johnny Lindell will move in as the regular LF.

In an unpopular trade in Chicago‚ the White Sox acquire slugger Pat Seerey and P Al Gettel from Cleveland for 3B Bob Kennedy.
June 4At Philadelphia‚ the A’s edge the White Sox‚ 4-3‚ as Lou Brissie picks up the win. The Sox score 3 runs in the 3rd on a bases-loaded single by newly acquired Pat Seerey. Lupien‚ running on a 3-2 count‚ scores from 1B.
June 5Richie Ashburn of the Phillies hits safely in a 6-5 nitecap win at Chicago. It is his 23rd consecutive game starting May 9‚ a 20th-century NL record for a rookie (Jimmy Williams had streaks of 27 and 26 games in 1899). Alvin Dark will tie it this year and Mike Vail will match it in 1975. The Phils also take the opener‚ 4-2.

In an Interstate League game at Wilmington‚ pitcher Robin Roberts strikes out 18 in a 4-1 win over visiting Trenton. The effort earns him a call-up to the Phils.

Appearing at Yale Field just ten weeks before his death‚ Babe Ruth presents a copy of his biography to Yale first baseman and captain George Bush.
June 6Erv Dusak‚ Red Schoendienst‚ Enos Slaughter‚ and Nippy Jones homer in the 6th inning as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Phillies 11-1 in the first of two. Phils pitcher Charlie Bicknell gives up 18 total bases in the inning. The Cards take the 2nd game‚ 2-0‚ on Al Brazle‘s 5-hitter. Schoendienst bangs 5 doubles and a homer for the afternoon‚ after clouting 3 doubles yesterday‚ and ties a record for most extra base hits in two consecutive games with 7. Only 2 other players in history (Earl Sheely‚ 1926: Ed Delahanty‚ 1896) have tallied 7 extra base hits in 2 games (Joe Adcock‚ in 1954‚ will become the 4th).

Ted Williams‚ Stan Spence‚ and Vern Stephens hit successive HRs for the Red Sox against Freddie Hutchinson of the Tigers. It is the 2nd 3-straight-HR game by the Bosox during the season‚ with Spence‚ Stephens‚ and Bob Doerr having accomplished the feat off Phil Marchildon of the A’s on April 19. The Sox win a pair‚ 5-4 and 12-4.
June 7The Braves Jim Russell hits one HR batting lefty and another batting righty‚ the second National Leaguer to do so‚ in a 9-5 win over the Cubs. He also hits 2 doubles and drives in 5 runs. Playing for the Dodgers on July 26‚ 1951‚ he’ll hit another pair from each side of the plate‚ the first player to do so twice. Reliever Red Barrett is the winner over McCall‚ the first of four Cubs pitchers. The Cubs do stop Tommy Holmes 17-game hit streak.

The Phils Dutch Leonard knuckles down the Cards‚ 5-1‚ dropping St. Louis into 2nd place. Dick Sisler homers for the Phils‚ while Musial’s homer is the only Cards tally.

The Giants take over first place‚ pounding the Pirates for 13 hits‚ 9 for extra bases‚ to win‚ 9-5. The Giants score 2 runs in each of the 8th and 9th innings to win. Wes Westrum and Bobby Thomson homer‚ while Whitey Lockman adds a pair of triples. Larry Jansen (7-0) starts‚ but is not around for a decision.
June 8In a game that Ted Williams later recalls as one of the most important of the year‚ the visiting Indians trip the Red Sox‚ 2-0‚ behind Gene Bearden‘s 6th win. Lou Boudreau‘s controversial 2-run homer in the 4th inning off Mel Parnell is all the scoring. The seemingly foul ball drops into the RF corner stands and is called fair by 1st-base umpire Charley Berry. The Sox are now 11 games behind.
June 11The Indians hold on to beat the Yankees‚ 10-8‚ as reliever Bob Feller fans Sherm Lollar with the bases full to end the game. DiMaggio had led off the 9th with a homer. Game highlites include Yogi Berra getting tossed by Cal Hubbard and young Bobby Brown being replaced at 2B in the 8th by George Stirnweiss‚ a move that will remain permanent for the season. Lou Boudreau ends a Tribe rally in the 7th by striking out-his first K in 42 games. The game-interrupted by rain and a fans’ missile barrage-ends at 12:20 a.m.
June 12In an afternoon double header before 68‚586 at the Stadium‚ Cleveland takes two from the Yankees‚ winning 7-5 and 9-4. The Tribe has now won three games from New York in 24 hours. Joe Gordon leads the way over his ex-teammates by hitting a two-run homer in the first game‚ and belting two more round-trippers in the nitecap. Allie Reynolds and Spec Shea take the losses. The Indians have now won 3 games from NY in less than 24 hours.

At St. Louis‚ the Giants overcome the Cards‚ 7-5‚ by scoring five runs in the 7th‚ and regain first place. The Cards make 13 hits and rout Larry Jansen‚ but John Mize‚ with a homer‚ double and single‚ leads the New Yorkers. Sheldon Jones is brilliant in relief.
June 13The Yankees retire Babe Ruth‘s No. 3 jersey in the Babe’s final appearance at Yankee Stadium on the 25th anniversary of Yankee Stadium. A Silver Anniversary crowd of 49‚641 cheers as Mel Allen introduces the Babe. After the ceremonies and a two inning game between Old-timers in which the team of 1923 defeats a team of all-stars from later years‚ 2-0‚ the Yankees beat the Cleveland Indians 5-3. Joe DiMaggio belts two triples and Rizzuto and Berra add homers to back Lopat’s pitching. Lopat is now 13-3 lifetime versus the Tribe.
June 15The Detroit Tigers beat the Philadelphia Athletics 4-1 before a crowd of 54‚480 in the first night game at Briggs Stadium. The Tigers are the last AL team to install lights. Hal Newhouser gives up just two hits and is backed by 8th inning homers by Dick Wakefield and Pat Mullin. Former Tiger Barney McCosky‚ now with the A’s‚ crashes into the outfield wall and is taken off on a stretcher‚ but recovers.

Behind Johnny Sain‚ the Braves beat the Cubs 6-3 to take a one-game NL lead. It is the first game to be telecast in the Boston area; the Red Sox will follow a week later after they return from a road trip.

Cleveland picks up pitcher Sam Zoldak from the Browns for Bill Kennedy and a magnanimous $100‚000. Kennedy will win 7 for the Browns in 1948‚ while Zoldak will be 9-6 for the Tribe.
June 16Ted Williams raises his average to .408 with a single‚ 2 doubles‚ and a homer to lead the visiting Sox to a 7-5 win over the first-place Indians. The Sox will win tomorrow to sweep the 3-game series.
June 17Braves reliever Bill Voiselle wins a pair today over the Cubs‚ 7-6 and 8-7. Cliff Chambers and Jess Dobernic take the losses.
June 18The Pirates spoil Robin Roberts debut‚ beating the Phils’ rookie 2-0. Roberts was called up after a 9-1 start at Wilmington (Interstate League).
June 20Joe DiMaggio smashes three homers to lead the Yanks to a 4-2 and 6-2 sweep of the Browns. Vic Raschi wins his 8th in a row in the opener‚ besting Fred Sanford. DiMag’s two homers in the nitecap‚ a solo shot in the 8th and a 3-run homer in the 9th‚ give Red Embree the win. The double victory puts the Yanks in 2nd place 3 1/2 games behind Cleveland.

Cleveland draws 82‚781 for a doubleheader win over the A’s‚ a ML record for a regular season game that will be broken by the same club in 1954. The Indians will attract 2.6 million for the season‚ surpassing the Yankees‚ 1947 attendance. The two losses‚ 4-3 to Feller (6-7) and 10-0 to Lemon (10-5)‚ drop the faltering A’s into 3rd place.

After being shut out‚ 9-0‚ by the Phillies Dutch Leonard‚ the Pirates come back to win the nitecap‚ 7-5‚ behind Ralph Kiner‘s 18th and 19th homers. Kiner will hit HRs every Sunday for 8 successive weeks in May and June. For the year he will hit 17 round trippers in 38 Sunday games. The Phils are paced in the opener by Miller‚ who drives in 5 runs on 3 singles‚ and Ashburn‚ who makes 4 hits‚ then adds 3 more in the nitecap.

John Mize‚ Willard Marshall‚ and Sid Gordon of the Giants hit consecutive HRs in the 8th inning in a 6-4 win against Murry Dickson of the Cardinals.

Luke Appling‚ in the his first game at 3B‚ breaks a 47-year-old AL record by making 10 assists in an 8-5 Sox win over Washington. Before the game‚ the opener of a twinbill with the Senators‚ “Old aches and pains” had complained that his arm was stiff and he couldn’t possibly throw from third. Appling also makes 3 hits. Next year‚ Luke will return to SS.
June 23Tommy Henrich’s grand slam in the top of the 11th breaks up a pitching duel between Indians starter Don Black and Ed Lopat. The Yanks win‚ 5-1‚ to cut the Tribe’s lead to 2 1/2 games.
June 24The Yankees Vic Raschi scatters 6 hits to beat the Indians‚ 6-0 and earn his 9th straight win. Feller also allows six hits but three are HRs-by McQuinn‚ Lindell‚ and DiMaggio.
June 25For the second time in two years, Yale is in the College World Series championship at Western Michigan College in Kalamazoo, MI. Southern Cal, riding an 18-game winning streak, takes a 3–1 lead before Yale loads the bases with no outs in the 9th inning. With George Bush the on-deck batter, Jerry Breen hits into a triple play to end it.
June 26Yale wins the second game of the College World Series, 8–3, behind the pitching of Frank Quinn, as Southern Cal strands 14 runners. George Bush has a single and two RBIs for the Eli. In the second game, USC jumps to a 6–0 lead and coasts home, 9-2. Southern Cal’s Gail Henley signs with the Giants and doesn’t bother returning to California, heading for Minneapolis instead. Frank Quinn signs a bonus with the Red Sox and will appear in nine games. The USC bat boy is Sparky Anderson.
June 29At Detroit‚ the Indians Bob Feller outpitches the Tigers’ Hal Newhouser to give Cleveland a 6-2 win. Feller allows just one run through the first 8 innings.
June 30In his first full season as a pitcher‚ Bob Lemon of the Cleveland Indians pitches a no-hitter‚ beating the Detroit Tigers 2-0 in front of 49‚628 at Briggs Stadium. Lemon has only two scares: Dale Mitchell makes a miraculous catch of a George Kell drive in the 4th and Ken Keltner makes a great stop behind 3B in the 5th. This is the first no-hitter pitched at night.

An 18-year-old lefthander from Rochester‚ NY‚ Johnny Antonelli‚ gets a $75‚000 contract from the Braves. Shortly afterward‚ the Tigers will pay a similar sum to another teenager‚ catcher Frank House.

July

July 2The Senators beat the Yankees‚ 2-1‚ in 12 innings as Walt Masterson allows 3 hits and goes all the way for the win. Tom McBride makes 12 putouts to set the AL record for PO in LF in extra innings. The Yanks drop 2 games behind 1st-place Cleveland and 1 1/2 games behind the A’s.
July 3Dick Lane‚ CF of Muskegon (Central League)‚ hits 5 HRs in a game against Fort Wayne. Lane‚ who will get a trial with the White Sox in 1949‚ will hit only 7 other HRs during the year and only 18 in a 4-year minor league career. Lane will have a cup of coffee with the White Sox next year.
July 4Ted Williams faces 3 pitchers in the 7th inning‚ a first in AL history‚ as Boston snaps a 5-5 tie by scoring 14 runs on 14 RBIs to beat the visiting Philadelphia Athletics‚ 20-8. A’s pitcher Charlie Harris retires one batter in 14 and cough up 12 runs‚ before Bill McCahan takes over. Williams‚ who makes the final out in the inning‚ and Bobby Doerr tie records by drawing two walks apiece. Pitcher Ellis Kinder has two hits‚ off Harris and McCahan. The 14 runs in one inning is a record‚ but 5 years later they will do even better with 17 in one inning.

Braves rookie Johnny Antonelli‚ 18‚ makes his debut in the 8th inning of a 7-2 loss to the Phils‚ giving up 1 run on 2 hits. The Phils also win game 2 of the doubleheader.

Led by Roy Campanella‘s 1st 2 ML homers‚ the host Dodgers edge the Giants 13-12 in a wild game lasting 3 1/2 hours. 37 players see action‚ 20 by Brooklyn‚ as both teams score 4 times in the 9th.
July 5Ralph Kiner hits 3 HRs for the Pittsburgh Pirates against the visiting Reds‚ while teammate Stan Rojek hits the first of his 2 ML homers‚ connecting off rookie Herm Wehmeier. Kiner teams up with Johnny Hopp and Wally Westlake in the outfield for a record 19 putouts in the 10-3 first game win. The Reds score 3 in the 9th to take the nitecap‚ 6-4.

The Cards Gerry Staley picks up a pair of wins in relief over the Cubs‚ winning 6-3 and 5-2 over Ralph Hamner and Johnny Schmitz. Staley pitches 2 innings in the opener and 2 2/3 innings in the nitecap. It is the 2nd time in three weeks that the Cubs have lost a doubleheader to a single reliever.

Despite a hitless day by Ted Williams‚ the Red Sox sweep the Yankees‚ winning 6-5 and 8-7. Denny Galehouse wins the opener‚ then saves the win in game 2. But his 9th inning sac bunt results in his tripping over 1B and he will be out of action for 3 weeks.
July 7The Indians stun the baseball world by signing Satchel Paige‚ fabulous veteran Negro League pitcher. The move is ridiculed by some as a Bill Veeck publicity stunt‚ and A.G. Spink in The Sporting News editorializes‚ “Veeck has gone too far in his quest for publicity. . . . To sign a hurler at Paige’s age is to demean the standards of baseball in the big circuits.” The 42-year-old Paige will answer the critics in tomorrow‚ getting a relief decision in a 8-6 win over New York in a DH sweep. He will finish at 6-1. Paige is the oldest player to debut in the majors‚ but not the first 40-year-old: Chuck Hostetler in 1944 was 40.
July 8The Reds Ewell Blackwell strikes out 13 Cubs at Wrigley Field‚ as Cincinnati wins‚ 4-0.
July 9At Boston‚ Johnny Sain becomes the NL’s 1st 11-game winner‚ beating Robin Roberts and the Phils‚ 13-2. Alvin Dark has 3 hits running his hit streak to 21 games. In the 4th inning Dark triples off the reliever Ken Heintzelman‚ then steals home.
July 10For the 6th time this year‚ Vern Stephens and Bobby Doerr of the Red Sox hit back-to-back homers as Boston beats the 2nd-place A’s‚ 4-0. Jack Kramer scatters 9 hits in the shutout to win his 7th straight. Ted Williams sits out the game with a damaged ligament‚ the result of being hit in the ribs while playfully sparring with Sam Mele on the train down from Boston yesterday.
July 11The Reds Ken Raffensberger allows just one hit-a single by Marty Marion in the 4th-in shutting out the Cardinals‚ 1-0‚ in St. Louis. It’s his 2nd one-hitter against St. Louis this year.
July 13Vic Raschi of the Yankees drives in the winning runs with a bases-loaded single in the 4th inning and is the winning pitcher as the AL again tops the NL 5-2 in the All-Star Game at Sportsman’s Park. Ted Williams‚ Joe DiMaggio‚ George Kell‚ and Hal Newhouser miss places in the lineup due to injuries.
July 15The Braves stop the host Cubs‚ 2-1‚ behind Johnny Sain‚ then battle to a 1-1 tie in 13 innings in the nitecap. Dark’s hitting streak of 23 games is stopped in the opener‚ but he has 2 hits and scores the run in game 2. Bob Rush pitches all 13 innings for the Bruins.
July 16There are 3 managerial changes today. Ben Chapman is fired by the Phillies (though owner Carpenter insists he was “not fired” saying “I’d like to make it clear that there is a difference between not firing a man and concluding business with him.”) and Dusty Cooke takes over on an interim basis. Eddie Sawyer‚ with no ML experience as player or manager‚ will get the job after Cooke goes 8-6. But the big news is from New York. The Giants remove Mel Ott and replace him with Leo Durocher‚ who obtains his release from Brooklyn. The Dodgers bring back mild-mannered Burt Shotton who replaced Durocher once before. In a newspaper poll over the winter‚ an overwhelming majority voted for the gentlemanly Shotton to replace The Lip. The changes today portend those at the end of the season: Bucky Harris of the Yankees‚ Ted Lyons of the White Sox‚ and Steve O’Neill of the Tigers will be released.

The Browns frustrate the third-place Yanks‚ whipping Allie Reynolds‚ 10-4. Bob Dillinger leads the way with a bases loaded triple‚ three singles‚ two stolen bases and 5 RBI. Cliff Fannin holds the Yanks scoreless until Phil Rizzuto‘s homer in the 8th.

Ordered by Bill Veeck to pass up the All-Star game‚ a well-rested Bob Feller is shelled from the mound with only one out in the first inning by the A’s. The A’s score first when Feller absent-mindedly goes into a windup with two on‚ and Coleman and McCosky pull a double steal. The Mackmen then jump on Bob Muncrief and roll to a 10-5 win over the AL-leading Indians. Lou Brissie wins his 4th straight. Joe Coleman will shut out the Tribe‚ 5-0‚ tomorrow to split the series.

Rookie Granny Hamner drives in 7 runs to lead the Phils to an 11-10 squeaker over the Cardinals. Hamner has a pair of doubles and a single to go along with spectacular fielding‚ starting DPs in the 8th and 9th. Ken Heintzelman‚ who relieves Blix Donnelly after Stan Musial‘s grand slam in the 2nd‚ is the winner.
July 17At Pittsburgh‚ a Bobby Thomson pinch single drives home the winning run in the Giants’ managerial debut of Leo Durocher. The Giants win‚ 6-5‚ overcoming a three-run homer by Ralph Kiner.

The Dodgers down the Reds‚ 8-4 and 10-4 for their 12th win in 14 games. Ralph Branca wins the opener as Jackie Robinson clouts a 3-run homer in the 8th. Paul Minner wins his first ML game in the nitecap with 6 innings of relief. During an argument with Frank Dascoli‚ Reds catcher Dewey Williams grabs the ump. Willliams will be fined $100 and suspended for five games. However‚ with catcher Ray Mueller on the disabled list with a broken ankle‚ the Reds appeal the suspension‚ stating they have only one catcher‚ Ray Lamanno. Ford Frick‚ NL prexy‚ will rule that Williams will serve the suspension in the Reds clubhouse‚ while dressed in full uniform. If anything happens to Lamanno‚ Williams can substitute‚ and a game will added to the suspension.

Ed Lopat scatters 11 hits to beat the Browns‚ 4-0. It is the Yankee hurler’s 2nd shutout in a row and his 3rd this year.

In a rare loss‚ the Tigers Virgil Trucks stops the Red Sox‚ 3-1. Ellis Kinder takes the loss.
July 18Pat Seerey‚ chunky Sox left fielder‚ hits 4 HRs‚ the last in the 11th inning‚ to lead the Chicago White Sox to a 12-11 victory over the Athletics in Philadelphia. Seerey is the 5th ML player to accomplish the feat and is the only player in ML history to twice reach 15 or more total bases in a game‚ having totaled 15 bases in 1945. Three of the homers are in successive innings‚ just the 3rd to do that. Fat Pat’s first shot is over the LF bleacher roof off Carl Scheib‚ the next two-off Scheib and Bob Savage-are on the roof‚ and the last‚ off Lou Brissie‚ into the upper LF stands. Brissie‚ the 5th pitcher‚ is the loser against Howie Judson. The A’s take the 2nd game‚ 6-1‚ in five innings as Seerey is 0-for-2. On the 24th‚ Seerey will become the first player to strike out 7 times in a doubleheader.

The Cards beat the Dodgers‚ 6-3‚ in 11 innings‚ then drop the nitecap‚ 13-4. In the 2nd inning‚ 17 Dodgers reach base against the Cardinals with 9 hits‚ 6 walks‚ a fielder’s choice‚ and an error before P Hank Behrman whiffs to end the inning. The other outs are on the bases.

In the first of two before 39‚623‚ the Chicago Cubs beat the visiting Philadelphia Phillies 3-2. With 2 outs and the bases loaded in the 9th inning‚ rookie Robin Roberts hits Phil Cavarretta and Andy Pafko on the back with successive pitches to force home the winner. Chicago’s Johnny Schmitz allows just 4 hits‚ three by Johnny Blatnik. The Jays (as they are still occasionally referred to in print) win the nitecap‚ 6-4‚ collecting 17 hits‚ including a homer by Del Ennis. Schoolboy Rowe evens his record at 5-5‚ beating Russ Meyer.
July 19At Boston‚ Mel Parnell wins stopping the Browns‚ 4-1 as his infielders tally 11 assists. The Sox score all their runs in the 1st on Bobby Doerr‘s grand slam.
July 20An unprecedented 10-game suspension and $500 fine of an umpire‚ the veteran Bill McGowan‚ is announced by AL President Will Harridge following a confrontation in the Washington-Cleveland game. Tired of Senator pitcher Ray Scarborough continually complaining about strike calls‚ McGowan had thrown a ball-and-strike indicator at him. After that he ejects Nats manager Joe Kuhel and several coaches. Kuhel also lodged a protest after yesterday’s 11th inning loss when Ed Stewart was thrown out at home in the 10th. When Stewart argued the call with plate ump Paparella‚ McGowan threw a ball at Stewart.
July 22The Yankees take the rubber game of the series with the Indians as Vic Raschi earns the decision over Bob Feller‚ 6-5. Joe DiMaggio‘s grand slam is the big blow for the Bombers: he has hit 4 homers and a triple in Feller’s 4 starts against New York. His 8 RBIs in the 3 games with Cleveland gives him a league-leading 82.

Denny Galehouse returns to the Red Sox lineup and stops Chicago‚ 3-0. Vern Stephens clouts a 2-run homer. In the 2nd game‚ a 5-3 win‚ Stephens adds a homer to take over the AL RBI lead with 83. The winner is Ellis Kinder‚ the first of 18-straight wins over Chicago (through June 1‚ 1952).
July 23After missing 15 games with a torn rib cartilage‚ Ted Williams is 2-for-4 to help the Red Sox down the White Sox‚ 13-1. Bobby Doerr collects his 18th homer and adds a double and single to back Mickey Harris. Boston has now won nine straight to pull within a game-and a half of the first-place Indians.

Larry Jansen’s 5-hitter gives the Giants a 5-0 win over the Cubs. John Mize’s first inning homer off Russ Meyer provides all the scoring the Giants need.
July 24Four members of the Duluth club in the Northern League are killed‚ and 14 are injured‚ 7 critically‚ in a bus-truck crash near St. Paul. All told‚ five are dead including manager George Treadwell‚ three players‚ and the driver of the truck. The injured include Mel McGaha‚ future ML manager‚ and Elmer Schoendienst‚ brother of the Cardinal infielder‚ Red.
July 25In the tight 4-team AL race‚ Joe DiMaggio leads the Yanks to a sweep over the White Sox‚ 5-3 and 7-3. Joe D is 3-for-3 in game 1 to back Ed Lopat‚ then adds a triple and 2 doubles in the nitecap. His 3 RBIs in game 2 gives him an AL-high 86.

In Boston‚ the other DiMaggio makes 2 spectacular catches against the Indians as well as homering off Satchel Paige. The Red Sox beat Cleveland‚ 3-0 for their 15th win in 16 games. Joe Dobson tops Steve Gromek to leave the Sox percentage points ahead of the 2nd place A’s. Cleveland and New York are each 1 1/2 games back. With the Braves in 1st place‚ it is the first time since 1916 that both Boston teams are at the top spot.
July 26Ruth makes his last public appearance‚ at the New York premiere of the film The Babe Ruth Story. He will die 3 weeks later.

Leo Durocher makes his 1st appearance at Ebbets Field since taking over the Giants‚ but a turnaway crowd is disappointed as the Dodgers lose‚ 13-4. Preacher Roe is the losing pitcher while Sheldon Jones takes the victory.
July 27In his ML debut with the Browns‚ St. Louis native Hank Arft bangs a triple and a HR off Frank Hiller‚ the first major leaguer to debut with thse long hits. Arft drives in 3 runs as the host Browns top New York‚ 4-0. Tomorrow’s cheers of “Arft‚ Arft” will give Hank his nickname “Bow Wow.”

A Tiger-record night crowd of 54‚609 see Ellis Kinder and the Red Sox top Hal Newhouser‚ 8-0.

At Philadelphia the Cubs tip the Phillies‚ 3-2‚ with the win going to Hank Borowy in relief. Cubs 2B Gene Mauch helps by nabbing Dick Sisler with a hidden ball trick in the 2nd inning.
July 28Detroit’s Dizzy Trout shuts out the Red Sox‚ 13-0‚ to stop Boston’s win streak at 13 games. Hoot Evers paces the 18-hit attack with 4 hits.
July 29In Boston‚ Big Bill Voiselle pitches the first-place Braves to a 2-1 win over the Pirates‚ and collects his 5th hit of the year. Voiselle raises his average to .097 average‚ a point higher than his uniform number. Voiselle has the highest uniform number ever in the majors in honor of his North Carolina home town of Ninety Six.

The Giants win their 3rd straight shutout‚ stopping the Reds‚ 5-0‚ behind Dave Koslo. Jansen and Hartung threw the other two shutouts. Walker Cooper‘s grand slam‚ off Ken Raffensberger‚ is the big blow.

The Red Sox rout the Tigers‚ 8-1‚ behind Jack Kramer‘s 10th straight win. Billy Goodman‘s grand slam‚ along with homers by Kramer and Bobby Doerr‚ pace the attack. The victory extends the Red Sox AL-lead to a half-game over the idle A’s.
July 30At Cleveland‚ the Red Sox are victorious‚ 8-7‚ for their 25th win of the month‚ a club record.
July 31With a 7-6 win over the Cards‚ the Braves lengthen their lead over the Pirates and the Dodgers in the NL.

August

August 1At Cleveland‚ the Tribe sweep a pair from the Red Sox‚ 12-2 and 6-1‚ to move into 2nd place in the AL. Bob Lemon coasts to his 14th win in the opener‚ beating Ellis Kinder. Larry Doby drives in 4 runs. Cleveland RF Edwards dislocates his shoulder crashing into the fence making a spectacular catch of Spence’s HR bid. Sam Zoldak wins the nitecap. The Sox drop from 1st to 4th place with the double loss: Cleveland‚ New York and Boston are each a game back of the A’s.
August 3Before 72‚434 in Cleveland‚ ancient Satchel Paige makes his first start pitching seven innings against the Senators‚ before being relieved by Eddie Klieman. Paige picks up the win‚ 5-3‚ which moves Cleveland (56-38) into a four-way tie for first.

Jack Kramer leaves in the 3rd inning with a sore shoulder but still is credited with his 11th straight win as the Red Sox (58-40) pound the Browns‚ 15-8. Williams hits his 19th HR and Vern Stephens drives in 3 runs.
August 4In St. Louis‚ the Browns spot the Red Sox 6 runs in the first inning‚ then come back with 7 of their own in the bottom of the inning. St. Louis scores 2 in the 9th off reliever Ellis Kinder to win‚ 9-8.

Ernie Harwell begins as an announcer for the Dodgers helping to call a 5-4 win over the Cubs. The Dodgers had to trade a player‚ Cliff Dapper‚ to the Atlanta Crackers to acquire Harwell. Brooklyn scores a pair in the 1st‚ one on a steal of home by Robinson with Russ Meyer on the mound. Robby tried to steal home against the Cubs 2 weeks ago (7/21) but was called out.
August 5Dodger Gene Hermanski hits 3 successive HRs to offset 6 Brooklyn errors as the Dodgers beat the Cubs‚ 6-4. The win moves the Dodgers into 2nd place. Carl Erskine starts his first game and earns his 3rd win.
August 6The Reds release Johnny Neun as manager and pick Bucky Walters to succeed him. The change doesn’t help today as Brooklyn’s Rex Barney wins‚ 4-1.
August 7Before 66‚000 fans‚ New York’s Vic Raschi (14-4) allows 4 singles in stopping the Indians‚ 5-0. DiMaggio has a pair of doubles‚ drives in 3 runs‚ and swipes home on the front end of a double steal.
August 8In Cleveland‚ 73‚484 fans watch the Indians and Yankees square off for 2 games. Trailing in the opener‚ an ailing Lou Boudreau hits a bases loaded pinch single in the 7th to tie the game‚ and Satchel Paige wins it in relief‚ 8-6. Steve Gromek goes 7 innings in the nitecap to give the Indians a 2-1 win over rookie Bob Porterfield‚ making his ML debut. The Indians and the A’s are now tied for 1st (60-39)‚ with the Yankees 2 games back and Red Sox in 4th place‚ 2 1/2 out.
August 11At Brooklyn‚ Chicago’s Johnny Schmitz goes 11 innings to beat the Dodgers‚ 4-2. Schmitz scores the winning run‚ coming home on an Eddie Waitkus double.
August 12In the 2nd game of a twin bill‚ after losing 8-4‚ the Indians wallop the Browns 26-3‚ coming within one run of the AL record for the most runs scored in a game. A record fourteen players have hits for the Indians in the game. Hal Peck leads with 4 hits and 4 runs. Pitcher Gene Bearden‚ who also has 4 hits and 4 runs‚ is staked to 9-run lead before taking the mound. All 14 Indians who have an at bat get a hit. Bob Feller pitches the last 2 innings.
August 13The promise of Satchel Paige on the mound brings 51‚013 to Comiskey Park to see “Ole Satch” pitch his first ML shutout as Cleveland wins 5-0. He gives up five hits to run his record to 5-1. In his 12 appearances‚ Paige has attracted 201‚829 fans. Teammate Larry Doby has 2 hits and 2 stolen bases.

The Phils score 10 runs in the bottom of the 1st inning‚ including a ML-record 9 runs before the first out is recorded‚ then hold on to beat the Giants 10-7. Rookie Curt Simmons lasts 6 innings for the win.
August 14Rookie George Vico drives in 7 runs to pace the Tigers to a 10-3 win over the Browns. Vico is one better than a cycle‚ collecting 2 doubles‚ a triple and homer to back Virgil Trucks‘ sparkling one-hit relief effort over 6+ innings.
August 15Before 72‚468-the largest crowd of the season at Yankee Stadium-the A’s sweep a pair from the Yanks by 5-3 scores and regain second place in the AL. The A’s win the opener in 10 innings after Joe DiMaggio ties the score with his 20th homer of the year. Joe D also triples home a run in the extra frame but Lou Brissie preserves the win for Carl Scheib. The A’s total 20 hits in the two games‚ including a triple and double by Sam Chapman. New York is now in 4th place‚ five games back.

In the first of two at Philadelphia‚ Ken Heintzelman tosses a one-hitter to beat the Giants 8-1. The only hit is Whitey Lockman‘s 7th inning triple. The Phils take the nitecap‚ 7-5‚ as Ed Heusser pitches 5 innings of relief to win. Larry Jansen and Clint Hartung take the losses.
August 16Babe Ruth dies of throat cancer at age 53 in New York. His body will be put on display at Yankee Stadium and be viewed by more than 100‚000 fans.
August 17Tom Henrich hits his 4th grand slam of the season‚ off the Senators Sid Hudson‚ to join Ruth‚ Gehrig‚ and York-and‚ later‚ Al Rosen and Ray Boone-for the AL record. Henrich‚ who broke in with the Yankees in 1937‚ had never hit a grand slam before this season. Bob Porterfield wins for New York‚ 8-1.

Indians’ rookie Gene Bearden shuts out the Browns‚ 8-0‚ to improve his record to 12-3.
August 18At Philadelphia‚ Rex Barney fires a one-hitter‚ beating the Phils‚ 1-0. The lone hit is a looping single by Ralph Caballero that just eludes a diving Duke Snider. Barney completes his victory by striking out the side in the 9th. The 2nd-place Bums score their lone run in the first when Robin Roberts wild pitches home Brooks from 3B.

The Pirates halt the Cubs‚ 7-4‚ behind rookie Bob Chesnes. Chesnes helps his own cause with two singles in the Bucs’ 6-run 8th inning to pin the loss on Russ Meyer. Stan Rojek has 4 hits for the Pirates‚ while Pafko drives home three runs on three hits for Chicago.

The Giants crush the first-place Braves‚ 8-2‚ behind Sheldon Jones. Sid Gordon hits his 24th and John Mize his 29th‚ both off Vern Bickford‚ to pace the New Yorkers. The Braves lead Brooklyn by a game.
August 19In the Eastern Shore League‚ Ed Santulli of Rehoboth Beach pitches a 10-0 no-hitter over Federalsburg‚ the 3rd no-hitter in the league in 4 days. On August 16‚ Ed Black of Salisbury no-hit Milford. 4-0. while Gene Kern of Cambridge did the same‚ beating Federalsburg‚ 12-0.
August 20The Indians draw record 78‚382 for the largest crowd to attend a night game. The Indians go on to beat the Chicago White Sox‚ 1-0‚ at Memorial Stadium as Satchel Paige blanks the opposition on 3 hits for the 4th consecutive shutout by Cleveland hurlers. Bill Wight is the hard-luck loser. Besides Paige‚ Gene Bearden‚ Sam Zoldak‚ and Bob Lemon fired shutouts.
August 21After shutting out the White Sox for 8 innings‚ Bob Lemon weakens and Chicago scores 3 runs to beat the Indians 3-2. Pat Seerey walks and Aaron Robinson and Dave Philley hit homers for Chicago. The runs break the 47-inning scoreless streak by Indians pitchers that started with the last three innings of the first game on August 15. The 1903 Cleveland team had had a run of 41 scoreless innings and Baltimore will extend the record in 1974 to 54 innings.

Representatives of Cuba‚ Panama‚ Puerto Rico‚ and Venezuela‚ meeting in Havana‚ agree to stage a 4-country round-robin 12-game tournament to be known as the Serie de Caribe (Caribbean Series) and to be launched in Cuba during February 1949. The Dominican Republic and Mexico will also later participate on a regular basis.
August 22The Dodgers steal 8 bases‚ including a 5th-inning triple steal with Jackie Robinson on the front end. But the Braves win 4-3 to move 2 games ahead of 2nd-place Brooklyn. In the last 19 steal attempts against the Braves‚ no Dodger has been thrown out.
August 23Reds pitcher Harry Gumbert clubs a game ending 10th inning homer run to beat the Phillies‚ 3-2. It is Gumbert’s only hit of the year in 25 at bats‚ and comes off Schoolboy Rowe. It is his 5th lifetime homer.
August 24At Fenway‚ with the Red Sox trailing Cleveland 8-7‚ Vern Stephens crashes a 2-run homer to give the Sox a 9-8 win and move them into first place. This is Stephen’s 15th game-winning hit of the year.
August 25At Boston‚ it is Cleveland’s turn to take over first place as they roll 9-0 behind Bob Lemon. It is Lemon’s 8th shutout of the year.
August 26The Cubs sweep two from the Braves‚ 5-1 and 5-2‚ despite a near-riot that holds up play for 20 minutes in the nitecap. The reaction by the fans comes when Jocko Conlan rules that a drive by Phil Cavarretta in the 3rd inning is a ground-rule double‚ not an inside the park homer. Conlan makes his call after Braves LF Jeff Heath “loses” the ball in the Wrigley vines‚ though it is really by his feet. The fans shower the field in protest and Conlan bawls out some of Chicago’s finest for not taking any action. When play is resumed‚ Andy Pafko walks and Peanut Lowrey’s hits a bases-loaded triple.
August 27Hank Majeski of the Athletics hits 6 doubles in a doubleheader against the Browns‚ pacing the dogged A’s to wins of 6-0 and 9-1. He is the 3rd AL player to collect 6 long hits in an afternoon and just the 2nd to do it in two regulation length games. Hal McRae‚ on the same date in 1974‚ will do it next in the AL.

Johnny Schmitz leads the Cubs to a 1-0 win over the first-place Braves at Wrigley Field. Schmitz allows just 6 hits‚ including two triples‚ but doubles and scores the games only run in the bottom of the 9th. Johnny Sain takes the loss.

For the second time in 4 days‚ the Phillies are beaten on a game ending homer by an opposing pitcher. Today‚ it is Pirate P Kirby Higbe who hits a 9th inning homer to win‚ 4-3.
August 28The Phils snap their 10-game losing streak with a pair of victories over the Pirates‚ 9-2 and 11-7. Del Ennis and Andy Seminick homer in the opener to back Schoolboy Rowe. Ennis hits a pair in game two‚ Seminick adds another‚ as do Eddie Miller‚ Granny Hamner-his first of the year‚ and Al Lakeman. But the Phils lose star Richie Ashburn‚ who breaks a finger on his left hand.

The Yanks stroll into 2nd-place by edging the Indians‚ 3-2. Ahead 2-1‚ Sam Zoldak wilts in the 98 degree weather and Gene Bearden replaces him in the 9th. DiMaggio is hit‚ and two wild throws brings in Ed Klieman‚ who finishes the walk to Berra. A Brown sac bunt‚ and an intentional pass to Rizzuto load the bases. Mapes walks to force in a run and a grounder brings home the winner.

Vern Stephens is 4-for-4 with 2 doubles to pace the Red Sox to a 6-2 decision over Chicago. Ellis Kinder (6-7) is the only starter not to collect a hit for the first-place Sox.
August 29The Dodgers sweep a doubleheader‚ 12-7 and 6-4‚ against the Cardinals to take over first place ahead of the Braves by 3 percentage points. In the first game‚ Jackie Robinson hits for the cycle‚ scores 3 runs‚ drives in 2‚ and swipes 3B. The Cardinals use 42 players‚ a major league record‚ in the two games‚ with Brecheen and Munger taking the losses. With the Braves losing a pair to the Pirates‚ 6-1 and 5-2‚ Boston’s lead shrinks to a half-game over Brooklyn. In the AL‚ only 2 games separate the Red Sox‚ Indians‚ and Yankees.

Playing their third doubleheader in three days‚ the Giants drop a pair to the Reds‚ both by 3-2 scores.
August 31Before 45‚531 at Wrigley Field‚ the last place Cubs beat the first-place Dodgers‚ 3-0 and 7-2. Hank Borowy stops Brooklyn on one hit in the opener-a single by Gene Hermanski-and faces just 27 batters. He hurls 100 pitches‚ while Bob Scheffing drives in all 3 runs. Doyle Lade wins the nitecap. The loss slices Brooklyn’s lead to 2 points over the Braves‚ 3-1 winners at Cincinnati‚ while the Cards and Pirates move just 2 games back.

At Yankee Stadium‚ the Yanks score 4 runs in the 8th but the Browns come back with 5 in the 9th off Joe Page to make it close. But New York prevails‚ 10-9. 1B Henrich has a HR and an unassisted DP to help Allie Reynolds to the win. The Yanks remain a game behind the Red Sox.

The Red Sox keep their precarious hold on 1st place with an 8-4 win over the Tigers. Mel Parnell is the complete game winner. Ted Williams has 2 hits‚ scores 2 runs and steals a base.

September

September 1The host Braves split a pair with the Reds‚ as Johnny Vander Meer bests Warren Spahn‚ 3-1 in the opener. Glenn Elliott‚ just up from the AAA Brewers‚ is awarded the victory in the 11-1 nitecap‚ even though he pitches just 3 innings. Elliott collides with Ted Kluszewski while running to 1B and is injured after pitching his only innings of 1948. Reliever Clyde Shoun throws the last 6 innings.
September 2Commissioner Happy Chandler fines the Pirates $2‚000 for violating the NL bonus rule. Pittsburgh signed M. L. Lynch as a scout while offering his son Danny a $6‚000-a-year contract. Chandler interprets this as an attempt to influence the young second baseman’s decision. Danny Lynch is declared a free agent and signs with the Cubs.
September 3Jeff Heath hits a 2-run HR in the 4th inning and the Braves hold on to beat the Phillies 3-1. Johnny Sain allows just three hits in winning his 17th. With the Dodgers dropping a doubleheader to the Giants‚ 7-5 and 6-3‚ the Braves move back into 1st place.

Joe Dobson allows 4 hits and outpitches young Carl Scheib to give the Red Sox a 2-0 win over the A’s.

The Yankees move a half-game in back of the Red Sox with a sweep of the Senators‚ 6-2 and 5-2. Joe DiMaggio‚ who started the day tied with Stephens at 118 RBIs leads the way by knocking in 7 runs. Joe has a pair of homers into opener‚ and a 3-run inside-the-park homer in the nitecap.

At Spartanburg, the host Peaches (Tri-State League) cream Ashville, 30–6. The offense is led by 3B Len Cross who sets 4 league records going 7-for-7 with 4 home runs, 19 total bases, 12 RBIs, and 6 runs. Only one of his home runs is a solo shot as 9 of his 12 RBIs came on home runs.
September 4Phils vet Schoolboy Rowe outpitches Bill Voiselle to beat the Braves‚ 4-3. In the nitecap Vern Bickford drives in two runs and pitches the Braves to an 8-1 win.

1948 Sep 4th add In a Northern League game, Ken Vangilder, pitching for St. Cloud, tosses a 10-inning no-hitter against Superior. Vangilder strikes out 12, walks four while only two of the putouts are by the outfield. He wins, 1–0.
September 5The Braves Red Barrett allows 5 hits in beating the Phils‚ 5-1. Frank McCormick drives in three runs.

DiMaggio hits his 4th homer of the series to help the Yanks top the Senators‚ 5-3. With the score deadlocked at 3-3 in the 6th‚ Joe D ducks out of the way of a Sid Hudson brushback pitch and the ball hits his bat‚ dropping into RF for a double to start the 2-run rally.

Ted Williams collects 4 hits as the Red Sox top the A’s‚ 4-3 in 10 innings. The Sox and Yankees have each won 19 of their last 22 games.

Amarillo (West Texas-New Mexico League) OF Bob Crues hits 2 HRs against Lubbock to give him 69 for the season‚ tying Joe Hauser‘s 1933 mark at Minneapolis. He sets an organized baseball record with 254 RBI in 140 games‚ hits a record 8 grand slams‚ while hitting .404.
September 6The Pirates sweep two from the Cardinals‚ winning 2-1 and 4-1‚ and the two teams combine for just 2 strikeouts in the doubleheader‚ a major league record. The two also turn 13 double plays‚ 8 by Pittsburgh‚ to tie a ML mark for a twinbill. Pittsburgh turns a record tying 6 DPs in the lidlifter to back Chesnes 12th win as Kiner belts a 2-run homer‚ his 38th‚ for all the scoring. 2B Danny Murtaugh is in 5 of the DPs in game 1 equaling the mark first set by Detroit’s Charley O’Leary‚ July 23‚ 1905. Murtaugh’s hit streak is stopped at 23 games.

The Boston Braves increase its lead to 4 games as Warren Spahn lasts 14 innings to beat Da Bums‚ 2-1. Spahn twice picks off Jackie Robinson in his 5-hitter. In the 7-inning nitecap‚ Johnny Sain wins‚ 4-0. Salkeld and McCormick bat out of turn 3 times in game 2 and not till the latter’s single in the 5th is the irregularity noticed. The umps then rule he’s out of turn and he loses his hit; Salkeld’s 2 earlier hits stand. The crowd of 40‚000 pushes the Braves attendance over the 1.3 million mark‚ a new high. Spahn and Sain will start 11 of the next 16 games.

After 2‚423 times at bat‚ Cubs catcher Dutch Verban finally connects for his only major league home run. Dutch goes deep against Johnny Vander Meer in the first of two games‚ but that’s all the Cubs’ scoring‚ as the Reds win‚ 3-1. Dutch McCall takes the loss and serves up Hank Sauer‘s 30th HR‚ tying a Reds’ club record. The Cubs win the 2nd game in eight innings‚ 6-2‚ as Bob Rush defeats Herm Wehmeier. Roy Smalley hits a 3-run HR.

At Philadelphia‚ the Giants sweep a pair from the Phils‚ winning 4-3 in 13 innings and 3-0 in 7 innings. In the nitecap the Phils manage just one hit in the first 6 innings but garner 10 walks off Curt Simmons walks 2 more batters in the 7th‚ and gives up 3 hits before exiting. No one in the NL has ever walked that many in that few innings. Clint Hartung is the winner.

In the twinbill split between the Tigers and the Browns the 2 teams set an AL mark by using 37 players in game 2‚ an 11-10 St. Louis win. Ted Gray wins the opener‚ 8-1.

At Chicago‚ the struggling Indians split a Labor Day DH with the White Sox‚ losing 3-1 before winning 1-0 in 7 innings. Bob Feller throws the shutout halted by darkness. The Tribe now trails the Yanks by 3 games and the Red Sox by 4 1/2 games.
September 8At Boston the Red Sox turn back the Yankees‚ 10-6‚ to lead by 3 games in the loss column. The Indians blow a 7-3 lead against the Tigers‚ but hold on to win‚ 8-7‚ in the 11th. Doby scores the winning run.
September 9Hard-throwing Rex Barney of the Brooklyn Dodgers survives a one-hour rain delay plus showers in the 6th‚ 8th‚ and 9th innings and hurls a no-hitter‚ beating the New York Giants and Monte Kennedy‚ 2-0. It is Barney’s 10th win in 2 months‚ and keeps the 3rd-place Dodgers 31?2 games behind the NL-leading Braves.

The Braves are rained out in Philadelphia.

The Red Sox whip the Yankees‚ 9-4‚ scoring 8 runs in the 3rd. Williams (.367) has 2 hits to regain the AL lead over Boudreau.
September 10The visiting Yankees whip first-place Boston‚ 11-6‚ on Joe DiMaggio‘s 10th inning grand slam‚ off sidearmer Earl Caldwell. Both DiMaggios have 3 hits‚ but Joe has 5 RBIs. Boston’s lead is cut to 2 1/2 games over New York‚ with Cleveland 3 1/2 back of Boston after beating Detroit‚ 10-1‚ behind Gene Bearden.

The Braves are rained out again.
September 11The Braves sweep a pair from the Phils‚ winning 3-1 and 13-2. Johnny Sain wins the opener over Schoolboy Rowe‚ with Bob Elliott providing the offense with a 3-run homer. Spahn wins the nitecap‚ hitting his first ML homer‚ off Charles Bicknell. Robin Roberts is the losing pitcher. Both Boston teams now lead their leagues by three games.

Ralph Kiner‚ benched by a stomach disorder‚ poles an 8th inning pinch grand slam to give the Pirates a 13-12 win over Chicago. It is the Bucco belter’s 39th homer. Pafko has a homer and 2 doubles‚ good for 5 ribbies‚ to pace the Bruins.

Behind Steve Gromek and Bob Lemon‚ the Indians sweep two from the Browns‚ 4-1 and 9-1. Lemon wins his 20th‚ the first AL hurler to reach the mark. Cleveland now trails the Yanks by a half-game and the Red Sox by 3 1/2.

New York’s Mark Baldwin surrenders only 3 hits‚ but is out dueled by Ed Stein‚ who pitches his 2nd one-hitter of the season to lead Brooklyn to a 3-0 victory.

The Red Sox maintain their pace with a sweep of the A’s‚ winning a day-night twinbill‚ 9-1 and 2-1. Denny Galehouse and Mel Parnell toss complete games.
September 12The Phils almost derail the Braves express‚ stopping the league leaders‚ 6-4 in the first of two‚ then succumbing 2-1 in 13 innings in the nitecap. The Braves make 14 hits in the opener off Dutch Leonard‚ but the Phils total 13 hits‚ including Del Ennis‘ 26th homer. Both teams score a run in the 3rd of the nitecap‚ but the Braves tally one in the 13th to win. Al Dark opens with a single‚ and races to 3B on Earl Torgeson‘s sac bunt. Two intentional walks loads the bases‚ and Bill Salkeld‘s sac fly brings Dark home. Del Ennis opens the Phils 10th with a triple‚ but Nels Potter relieves Bickford and intentionally passes two before striking out Miller and Seminick. Don Padgett then grounds out.

The second-place Pirates creep to within 3 games of the Braves by jolting the Cubs‚ 7-3. 40-year-old Rip Sewell (11-3)continues his mastery of the Bruins beating them for the 7th time this year and the 33rd of his career. Cubs pitchers help by handing out 14 walks.

At Fenway‚ the A’s score 6 runs in the 9th to defeat the first-place Red Sox‚ 10-4. Carl Scheib‚ 21‚ is the winner over Joe Dobson‚ notching his 13th win. The A’s are the only team so far this year with four pitchers with 13 or more wins.

The Indians stretch their winning streak to seven games as Sam Zoldak wins his 3rd in five days. The Tribe beat the Browns‚ 6-4‚ then settle for a 3-3 thirteen inning tie. Karl Drews walks 8 in less than 4 innings to take the loss for the Browns. The Browns chase Satchel Paige in the 5th‚ but Zoldak nails down the win. Cleveland is in 3rd place by 2 1/2 games behind New York and Boston.
September 13In a 3-2 loss‚ Cleveland P Don Black (2-2) suffers a cerebral hemorrhage while at bat in the 2nd inning against the Browns. Black’s life will hang in the balance for a week. He recovers‚ but his pitching days are over. Keltner sets a team mark with 10 assists at 3B.
September 14Johnny Sain wins his 20th game of the year‚ beating the Cubs 10-3. It is the 3rd year in a row the Boston Braves ace has won 20 games. The Braves now lead the NL by 5 games. As noted by Dixie Tourangeau‚ the Boston Post runs a poem this Tuesday by sports editor Gerry Hern:
First we’ll use Spahn‚ then we’ll use Sain‚
Then an off day‚ followed by rain.
Back will come Spahn‚ followed by Sain.
And followed‚ we hope‚ by two days of rain.
The poem will shortened in the public memory to “Spahn and Sain and pray for rain.”
September 15Warren Spahn stops the Cubs‚ 5-2‚ and the Braves will have the day off tomorrow.

The White Sox score 10 runs in the 7th to knock out the Red Sox‚ 17-10. Ted Williams‚ with 5 hits‚ leads the Red Sox‚ now just a game and a half ahead of New York.
September 16In Detroit‚ Joe DiMaggio cracks his 300th homer‚ off Freddie Hutchinson‚ becoming just the 8th player to hit 300. It’s New York’s only score as they lose‚ 2-1. The Yankees take the nitecap‚ 8-4‚ with Joe Page the winner in relief.

Larry Doby‘s grand slam in the first enables Cleveland to beat Washington‚ 6-3‚ and extends the capital crew’s losing streak to 16 games. Doby extends his hit streak to 21 games.

At St. Louis‚ Cliff Fannin allows 4 Boston hits through 8 innings and hangs on to beat the leading Red Sox and Mel Parnell‚ 3-1.

The Dodgers shrug off a first inning grand slam by Hank Sauer‚ off Ralph Branca‚ and a 4th inning solo shot by pitcher Ken Burkhart‚ his first ML homer‚ and beat the visiting Reds‚ 12-6. Marv Rackley has 4 singles and Jackie Robinson and Carl Furillo combine for 7 RBIs.

In Springfield‚ the Athletics pummel a team of Illinois amateurs‚ 19-3. The A’s use a new battery-P Hal Schaker and catcher Earl Brucker‚ a $30‚000 bonus baby.
September 17Six Braves‚ including winning pitcher Johnny Sain‚ drive in runs to beating the 2nd-place Pirates‚ 6-2. For Sain‚ it is his 5th win of the month and 21st of the year.

The Red Sox beat the Browns‚ 9-3‚ to hang on to first place. Bobby Doerr handles 10 chances to set a ML record of 396 consecutive chances without an error. Doerr‚ who returned to the lineup 2 days ago‚ adds a 3-run homer. Boston picks up a half game on New York‚ losers to Detroit.

Cleveland beats the Senators‚ 4-1‚ as Feller takes over the AL lead with 11 strikeouts.
September 18Pitching with just 2 days rest‚ Spahn allows just 1 hit-a Johnny Hopp bounce single-through 8 innings in besting the Bucs Fritz Ostermueller‚ 2-1. Spahn and Bob Elliott score the runs‚ the latter coming home on Frank McCormick’s triple. The Bucs bunch 3 hits in the 9th for a score.

Scranton pitcher Maury McDermott tosses an 8-0 no-hitter over Utica in the Eastern League playoffs. Maury K’s 18 Blue Sox.
September 19Red Barrett and Clyde Shoun combine to give the first-place Braves a 4-2 win over the Reds. Boston has 12 hits‚ including a homer by Bob Elliott. Eddie Stanky makes his first appearance since breaking an ankle in a collision on July 8th and pinch hits a single in the 7th. The Braves‚ who will be rained out tomorrow‚ now lead the Cards and Dodgers by six games‚ with the Pirates in 4th place‚ 8 games back.

After 18 straight losses‚ the 7th place Senators finally win‚ topping last place Chicago‚ 10-7 and 8-6.

For their doubleheader with the A’s‚ the Indians draw 75.382 to break the all-time attendance record of 2‚265‚512‚ set by the Yankees last year. The Indians don’t disappoint‚ sweeping the two‚ 5-3 and 2-0. Doby wins the opener with a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 9th‚ and Gromek scatters 3 hits in the nitecap. The Indians move into 2nd place ahead of New York‚ winners of 1 out of 2 in St. Louis.

At Detroit‚ Ted Williams homers in the 9th to draw the Red Sox even with the Tigers at 3-3. But Detroit wins in the 12th on pitcher Stubby Overmire‘s broken bat single‚ his only hit of the year. Detroit repeats in the nitecap‚ winning 8-6 in 8 innings as Dick Wakefield hits his 2nd homer of the day. The 2 losses leaves Boston a half-game ahead of Cleveland and one ahead of New York.
September 21In Chicago‚ Johnny Schmitz wins‚ 3-2‚ in a doubleheader nitecap against the Giants when Andy Pafko crashes a dramatic three-run HR in the bottom of the 9th‚ off Red Webb. The win snaps a 10-game Cub losing streak. The Giants manage just two hits off Schmitz‚ one by Webb; batters will hit just .215 against him‚ the best in the NL.

The Braves sweep a pair from the host Cards‚ winning 11-3 and 4-0. Sain wins the opener‚ knocking in two runs and scoring a pair himself. Sain will lead the NL in sacrifice hits with 16‚ the only pitcher ever to do so. Vern Bickford tosses a 4-hitter in the nitecap.

After all three contenders won yesterday‚ the Red Sox repeat with a 10-2 win over the Tigers. Mel Parnell scatters 11 hits. Boston is a game ahead of the idle Indians and 1 1/2 ahead of the idle Yankees.
September 22In Cleveland‚ 76‚772 fans go wild as Bob Feller tops the Red Sox 5-2 to move Cleveland into a tie for 1st place with Boston. Ken Keltner‘s 3-run HR is the margin of victory. Bill Veeck‚ who switched the single game from an afternoon to night game‚ and announces that the Indians’ share of the gate will go to ailing Don Black. The Indians and Red Sox are now tied for 1st with the Yankees just a half-game back.

The Cards slow the Braves‚ winning 8-2‚ the first loss by Boston in 9 games. Stan Musial is a one-man wrecking crew‚ going 5-for-5 with a double and his 38th homer of the year as Warren Spahn takes the loss. Al Brazle is the winner. Enos Slaughter has his nose broken by a line drive off the bat of teammate Nippy Jones.
September 23In Chicago‚ the last place White Sox‚ behind thirty-year-old journeyman Frank Papish (2-8) stop the Yankees‚ 4-2‚ and defeat ace Eddie Lopat. The Sox and Indians are idle.
September 24The Red Sox knock out Vic Raschi in the 4th inning and Ted Williams drives in three runs with a double and a bases-loaded walk. But the Yankees whip the Red Sox 9-6‚ scoring two gift runs when Ellis Kinder forgets to cover first base. Meanwhile‚ Cleveland snaps its seven game win streak when Detroit beats them‚ 4-3‚ behind Freddie Hutchinson’s 7-hitter. New York‚ Boston and Cleveland are now tied for 1st place in the AL with identical 91-56 records.

In Chicago‚ AL president Will Harridge tosses a coin and then announces the schedule should there be a three-way tie at the end of the season‚ just seven games away.
September 25Boston’s Jack Kramer scatters seven hits and the Sox beat up on Allie Reynolds‚ sending the Chief to the showers in the 4th inning. The Red Sox win‚ 7-2.

Behind Gene Bearden‘s 17th win‚ the Indians top the Tigers‚ 9-3.

The Giants Sheldon Jones allows 12 hits‚ including a homer by Jeff Heath‚ but still beats the Braves‚ 3-2. Jones drives in two runs with two hits to beat Sain. Heath has hit a home run in every NL park this season‚ something he did in the AL in 1946 and 1947 with the Browns. He is the first player to do it in both leagues: Mize will join him in 1952.
September 26The Braves (87-60) clinch the NL flag by defeating the Giants 3-2 behind Bob Elliott’s three-run homer. They have six games to play‚ with an unplayed game against the Reds. Brooklyn (82-67) is six game back and the Cards (81-67) trail by 6 1/2‚ each with six to play. The Braves will finish 61?2 games ahead of the Dodgers‚ but two days before the season is over the Braves will lose their best hitter‚ OF Jeff Heath‚ who breaks an ankle sliding home against Brooklyn. The broken ankle effectively ends his career‚ though he plays briefly next year for Boston and in 1950 for Seattle (PCL).

Bob Feller allows five hits and outduels Newhouser to give the Indians a 41 win over Detroit before 57‚888 Tiger fans. Feller wins his 6th straight with the help of a two-run homer by Joe Gordon. Cleveland moves into first place this Sunday night after the Yankees top the Red Sox.

The Yankees Tommy Henrich reaches Mel Parnell for a two-run homer in the 1st inning and Joe DiMaggio adds another pair in the 4th inning on a single. Tommy Byrne stops the Red Sox to give New York a 6-2 win. But Gus Niarhos‚ NY’s starting catcher since early August‚ breaks his finger and is out for the year.
September 28In Cleveland‚ 60‚405 fans are on hand for “Joe Early Night.” Early‚ a night watchman‚ had written Bill Veeck asking why the average fan is never celebrated and Veeck took advantage of the promotional opportunity. The first 20‚000 female fans at the stadium receive a Princess Aloha orchid flown in overnight from Hawaii‚ while Early receives a host of gifts including a convertible‚ appliances‚ easy chair‚ and a cocker spaniel. The Indians then take advantage of the White Sox‚ winning 11-0‚ behind Gene Bearden‘s 18th win. Dale Mitchell hits his 4th homer of the year‚ and Allie Clark has a homer and three singles With the Yankees and Red Sox losing‚ the Indians now lead by two games with four to play. The Tribe have now won 17 of their last 20.

In Philadelphia‚ the A’s Carl Scheib outpitches Vic Raschi to beat the Yankees‚ 5-2. The 4th place A’s will finish the season at 84-70 and become the first AL team to finish above .500 and score fewer runs (724 to 735) than their opponents. The 1987 Twins will be the next and only AL team to do it. In the NL‚ the 1930 Pirates were the first team to accomplish the feat.

Meanwhile‚ at Fenway‚ the Red Sox lose‚ 4-2‚ as Washington’s ace Ray Scarborough (14-8) allows six hits. Because of injuries‚ Scarborough has won just one game in a month. After striking out in the 3rd‚ Williams answers the Fenway Boo Birds by letting his bat fly towards the end of the Boston dugout. In the 5th‚ Williams raises both index fingers after catching a fly.

Hank Arft‘s 8th inning homer-the 32nd given up by Detroit’s Fred Hutchinson this year enables the Browns to win‚ 5-3. Fred Sanford (12-20) wins despite giving up homers to rookie Johnny Groth and Hutchinson.

The Phils switch “bonus kids” Hugh Radcliffe (a $40‚000 signee)‚ Stan Hollmig ($25‚000)‚ and Rudy Rufer ($10‚000) to Toronto‚ thus exposing them to the draft.

The Brooklyn football Dodgers ask waivers on Pepper Martin‚ because of a leg injury. The former major league star had been signed as a place kicker.
September 29On two days rest‚ Bob Feller gives up ten hits and strikes out just three‚ but the Indians stop the White Sox‚ 5-2. Joe Gordon hits his 32nd homer and Ken Keltner hits his 31st to keep the Indians two games ahead.

The race stays tight as rookie righty Bob Porterfield gives New York a 4-2 win over the A’s. Fellow Rookie Hank Bauer belts his first major league homer‚ a three run shot off Dick Fowler.

Johnny Sain picks up his 23rd victory in the Braves 4-3 win over the Dodgers‚ but Boston loses star Jeff Heath‚ who snaps a bone 2 inches above the ankle sliding home. He is hitting .319 with 20 homers and will miss the Series. By special permission of commissioner Happy Chandler‚ the Braves add Marv Rickert as Heath’s replacement on the WS roster. Rickert spent the 1948 season at Milwaukee hitting .302 with 27 HRs.

Ellis Kinder gives the Red Sox a 51 win over the Senators. The Fenway fans also react to the news from Brooklyn that Braves star Jeff Heath had broken his ankle at home plate. The Red Sox players are less sympathetic since Heath‚ in a radio interview‚ said he hoped the Indians‚ not the Red Sox‚ won the AL pennant because their larger stadium would mean a bigger pay check.

Detroit’s Hal Newhouser stops the Browns‚ 4-0‚ for his 20th win of the year.
September 30The idle Indians watch their lead shaved to 1 1/2 games as both the Red Sox and Yankees win. Mel Parnell stops the Senators‚ 7-3‚ for his 15th victory; In the rain at Shibe Park‚ the Yankees edge the A’s‚ 9-7. Vic Raschi pitches the 9th for a save.

October

October 1In the Friday opener of three games with Detroit‚ the Indians take a 3-2 lead into the 9th. Starter Bob Lemon picks up a swinging bunt by Eddie Mayo and then plunks the runner in the back with the throw. He strikes out a batter‚ then walks two to load the bases‚ and Russ Christopher relieves and walks in Johnny Lipon with the tying run. A dropped throw at first on a 5-2-3 possible DP leaves the door open for Jimmy Outlaw‘s two-run single over Joe Gordon‘s head. The Tigers win‚ 5-3‚ to slice the Tribe’s lead to a game.
October 2The Red Sox‚ a game in back of the Indians‚ host the Yankees in a critical match for both teams. Ted Williams gives Boston a two-run lead in the 1st with a HR off a Tommy Byrne fast ball‚ and Jack Kramer posts his 18th win in beating New York 5-1. For Kramer‚ it is his 5th win of the year over the Yanks. New York can now finish no better than 2nd place.

The Indians are sure of at least a tie by whitewashing Detroit 8-0 behind Gene Bearden‚ now 19-6. It is Bearden’s 2nd straight shutout and 6th straight victory. Larry Doby has 4 hits to lead the offense.

The Senators‚ using 2nd stringers and rookies‚ beat the A’s‚ 7-1. Pitcher Carl Scheib plays LF for the A’s and goes 0-for-3. Tomorrow he’ll play RF and go 0-for-3 again‚ ending the year at .298. The A’s finish in 4th place (84-70) and are the first team ever to finish above .500 while scoring fewer runs than their opponents (729-735).
October 3On the last day of the regular season‚ Cleveland’s hopes for a Yankee win over the Red Sox are dashed when New York rookie Bob Porterfield can’t hold a 2-0 lead. With New York trailing 5-4‚ reliever Vic Raschi gives up HRs to Dom DiMaggio‚ one of his 4 hits‚ and Vern Stephens in the 6th inning‚ and Boston wins‚ 10-5. The other DiMaggio has two doubles‚ two singles and 3 RBIs for New York. Earl Johnson‚ in relief of Joe Dobson in the 5th‚ is the winner.

Detroit hitters cuff Bob Feller and 5 relievers for 15 hits to make Newhouser’s 21st win an easy 7-1 victory. It is Newhouser’s 2nd and last win over Feller in his career. Vic Wertz has three doubles for the Bengals. Despite the loss‚ Bill Veeck donates the club’s share from the gate receipts of 74‚191 to Cleveland’s Community Chest. The Indians and the Red Sox end the year in a tie‚ necessitating a one-game playoff. But a philosophical Veeck observes‚ “We feel that no matter who pitches tomorrow for Boston‚ he’ll not be a Newhouser-certainly not the Newhouser we faced today.”

Johnny Vander Meer fires a 2-hit shutout to beat the Pirates‚ 1-0. The win keeps the Reds out of last place.

Johnny Mize hits his 40th HR of the year to again tie Ralph Kiner for the NL lead‚ as was the case in 1947. Kiner had hit his final 1948 HR on September 26. In 1946 rookie Kiner led with 23 to the 22 of Mize‚ who missed 50 games because of injury.

Luke Easter‘s grand slam highlights the Homestead Grays‘ 19-hit assault on the Birmingham Black Barons in the 4th game of the Negro World Series. The Grays will win the Championship in 5 games. This will be the final Negro WS‚ as the Negro National League becomes a casualty of integration and folds during the winter.
October 4In a one-game playoff for the AL pennant at Fenway Park‚ the Cleveland Indians beat the Boston Red Sox 8-3 behind rookie knuckleballer Gene Bearden‚ who wins his 20th game. Red Sox manager Joe McCarthy ignores the well-rested rotation pitchers Ellis Kinder and Mel Parnell to go with journeyman Denny Galehouse (8-7). With the score 1-1 in the 4th‚ Ken Keltner hits a 3-run HR over the LF fence. Player-manager Lou Boudreau gets 4 hits‚ including a pair of homers‚ and finishes the year with just 9 strikeouts‚ the lowest number since 1922.

The Cubs send Bill Nicholson to the Phillies for former NL batting champ Harry Walker. The Inquirer predicts this is a forerunner of further trades with the Cubs.

The Yankees fire Bucky Harris as manager‚ announcing that the new manager will be named later. Several men are being considered‚ “not including a player active with the 1948 team.” Minor league manager Jim Turner’s name is mentioned as a possibility.

In St. Louis‚ Taylor Spink‚ publisher of The Sporting News writes in a Baltimore newspaper that Baltimore will have an AL team within two years. “You can put a clothespin in this: Baltimore will be in the American League‚ if not next year‚ then surely in 1950.”
October 6In the WS opener in Boston‚ Phil Masi is called safe at 2B on a disputed call by umpire Bill Stewart on a pickoff attempt in the 8th. Masi then scores on a single by Tommy Holmes as Johnny Sain and the Boston Braves top the Cleveland Indians and Bob Feller 1-0.
October 7Cleveland ties the Series on Bob Lemon‘s 4-1 win over Warren Spahn. Two runs score in the 4th on hits by Lou Boudreau‚ Joe Gordon‚ and Larry Doby.
October 8Indian Gene Bearden faces only 30 batters as he turns in a 5-hit‚ 2-0 win before 70‚000 at Cleveland. Bearden also has two hits in beating Vern Bickford.
October 9Before a record WS 81‚897‚ the Indians take a 3-1 Series lead‚ as Steve Gromek outpitches Johnny Sain. The first HR of the Series‚ by Larry Doby‚ is decisive. Merv Rickert also homers for the Braves.
October 10A 6-run 7th kayos Bob Feller and 2 successors for the Braves’ 11-5 victory. Bob Elliott has 2 HRs‚ one for 3 runs. The WS crowd is even larger than the day before‚ 86‚288‚ only to be exceeded in the LA Coliseum in 1959.
October 11In Boston‚ the Cleveland Indians nip the Braves 4-3 to take the WS in 6 games. Rookie lefty Gene Bearden is the pitching hero in relief beating Bill Voiselle.

In a curious move‚ the Cubs sell P Russ Meyer to the Phillies. The “Mad Monk” (10-10‚ with 3 shutouts) was the only starter not under .500 and one of two pitchers to win 10 games. Meyer will go 17-9 with the Phils in 1949. After the Cubs beat Meyer and the Phillies next June 5‚ he will go 24-2 against his old club as a member of the Phils and Dodgers.
October 12The Yankees hire Casey Stengel to manage in 1949.
October 27Commissioner Chandler orders free agency for 10 Detroit-owned minor leaguers for the club’s cover-up of their contracts. One of the players who will make the ML is Bill Serena‚ with a 6-year career.

November

November 4Former OF Jake Powell‚ 39‚ shoots and kills himself in a Washington‚ D.C.‚ police station. Powell was arrested for writing checks on a false account. Powell was the star of the 1936 WS‚ going 4-for-4 in game one against Carl Hubbell and finishing the series with a .455 average and scoring 8 runs.
November 10In a move that will give Chicago their mound ace for the 1950s‚ Detroit sends young Billy Pierce (3-0 in 1948) to the White Sox for C Aaron Robinson. The Tigers even sweeten the deal with $10‚000.
November 22The White Sox trade P Joe Haynes to Cleveland for C Joe Tipton. Haynes will be swapped again in 3 weeks.
November 30Player-manager Lou Boudreau is selected the AL MVP. Boudreau had almost been traded to the Browns earlier in the year‚ but protests by fans kept Lou in Cleveland. After the WS win‚ owner Bill Veeck commented‚ “Sometimes the best trades are the ones you never make.” According to historian Pete Palmer‚ this year Boudreau became the last AL player in the 20th C to hit over .400 on the road. Coincidentally‚ Stan Musial matched that feat in the NL this year.

December

December 2Stan Musial is picked MVP in the NL. Musial led the NL in batting at .365‚ runs (135)‚ RBI (131)‚ and in doubles and triples. His 39 HRs were one short of Johnny Mize and Ralph Kiner. According to research Bill Deane‚ Musial is the last NL player in the 20th C to bat .400 on the road (minimum 80 hits). He went 132-for-318 away from home‚ good for a .415 average. Other National Leaguers to top .400 on the road include Rogers Hornsby (.405 in 1920‚ .419 in 1921‚ .401 in 1928) and Bill Terry (.404 in 1930).
December 8Pittsburgh trades 2B Frankie Gustine and P Cal McLish to the Cubs for P Cliff Chambers and C Clyde McCullough.
December 10The minors started 58 leagues and 438 clubs this year. All the leagues finished schedules‚ but when the minor leagues ask for curbs on television into their areas‚ the ML clubs sidestep the issue.
December 13After a year in New York‚ Red Embree is traded‚ along with young C Sherm Lollar‚ Dick Starr and $100‚000‚ to the Browns. Embree will slump to 3-13 in St. Louis after having his only winning ML season in NY. Lollar is the prize‚ and will catch in the majors through 1963. The Yankees receive Fred Sanford and Roy Partee. Partee is ticketed for the minors‚ but Sanford will help the Yanks as a starter/reliever in 1949.
December 14At the owners meetings two deals are announced. The Indians send Eddie Klieman‚ Eddie Robinson‚ and P Joe Haynes‚ acquired from the White Sox 3 weeks earlier for C Joe Tipton‚ to Washington for Early Wynn and Mickey Vernon. Vernon will go back to the Nats in 1950 but Wynn will stay in Cleveland for 9 seasons and 163 wins.

The Cubs send Eddie Waitkus and Hank Borowy to the Phillies in exchange for pitcher Monk Dubiel and Dutch Leonard. Leonard‚ the veteran knuckleballer‚ won 29 games in 2 years after being purchased from the Senators. He lost a NL high 17 games this year‚ despite a 2.51 ERA. Borowy slipped to 5-10 last year and Waitkus hit .296 in the PCL.

The AL and NL split on night games. The NL announces that teams can play 5 night games‚ up from 2‚ with each opponent.
December 15The Dodgers trade Pete Reiser to the Braves for Mike McCormick. The marvelously talented but reckless Reiser crashed into too many outfield walls and‚ according to Red Smith‚ was carried off on a stretcher 11 times.