Baseball – 1950

Baseball in 1950

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January

January 6Charlie “Jolly Cholly” Grimm resigns as vice president of the Cubs to sign a 3-year contract‚ for a record $90‚000‚ to manage Dallas (Texas League). Grimm comments‚ “these hands were never intended to carry a brief case.”
January 10The Cleveland Indians fire coach George C. “Good Kid” Susce when his son‚ George D.‚ signs with the Red Sox.
January 12The Yankees sell their Newark franchise to the Cubs‚ who will move the team to Springfield‚ Mass. The once-proud Bears‚ owned by the Yankees since 1932‚ finished last in the International League in 1949.
January 18The Indians’ Bob Feller‚ whose 1949 record was a lackluster 15-14‚ takes a $20‚000 salary cut to $45‚000. The pay cut was Feller’s own suggestion.
January 23The Associated Press picks the “Miracle Braves” of 1914 as the greatest sports upset in the 20th century.
January 24Jackie Robinson signs a contract for $35‚000‚ reportedly making him the highest paid Brooklyn player in history.
January 31The Pirates sign high school P Paul Pettit for a record $100‚000 after buying his contract from film producer Fred Stephani‚ who had signed him to an exclusive contract as an athlete/actor (scouts are barred from doing so prior to graduation under major league baseball’s “high-school rule”). Unfortunately‚ with an eventual 1-2 career mark‚ he will prove not to be worth the trouble.

February

February 2The TV show WHAT’S MY LINE premieres with Phil Rizzuto as the very first mystery guest.
February 7Red Sox slugger Ted Williams becomes the highest paid player in history‚ by signing for $125‚000.
February 9The White Sox purchase C Phil Masi from the Pirates. He will finish his career with 3 strong years in Chicago.
February 10The Reds sell Johnny “double-no-hit” Vander Meer to the Cubs for an undisclosed amount of cash.
February 11Red Sox coach and former player Kiki Cuyler dies of a heart attack.
February 16Writers fail to name anyone to the Hall of Fame at Cooperstown. Mel Ott and Bill Terry top the list for enshrinement.
February 26The Red Sox sell pitcher Jack Kramer to the Giants for $25‚000. Kramer will charge the Sox with railroading him out of the league because of his differences with manager Joe McCarthy.
February 27The National Baseball Congress criticizes the bonus rule that keeps young players on a ML bench for 2 seasons.
February 28Lending a hand. Bob Bundy of Hollywood (PCL) is knocked unconscious at home in the 9th inning when tries to score on a sac fly. When Portland catcher Jim Gladd searches for the ball to make the tag‚ Hollywood’s on-deck batter Murray Franklin takes Bundy’s hand and puts it on home plate to tie the score. The Beavers win it is the 10th‚ 4-3.

April

April 1No joke. The Hollywood Stars (PCL) open their season against Portland clad in shorts‚ rayon shirts‚ and knee socks. “These suits will give us more speed‚” predicts manager Fred Haney. But the outfits are used only occasionally during the season.
April 4When the train carrying the Indians pulls out of the El Paso station‚ a 22-caliber bullet shatters the compartment window of Al Simmons and Oscar Melillo. Neither coach is hurt.
April 10Based on his 22 wins for Baltimore (IL) in 1949‚ St. Louis Browns P Al Widmar quits the team. He threatens a suit against baseball unless the team grants him a pay raise. He will sign within the week.
April 11The Texas League Opener between Dallas and Tulsa is staged in the Cotton Bowl. The Dallas starters taking the field include Ty Cobb‚ Mickey Cochrane‚ Tris Speaker‚ Dizzy Dean‚ Travis Jackson‚ Frank Baker‚ Charlie Gehringer as well as Duffy Lewis and Dallas manager‚ Charlie Grimm‚ the two non-Hall of Famers. After Dean throws one pitch‚ the squad is replaced by the regular Dallas Eagles team. 53‚578 fans‚ the largest paid crowd (since surpassed) in minor-league history‚ cheer.
April 16In Los Angeles‚ Steve Souchock of Sacramento (PCL) homers in the 7th‚ 8th and 9th innings in a 19-6 win. The last homer is a grand slam as Souchock drives in 9 runs. The veteran will bang 30 homers this year and be back in the majors in 1951.
April 18The first night Opening-Day game in history is played in St. Louis with the Cardinals defeating the Pirates 4-2‚ behind the 6-hit pitching of Gerry Staley. Musial and Schoendienst contribute home runs.

President Harry Truman throws out 2 balls at the Washington opener-one left-handed and the other right-handed-then watches the Senators beat the A’s 8-7. When rain starts falling in the 6th‚ he puts on a raincoat and remains to the end.

At the Polo Grounds‚ Sam Jethroe becomes the first black to play for the Boston Braves. In his ML debut‚ he goes 2-for-4‚ including a HR to lead the Braves to an 1-4 beating of the Giants. Spahn is the winner. Jethroe will go on to become NL Rookie of the Year.

The Indians release veteran Ken Keltner. He signs with the Red Sox the same day but is released on June 6th.

At Fenway‚ Happy Chandler gives Ted Williams his MVP Award‚ and then Governor Paul Dever tosses out the first ball. To the delight of 31‚822 fans‚ Boston rips starter Allie Reynolds with a five-run 4th inning to drive the Chief from the game and take a 9-0 over the Yankees. But the Yanks score four in the 6th off Mel Parnell and then‚ down 10-4‚ New York unloads for nine runs in the 8th. 2B Billy Martin (2-for-2) becomes the first player in history to get two base hits in one inning in his first ML game. He doubles against Mel Parnell on his first at bat in the 8th inning‚ and singles off Al Papai. Walt Masterson gives up Tommy Henrich‘s 2nd triple of the game before giving way to four more Sox hurlers. Boo Ferriss‚ pitching in his last game‚ allows the last two runs in the 9th inning as the Yanks chalk up a 15-10 win‚ the biggest blown lead the Sox have ever had at Fenway (June 4‚ 1989‚ they’ll blow a 10-run lad at home). DiMaggio‚ Berra‚ Vern Stephens‚ and Doerr each have three hits. Don Johnson is the winner‚ his last one for New York‚ with Joe Page pitching a perfect 8th and 9th in relief.
April 19Sid Gordon of the Braves hits the first NL grand slam of the season‚ as Boston beats the Giants 10-6 at the Polo Grounds. There will be 35 grand slams in the league this year‚ a NL single-season record‚ later topped. Giants first sacker Jack Harshman hits his first homer‚ off Johnny Sain‚ but it’s not enough.

At Wichita‚ Pueblo beats Wichita (Western L)‚ 13-5. Winning pitcher Daniel Stupur of Pueblo sets a league record by issuing 15 walks.
April 21Boston’s Vern Stephens slugs a 9th-inning grand slam off the A’s Harry Byrd to lead the Red Sox to an 8-2 romp. It was the first of 33 AL grand slams in 1950. The ML season total of 68 is a record up to this point. In 1995‚ the number will exceed 100 slams for the first time.

In Boston‚ Sam Jethroe makes his home debut‚ the first black man to play for the Braves. He goes 1-for-3 in a 2-2 tie with the Phillies. The game is called when a thunderstorm hits.

In Cleveland‚ before 79‚570 fans‚ the 4th largest paid attendance to date‚ the Yankees take two from the Indians‚ winners of 9 out of their last 11. In the opener‚ DiMaggio drives in 6 runs on 2 homers‚ one a grand slam‚ and the Yankees roll 14-5. New York collects 19 hits in the nitecap to win easily‚ 12-4. Eddie Lopat and Allie Reynolds each win their 4th of the year‚ as the Yankees now pace the AL by 2 1/2 games.
April 23In the second of two games‚ the Braves and Phillies start the match in daylight and finish under the lights‚ a first in the majors. Phils win‚ 6-5. Johnny Sain hurls the Braves to a 4-3 win over the visiting Phils in the opener.
April 24In a pitching duel with vet Ken Raffensberger‚ Max Lanier drives in the only run to give the Cards a 1-0 win over the Reds.
April 25Joe Hatten gives the Dodgers (51) their fifth straight win‚ stopping the Braves 3-0 on two hits. Vern Bickford loses to Brooklyn for the first time after 3 wins. Jackie Robinson is 3-for-3 with a walk‚ to pace an 8-hit attack.
April 28The Yankees sell OF Dick Wakefield to the White Sox for OF John Ostrowski and cash. Wakefield‚ a hot hitter in 1943 who has since lost his sparkle‚ refuses to report unless the Sox restore a $5‚500 salary cut inflicted by the Yankees. Wakefield says the Yankees talked him into signing for $17‚500 with the “guarantee” that he’d earn $5‚000 as a World Series share. New York refuses to return Ostrowski and the Sox refuse Wakefield’s request. Happy Chandler rules in favor of the Sox and Ostrowski and Wakefield return to their teams.

The Reds Herm Wehmeier pitches a 2-hitter‚ stopping the Cubs‚ 3-1.

Catcher Jim Martin of Pampa (West Texas-NM League) is struck by lightning in the second inning of a game at Abilene. The blast knocks the field lights and Martin out and hurls his mask 85 feet‚ but he is back in the game the next day.

The Red Sox option P Boo Ferriss to Birmingham. The former ace pitched one inning‚ allowing 2 runs in his last ML appearance.
April 30The A’s are pummeled by the Red Sox in a doubleheader‚ 19-0 and 6-5. First-game highlights are an 11-run 4th inning and a 17-hit barrage‚ which includes HRs by Ted Williams (2)‚ Vern Stephens‚ and Bobby Doerr. Dom DiMaggio scores 5 runs. A’s pitcher Bobby Shantz ends the slaughter with 4-plus innings of relief‚ as Joe Dobson is the winner for Boston.

At St. Louis‚ the Cards Del Rice belts a HR in the bottom of the 13th to break up a pitching duel between the Cubs Johnny Schmitz and Harry Brecheen. The Cards win‚ 1-0. Rice also has a double as Schmitz gives up just 4 hits and retires 20 batters in a row.

May

May 1The Red Sox bring up slugger Walt Dropo from their Louisville farm club to replace the injured Billy Goodman at 1B.
May 3Yankee Vic Raschi‚ troubled by the new rule that requires a one-second stop before delivery with men on base‚ balks 4 times in one game‚ a club record and 2 fewer than the single-season record. Nevertheless‚ he wins‚ 4-3‚ over the White Sox. He’ll finish the season with 6 balks to tie the since-topped AL mark.
May 4The White Sox‚ helped by Bob “Sugar” Cain’s 5-hitter‚ embarrass the Yankees 15-0 at the Stadium. The score ties the Yank’s team record‚ set in 1907‚ for the most runs in a shutout loss. One bright spot for the Yankees in the humiliating defeat is Phil Rizzuto‘s 3 hits.

In a 9-6 win at St. Louis‚ Phillies’ OF Dick Sisler raps 5 hits in a row. He has a HR and 4 singles to drive in 5. He starts the next game with 3 hits in a row before making out.
May 5Giants rookie Tookie Gilbert‚ signed for $50‚000 in 1946‚ debuts with a 3-run HR and single‚ but the Pirates win‚ 5-4. Reliever Bill Werle stops NY in the 9th when the Giants put runners at 2B and 3B with no out.
May 6The Boston Braves hit 5 HRs in a 15-11 trouncing of the Reds. This gives them a NL record 13 HRs in 3 consecutive games‚ breaking the Giants’ mark of 12 set on July 1‚ 2‚ 3‚ 1947. Luis Olmo‚ Earl Torgeson‚ Bob Elliott‚ Willard Marshall‚ and Sid Gordon hit the five today. Hatton and Northey hit consecutive HRs for the Reds.
May 7The Cards humble the Braves 15-0 behind Howie Pollet‘s 4-hitter. Slaughter had a triple and 3 singles to drive in 4 runs.

In Washington‚ The Senators double the Indians‚ 10-5‚ overcoming two homeruns by Tribe rookie Al Rosen‚ his 1st two in the ML. Connie Marrero serves up the homers. Washington wins in the 7th on Gil Coan‘s grand slam off Bob Lemon hit into the new LF stands at Griffith Stadium. The temporary stands in left and left-center were put up to take advantage of the Senators’ new power hitters‚ but they will come down in two days. Coan is the only Nat to reach the stands but nine visitors hit homers there prompting the take down. The stands hold 854 customers but no one sits there while the stands are up.
May 8The Senators send Clyde Vollmer to Boston for SS Merrill Combs and OF Tom O’Brien. Tomorrow the Sox well sell P Harry Dorish to the Browns.
May 9Ralph Kiner of the Pirates hits his 2nd grand slam in 3 days-and the 8th of his career-and adds a 3-run homer to drives in 7 runs as the Pirates beat Brooklyn 10-5.
May 10The Reds trade veteran C Walker Cooper to the Braves for 2B Connie Ryan.
May 11Commissioner Happy Chandler voids the Dick Wakefield deal between the Yankees and the White Sox. The Yanks immediately suspend the outfielder.

Connecticut House member Abraham Ribicoff introduces legislation for observance of National Baseball Day.

Airplane travel is still a baseball rarity‚ but a railroad strike forces five clubs-the Red Sox‚ Yankees‚ Dodgers‚ Giants‚ and Reds-to ?y home or away to play their next scheduled games. The Senators‚ with short hops in the prospect‚ will take the bus.
May 12Before today’s game‚ Red Sox star Ted Williams apologizes through a front office statement to the hometown fans for “insulting gestures” he made in response to catcalls prompted by his 2 errors in a doubleheader loss (13-4 and 5-3) to Detroit yesterday. Williams’ 2nd bobble allowed the Tigers eventual winning run to score. The Sox waive Frank Quinn to the Senators.

The Cubs beat the Pirates 6-3 using 4 extra base blows in the 4th. Two are homers‚ by Preston Ward and Andy Pafko. The Pirates also lose OF Ted Beard‚ who breaks his right wrist sliding.

Hans Stoever‚ pitching for Rochester’s (NY) Rush High School strikes out 30 batters in a 12-inning 6-2 win over Scottsville HS. His opponent‚ Gail Rhineland‚ who has only one hand‚ pitched a no-hitter the previous week.
May 13The Red Sox release Piper Davis‚ their first black minor leaguer. Davis hit .378 last season with the Birmingham Black Barons and was the leading hitter on the Scranton (Eastern L) team when the Sox released him.
May 14The Pirates Johnny Hopp goes 6-for-6‚ including 2 HRs‚ in a 16-9‚ 2nd-game victory as the Pirates sweep the Cubs. The Pirates take the opener 6-5.
May 15The Yankees sell veteran OF Johnny Lindell to the Cardinals and P Clarence “Cuddles” Marshall to the Browns.
May 17After 11 straight losses to Max Lanier‚ the Dodgers finally top the Cardinal lefty 6-2 for the first time since 1943. Don Newcombe is the winning pitcher. Lanier helps his downfall with 3 balks‚ to tie the NL-record.

The Yankees reinstate Dick Wakefield‚ but he is not asked to rejoin the team.

The Giants sell catcher Ray Mueller to Pittsburgh and buy infielder Spider Jorgenson from the Dodgers.
May 18Cards third baseman Tom Glaviano makes three errors on successive plays in the 9th-2 wild throws and a boot-that lets in 4 runs in a 9-8 loss. The Dodgers trail by an 8-0 score in the game‚ and close to 8-5 in the 9th and have the bases jammed when Glaviano experiences his nightmare. He ties a ML record set most recently by Dodgers Billy Cox last year.

At the Polo Grounds‚ Al Walker poles a grand slam in the 6th inning for the Cubs. In the bottom of the inning‚ Monte Irvin hits a grand slam for the Giants‚ the first time in history that each team has slammed in the same inning. The game is called on account of rain after 6 innings‚ and the Giants win‚ 10-4‚ behind Clint Hartung. Johnny Schmitz‚ the first of four pitchers‚ is the loser.
May 19The Tigers send 14 batters to the plate and score 10 runs in the 5th to beat the Athletics‚ 14-8. Kell and Wertz each have 2 hits in the frame. Tigers ace Virgil Trucks‚ a 19-game winner in 1949‚ hurts his arm and is lost for the season. Fred Hutchinson relieves Trucks in the 3rd and picks up the win.
May 20The Dodgers move back into first place with a twinbill sweep of the visiting Pirates‚ winning 3-2 and 4-3. Hodges doubles with the bases loaded in the 8th to provide the game 1 margin. In the nitecap‚ 3 Dodger relief hurlers‚ Ralph Branca‚ Jack Banta‚ and Dan Bankhead‚ combine to pitch 92?3 innings of no-hit ball‚ as Brooklyn beats Pittsburgh 4-3 in 11 innings. Bill Werle goes the distance for the Corsairs in the 2nd game.

The Tigers 2B Jerry Priddy starts a record 5 DPs in the first 5 innings to lead the Tigers to a 5-3 win over the A’s. Shortstop Johnny Lipon participates in all the DPs to tie an AL mark.

The Giants sweep a pair from the Reds‚ 8-0 and 4-3‚ with Monte Kennedy starting both games for New York. Durocher lifts Kennedy after one batter in the opener‚ and Dave Koslo allows 2 hits the rest of the way. Kennedy then goes the route in the nitecap‚ allowing 4 hits. Ken Heintzelman in 1941 was the last National Leaguer to start both games in one day.
May 23Pittsburgh’s first bonus baby Bill MacDonald (13-11 at New Orleans in 1949) makes his first ML start and shuts out the Phillies‚ 6-0. MacDonald will finish the season at 8-10 for the last-place Bucs before going into the service in 1951. He’ll win just one more ML game after that.
May 25The Red Sox outhit the Browns‚ 19-15‚ and out score to win‚ 15-12. Boston scores 10 runs in the last 3 innings. Walt Dropo drives in 6 runs‚ 4 with a grand slam in the 8th. It is his 10th HR since joining the Sox on May 3.

The Athletics make some changes. Connie Mack‘s son‚ Earle‚ who had been assistant manager‚ assumes the duties of chief scout. Earle‚ who had hoped to succeed his father as manager‚ is replaced by Jimmie Dykes. Mickey Cochrane is named general manager. It doesn’t help today as the Yanks extend their winning streak to 9 games by defeating the A’s‚ 2-0‚ behind Ed Lopat and Joe Page.

The Oakland Oaks of the PCL buy recalcitrant OF Dick Wakefield from the Yanks. New York will not allow him to buy out his own contract.
May 26After a miserable 8-22 start‚ the last-place White Sox fire Jack Onslow‚ replacing him with interim manager Red Corriden.
May 29White Sox P Howie Judson‚ loser of 15 straight games-14 last year and 1 this year-breaks his string of reverses with a 12-8 relief win over the Browns.

Pueblo (Western League) announces that its players will don shorts during the summer.
May 30The Dodgers Duke Snider hits 3 consecutive HRs in the 2nd-game‚ 6-4 win of a doubleheader sweep of the Phils at Ebbets Field. His 4th drive hits the top of the RF screen and he is held to a single. Brooklyn wins the a.m. game‚ 7-6 in 10 innings. Konstanty takes the loss in relief of Robin Roberts.

The Cards sweep a pair from Pittsburgh with Gerry Staley winning both games in relief‚ 17-13 and 8-5. The Cards explode in the 8th in both games‚ plating 7 in game 1 and 6 in game 2. Staley also won a pair in 1948‚ the first reliever to ever accomplish the feat twice. For the Bucs‚ Fernandez hit HRs in the 8th and 9th of game 1. In game 2‚ Musial has his only hit in 10 at bats today when he hits a 9th-inning liner for an inside-the-park HR.
May 31Washington sends 1B Eddie Robinson‚ P Ray Scarborough and Al Kozar to the White Sox for P Bob Kuzava‚ 2B Cass Michaels and OF John Ostrowski. Robinson will set a club record in 1951‚ since-broken‚ with 29 HR.

With their record 8-25 and in last place‚ the Browns fire Dr. David Tracy. Tracy‚ a New York psychologist‚ had been hired to help the players overcome their losers’ complex.

June

June 1Marty Marion‚ Sid Gordon‚ and Hank Thompson hit grand slams for the Cards (5-2 over Brooklyn)‚ the Braves (14-2 over the Pirates)‚ and the Giants (8-7 in the first of 2 at Cincinnati) respectively. Gordon adds a second homer as he drives home 7 runs for Boston‚ winners over the Pirates‚ 10-6. The Cards lose the services of C Joe Garagiola‚ who separates his shoulder after tripping over Jackie Robinson covering 1B‚ and Tommy Glaviano‚ who sprains his ankle. Hitting .347 at the time‚ Garagiola won’t return until September 3 (as noted by Bill Deane) and will hit only 2-for-13 the rest of the season. But the grand slam‚ the first in Marion’s 11-year-career‚ moves the Birds into a tie for first place with the Dodgers/
June 2The Tiger’s George Kell hits for the cycle in the 16-5 second-game sweep of a Detroit doubleheader with the A’s. The Tigers cop the opener‚ 8-2‚ behind the pitching of Ted Gray and the home runs of Vic Wertz and Hoot Evers. Wertz has 5 RBI in the opener‚ and 2 more in game 2.

The last-place Browns sweep 2 from the 5th place Senators‚ 10-5 and 9-3. Hank Arft is 5-for-5 in the opener‚ while Harry Dorish is the winning pitcher in game 2. Dorish swipes home on the front end of a double steal with Ray Coleman. He is the last AL pitcher this century to steal home.

In a rain-soaked game in St. Louis‚ Don Newcombe and the Dodgers trim the Birds‚ 8-1‚ to move into first place. Newk holds the Birds to 5 hits‚ including Marty Marion‘s 3rd homer in 3 games he’s started. Duke Snider‘s 2-run homer in the 6th helps drive Harry Brecheen to the showers. The Cards and Phils are a game back.

Behind the 5-hit pitching of bonus baby Bill MacDonald (2-0)‚ the Pirates beat the Braves‚ 5-4 to stop a 9-game hitting streak. Gene Mauch homers and drives in 3 runs for Boston‚ while Ralph Kiner hits his 10th of the year‚ off Warren Spahn.

Thanks to 5 Cincy errors‚ 2 passed balls‚ and 4 walks in the 9th inning by Willie “The knuck” Ramsdell‚ the Giants beat the host Reds‚ 7-6.

In the first inning at Fenway‚ Cleveland’s Bob Feller walks 5-including 3 in a row-and yields two hits before exiting. The 6 runs allows the Red Sox to romp‚ 11-5‚ behind Joe Dobson.
June 3In direct challenge to a new league rule‚ the St. Louis Cardinals book a Sunday night game with Brooklyn‚ the first in ML history.

The Braves Sid Gordon slugs his 3rd grand slam of the season‚ plus a 2nd HR‚ to account for 7 Braves runs in a 10-6 whipping of Pittsburgh. Gordon now leads the NL in homers with 11. Westlake hits a pair of homers‚ and Hank Schenz hits his 1st (and 2nd career) homer of the year. Johnny Sain gives up a HR to Jethroe in winning his 8th‚ tops in the majors.

The Phils climb to a half game out of first place by beating the Cubs‚ 6-2‚ behind Bubba Church‘s first ML win.
June 4Herb Chapman of Gadsden (Southeastern League) goes hitless ending his 42-game hitting streak‚ the 9th longest streak ever recorded in the minor leagues. During the streak he hit .366.
June 5After beating Chicago yesterday‚ 17-7‚ the Red Sox wallop Chicago again‚ winning 12-0. McDermott‚ replacing Kinder who leaves with a bad hip in the 1st inning‚ allows 4 hits to win. Billy Pierce is the loser.
June 7Junior Stephens and Clyde Vollmer each have 2 HRs and 5 RBI for the Red Sox‚ as they trounce the lowly Browns‚ 20-4‚ at Fenway. The Bosox tally 5 homers and 23 hits in their total. Joe Dobson is the winner.
June 8In the most lopsided score in the 20th century‚ the Boston Red Sox annihilate the St. Louis Browns at Fenway Park‚ 29-4. Bobby Doerr has 3 HRs and 8 RBI; Walt Dropo‚ 2 HRs‚ 7 RBI‚ and 5 runs scored‚and Ted Williams‚ 2 HRs and 5 RBI‚ all collecting a round tripper in the 8th inning. Pitcher Chuck Stobbs walks 4 times in 4 innings‚ Al Zarilla adds 4 doubles‚ including 2 in one inning‚ and a single-with no ribbies-as the Sox set a ML record with 58 total bases. Another mark is set of most extra bases on long hits (32) in a game‚ and the most extra bases on long hits in consecutive games (51). The Red Sox have 28 hits‚ with 4 players collecting 4 hits apiece (tying the AL mark last done by Chicago in 1936)‚ to total a record 51 for 2 days against the woeful Browns. The infield collects 16 hits to set an AL mark. Leadoff batter Clyde Vollmer goes to the plate 8 times in 8 innings‚ the only time this has happened in history. Boston has now scored 104 runs in their last 7 games and a record 49 in 2 straight games.

The Yankees score 7 runs in the 6th to beat the Tigers‚ 11-4. Phil Rizzuto‘s record string of 238 errorless chances ends when he fumbles a grounder in the 5th.
June 9Commissioner Happy Chandler orders the Cardinals to cancel their Sunday night game with the Dodgers. On the advice of NL President Ford Frick‚ the Cards comply and reschedule it as a July 17th day/night doubleheader.

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.
June 10In a game called after five innings‚ the Senators Sandy Consuegra makes his first ML start and shuts out the White Sox‚ 6-0.
June 12ML baseball names Connie Mack as the Honorary Manager of the All-Star Game.
June 13Chuck Stobbs allows 2 hits as the Red Sox open their road trip with an 8-1 win over the Indians. Bobby Doerr leads the offense with a pair of homers‚ a triple and single to chase Bob Feller. Doerr raises his average to .306‚ putting every Sox regular over .300.
June 14No it wasn’t football‚ as the Dodgers and Pirates game ends unfinished at curfew time with a score 19-14 in favor of Brooklyn. The game will resume August 1st. Bucs rookie Dale Coogan starts the scoring in the 1st with his first ML homer‚ a 3-run clout off Ralph Branca.
June 15In a rain-delayed game at Comiskey‚ Billy Pierce twirls a masterful one-hitter to beat the Yankees‚ 5-0. Billy Johnson’s single in the 5th and a walk to Jerry Coleman are the only NY base runners.

The Yankees‚ frustrated in late April in their aborted trade for Ostrowski with the Browns‚ finally get the pitcher‚ along with pitchers Tom Ferrick and Sid Schacht‚ and 3B Leo Thomas. New York sends infielder Snuffy Stirnweiss‚ OF Jim Delsing‚ pitchers Duane Pillette and Don Johnson‚ and $50‚000. Both Ferrick and Ostrowski will prove their worth in the 1950 pennant drive. Tomorrow‚ the Yanks beat the Browns‚ 7-5‚ with Ferrick and Ostrowski starring in relief.

The Tigers roll over the A’s‚ 7-3‚ for their 8th win in 9 meetings with the Mackmen. Hoot Evers has his 19 game hit streak stopped but George Kell runs his to 15 straight. The winner is Freddie Hutchinson‚ while Bobby Shantz is the loser. Shantz will not lose again to Detroit until June 13‚ 1958‚ a string of 12 straight wins.
June 16Pitching before a crowd of 54‚086‚ Hal Newhouser trims the Red Sox for the 2nd time in 6 days‚ winning 4-1. He strikes out 8 including Pesky 4 times. Detroit keeps it’s 1 1/2 game lead over New York.

The Yankees recall Johnny Mize from Kansas City. He proceeds to wallop 25 HRs and drive in 72 runs in 90 games.
June 18After Bob Feller blanks the A’s‚ 7-0‚ on a 2-hitter‚ the Indians set a modern record by scoring 14 runs in the opening frame of the 2nd game. The output is the most in the first inning in the 20th century‚ a mark that will be tied in the NL. Except for pitcher Mike Garcia‚ all the Indians bat twice enroute to a 21-2 trouncing. Hegan piles on with a grand slam in the 3rd inning‚ off Carl Scheib.
June 21Joe DiMaggio gets his 2‚000th hit‚ a 7th-inning single off the Indians Chick Pieretti‚ as the Yanks win 8-2. DiMaggio joins Luke Appling and Wally Moses as the only active players with 2‚000 or more hits. Eddie Lopat is the winning pitcher‚ running his record against Cleveland to 25-6.

Renegade ball player Danny Gardella admits accepting a pay-off to drop his suit against baseball. After a month long tryout with the Cardinals‚‚ and one at bat Gardella had been sent to their Houston farm club where‚ shortly afterward‚ he was released. Gardella argues that he should be paid for the entire year‚ and he blames his release on his suit against the ML.

Phils rookie Bob Miller (6-0) continues his unbeaten streak‚ turning back the Pirates‚ 7-4. Jones‚ Ennis‚ Seminick‚ and Nicholson lead a HR attack‚ and Miller helps by starting a triple play in the 7th. Hank Borowy‚ obtained on waivers from the Phils‚ takes the loss.
June 22Larry Jansen of the Giants wins the first game of a doubleheader with a 3-0 shutout of the Cards‚ and Dave Koslo follows suit with a 5-0 two-hitter in the 2nd game‚ giving NY a sweep of the twin bill. Jansen has not allowed a run in 29 innings‚ while for Koslo it is the start of a 13-game win streak over the Cards. The Cards were last shutout in a twinbill on July 2‚ 1933‚ by the Giants.
June 23Eleven home runs-a then ML record-drive in all the runs scored in a 10-9 Tiger win over the Yankees before 51‚000 Detroit fans. Detroit has 4 HRs in the 4th inning as Dizzy Trout‚ Gerry Priddy‚ Vic Wertz‚ and Hoot Evers connect. Pitcher Dizzy Trout‘s HR‚ off Tommy Byrne‚ is his 2nd lifetime grand slam. Hoot Evers hits another HR‚ an inside-the-park 2-run game winner in the 9th off Joe Page to win it. For New York‚ Hank Bauer connects for 2 homers‚ including one in the 4th inning. DiMaggio‚ Gerry Coleman Berra‚ and pinch hitter Tommy Henrich also belt round trippers. It is the first time that 9 different players connect for homers in a game.

Luke Easter has his 2nd consecutive 2-home run day to lead the Indians to a 13-4 trouncing of the visiting Senators. One of the HRs is a tremendous shot to right center. Easter had 2 yesterday in a win over New York. Al Rosen adds a single‚ double‚ and triple to back Bob Lemon‘s pitching.

Coach Bibb Falk of the University of Texas leads his team to their 2nd consecutive NCAA baseball title.

Red Sox manager Joe McCarthy resigns and Steve O’Neill takes over.
June 24With just 11 career homers‚ catcher Wes Westrum has 3 HRs and a triple today‚ as the Giants beat Cincinnati 12-2. The Giants belt 7 HRs (Thompson‚ Dark‚ Lockman‚ Irvin) in the game‚ with Westrum driving in four runs and scoring 5 runs. Sheldon Jones is the winner‚ scattering 8 hits.

The first-place Dodgers lose to New York’s Sunday curfew when their game with the Pirates is halted with one out in the 8th‚ Brooklyn leading 19-12. Five homers are hit including Jackie Robinson grand slam in the 8th. The game will be completed later.

The Phils top the Cubs 5-4 on two-run homers by Granny Hamner and Andy Seminick. Jim Konstanty‚ in relief of Russ Meyer‚ hurls 4 hitless innings to save the win. The Whiz Kids trail the Dodgers by a game.

Art Houtteman pitches Detroit to a 4-1 win over the Yankees. Yogi Berra‘s homer is the only Yankee score‚ as New York loses their 4th straight and 8th in 12 games. Detroit now leads the AL by 3 games.
June 25Ralph Kiner leads the Pirates to a 16-11 win at Brooklyn by hitting for the cycle‚ adding a 2nd HR‚ and driving in 8 runs. Gil Hodges had 2 homers last year while cycling‚ but it’ll be another 15 years before anyone (Yaz) does it.

The A’s Paul Lehner ties an AL record with 11 putouts in LF in a 13-5 win against the White Sox.
June 27At Toledo (American Association)‚ Marlin Stuart of Toledo pitches a 1-0 perfect game against Indianapolis. It is the 2nd perfect game in league history. The Tigers will recall Stuart.
June 28Roy Smalley of the Cubs hits for the cycle in a 15-3 win over the Cards at Wrigley. Doyle Lade is the winner.
June 29In an effort to thwart the ML’s signing of black players‚ Dr. J. B. Martin‚ the president of the Chicago Giants of the Negro American League‚ instructs manager‚ Ted “Double Duty” Radcliffe to sign white players. Radcliffe inks three white players‚ teenagers Lou Chirban‚ Lou Clarizio and Al Dubetts. Later in the year he will sign at least two others (Stanley Miarka and Frank Dyall). However‚ their Negro League careers will be brief.

In what looks like a football score‚ the Red Sox overpower the A’s 22-14 in Philadelphia‚ the 3rd time this month they’ve scored 20 or more runs. The 36 runs establishes an AL mark for runs scored by 2 teams. Both teams match a ML record they set in 1901 for most players scoring two or more runs (Boston‚ 9: Phila‚ 4). Overall‚ pitchers gave up 21 walks in the debacle. Despite the high score‚ only one HR was hit-by Ted Williams in a game one newspaper calls “a 2 hour and 50 minute marathon.” The previous record of 35 runs was set by the same 2 clubs in 1901: Boston 23‚ A’s 12. The ML mark is 49 by the Cubs and Phillies on August 25‚ 1922.

Whitey Ford is called up by the Yankees from Kansas City (AA).

At Milwaukee (AA)‚ Minneapolis OF Bama Rowell lofts a 4th inning fly ball to right. As RF Bob Jaderlund awaits‚ two nighthawks dart in and peck the ball‚ altering the flight. CF Bob Addis also misses the ball‚ and Rowell ends up with a double‚ then scoring what will be in the winning run as the Brewers win‚ 5-4 (as noted by historian Bob O’Neal).
June 30Joe and Dom DiMaggio both HR in the 10-2 Red Sox victory over New York in the nightcap of a doubleheader. It has been 15 years since two brothers homered in an American League game.

Brownie stalwart P Ned Garver loses the game because of his mental error against the White Sox. In what would have been the winning run in regulation‚ Garver is called out for his failure to touch 3B when rounding it. He loses 3-2 in 13 innings.

At the Polo Grounds‚ the Braves Sibby Sisti hits a pinch grand slam to provide th win as Boston is victorious over New York‚ 8-4.

July

July 1At Boston‚ Tommy Byrne takes the loss for the Yankees‚ but reliever Whitey Ford does little to help. In his ML debut‚ Ford throws 4 2/3 inning‚ allowing 7 hits‚ 6 walks‚ and 5 earned runs. Boston rolls‚ 13-4. Rookie Walt Dropo hits a grand slam for the Bosox to dump the Yanks into 3rd place.

Behind unbeaten rookie Bob Miller‚ the first-place Phils trip the Dodgers‚ 6-4. Jim Konstanty makes his 30th relief appearance to help Miller win his 7th straight. Mike Goliat and Willie Jones homer to pace an 11-hit attack. By winning their second straight game from Brooklyn‚ the Whiz Kids move .002 ahead of St. Louis and a game and a half ahead of Brooklyn.

The Reds Ewell Blackwell has to go ten innings but finally beats the Cubs‚ 5-3‚ striking out 14 and allowing just two hits. One of the hits is Andy Pafko‘s 3-run home run in the 9th.
July 2Indian great Bob Feller wins his 200th ML game‚ 5-3‚ over Detroit in the 2nd game of a doubleheader split. Detroit wins the opener‚ 8-5‚ for their only win in the 4 game series.

The Yankees gain a split of their 4-game series in Boston by trouncing the Red Sox 15-9. Big John Mize plays first and contributes a HR and a single.

At Crosley Field‚ Monk Dubiel makes his 4-hitter hold up as the Cubs win 16-0 over the Reds. Andy Pafko drives in 5 runs with a double‚ triple and HR‚ Bill Serena adds a 3-run homer‚ and Hank Edwards has 3 RBIs on 4 hits.
July 3With rookie Joe Collins not hitting and Tommy Henrich still injured‚ Casey Stengel asks Joe DiMaggio to play 1B in an experiment. In the 7-2 loss he handles 13 cleanly but is clearly not happy with the move. After this one-game experiment‚ Joe returns to the outfield.
July 4Braves slugger Sid Gordon ties the ML record (held by 6) for season grand slams with 4 when he hits one against the Phillies ace Jim Konstanty in the 9th. Boston’s 12-9 win in game 2 gives the two teams a total of 40 runs‚ 55 hits‚ and 90 total bases for the day. The Phils win the opener‚ 14-8‚ helped by Andy Seminick‘s grand slam in the first inning. Robin Roberts is handed a 9-0 lead after 4 innings and coasts home.

Before 49‚316 at the Polo Grounds‚ the Dodgers and Giants split a pair. Brooklyn loses their 6th straight in the opener‚ 5-4‚ before coming back to win‚ 5-3. Newcombe takes the loss in game 1‚ despite hitting his first ML HR. Alvin Dark has a homer in each game. A tragic note occurs when a 56-year-old fan named Bernard Doyle is struck and killed by a bullet fired from outside the stadium. The New York Daily News reports tomorrow that after his body is removed the standing-room-only crowd fights over the vacant seat.

At Washington‚ the Yankees explode for 12 runs in the final 3 innings to beat the Senators‚ 16-9 in the first of 2 games. Mickey Vernon and Joe DiMaggio match bases-loaded triples to tie the AL mark for sack-fill triples by 2 teams; it’s the last time it is done this century. Bob Kuzava and Ed Lopat battle to a 9 inning 3-3 tie in the nitecap
July 5In a sloppy game that features 18 walks‚ Cliff Mapes drives in 5 runs with a homer and single to pace the Yankees to a 12-8 win over the Athletics. Tommy Byrne (9-3) is the winner despite giving up 6 hits and 6 walks in 5 innings (he walks 2 in the 6th). He also hits 4 batters to tie the ML record. Kellner pitches 4 innings‚ giving up 6 runs in the loss. The A’s lose Eddie Joost who tears ligaments in his left knee in a collision with Mapes at 2B in the 7th.
July 7The Reds Connie Ryan steals home in the 11th to give Cincinnati a 5-4 win over Chicago.
July 8Red Schoendienst of the Cards goes 5-for-5 against Pittsburgh‚ but the Cards lose 7-6‚ to drop the Birds into 2nd place‚ a game behind the Phillies. The Bucs win in the 9th when they load the bases and Jack Phillips’ long ?y ball is seemingly snagged by Stan Musial‚ but then drops into Greenberg Gardens for a pinch grand slam. Kiner and Rojek also homer for the Corsairs.
July 10The Giants pick up P Jim Hearn on waivers from St. Louis.
July 11Making a leaping‚ off-the-wall catch of a Ralph Kiner drive in the first inning‚ Ted Williams fractures his left elbow in the All-Star game at Chicago. Remaining in the game‚ he puts the AL ahead‚ 3-2‚ with an RBI single. Kiner’s 9th-inning HR ties the game‚ and Red Schoendienst‘s blast in the 14th wins it. Williams later states he was never the same after this injury.
July 13Doctors remove 7 bone fragments from Ted Williams‘ elbow in a 75-minute operation. He will be sidelined until mid-September. But he will go on to hit .350 for the rest of 1950 and .336 throughout the rest of his career‚ including .388 and .328 to lead the AL in 1957 and 1958 respectively.
July 14The Red Sox produce a second 11-run inning of the year‚ as they score 11 in the 2nd inning against the White Sox to win at home‚ 13-1. Vern Stephens hits his 19th homer and now leads the AL in RBI with 84‚ one ahead of teammates Dropo and Williams.

The Waterbury (Colonial League) club has a franchise but no players when the 12-man squad is fired after refusing to board the team bus for 2 scheduled games at Kingston‚ NY. Strike issues are several: the players claim that the team bus is unsafe; the bus is scheduled to bring them home after the first game and return for the second rather than lay over; 6 players claim that the club reneged on the promise of a pay raise if they were still on the roster on June 2.
July 15The Colonial League ceases its operation‚ citing the competition of TV and radio as the cause of their failure. Poughkeepsie is leading the league with a 43-26 record.
July 16The ML players connect for 37 HRs today for a new record. Leading the offense today is Cincinnati with two wins over the Giants‚ 16-4 and 11-10. In the AL‚ the Red Sox and Indians hit 7 HRs in their doubleheader split: Moose Dropo collects 3 homers.

The Cubs knock the Phillies out of a tie for first place‚ sweeping 8-0 and 10-3. The Cubs lose Cavarretta when he is hit by a Johnson pitch in game 1‚ fracturing his forearm. Hank Sauer takes over 1B. Walt Dubiel fires the shutout and Doyle Lade is the CG winner in game 2. The loss goes to Bob Miller in game 2‚ the first defeat for the rookie after 8 straight wins. Ex-Bruin Russ Meyer loses the first game after defeating the Cubs 5 straight times (as noted by Ed Hartig). The Mad Monk‚ the greatest ever Cubs killer‚ will win his next 17 decisions against Chicago before losing on May 11‚ 1955.
July 17Yankee rookie Whitey Ford wins his first ML game‚ beating the visiting White Sox‚ 4-3. Tom Ferrick finished for New York.
July 18At Chicago‚ the Phils split with the Cubs‚ winning the nitecap 8-3 as Bubba Church beats big Bob Rush. Chicago wins the opener‚ 5-2‚ with Paul Minner besting Robin Roberts. The Phils now share the top spot in the NL with Boston and the Cards.

Virgil Stallcup‘s 3rd-inning HR is the only tally as the Reds beat the visiting Giants‚ 1-0. Reds 2B Connie Ryan helps out by nabbing P Monte Kennedy in the 7th with the hidden ball trick.
July 19The Yankees obtain their first black players‚ OF Elston Howard and P Frank Barnes. They purchase them from the Kansas City Monarchs and assign them to Muskegon (Central League).

Southpaw Ed Lopat of the Yanks wins 16-1 over the Browns‚ throwing a 2-hitter in the first game of a doubleheader.

At Fenway‚ Vern Stephens crashes a 3-run HR‚ his 200th career homer‚ in the first off Red Hutchinson. Detroit wins 9-5 with a little help in the 9th from ump Boyer‚ Boyer calls time just before PH Wright triples to CF. In his do-over‚ Wright grounds out. Stephens joins 5 other active players with more than 200 homers: DiMaggio‚ Mize‚ Williams‚ Gordon‚ and Nicholson.

Frank E. McKinney resigns as president of the Pirates. He sells interests in the club to John Galbreath and T. Johnson‚ with Galbreath assuming the presidency. Vice President Bing Crosby retains his minority interest.

The Pirates purchase 3B Bob Dillinger from the Athletics for $35‚000.
July 20The Giants beat St. Louis 13-3 with an 8-run 3rd inning. Roy “Stormy” Weatherly has a double and triple in the inning.
July 22Red Sox manager “Old Marse” Joe McCarthy leaves the team‚ citing ill health as the reason. Steve O’Neill replaces him. The Red Sox whip the Browns‚ 11-2‚ for their 12th win in 13th meetings with St. Louis. Maurice McDermott pitches the complete game win‚ pulling the Bosox to within 6 1/2 of first-place Detroit.

The Phils split a pair with the Reds to retain a tie for the NL lead with the Cardinals. Robin Roberts wins his 11th in the opener‚ stopping the Reds‚ 2-0‚ on 4 hits. Willard Ramsdell takes the loss. In game 2‚ Howie Fox shuts out the Phils till the 9th to win‚ 6-1.

The Giants Jim Hearn pitches his second straight complete game since being purchased from the Cards‚ and the Durochermen stop the Cubs‚ 7-0.

In a battle of diminutive southpaws‚ Chicago’s Billy Pierce outduels the A’s Bobby Shantz to win‚ 6-1. Consecutive homers by Dave Philley and Phil Masi in the 6th do in Shantz‚ pitching on three days rest.
July 23Tigers P Saul Rogovin hits a 2nd inning grand slam off Yankees P Eddie Lopat as the first-place Bengals nip onrushing New York Yankees‚ 6-5.

Sheldon Jones of the NY Giants pitches a one-hitter against the Cubs‚ winning 3-0 in the 2nd game of a doubleheader. Rube Walker‘s hit in the 8th is the only safety. Larry Jansen takes the first‚ 5-3.
July 24At the annual Hall of Fame game in Cooperstown‚ the Red Sox beat the Giants‚ 8-5. Dick Littlefield goes all the way for Boston.
July 25Phillies pitchers Bubba Church and Robin Roberts shut out the Cubs 7-0 and 1-0 in a doubleheader sweep. The wins put the Phils in 1st-place by a half-game over St. Louis.

After 10 straight losses at Ebbets Field dating back to 1949‚ the Cards win 9-5.
July 26Brooklyn beats the Cardinals 7-5 as the Dodgers’ Jim Russell switch-hits HRs‚ making him the first switch-hitter in history to do it more than once. Stan Musial hits in his 30th straight game‚ the longest streak of the decade. He is en route to a .346 BA for the season and his 4th batting title. The Cards‚ currently 11?2 games behind Brooklyn‚ will begin a slow and steady descent to 5th place.
July 27Former Dodger great Kirby “Koiby” Higbe hurls a no-hitter for the Minneapolis Millers American Association against the Columbus Clippers.

Philadelphia’s Del Ennis cracks a double in the 7th and a grand slam in the 8th inning to drive in 7 runs against the Cubs as the Phils win 13-3 at home. Philadelphia will win 11 of their next 15 games to hold 1st place by 4 games over the Braves.

Stan Musial goes hitless to end his 30-game hit streak. But everyone else in the Cards lineup has a safety as St. Louis dusts the Dodgers‚ 13-3.
July 28The Indians’ Larry Doby‚ Al Rosen‚ and Luke Easter connect for consecutive HRs in the 3rd in a 13-1 whipping of the Red Sox.
July 30Del Ennis of the Phils hits his 2nd grand slam in 3 days in a 10-0 pasting of Pittsburgh. He adds a two-run homer as the Phils take the 2nd game‚ 4-2‚ and helps the Phils boost their lead to 3 games over St. Louis. His 7 RBIs in 2 games gives him 41 for the month‚ A new Phils record.

The Cards stop the Giants‚ 6-3‚ to end New York’s win streak of 9 games. Gerry Staley wins his 10th on a 7-hitter and is back by Enos Slaughter‘s single‚ double‚ and triple. Red Schoendienst‘s wide toss to 3rd in the 9th ends his streak of 57 games without an error. He had handled 323 chances without an error.

August

August 1The Dodgers complete a suspended game of June 24th with the Pirates‚ by scoring 2 more runs in the 8th to post a 21-12 win‚ outhitting the Pirates 25 to 8. Roe is the winner over Bill Werle. 12 extra base hits are made by the 2 teams‚ including 5 HRs. Jackie Robinson hits his 2nd career grand slam as the Dodgers score 7 runs in both the 3rd and 8th innings. In the regular contest‚ Erv Palica gives the Brooks a 3-1 win.

Acting on the suggestion of Florida International League President Johnny Burroughs‚ the last-place St. Petersburg Saints players elect their own manager. Their choice‚ by a near unanimous vote to succeed Jim Pruitt‚ who resigned‚ is recently acquired RF Roxie Huberson. He is the team’s 4th manager this season.
August 2Andy Pafko of the Cubs hits 3 HRs in the 2nd game of a doubleheader‚ but the Cubs lose both to the Giants‚ 11-1 and 8-6.

Larry Doby hits 3 HRs in a game as Cleveland beats Washington 11-0. Besides tossing the shutout‚ Indians hurler Bob Lemon hits a HR. Lemon has now won 9 in a row.

Elmer Valo hits for the cycle as the A’s thrash the White Sox 10-3.
August 3The Pirates sell Hank Borowy to the Tigers‚ and the Indians waive Gene Bearden to the Senators.
August 5Jim Hearn gives up a leadoff single to Bob Dillinger‚ then throttles the Pirates the rest of the way for a 5-0 win at the Polo Grounds. It is his 2nd win since joining the Giants on July 10.
August 6Boston P Ellis Kinder hits a grand slam off White Sox ace Billy Pierce‚ and totals 6 RBIs in the game. Kinder’s HR comes after an intentional pass to Birdie Tebbetts. For “Old Folks‚” it is his first and only career homer. The Red Sox roll‚ 9-2. Kinder also stops rookie Chico Carrasquel‘s consecutive game batting steak of 24 games. Joe Dobson gives up 7 hits in the nitecap and wins‚ 4-3‚ to give the Bosox a sweep.

Sal Maglie and Larry Jansen of the Giants both hurl shutouts‚ winning 3-0 and 5-0 respectively‚ against the Pirates.
August 7Police bar 3 white players-Lou Chirban‚ Stan Mierko‚ and Frank Doyle‚ all of the Chicago American Giants-from playing in the Negro American League against the Birmingham Black Barons‚ who sweep a doubleheader.
August 9At Boston‚ Bob Chipman tosses a 4-hitter to beat the Giants‚ 3-2‚ ending their 8-game win streak and handing them their 2nd loss in 19 games. After 3 wins‚ Jim Hearn loses his first game as a Giant after being acquired from St. Louis. Bob Elliot has a pair of doubles for Boston‚ driving in the tying run and scoring the winning run. Elliot shrugs of the distracting techniques of Eddie Stanky‚ who stands near 2B and waves his arms as Dave Koslo delivers.
August 10In the 2nd game of a twinbill‚ Washington pitcher Gene Bearden bats 8th with batterymate Len Okie in the 9th spot. Bearden picks up a hit but loses the game‚ 4-3‚ to Boston’s Walt Masterson. Masterson swipes a base‚ the first stolen base by a Red Sox pitcher this year.
August 11Boston P Vern Bickford no-hits the Dodgers in Boston before 29‚008 fans. Bickford has lost only once to Brooklyn since joining Boston 1948. The win puts Boston just 5 games behind the first-place Phillies.

Hitting just .279‚ Yankee great Joe DiMaggio is benched for the first time in his career. He is currently languishing in a 4-for-38 slump. His sub‚ Cliff Mapes‚ wallops a 7th-inning HR to give the Yankees a 7-6 win over the A’s.

RF Ken Wood of the Browns nails 2 Tiger runners in the 8th inning of the 2nd game of a DH‚ tying a ML mark. The Browns prevail 2-1‚ after winning game 1‚ 4-3‚ in 10 innings. The split keeps the Tigers 3 games ahead of Cleveland and 3 1/2 ahead of New York.
August 12The Giants Eddie Stanky is banished by umpire Lon Warneke for refusing to stop waving his arms in an attempt to distract Phillies batter Andy Seminick. This is a reprise of a shuffle Stanky initiated on August 9. In the 4th‚ Stanky moves over behind 2B and goes into a windup the same time as the pitcher. Giants manager Leo Durocher had agreed to await a league ruling on the tactic‚ but after Seminick knocks Hank Thompson unconscious in a collision at 3B‚ Durocher turns Stanky loose. In the 4th‚ Seminick reaches base on an error‚ then on a force at 2B he puts a linebacker block on Bill Rigney‚ Stanky’s replacement‚ and both dugouts empty for a brawl. The Phils go on to win 5-4 in 11 innings‚ on Stan Lopata‘s triple and a sac fly by Waitkus. The Giants protest Stanky’s ouster to no avail.

Allie Reynolds hits a bases loaded single and hurls the Yanks to a 7-2 win over the A’s. The loss goes to Scheib‚ but Bobby Shantz pitches the last 6.2 innings and clouts his only career homer‚ off the Chief.
August 13The Giants earn a split with the Phils as Jim Hearn shuts out the Whiz Kids‚ 2-0. But the Phils will take 11 of their next 14 games to hold a 7-game edge over 2nd-place Brooklyn.

At Rochester (International League)‚ Rochester edges Jersey City 3-2 in 22 innings. Pitchers Tom Poholsky of Rochester and Andy Tomasic of Jersey City go all the way.
August 14NL President Ford Frick reproaches Giant Eddie Stanky and bans his tactics‚ disallowing the Giants’ protest. He also fines Andy Seminick and Bill Rigney for the incident.

The Reds plate 11 runs in the 3rd inning as they beat the host Pirates‚ 13-8.

Before 60‚120‚ the Indians turn back the Tigers‚ 3-2‚ in 10 innings‚ and reduce Detroit’s 1st-place advantage to 2 1/2 games. Al Rosen had tied the game in the 9th with a 2-out HR. RF Bob Kennedy helps the Tribe’s cause by starting a triple play from the outfield‚ recalling Tribe LF Charlie Jamieson’s 2 triple plays of 1928.
August 15The Red Sox defeat the Athletics 8-3 and 9-4 to begin a streak in which they reel off 27 of 30‚ propelling themselves back into the pennant race. Walt Dropo is hospitalized‚ however‚ after being beaned by the A’s Hank Wyse.
August 16Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers denies news reports that Jackie Robinson‚ last year’s MVP‚ will be traded. The latest tempest was started by the second baseman’s comments after he was removed from the lineup on August 12th by Bert Shotton after making an error. “I wouldn’t be surprised if I was traded‚” Jackie was quoted as saying.

At the Polo Grounds‚ Henry Thompson of the Giants hits two HRs‚ both inside-the-park‚ as the Giants pummel the Dodgers‚ 16-7. Thompson is the first to do this since Terry Moore hit two for the Cardinals at Forbes Field on this same date in 1939. Don Mueller adds a grand slam. The Giants jump on Erskine in the first inning as 13 of the first 14 batters reach first safely. Sal Maglie is the winner despite giving up two homers‚ good for six runs‚ to Gil Hodges. The win leaves the Dodgers in 3rd place‚ 7 games out and the Giants in 5th‚ 10 games in back of the Phils.

The Phils polish off the 2nd place Braves‚ 5-1 on Robin Roberts‘ three-hitter. The Phils score 4 in the 4th off Vern Bickford‚ concluding the scoring with Del Ennis‘ 26th homer.
August 17The AL’s first Ladies Night Game draws more than 7‚000 women who see the Red Sox top the A’s‚ 10-6‚ at Fenway. It is the 19th straight loss for the A’s at Fenway Park‚ stretching back to a win on September 12‚ 1948. Bobby Doer hits a 1st inning grand slam off lefty Joe Murray in his ML debut.
August 18A’s lefty Lou Brissie gives up just one Yankee hit in the last 5 innings‚ but it’s a critical one. With the score 2-2 in the top of the 9th‚ DiMaggio‚ cracks his 22nd HR of the year to give the 3rd place New Yorkers a 3-2 win and hand the Mackmen their 6th straight loss.
August 19The Gillette Safety Razor Co. pays $800‚000 for TV rights to the WS. Radio rights will add another $175‚000 more.

The Pirates outslug the Cubs‚ 13-9‚ for their 6th win in 7 games. Ralph Kiner slugs two homers to put him seven days and nine games ahead of last year‚ when he hit 54. He has rapped 8 this month and 4 in the last 5 games. Clyde McCullough adds a bases loaded triple‚ sac fly‚ and two-run double‚ while Johnny Hopp homers. The Cubs answer with homers by Hank Sauer‚ Mickey Owen‚ and Roy Smalley‚ but its not enough. Reliever Bob Rush loses to Murry Dickson.
August 22The first-place Dodgers sweep a pair from the Cardinals‚ winning 4-3 and 8-7. Reliever Clyde King is the winner in both games.
August 24Boston SS Vern Stephens 9th inning grand slam against the Browns gives the Red Sox a 6-2. win. The Sox have now won 9 straight. The Sox have whipped the Browns 18 times in 19 games this year.
August 25The Cubs win 7-6 over Braves‚ as reliever Dutch Leonard tops Warren Spahn.

The Red Sox win their 11th straight‚ beating the leading Tigers‚ 6-2‚ behind Mel Parnell. Boston‚ in 4th place‚ is just 3 1/2 games in back of Detroit.
August 26Roy Campanella of the Dodgers hits 3 HRs in a 7-5 win over the Reds at Crosley Field.
August 27Yankee Allie Reynolds hurls a 2-hitter in a 2-1 win over the White Sox.

The Indians Ray Boone and Clyde Vollmer of the Red Sox match grand slams today. Boone’s comes in the 7-run 3rd to give Bob Feller a 7-0 cushion. Vollmer’s pinch slam against Al Benton in the Sox 6-run 7th helps Boston to an 11-9 win. It is the Red Sox 9th slam of the season.
August 28Earle and Roy Mack‚ Connie’s sons by his first marriage‚ purchase 54 percent interest in the Athletics from Connie Mack‚ Jr.‚ their younger brother from a 2nd marriage. Earle‚ Roy and Connie Mack now own 1‚198 shares out of 1‚500. “As long as dad wants to manage‚” the two announce‚ “he will continue to manage.”

At Fenway the Red Sox come back from 10-0 and 12-1 deficits to beat the Indians 15-14. Bob Feller is the loser‚ this time in his only relief appearance of the season‚ coming in for starter Bob Lemon‚ the AL’s winningest pitcher. Dom DiMaggio‘s 2 triples and a single pace the offense. It is the 2nd day in a row the Tribe has blown a big lead‚ losing a 7 run lead yesterday.

At Wrigley Field‚ Hank Sauer socks three consecutive home runs‚ off Curt Simmons‚ as the Cubs edge the Phillies 7-5 in game 1. Sauer will connect for 3 homers off Simmons once more‚ in 1952. Knuckleballer Dutch Leonard‚ in his only start of the year‚ is today’s winner. The Phils then take the nitecap‚ 9-5‚ to move 5 1/2 games ahead of the Dodgers.
August 30Eddie Stanky of the Giants walks twice in the 6th inning against the Pirates for a total of 7 straight times over 2 games‚ tying the ML record set by Billy Rogell and Mel Ott. The Giants win 4-0 behind Sal Maglie.

The Tigers drop out of first place for the first time since June 10 when they split a pair with the Senators‚ losing 3-2 in 11 innings‚ then taking the nitecap‚ 10-8.
August 31Gil Hodges of the Brooklyn Dodgers hits 4 HRs and a single‚ driving in 9 runs in the Dodgers 19-3 rout of the Boston Braves in Ebbets Field. Hodges’ 17 total bases is the most since 1894. Gil’s first homer is a 2-run shot off loser Warren Spahn in the 2nd inning‚ then a 3-run homer in the 3rd off Norman Roy‚ another 2-run homer off Bob Hall in the 6th‚ and a 2-run shot off Johnny Antonelli in the 8th. Carl Furillo is on base for each of the home runs. Erskine is the winner of the rout. Hodges had 4 long hits on June 25 last year‚ the first Dodger to twice have 4 extra base hits in a game.

September

September 2At Philadelphia‚ Mel Parnell registers his 9th straight win over the A’s as the Red Sox win 9-3.

Phil Cavarretta leads off the 9th with a single‚ the Cubs lone hit against the Reds Ewell Blackwell. The Whip strikes out 10 in winning‚ 5-1.
September 3Havana (Florida International League) wins its 5th straight pennant. Miami‚ managed by Pepper Martin‚ finishes 2nd.
September 4Giant hurlers Jim Hearn and Sal Maglie hurl twin shutouts over the Phils‚ winning 2-0 and 9-0. Coupled with a shut out loss to the Giants yesterday‚ the Phils have not scored in 3 games at home.

Reds OF Johnny Wyrostek drives in 8 runs in a doubleheader sweep of the visiting Cardinals‚ 5-4 and 8-4.

Don Bessent of LaGrange (Georgia-Alabama League) pitches a 14-0 playoff no-hitter over Carrollton.
September 5The Yankees acquire 1B Johnny Hopp‚ who is 2nd in the NL in hitting with a .340 mark‚ from the Pirates for an undisclosed amount of cash. The Yanks believe Hopp will provide late season pennant insurance.

Phils lefty Curt Simmons is the first player inducted into the Army as a result of the Korean conflict. He will get one more start before reporting.

Purdue Athletic Director Red Mackey criticizes the Yankees for signing his 19-year-old star P/SS Bill Skowron‚ who was also expected to be the starting right halfback on the Boilermakers’ football squad.
September 6Don Newcombe tries for a doubleheader victory against Philadelphia. After winning the first game 2-0‚ he pitches the 2nd game but leaves in the 7th inning trailing 2-0. But the Dodgers rally to win 3-2 and hand the first-place Phillies their 5th defeat in a row.
September 7Tiger OF Hoot Evers hits for the cycle‚ adds another triple‚ and knocks in 6 runs in a 13-13‚ ten-inning tie with Cleveland. The game‚ ended because of darkness‚ leaves Detroit in first place by a few percentage points ahead of New York. Rosen and Feller both hit early 2-run homers as the Indians blow three leads in the game.
September 8Russ Meyer snaps the Phils’ 5-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over the Dodgers.
September 9Sal Maglie of the Giants hurls his 4th consecutive shutout‚ tying a ML record‚ and beats the Dodgers 2-0. Alvin Dark‘s 2 HRs provide the runs.

The Red Sox advance to within a half-game of the 2nd place Yankees by walloping the A’s‚ 8-3 and 11-3. All the Boston runs in the opener are unearned. In game 2‚ a 7-run 2nd inning allows Walt Masterson to coast home as Zarilla‚ Stephens‚ and Doerr all homer. Dom DiMaggio steals his 15th: his 15 stolen bases will lead the AL‚ the lowest total in history.

The Tigers and White Sox finally finish a game that started in April. The game was originally scheduled as the nitecap of a Doubleheader‚ April 30‚ but was halted by darkness after 9 innings deadlocked at 77. Rescheduled for August 10‚ the contest was halted in the 7th with the score 1-1. Art Houtteman finally ends it with a 1-0‚ 12 inning win. Hoot Evers triples and scores on a single by Johnny Groth. The league leaders fail to cash in by losing the nitecap‚ 5-4‚ cutting their lead to a half game over New York and a game ahead of Boston.
September 10Joe DiMaggio becomes the first player to hit 3 HRs in one game at spacious Griffith Stadium‚ as the Yanks beat Washington 8-1. Joe also adds an RBI double‚ to pass the 100-ribbie mark for the 9th time. The Senators lead the 2nd game 6-2 when rain washes it out in the 4th. New York is now a half-game in back of the leaders with Boston a half game behind the Yankees.

The Red Sox win their 22nd in a row at home from the Athletics‚ 6-2‚ a streak dating back to 1949. The Red Sox won all 11 games two years in a row.

San Francisco (PCL) lefty Al Lien throws a 17-inning‚ 1-0‚ shutout over the Hollywood Stars.
September 11The Yanks move back in first with a twin win over the Senators‚ 5-1 and 6-2. Rookies Ford and Jensen lead the way in the opener as Whitey wins his 6th straight. Jensen has 3 hits including his first ML HR. Lopat wins his 16th in game 2.
September 12The Yankees blow a 6-run lead as Cleveland scores 4 in the 9th inning off Allie Reynolds to win‚ 8-7. Luke Easter‘s 3-run HR-his 2nd of the game-is the big blow‚ as the Yankees skid to 2nd place‚ a half game behind Detroit and a half game ahead of Boston.

Ewell Blackwell gives up just one hit‚ a run-scoring double in the 4th to Gene Hermanski‚ but the Dodgers whip the Reds ace‚ 2-1. Carl Erskine allows three hits‚ including a double by Blackwell and a home run by Ted Kluszewski. Hermanski and Snider drive in the two runs for Brooklyn.
September 13Sal Maglie’s string of scoreless innings ends at 45‚ but he beats the Pirates 3-1 in a rain-shortened 7-inning game. Pirate Gus Bell‘s 257-foot ?y ball barely clears the RF wall at the Polo Grounds. For Maglie‚ it is his 11th straight win.
September 14Pinch-hitter Ted Tappe homers in his first ML at bat‚ off Erv Palica‚ but the Reds lose 6-2 to Brooklyn. Reds also drop the 2nd game‚ 5-2.

Puddin’ head Jones single in the 9th inning gives the Phils and reliever Jim Konstanty a 3-2 win over the Cardinal. The Cards collect 9 hits and 10 walks but leave 18 runners on base to tie the ML record. The Phils strand 10 to the NL night-game record for 2 teams set in 1948.

In Detroit‚ Vic Raschi posts his 20th win of the season to give New York a hard-fought 7-5 win. Raschi walks in two runs in the opening inning as Detroit tallies 4 runs‚ but New York comes back as DiMaggio cracks his 29th HR and Mize follows a walk to Bauer with his 10th HR. New York takes over 1st place by a half game.

The Browns stretch their win streak to 8 games by beating the Red Sox‚ 6-3‚ for their 2nd win over the Millionaires in 20 games. Brown wins his 4th straight. The 8-game streak is the longest since 1944. The defeat drops the Bosox 2 games behind the Yanks. His fractured elbow now healed‚ Ted Williams pinch hits in the 8th a doubles.
September 15For a ML-record 6th time‚ Johnny Mize hits 3 HRs in one game‚ but the Yankees lose 9-7 at Detroit. Mize matches Ruth’s mark of doing it in both leagues‚ but the Babe only had 2 three-homer games. With the victory‚ the Tigers recapture first place from New York.

Ted Williams returns to the Red Sox lineup and raps a HR and 3 singles in a 12-9 defeat of the Browns. The Red Sox will come within 2 games of the first place Yankees this week‚ but will end up in 3rd place‚ behind both New York and Detroit.

In game 2‚ Eddie Waitkus of the first-place Phils gets 5 hits for the 3rd time this season‚ as the Phillies beat the Reds 8-7 in 19 innings. Teammate Del Ennis goes 5-for-10. The Reds lead 5-0 after 5 innings‚ but the Phils tie it up in regulation. Both teams score twice in the 18th‚ and the Phils score in the 19th on a bases-loaded hit by Del Ennis. The Phils win the lid lifter‚ 2-1‚ and move to 7 1/2 over the Dodgers.

Cloyd Boyer‚ the Cardinals’ scheduled starter against Brooklyn‚ injures his arm during his warm-ups and has to depart‚ getting credit for the game start although he never faced a batter. Red Munger replaces Boyer and goes the distance‚ being awarded a complete game for his effort‚ a 6-2 Cards win. The loser is Don Newcombe‚ who had beaten the Redbirds 4 straight this year.
September 16Rookie Whitey Ford tosses a 6-hitter to give the Yankees the rubber game in Detroit‚ 8-1 and move them back into first place. DiMaggio hits his 30th HR and the Yanks score 7 runs in the 9th as Ford drives to his 7th win without a loss. The Red Sox will follow the Yankees into Detroit and sweep three from the Tigers.

At Ebbets Field‚ Reds rookie Ted Tappe pinch hits in the 8th and homers in his first major league at bat. The round tripper‚ off Erv Palica‚ helps cement a 6-3 win over Brooklyn. Tappe will hit 4 more homers‚ all as a member of the Cubs.

Pirate pitcher Cliff Chambers and Boston’s Vern Bickford each hurl 11 scoreless innings before Bickford blinks in the 12th. Two walks‚ a wild pitch‚ and 4 singles give the Pirates the 4-0 win and keeps Bickford at 19 wins.
September 17With relief help from Kinder in the 9th‚ Mel Parnell wins his 9th in a row to give the Red Sox a 3-2 win over the Tigers. With the Yankees splitting with St. Louis‚ Boston is now 1 1/2 games behind the league leaders‚ and a half game behind 2nd place Detroit.

The A’s take a 9-0 lead on Cleveland‚ then finally defeat the Indians‚ 10-9 in 11 innings when rookie OF Jim Lemon throws to the wrong base. The throw allows Wahl to score from 1B on Mike Guerra‘s single.
September 18At Ebbets Field‚ Dodgers Tommy Brown hits 3 HRs in his team’s losing effort. He is the 3rd Dodger this year to clout 3 homers in one game. The Cubs Ron Northey hits his 3rd lifetime pinch grand slam-a ML record-to give Chicago a 9-7 win.
September 19Stan Musial hits a homer to pace the Cards to an 8-7 win against Boston. Musial will finish the year at .346 to win his 4th batting title.
September 20Thrashing the Cubs 9-6 at Philadelphia‚ the Phils open a 7 1?2 game lead‚ their biggest so far. Jim Konstanty‚ appearing for the 68th time‚ wins his 16th‚ thanks to 2 homers by Mike Goliat‚ Boston and Brooklyn are tied for 2nd place with 79-61 records: The Phils are at 87-54.

The Red Sox pennant hopes are jolted by the Indians who take a doubleheader sweep‚ 6-3 and 7-1. The losses drop the Yawkeymen out of a 2nd place tie with Detroit. Bob Lemon wins his 21st in the opener‚ and Early Wynn cops his 17th in game 2. Easter and Gordon homer to give the Tribe a club-record 156. Billy Goodman‚ hitting .357‚ is 2-for-8 to go over 400 at bats and qualify for the hitting title. He is leading George Kell by 14 points.
September 21Warren Spahn of the Braves wins his 21st game‚ hurling a 2-hit‚ 5-0 win over the Cards.
September 22In the top of the 9th in Cleveland‚ Detroit’s Don Kolloway cracks a 2-run HR off Bob Feller to tie the game at 3-3. In the bottom of the inning‚ Joe Gordon takes Hal Newhouser downtown to hand the Tigers a heartbreaking 4-3 loss. The loss pushes the Bengals back into 2nd place. Feller now stands 8-2 against the Tiger ace stretching back to 1940. The two will face off once more in a no-decision contest in 1952. In the nitecap‚ Mike Garcia drops the Bengals another game back with an 10-2 victory‚ while New York is shutting out the Red Sox‚ 8-0. Cleveland is the only team that holds a winning edge over Detroit this year (13-9).
September 23The Athletics erupt for 12 runs against the Senators in the 6th inning to win 16-5. Reserve catcher Joe Astroth hits his first homer‚ a grand slam off Julio Moreno‚ and a single and knocks in a since-topped ML record 6 runs in the big inning. Astroth had 22 RBIs in 104 games prior to today.

In what amounts to a political and monetary act of leverage‚ Brooklyn’s Branch Rickey offers to sell his 25 percent interest to real estate mogul William Zeckendorf.

The Braves’ Johnny Sain fails in his attempt to win his 20th game‚ but hits his first ML HR‚ off Larry Jansen in the 8th‚ in a 4-3 loss to the visiting Giants. With two outs in the 10th‚ Sam Jethroe loses Don Mueller‘s fly ball in the sun and Mueller legs out a triple. Hank Thompson’s single wins it for Larry Jansen. A Saturday crowd of 5‚535 watch the Tribe drop out of 2nd place‚ while the Giants move to within three games of the Phils.

Don Newcombe outpitches Robin Roberts to give Brooklyn a 3-2 against the 1st-place Phils.

The Yankees‚ tied for 1st place with the Tigers and 2 games ahead of Boston‚ open a crucial series with the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. DiMaggio’s 1st inning HR off Mel Parnell is all the scoring needed‚ as the Bombers win 8-0. Ed Lopat gives up 5 hits‚ including a leadoff triple to Dom DiMaggio‚ in posting his 100th career win.

Mike Garcia and the Indians hand the Tigers a 10-2 defeat to leave Detroit in 2nd place at the end of the day. Larry Doby has a grand slam and Luke Easter a 3-run double.
September 24Pitcher Erv Palica of the Dodgers is the star today pitching a 2-hitter in an 11-0 win over Philadelphia‚ and hitting a 5th inning grand slam off Bubba Church of the Phils. The win cuts the Phillies’ lead to 5 games. The Phils will win 2 out of 3 in Boston to put the Braves out of the race.

Mental lapses crush Tiger hopes. Due to heavy smoke from a Canadian forest fire‚ Detroit puts on the lights in a Sunday afternoon contest with the Indians. Cleveland’s only score in 9 innings is pitcher Bob Lemon‘s HR in the 4th‚ as the match is tied 1-1 on Johnny Lipon‘s HR. Lemon opens the 10th with a triple‚ and 2 intentional walks follow. With the bases loaded and one out‚ C Aaron Robinson thinks he has a shot at a DP by just stepping on home. Because of the haze‚ he did not see 1B Don Kolloway remove the force after fielding the ball hit by slugger Luke Easter‚ and the Indians win 2-1.

66‚924 fans are on hand for Johnny Mize Day at Yankee Stadium‚ as the Yankees top the fading Red Sox 9-5 to go 4 games up on Boston and 2 1?2 ahead of Detroit. Rizzuto contributes a single‚ double‚ and HR‚ while Berra adds 4 hits including a triple. DiMag’s hit streak reaches 15. New York will win 5 of their next 7‚ while the Tigers will manage to go 4-3.

Carlos Pascual makes his ML debut and matches fellow Cubans on the Senators-Marrero‚ Consuegra‚ and Moreno-by notching a victory‚ beating the A’s‚ 3-1. For 19-year-old Carlos‚ this is his lone ML win‚ but his brother Camilo will fare better. Kucab‚ making his first ML start after 2 relief appearances‚ is the loser.

After the Reds win the opener against Pittsburgh‚ 7-1‚ behind Ewell Blackwell‚ the Bucs take the nitecap‚ 3-2‚ on Wally Westlake‘s steal of home on the front end of a double steal in the 6th inning. Murry Dickson is the winner.
September 25Both Mel Parnell and rookie Harry Taylor of the Red Sox shut out Philadelphia‚ winning 8-0 and 3-0. Parnell throws a 3-hitter‚ and Taylor allows only 2 hits in the nightcap to win his first ML game.
September 26Phils’ relief ace Jim Konstanty makes his 71st appearance‚ a ML record‚ in the Phils’ 8-7 win over the Braves in front of 1‚987 Boston fans.
September 27The Phils rally for 5 runs in the 8th to tie‚ but the Giants win in 10 innings 8-7. Monte Irvin‚ sliding across the plate with the winning run‚ injures catcher Andy Seminick‚ limiting his effectiveness. He will play the next day and all through the WS‚ later to find out that he has a bone separation. In the nitecap‚ Bobby Thomson 1st inning inside-the-park grand slam is all the Giants need as Jim Hearn wins 5-0. The Dodgers split with the Braves cutting the Phillies lead to 2 games.

Against the A’s‚ Whitey Ford relieves and loses his first game after 9 wins. The Yanks lose‚ 8-7.
September 28The Phils lose their 2nd doubleheader in a row at the Polo Grounds. Sal Maglie tops them in the opener 3-1‚ and Sheldon Jones outmatches Roberts to win 3-1 in the 2nd game.

The Tigers 3 out of 4 game in their series with the Browns‚ but only have one winning pitcher-Hal White. He relieves in all 4 games‚ winning three straight. The Tigers lose game 1 on the 26th‚ 4-1‚ with the defeat going to Newhouser. White relieves Trout in the nitecap and wins‚ 5-3‚ after hurtling one inning. He replaced Art Houtteman yesterday in the 9th and threw one pitch and won 5-4. Today he relieves in the 10th and the Tigers score in the 12th to win‚ 4-3.
September 29The idle Yankees clinch their 2nd consecutive pennant under Casey Stengel‚ as Cleveland’s Bob Lemon sets down Detroit 12-2 for his 23rd win.

The Cardinals name Marty “Mr. Shortstop” Marion as their player-manager for 1951.

The Dodgers win a pair from Boston 7-5 and 7-6‚ shaving the idle Phils lead to 2‚ with 2 head-to-head games at Ebbets Field remaining.
September 30Before 23‚879 at Ebbets Field‚ Brooklyn pulls within one game of the lead‚ as Erv Palica wins 7-3 over the Phillies. The Brooks rout rookie Bob Miller and then Duke Snider and Roy Campanella pound homers off Jim Konstanty. It is the Phillies 5th loss in a row‚ their 8th in 10 games. The red-hot Dodgers have now won 13 of their last 16 games. For the 2nd year in a row‚ the pennant race will come down to the last game. If the Dodgers win tomorrow‚ the race will end in a three-way tie.

P Gerry Staley and George Munger combine for a doubleheader sweep of the Cubs when the Cards win 2-0 and 4-0.

October

October 1In Robin Roberts‘ 3rd start in 5 days‚ Dick Sisler‘s dramatic HR off Don Newcombe in the 10th clinches the pennant 4-1 for the Whiz Kids. It is the Phillies’ first pennant in 35 years. In the play that sets the stage for Sisler’s heroics‚ CF Richie Ashburn‚ playing shallow‚ throws out Dodger runner Cal Abrams at the plate in the bottom of the 9th. Abrams will later say‚ “I think they should have held me at 3rd‚” while Dodgers’ skipper Burt Shotton‚ commenting on having Duke Snider hitting away‚ “I should have bunted. If you don’t believe me‚ look in the newspapers.” Brooklyn’s only score comes when Pee Wee Reese hits a drive into the screen over the wall in right field. The ball falls on top of the wall and bounces up and down long enough for Reese to leg out an inside-the-park HR. Roberts wins his 20th‚ the first 20-game winner for the Phils since Grover Cleveland Alexander in 1917.

Gus Zernial of the White Sox hits one homer in a 4-3 first-game win over the visiting Browns. He adds three more in the nightcap‚ a 10-6 loss‚ to tie an AL record for a twinbill and set a club record with 29 homers‚ 10 of which came against St. Louis. Zeke Bonura held the Sox homer record with 27‚ set in 1934‚ and tied by Kuhel in 1940.

Ted Williams has 4 hits to lead the Red Sox to a 7-3‚ win over the Series-bound Yankees. The Williams has three RBIs to finish with 97 in 89 games. With many regulars sitting out‚ rookie Ernie Nevel gives up 4 runs in three innings to take the loss. Lou Burdette gives a run in the 4th before Lopat and Eddie (not Whitey yet) Ford also appear. Buddy Rosar‘s two-run homer‚ off Ford‚ completes Boston’s scoring. Harry Taylor goes the distance for his 2nd win. Goodman‚ who hasn’t played since pinch hitting twice in a twinbill loss to Washington 4 days ago‚ wins the AL batting title with a .354 average. The Sox have the solace of leading the majors in scoring for the 3rd straight year: the next AL team to do that will be the Red Sox of 2003-05.
October 2Dom DiMaggio of the Red Sox is the AL leader in steals with 15‚ the lowest figure ever recorded and a reflection of the emphasis on heavy hitting throughout the season. The younger DiMag made his contribution there as well‚ batting a career-high .328‚ tying for the lead with 11 triples‚ and leading the AL with 131 runs. His brother Joe led with a .585 slugging percentage despite his August slump. For the second straight year‚ two Red Sox tie for the top spot in RBIs‚ as Vern Stephens and Walt Dropo drive in 144 apiece. Last year‚ Stephens tied with Williams for the lead at 159. Dropo drives in his 144 in just 136 games‚ the first player to top 100 with more ribbies than games played.
October 3Baseball rules that Phils lefty Curt Simmons cannot play in the WS despite his being on furlough from the Army.
October 4Relief ace Jim Konstanty of the Phils starts and loses to Vic Raschi and the Yankees in Philadelphia 1-0 in Game 1 of the WS. Bobby Brown doubles and comes around on 2 long flies to score the lone run.

The Columbus Clippers (AA) win the Little World Series 4 games to 1 with a 6-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles (IL).
October 5Allie Reynolds and the Yankees win again over ace Robin Roberts 2-1 in 10 innings in Philadelphia. Joe DiMaggio‘s leadoff HR in the 10th inning is the game winner.
October 6Tom Ferrick and the Yanks go up 3 games to none‚ with a 3-2 win over Russ Meyer and the Phils at Yankee Stadium.
October 7Whitey Ford wins his first WS game‚ 5-2 over Bob Miller at the Stadium. The 4-game sweep gives the Yankees their 13th World Championship.
October 9Yankees manager Casey Stengel signs a 2-year pact estimated at between $65‚000 and $80‚000 a year.
October 10The Chicago White Sox hire Seattle Rainiers (PCL) manager Paul Richards as their manager for 1951 ushering in the era of the “Go Go” Sox. Chicago‚ which stole an ML-low 19 bases in 1950‚ will top the majors next year with 99.
October 16The Brooklyn Dodgers fail to renew Branch Rickey‘s contract as president.

Manager Eddie Dyer is out after 5 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. He will return to off-season oil and real estate businesses in Houston.
October 18Connie Mack retires after an amazing 50 years as the manager of the Philadelphia Athletics. Jimmy Dykes replaces him. Mack maintains his position as president of the club.
October 26The Baseball Writers of America select Yankee SS Phil Rizzuto as the AL MVP. Billy Goodman is a distant second.

Branch Rickey resigns as president of the Brooklyn Dodgers and Walter O’Malley succeeds him. Rickey sells his 25 percent interest in the club for a reported $1.05 million.

November

November 2The baseball writers select Phillies relief P Jim Konstanty as the NL’s MVP.
November 6Branch Rickey signs a 5-year contract as executive vice president/GM with the Pirates.
November 8The Baseball Writers Association of America announces that slugging 1B Walt Dropo of the Boston Red Sox is the Rookie of the Year in the AL.

Commissioner Happy Chandler and player reps agree on the split of the TV-radio rights from the WS.
November 9The Associated Press chooses Phillie skipper Eddie Sawyer as Manager of the year.

The baseball writers name Sam Jethroe of the Boston Braves as the NL Rookie of the Year.

The White Sox release Luke Appling‚ who has been with the Sox since 1930‚ so he can become the manager of the Memphis Chicks (SA). He accepted the job with the Chicks on November 1. He’ll be named minor league manager of the year‚ by The Sporting News‚ in 1952.
November 10After 9 years at the helm‚ the Indians fire their manager‚ Lou Boudreau‚ amid the howls of fan protest. Although Boudreau’s overall winning percentage is a moderate .529‚ he won 92 games in a 4th-place finish‚ his best showing since 97 in the championship year of l948. Al Lopez‚ who has piloted Minneapolis (AA) since l948‚ takes over with a 2-year contract.
November 16League presidents Ford Frick and Will Harridge vote to deposit $950‚000 received for WS TV-radio rights into the player’s pension fund.
November 20Pirates GM Roy Hamey resigns to make way for Branch Rickey.
November 26The Gillette Safety Razor Co. signs a 6-year deal‚ worth an estimated $6 million‚ with ML baseball for the TV-radio rights for the WS.
November 27The Red Sox sign former Cleveland SS great Lou Boudreau as a player to a 2-year contract worth an estimated $150‚000.
November 28Having ousted Branch Rickey‚ Walter O’Malley now fires Burt Shotton as manager. Oakland (PCL) manager Chuck Dressen is his replacement.

December

December 5Mel Ott‚ who has been working in the Giants farm system‚ hires on for 2 years in the Oakland managerial spot vacated by Chuck Dressen.
December 11At the winter meeting‚ held in St. Petersburg‚ FL‚ ML owners vote 9-7 against renewing Commissioner Happy Chandler‘s contract for a new term‚ starting in 1951. The Cardinals’ Fred Saigh led the opposition to Chandler‚ who had jeopardized the reserve clause and ordered investigations of the alleged gambling activities of several owners.
December 14The baseball owners choose Lou Perini (Braves)‚ P. K. Wrigley (Cubs)‚ Del Webb (Yankees)‚ and Ellis Ryan (Indians) to select a new commissioner as rapidly as possible.
December 18Yankees great Tommy “Old Reliable” Henrich calls it a career as a player. He accepts a coaching position with the team.