The 1949 major league baseball season began on April 18, 1949. The regular season ended on October 2, with the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 46th World Series on October 5 and ended with Game 5 on October 9. In the third iteration of this Subway Series World Series matchup, the Yankees defeated the Dodgers, four games to one, capturing their 12th championship in franchise history, since their previous in , and their first in a five-run World Series. Going into the season, the defending World Series champions were the Cleveland Indians from the season.

The 16th All-Star Game was held on July 12 at Ebbets Field in New York, New York, home of the Brooklyn Dodgers. The American League won, 11–7, for their fourth straight win.

With the Negro National League folding and the Negro American League losing their major-league status prior to the 1949 season, as per MLB's 2020 designation of Negro Leagues, the National and American Leagues remain as the sole major-leagues of baseball, a fact which continues to the present day.

On July 8, the New York Giants become the fourth team in professional baseball to break the color line when they fielded Hank Thompson (who previously integrated the St. Louis Browns, becoming the only player to integrate two teams) and Monte Irvin.

Schedule

The 1949 schedule consisted of 154 games for all teams in the American League and National League, each of which had eight teams. Each team was scheduled to play 22 games against the other seven teams of their respective league. This continued the format put in place since the season (except for ) and would be used until in the American League and in the National League.

Opening Day took place on April 18, featuring four teams. The final day of the regular season was on October 2, which saw all sixteen teams play, continuing the trend from . The World Series took place between October 5 and October 9.

Rule changes The 1949 season saw the following rule changes: Regarding the bonus rule, the amount of the bonus must now be made public before a contract was signed, including "such payments as are made to college men to help them with their education." Rules regarding night games were amended: In addition to Sundays and holidays, night games were banned a day before a scheduled doubleheader, as well as on the night of a visiting team's departure for another city. In the American League, the number of night games which did not require consent from the visiting team was increased from two to four. In the National League, the number of night games which did not require consent from the visiting team was increased to five.

Teams LeagueTeamCityBallparkCapacityManagerBoston Red SoxBoston, MassachusettsFenway Park35,200Chicago White SoxChicago, IllinoisComiskey Park47,400Cleveland IndiansCleveland, OhioCleveland Stadium78,811Detroit TigersDetroit, MichiganBriggs Stadium58,000New York YankeesNew York, New YorkYankee Stadium67,000Philadelphia AthleticsPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaShibe Park33,166St. Louis BrownsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park34,000Washington SenatorsWashington, D.C.Griffith Stadium29,731Boston BravesBoston, MassachusettsBraves Field37,106Brooklyn DodgersNew York, New YorkEbbets Field32,111Chicago CubsChicago, IllinoisWrigley Field38,690Cincinnati RedsCincinnati, OhioCrosley Field30,101New York GiantsNew York, New YorkPolo Grounds54,500Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaShibe Park33,166Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaForbes Field33,730St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park34,000

Standings

American League

National League

Tie games 8 tie games (2 in AL, 6 in NL), which are not factored into winning percentage or games behind (and were often replayed again) occurred throughout the season.

American League Boston Red Sox, 1 Detroit Tigers, 1 New York Yankees, 1 St. Louis Browns, 1

National League Boston Braves, 3 Brooklyn Dodgers, 2 Cincinnati Reds, 2 New York Giants, 2 St. Louis Cardinals, 3

Postseason The postseason began on October 5 and ended on October 9 with the New York Yankees defeating the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1949 World Series in five games.

Bracket

Managerial changes Off-season Team Former Manager New ManagerChicago White Sox Ted LyonsJack OnslowDetroit TigersSteve O'NeillRed RolfeNew York YankeesBucky HarrisCasey Stengel

In-season Team Former Manager New ManagerBoston BravesBilly SouthworthJohnny CooneyChicago CubsCharlie GrimmFrankie FrischCincinnati RedsBucky WaltersLuke Sewell

League leaders American League

+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG George Kell (DET) .343 OPS Ted Williams (BOS) 1.141 HR Ted Williams (BOS) 43 RBI Vern Stephens (BOS)Ted Williams (BOS) 159 R Ted Williams (BOS) 150 H Dale Mitchell (CLE) 203 SB Bob Dillinger (SLB) 20

+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Mel Parnell (BOS) 25 L Paul Calvert (WSH)Ned Garver (SLB)Sid Hudson (WSH) 17 ERA Mike Garcia (CLE) 2.36 K Virgil Trucks (DET) 153 IP Mel Parnell (BOS) 295.1 SV Joe Page (NYY) 27 WHIP Fred Hutchinson (DET) 1.161

National League

+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Jackie Robinson (BRO) .342 OPS Ralph Kiner (PIT) 1.089 HR Ralph Kiner (PIT) 54 RBI Ralph Kiner (PIT) 127 R Jackie Robinson (BRO) 132 H Stan Musial (STL) 207 SB Jackie Robinson (BRO) 37

+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Warren Spahn (BSN) 21 L Howie Fox (CIN) 19 ERA Dave Koslo (NYG) 2.50 K Warren Spahn (BSN) 151 IP Warren Spahn (BSN) 302.1 SV Ted Wilks (STL) 9 WHIP Dave Koslo (NYG) 1.113

Milestones Batters Cycles

Wally Westlake (PIT): Westlake hit for his second cycle and 15th in franchise history, on June 14 against the Boston Braves. Gil Hodges (BRO): Hodges hit for his first cycle and seventh cycle in franchise history, on June 25 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Stan Musial (STL): Musial hit for his first cycle and 10th in franchise history, on July 24 against the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Other batting accomplishments Willie Jones (PHI): On April 20, Jones ties Dick Bartell () and Ernie Lombardi () for most consecutive doubles in the National League at four. Elmer Valo (PHA): On May 1, Valo becomes the first American League player to hit two bases-loaded triples in a game, against the Washington Senators. Del Ennis / Andy Seminick / Willie Jones / Schoolboy Rowe (PHI): Become the second group of players in Major League history to hit five home runs in one inning in the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds on June 2. Andy Seminick hit two home runs in the set of five, hitting the second and fifth home run. Walker Cooper (CIN/): Became the sixth player to hit at least 10 runs batted in (RBI) in a single game as a part of the Cincinnati Reds, hitting 10 against the Chicago Cubs on July 6. Ties a modern record with six hits in seven at-bats as a part of the Cincinnati Reds, including three home runs with 10 RBI, against the Chicago Cubs on July 6. Wally Moses (PHA): Recorded his 2,000th career hit with a single in the fifth inning against the St. Louis Browns on July 26. Ralph Kiner (PIT): On September 13, Kiner tied a major league record held by six players with his fourth grand slam of the season, against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Miscellaneous Philadelphia Phillies: Tie a major league record for a team hitting the most home runs in a single inning, with five home runs in the eighth inning on June 2 against the Cincinnati Reds. Washington Senators: Set a major league record for giving up most bases on balls in an inning, surrendering 11 in the third inning on September 11 against the New York Yankees.

Awards and honors Regular season Baseball Writers' Association of America AwardsBBWAA AwardNational LeagueAmerican LeagueRookie of the Year Don Newcombe (BRO) Roy Sievers (SLB)Most Valuable Player Jackie Robinson (BRO) Ted Williams (BOS)Babe Ruth Award(World Series MVP) — Joe Page (NYY)

Other awards The Sporting News Awards Award National League American League Player of the Year — Ted Williams (BOS) Pitcher of the Year Howie Pollet (STL) Ellis Kinder (BOS) Rookie of the Year Don Newcombe (BRO) Roy Sievers (SLB) Manager of the Year — Casey Stengel (NYY) Executive of the Year Bob Carpenter (PHI) —

Baseball Hall of Fame

Mordecai Brown Charlie Gehringer Kid Nichols

Home field attendance Team nameWinsHome attendanceNew York Yankees973.2%2,283,676 −3.8%29,278Cleveland Indians89 −8.2%2,233,771 −14.8%29,010Detroit Tigers8711.5%1,821,2044.5%23,349Brooklyn Dodgers9715.5%1,633,74716.8%20,945Boston Red Sox960.0%1,596,6502.4%20,736Pittsburgh Pirates71 −14.5%1,449,435 −4.5%18,824St. Louis Cardinals9612.9%1,430,67628.7%18,110New York Giants73 −6.4%1,218,446 −16.5%15,423Chicago Cubs61 −4.7%1,143,139 −7.6%14,846Boston Braves75 −17.6%1,081,795 −25.7%14,049Chicago White Sox6323.5%937,15120.5%12,171Philadelphia Phillies8122.7%819,6986.8%10,645Philadelphia Athletics81 −3.6%816,514 −13.6%10,604Washington Senators50 −10.7%770,745 −3.1%10,010Cincinnati Reds62 −3.1%707,782 −14.0%9,074St. Louis Browns53 −10.2%270,936 −19.3%3,519

See also 1949 in baseball (Events, Movies, Births, Deaths) 1949 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League season 1949 Nippon Professional Baseball season

References

External links

1949 Major League Schedule at Baseball Reference