The 1939 major league baseball season began on April 17, 1939. The regular season ended on October 1, with the Cincinnati Reds 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 36th World Series on October 4 and ended with Game 4 on October 8. The Yankees swept the Reds in four games, capturing their eighth championship in franchise history, and their last in a four-World Series run, becoming the first team to win four consecutive World Series.
The seventh All-Star Game was held on July 11 at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York, home of the New York Yankees. The American League won, 3–1.
Schedule
The 1939 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.
National League Opening Day took place on April 17 with a game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds, while American League Opening Day took place on the following day, with a game between the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers. This continued the trend from the previous season which saw both leagues opened on different days. It was the first season since that saw both leagues open with just one game each. The final day of the regular season was on October 1 and featured twelve teams. The World Series took place between October 4 and October 8.
Rule change The 1939 season saw the following rule change: The scoring sacrifice fly, exempting a batter from a time at bat when a runner scored after the putout on a fly ball, was restored for the first time since its elimination in . This would last only one season. Similar to the infield fly rule, now an umpire could make a judgment about an outfield fly ball. If it is judged that an outfielder intentionally drops a fly ball or line drive, the umpire shall immediately rule the ball has been caught. Like the infield fly rule, this only applies when there are less than two outs, and runners occupying at least first and second base. Pitchers can now start with only his pivot foot on or making contact in front of the pitching rubber. In the American League: Night games were now approved, with up to seven night games allowed per team, though teams could not play at night on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, nor could they start an inning after 11:50p.m.. Baseballs would now match the National League's stitching.
Teams An asterisk (*) denotes the ballpark a team played the minority of their home games at LeagueTeamCityBallparkCapacityManagerBoston Red SoxBoston, MassachusettsFenway Park33,817Chicago White SoxChicago, IllinoisComiskey Park51,000Cleveland IndiansCleveland, OhioLeague Park22,500Cleveland Stadium*78,811*Detroit TigersDetroit, MichiganBriggs Stadium58,000New York YankeesNew York, New YorkYankee Stadium71,699Philadelphia AthleticsPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaShibe Park33,000St. Louis BrownsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park34,023Washington SenatorsWashington, D.C.Griffith Stadium32,000Boston BeesBoston, MassachusettsNational League Park45,000Brooklyn DodgersNew York, New YorkEbbets Field35,000Chicago CubsChicago, IllinoisWrigley Field38,000Cincinnati RedsCincinnati, OhioCrosley Field29,401New York GiantsNew York, New YorkPolo Grounds51,856Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaShibe Park33,000Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaForbes Field33,537St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park34,023
Standings
American League
National League
Tie games 10 tie games (4 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 Chicago White Sox, 1 Detroit Tigers, 1 New York Yankees, 1 Philadelphia Athletics, 1 St. Louis Browns, 2 Washington Senators, 1
National League Boston Bees, 1 Brooklyn Dodgers, 4 Chicago Cubs, 2 Cincinnati Reds, 2 Philadelphia Phillies, 1 St. Louis Cardinals, 2
Postseason The postseason began on October 4 and ended on October 8 with the New York Yankees sweeping the Cincinnati Reds in the 1939 World Series in four games.
Bracket
Managerial changes Off-season Team Former Manager New ManagerSt. Louis Browns Oscar Melillo Fred HaneyBrooklyn Dodgers Burleigh Grimes Leo DurocherPhiladelphia Phillies Hans Lobert Doc ProthroSt. Louis Cardinals Mike González Ray Blades
In-season Team Former Manager New ManagerPhiladelphia Athletics Connie Mack Earle Mack
League leaders American League
+ Hitting leadersStat PlayerTotal AVG Joe DiMaggio (NYY) .381 OPS Jimmie Foxx (BOS) 1.158 HR Jimmie Foxx (BOS) 35 RBI Ted Williams (BOS) 145 R Red Rolfe (NYY) 139 H Red Rolfe (NYY) 213 SB George Case (WSH) 51
+ Pitching leadersStat PlayerTotal W Bob Feller (CLE) 24 L Vern Kennedy (SLB/) 20 ERA Lefty Grove (BOS) 2.54 K Bob Feller (CLE) 246 IP Bob Feller (CLE) 296.2 SV Johnny Murphy (NYY) 19 WHIP Ted Lyons (CWS) 1.089
National League
+ Hitting leadersStat PlayerTotal AVG Johnny Mize (STL) .349 OPS Johnny Mize (STL) 1.070 HR Johnny Mize (STL) 28 RBI Frank McCormick (CIN) 128 R Billy Werber (CIN) 115 H Frank McCormick (CIN) 209 SB Stan Hack (CHC)Lee Handley (PIT) 17
+ Pitching leadersStat PlayerTotal W Bucky Walters1 (CIN) 27 L Max Butcher (PIT/)Bob Klinger (PIT) 17 ERA Bucky Walters1 (CIN) 2.29 K Claude Passeau (CHC/)Bucky Walters1 (CIN) 137 IP Bucky Walters (CIN) 319.0 SV Clyde Shoun (STL) 9 WHIP Bucky Walters (CIN) 1.125 1 National League Triple Crown pitching winner
Milestones Batters Cycles
Sam Chapman (PHA): Chapman hit for his first cycle and ninth in franchise history, on May 5 against the St. Louis Browns. Charlie Gehringer (DET): Gehringer hit for his first cycle, the fourth in franchise history, and fifth natural cycle in major league history on May 27 against the St. Louis Browns. Arky Vaughan (PIT): Vaughan hit for his second cycle, the 11th in franchise history, and the fifth reverse cycle in major league history on July 19 against the New York Giants.
Other batting accomplishments Harry Danning / Frank Demaree / Burgess Whitehead / Manny Salvo / Jo-Jo Moore (NYG): Become the first group of players in Major League history to hit five home runs in one inning in the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds on June 6.
Jim Tabor (BOS): Became the second player to hit two grand slams in a single game, in an 18–12 win over the Philadelphia Athletics in game two of a doubleheader on July 4.
Miscellaneous Lou Gehrig (NYY): Set a Major League record for most consecutive games at 2,130 on April 30. It would be the final game of his career.
Awards and honors Regular season Baseball Writers' Association of America AwardsBBWAA AwardNational LeagueAmerican LeagueMost Valuable Player Bucky Walters (CIN) Joe DiMaggio (NYY)
Other awards The Sporting News Awards Award National League American League Most Valuable Player Bucky Walters (CIN) Joe DiMaggio (NYY) Player of the Year — Joe DiMaggio (NYY) Manager of the Year Leo Durocher (BRO) — Executive of the Year Larry MacPhail (BRO) —
Baseball Hall of Fame
George Sisler Lou Gehrig Eddie Collins Willie Keeler Cap Anson Buck Ewing Charles Radbourn Charles Comiskey (executive/pioneer contributor) Candy Cummings (executive/pioneer contributor) Albert Spalding (executive/pioneer contributor)
Home field attendance Team nameWinsHome attendanceCincinnati Reds9718.3%981,44338.9%12,117Brooklyn Dodgers8421.7%955,66844.1%12,252New York Yankees1067.1%859,785 −11.4%11,166Detroit Tigers81 −3.6%836,2794.6%10,722Chicago Cubs84 −5.6%726,663 −23.6%9,083New York Giants77 −7.2%702,457 −12.2%9,493Chicago White Sox8530.8%594,10475.6%7,716Boston Red Sox891.1%573,070 −11.4%7,641Cleveland Indians871.2%563,926 −13.5%7,324St. Louis Cardinals9229.6%400,24537.3%5,066Philadelphia Athletics553.8%395,0222.5%5,198Pittsburgh Pirates68 −20.9%376,734 −41.2%4,893Washington Senators65 −13.3%339,257 −35.1%4,406Boston Bees63 −18.2%285,994 −16.2%3,918Philadelphia Phillies450.0%277,97367.3%3,756St. Louis Browns43 −21.8%109,159 −16.3%1,399
Venues Over 77 home games, the Cleveland Indians played 47 games at League Park and 30 games at Cleveland Stadium. This would be the 5th of 12 seasons since that saw the Indians play at both venues.
Media Television The first Major League game is televised on August 26, when WXBS-TV broadcasts the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field. The two teams played a doubleheader that day, and the second game was also televised.
Retired numbers Lou Gehrig had his No. 4 retired by the New York Yankees on July 4. This was the first number retired by the team and first retired number in MLB history.
See also 1939 in baseball (Events, Births, Deaths)
References
External links 1939 Major League Schedule at Baseball Reference