Headline Event of the Year Baseball's Shot Heard 'Round the World gives the New York Giants the National League Pennant in the third game of a best-of-three-games tiebreaker series over the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Although the Negro American League would last until 1960, 1951 was, notably, the last season in which the Negro American League was considered major-league caliber, which was itself the last major Negro league baseball organization.
Champions Major League Baseball World Series: New York Yankees over New York Giants (4–2) All-Star Game, July 10 at Briggs Stadium: National League, 8–3
Other champions All-American Girls Professional Baseball League: South Bend Blue Sox Amateur World Series: Puerto Rico College World Series: Oklahoma Japan Series: Yomiuri Giants over Nankai Hawks (4–2) Little League World Series: Stamford, Connecticut Pan American Games: Cuba over USA Winter Leagues Caribbean Series: Cangrejeros de Santurce Cuban League: Leones del Habana Mexican Pacific League: Tacuarineros de Culiacán Panamanian League: Spur Cola Colonites Puerto Rican League: Cangrejeros de Santurce Venezuelan League: Navegantes del Magallanes
Awards and honors Baseball Hall of Fame Mel Ott Jimmie Foxx Most Valuable Player Roy Campanella (BRO, National) Yogi Berra (NYY, American) Rookie of the Year Willie Mays (NYG, National) Gil McDougald (NYY, American) The Sporting News Player of the Year Award Stan Musial (STL) The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award Preacher Roe (BRO, National) Bob Feller (CLE, American) The Sporting News Manager of the Year Award Leo Durocher (NYG)
Statistical leaders Any team shown in indicates a previous team a player was on during the season. American LeagueNational League Stat Player Total Player Total AVG Ferris Fain (PHA) .344 Stan Musial (STL) .355 HR Gus Zernial (PHA/) 33 Ralph Kiner (PIT) 42 RBI Gus Zernial (PHA/) 129 Monte Irvin (NYG) 121 W Bob Feller (CLE) 22 Larry Jansen (NYG)Sal Maglie (NYG) 23 ERA Saul Rogovin (CWS/) 2.78 Chet Nichols Jr. (BSN) 2.88 K Vic Raschi (NYY) 164 Don Newcombe (BRO)Warren Spahn (BSN) 164
Major league baseball final standings American League final standings
National League final standings
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League final standings First half RankTeamWLPct.GB1 Grand Rapids Chicks 40 13 .755 —2 Fort Wayne Daisies 34 17 .667 53 South Bend Blue Sox 38 22 .633 5½4 Rockford Peaches 31 26 .544 115 Peoria Redwings 28 25 .528 126 Kenosha Comets 21 36 .368 217 Kalamazoo Lassies 19 38 .333 238 Battle Creek Belles 11 45 .196 30½
Second half RankTeamWLPct.GB1 South Bend Blue Sox 38 14 .731 —2 Rockford Peaches 34 15 .694 2½3 Fort Wayne Daisies 34 18 .654 44 Grand Rapids Chicks 31 22 .585 7½5 Peoria Redwings 21 31 .404 176 Battle Creek Belles 19 35 .352 207 Kenosha Comets 15 35 .333 228 Kalamazoo Lassies 15 37 .288 23
Overall RankTeamWLPct.GB1 South Bend Blue Sox 76 36 .679 —2 Grand Rapids Chicks 71 35 .670 23 Fort Wayne Daisies 68 35 .660 3½4 Rockford Peaches 65 41 .613 85 Peoria Redwings 49 56 .467 23½6 Kenosha Comets 36 71 .336 37½7 Kalamazoo Lassies 34 75 .312 40½8 Battle Creek Belles 30 80 .273 45
Nippon Professional Baseball final standings Central League final standings Central League G W L T Pct. GBYomiuri Giants 114 79 29 6 .731 —Nagoya Dragons 113 62 48 3 .564 18.0Osaka Tigers 116 61 52 3 .540 20.5Shochiku Robins 115 53 57 5 .482 27.0Kokutetsu Swallows 107 46 59 2 .438 31.5Taiyo Whales 108 40 64 4 .385 37.0Hiroshima Carp 99 32 64 3 .333 41.0
Pacific League final standings Pacific League G W L T Pct. GBNankai Hawks 104 72 24 8 .750 —Nishitetsu Lions 105 53 42 10 .558 18.5Mainichi Orions 110 54 51 5 .514 22.5Daiei Stars 101 41 52 8 .441 29.5Hankyu Braves 96 37 51 8 .420 31.0Tokyu Flyers 102 38 56 8 .404 33.0Kintetsu Pearls 98 37 56 5 .398 33.5
Events January
January 23 – Guido Rugo, one of the "Three Little Steam Shovels", the construction magnates who bought the Boston Braves in 1944, sells his interest to majority partner Lou Perini and minority partner Joe Maney. January 26 – The BBWAA votes retired sluggers Jimmie Foxx and Mel Ott into the Baseball Hall of Fame. At 534 and 511 career home runs respectively, they are the only men to crack the 500-homer mark—apart from Babe Ruth and his legendary 714 blows.
February February 3 – The 75th birthday of the National League draws 16 of the 23 living members of the Hall of Fame, along with other dignitaries, to a celebration in Manhattan. The attendees include both NL stalwarts such as Fred Clarke, Hugh Duffy, Rogers Hornsby, Carl Hubbell, Kid Nichols, Mel Ott and Pie Traynor, and rival American League stars such as Ty Cobb, Mickey Cochrane, Eddie Collins, Jimmie Foxx, Charlie Gehringer and Tris Speaker—plus Cy Young, whose 511 career wins were composed of 290 in the NL, and 221 in AL. With 1951 also marking the 50th birthday of the "Junior Circuit", both major leagues will commemorate their diamond and golden jubilees with patches stitched to the shirtsleeves of players' uniforms. February 5 – California governor Earl Warren dispels the rumor that he is a candidate for the position of Commissioner of Baseball. February 26 – At Caracas, Puerto Rico wins the 1951 Caribbean Series as the pitching of Rubén Gómez and two homers from Luis Olmo propel the Cangrejeros de Santurce to their fifth victory in six games. Cuba and the Leones del Habana (4–2) place second. An ecstatic crowd of 40,000 greets the Santurce club at the airport on its return to Puerto Rico.
March March 10 – The owners of the St. Louis Browns reveal plans to mortgage Sportsman's Park and a minor-league facility in San Antonio, Texas, to raise $600,000 to pay off debts, amid rumors the American League club may be sold and moved elsewhere. March 12 – For the second time in three months, Commissioner of Baseball Happy Chandler loses his bid for a new contract when he fails to secure the required support of 12 of the 16 MLB owners. The final tally is nine for Chandler, seven against. The former U.S. Senator, who became baseball's second permanent "czar" in April 1945, will serve as "lame duck" commissioner until he steps down July 14. March 21 – During spring training, Pittsburgh Pirates left-handed-throwing first baseman Dale Long appears as a catcher in an exhibition game at San Diego, after Pirates general manager Branch Rickey decides to flout tradition. The experiment goes nowhere, with Long appearing almost exclusively as a pinch hitter and playing seven innings at first base before he's sent to the St. Louis Browns on waivers June 1. Long eventually catches catch two innings in as a member of the Chicago Cubs, using his first baseman's mitt. March 30 – Johnny Vander Meer, who had made history as the first and only pitcher in major league history to toss two consecutive no-hitters, is released by the Chicago Cubs. He signs as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians on April 6.
April April 1 – The Cleveland Indians trade third baseman Fred Marsh and $35,000 to the St. Louis Browns for second baseman Snuffy Stirnweiss and shortstop Merl Combs. April 17 Nineteen-year-old rookie Mickey Mantle makes his MLB debut playing right field and batting third for the New York Yankees in The Bronx against the Boston Red Sox. His sixth-inning single off Bill Wight produces his first-ever hit, RBI and run scored. The Yanks shut out Boston 5–0 behind Vic Raschi. At Shibe Park, the Philadelphia Athletics and the Washington Senators play the first Opening Day night game in American League history.First Night Games in Major League Baseball. Baseball Almanac. Retrieved on May 15, 2019. The Senators prevail, 6–1, behind the solid pitching of Cuban 40-year-old Connie Marrero, as his batterymate Mickey Grasso hits a three-run home run. Marrero pitches nine strong innings, allowing one earned run on seven hits and two walks while striking out six batters. Bobby Shantz is the losing pitcher.Washington Senators at Philadelphia Athletics Box Score, April 17, 1951. Baseball Reference. Retrieved on May 15, 2019. Marking another milestone, this is the Philadelphia AL franchise's first Opening Day with someone other than legendary Connie Mack at the helm; he had managed the Athletics for 50 years and 7,466 games before his retirement in October 1950 at age 87. Jimmy Dykes, Mack's former stalwart third baseman, runs the Philadelphia bench this season. At Sportsman's Park, the St. Louis Browns are drubbed, 17–3, by the Chicago White Sox in the Brownies' 1951 inaugural. It's a banner day for the last letter of the alphabet, as the ChiSox' Al Zarilla and Gus Zernial each collect four RBIs."Chicago White Sox 17, St. Louis Browns 3." Retrosheet box score (April 17, 1951). April 23 – In 16 innings, the Brooklyn Dodgers edge the Boston Braves at Ebbets Field, 2–1. April 30 – Three American League clubs combine on a trade, in which the Chicago White Sox obtain future Baseball Hall of Famer Minnie Miñoso from the Cleveland Indians and fellow outfielder Paul Lehner from the Philadelphia Athletics. Simultaneously, the ChiSox send catcher Gus Niarhos and outfielder Dave Philley to Philadelphia, and the Indians obtain pitcher Lou Brissie from the Athletics in exchange for pitcher Sam Zoldak and catcher Ray Murray.
May May 1 On Mother's Day, New York Yankees rookie Mickey Mantle hits the first home run of his MLB career off Randy Gumpert in an 8–3 victory over the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park. In the same game, Cuban third baseman and former Negro leagues star Minnie Miñoso becomes the first black player in White Sox franchise history. In his first MLB at-bat, Miñoso homers off Yankees' starter Vic Raschi.Charlton's Baseball Chronology. Baseball Library. Retrieved on May 15, 2019. Umpire Frank Dascoli banishes all 11 players on the Chicago Cubs bench during the fourth inning of the game against the New York Giants, after the Cubs players allegedly call Dascoli "Rabbit Ears". Bill Serena and Smoky Burgess are later allowed to return to the game to pinch hit for the Cubs. May 4 – Leading off today's game at the Polo Grounds, Pete Castiglione of the Pittsburgh Pirates triples off Sal Maglie, then scores one out later on a fielder's choice. Castiglione's is the only hit Maglie will allow, as he spins a 5–1 complete-game victory for his New York Giants."New York Giants 5, Pittsburgh Pirates 1." Retrosheet box score (May 4, 1951). Maglie's will be one of 11 one-hitters thrown by MLB hurlers in 1951."Top Individual Performances of 1951." Retrosheet. May 6 – In the second game of a doubleheader at Braves Field, Cliff Chambers pitches a no-hitter, as the Pirates top the Boston Braves, 3–0. May 7 – Pitching for the Cleveland Indians, Johnny Vander Meer gives up eight hits and six runs, all of them earned, while striking out two and walking one. Vander Meer, a four-time all star, is relieved by Jerry Fahr after allowing a single to Frank Sacka in Cleveland's 11–10 loss to Washington. It will be Vander Meer's final appearance in the major leagues.Baseball Reference. May 10 – The Cleveland Indians obtain veteran outfielder Sam Chapman from the Philadelphia Athletics for infielder Lou Klein and outfielder Allie Clark. May 14 – The New York Yankees trade third baseman Billy Johnson to the St. Louis Cardinals for first baseman Don Bollweg and $15,000. Johnson, 32, has won four World Series rings as a Yankee since . May 15 The Detroit Tigers trade right-hander Saul Rogovin to the Chicago White Sox for southpaw Bob Cain. On August 19, 1951, Cain will be on the mound at Sportsman's Park during Bill Veeck's most famous promotional stunt.