Jump to content

1942 Major League Baseball season

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the 1942 Major League Baseball season only. For information on all of baseball, see 1942 in baseball.
1942 MLB season
LeagueAmerican League (AL)
National League (NL)
SportBaseball
DurationRegular season:
  • April 14 – September 27, 1942
World Series:
  • September 30 – October 5, 1942
Number of games154
Number of teams16 (8 per league)
Regular season
Season MVPAL: Joe Gordon (NYY)
NL: Mort Cooper (SLC)
AL championsNew York Yankees
  AL runners-upBoston Red Sox
NL championsSt. Louis Cardinals
  NL runners-upBrooklyn Dodgers
World Series
ChampionsSt. Louis Cardinals
  Runners-upNew York Yankees
MLB seasons
Locations of teams for the 1942–1953 American League seasons
American League
Locations of teams for the 1942 National League season
National League

The 1942 major league baseball season began on April 14, 1942. The regular season ended on September 27, with the St. Louis Cardinals 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 39th World Series on September 30 and ended with Game 5 on October 5. In the third iteration of this World Series matchup, the Cardinals defeated the Yankees, four games to one, capturing their fourth championship in franchise history, since their previous in 1934. Going into the season, the defending World Series champions were the New York Yankees from the 1941 season.

The tenth Major League Baseball All-Star Game was played on July 6 at the Polo Grounds in New York, New York, home of the New York Giants. The American League won, 3–1.

In the National League, the Brooklyn Dodgers had a record of 104–50, but finished two games behind the Cardinals; the Dodgers tied the 1909 Chicago Cubs, who had a record of 104–49, for the most wins in an MLB regular season without reaching the postseason.[1]

The Philadelphia Athletics set a record for the fewest runs batted in during a season, with only 354.[2]

The St. Louis Browns nearly moved to Los Angeles, California for the start of the 1942 season. During the 1941 Winter Meetings in Chicago, Illinois, a vote was scheduled for the morning of December 8, and was expected to be approved. However, due to the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan the previous day (and subsequent entry of the United States into World War II), when it came time to vote, all teams (including the Browns) unanimously voted against the move.[3][4] The team would eventually leave for Baltimore, Maryland in 1954 where they remain today as the Baltimore Orioles, while Los Angeles would eventually get a major league team in 1958 when the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn, New York.

Schedule

[edit]
See also: Major League Baseball schedule

The 1942 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 1904 season (except for 1919) and would be used until 1961 in the American League and 1962 in the National League.

Opening Day, April 16, featured all sixteen teams, the first since the 1940 season. The final day of the regular season was on September 27 and featured ten teams. The World Series took place between September 30 and October 5.

Rule changes

[edit]

The 1942 season saw the following rule changes:

  • Any player drafted for World War II would be regarded as voluntarily retired, though placed on a separate list.[5]
  • Regarding doubleheaders:
    • It was made official that both St. Louis teams could schedule doubleheaders after the third Sunday home game (as opposed to the other fourteen teams, who must wait until after the fourth home Sunday game).[5]
    • Regularly scheduled games could not be pushed back to the final series of the season for the purpose of causing a doubleheader.[5]
  • If the postponement of a contest requires transfer between cities, a game cannot be called off less than one hour before the game’s scheduled start time.[5]
  • In the American League, a rule that was previously implemented for the 1940 season, which limited a defending champion team from trading with other American League teams, except through waivers, was repealed.[6][7]
  • The number of night games allowed per team was increased from 7 to 14 (with the Washington Senators allowed 21).[8]

Teams

[edit]

An asterisk (*) denotes the ballpark a team played the minority of their home games at

League Team City Stadium Capacity Manager[9]
American League Boston Red Sox Boston, Massachusetts Fenway Park 35,000 Joe Cronin
Chicago White Sox Chicago, Illinois Comiskey Park 50,000 Jimmy Dykes
Cleveland Indians Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland Stadium 78,811 Lou Boudreau
League Park* 22,500*
Detroit Tigers Detroit, Michigan Briggs Stadium 58,000 Del Baker
New York Yankees New York, New York Yankee Stadium 70,000 Joe McCarthy
Philadelphia Athletics Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Shibe Park 33,000 Connie Mack
St. Louis Browns St. Louis, Missouri Sportsman's Park 34,023 Luke Sewell
Washington Senators Washington, D.C. Griffith Stadium 32,000 Bucky Harris
National League Boston Braves Boston, Massachusetts Braves Field 37,746 Casey Stengel
Brooklyn Dodgers New York, New York Ebbets Field 35,000 Leo Durocher
Chicago Cubs Chicago, Illinois Wrigley Field 38,396 Jimmie Wilson
Cincinnati Reds Cincinnati, Ohio Crosley Field 29,401 Bill McKechnie
New York Giants New York, New York Polo Grounds 56,000 Mel Ott
Philadelphia Phils Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Shibe Park 33,000 Hans Lobert
Pittsburgh Pirates Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Forbes Field 33,467 Frankie Frisch
St. Louis Cardinals St. Louis, Missouri Sportsman's Park 34,023 Billy Southworth

Standings

[edit]

American League

[edit]
American League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
New York Yankees 103 51 .669 — 58‍–‍19 45‍–‍32
Boston Red Sox 93 59 .612 9 53‍–‍24 40‍–‍35
St. Louis Browns 82 69 .543 19½ 40‍–‍37 42‍–‍32
Cleveland Indians 75 79 .487 28 39‍–‍39 36‍–‍40
Detroit Tigers 73 81 .474 30 43‍–‍34 30‍–‍47
Chicago White Sox 66 82 .446 34 35‍–‍35 31‍–‍47
Washington Senators 62 89 .411 39½ 35‍–‍42 27‍–‍47
Philadelphia Athletics 55 99 .357 48 25‍–‍51 30‍–‍48

National League

[edit]
National League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
St. Louis Cardinals 106 48 .688 — 60‍–‍17 46‍–‍31
Brooklyn Dodgers 104 50 .675 2 57‍–‍22 47‍–‍28
New York Giants 85 67 .559 20 47‍–‍31 38‍–‍36
Cincinnati Reds 76 76 .500 29 38‍–‍39 38‍–‍37
Pittsburgh Pirates 66 81 .449 36½ 41‍–‍34 25‍–‍47
Chicago Cubs 68 86 .442 38 36‍–‍41 32‍–‍45
Boston Braves 59 89 .399 44 33‍–‍36 26‍–‍53
Philadelphia Phils 42 109 .278 62½ 23‍–‍51 19‍–‍58

Postseason

[edit]

The postseason began on September 30 and ended on October 5 with the St. Louis Cardinals defeating the New York Yankees in the 1942 World Series in five games.

Bracket

[edit]
World Series
   
AL New York Yankees 1
NL St. Louis Cardinals 4

Managerial changes

[edit]

Off-season

[edit]
Team Former Manager New Manager
Cleveland Indians Roger Peckinpaugh Lou Boudreau
New York Giants Bill Terry Mel Ott
Philadelphia Phils Doc Prothro Hans Lobert

League leaders

[edit]

American League

[edit]
Hitting leaders[10]
Stat Player Total
AVG Ted Williams1 (BRS) .356
OPS Ted Williams (BRS) 1.147
HR Ted Williams1 (BRS) 36
RBI Ted Williams1 (BRS) 137
R Ted Williams (BRS) 141
H Johnny Pesky (BRS) 205
SB George Case (WSH) 44

1 American League Triple Crown batting winner

Pitching leaders[11]
Stat Player Total
W Tex Hughson (BRS) 22
L Eddie Smith (CWS) 20
ERA Ted Lyons (CWS) 2.10
K Tex Hughson (BRS)
Bobo Newsom (WSH) 		113
IP Tex Hughson (BRS) 281.0
SV Johnny Murphy (NYY) 11
WHIP Tiny Bonham (NYY) 0.987

National League

[edit]
Hitting leaders[12]
Stat Player Total
AVG Ernie Lombardi (BSB) .330
OPS Mel Ott (NYG) .912
HR Mel Ott (NYG) 30
RBI Johnny Mize (NYG) 110
R Mel Ott (NYG) 118
H Enos Slaughter (SLC) 188
SB Pete Reiser (BKN) 20
Pitching leaders[13]
Stat Player Total
W Mort Cooper (SLC) 22
L Jim Tobin (BSB) 21
ERA Mort Cooper (SLC) 1.78
K Johnny Vander Meer (CIN) 186
IP Jim Tobin (BSB) 287.2
SV Hugh Casey (BKN) 13
WHIP Mort Cooper (SLC) 0.987

Awards and honors

[edit]

Regular season

[edit]
Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards
BBWAA Award National League American League
Most Valuable Player Mort Cooper (SLC) Joe Gordon (NYY)

Other awards

[edit]
The Sporting News Awards
Award National League American League
Most Valuable Player[14] Mort Cooper (SLC) Joe Gordon (NYY)
Player of the Year[15] — Ted Williams (BRS)
Manager of the Year[16] Billy Southworth (SLC) —
Executive of the Year[17] Branch Rickey (STL) —

Baseball Hall of Fame

[edit]
Main article: National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Further information: 1942 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting

Home field attendance

[edit]
Team name Wins %± Home attendance %± Per game
Brooklyn Dodgers[18] 104 4.0% 1,037,765 −14.6% 13,136
New York Yankees[19] 103 2.0% 922,011 −4.4% 11,974
New York Giants[20] 85 14.9% 779,621 2.2% 9,869
Boston Red Sox[21] 93 10.7% 730,340 1.6% 9,485
Chicago Cubs[22] 68 −2.9% 590,972 8.4% 7,577
Detroit Tigers[23] 73 −2.7% 580,087 −15.3% 7,534
St. Louis Cardinals[24] 106 9.3% 553,552 −12.6% 7,097
Cleveland Indians[25] 75 0.0% 459,447 −38.4% 5,743
Pittsburgh Pirates[26] 66 −18.5% 448,897 −6.9% 5,830
Cincinnati Reds[27] 76 −13.6% 427,031 −33.6% 5,546
Chicago White Sox[28] 66 −14.3% 425,734 −37.1% 6,082
Philadelphia Athletics[29] 55 −14.1% 423,487 −19.9% 5,572
Washington Senators[30] 62 −11.4% 403,493 −2.9% 5,240
Boston Braves[31] 59 −4.8% 285,332 8.2% 4,019
St. Louis Browns[32] 82 17.1% 255,617 45.0% 3,320
Philadelphia Phils[33] 42 −2.3% 230,183 −0.5% 3,111

Retired numbers

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Adler, David (September 30, 2019). "Best MLB teams to miss the postseason". MLB.com. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  2. ^ "Runs Batted In – Single Season RBI Records". baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved June 6, 2012.
  3. ^ Post-Dispatch, Derrick Goold | (January 12, 2016). "Goold: The time a St. Louis baseball team tried to move to LA". STLtoday.com. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  4. ^ "St. Louis Browns almost move to L.A. in 1941". MLB.com. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d Green, Jeremy. "1941 Winter Meetings: War and Uncertainty – Society for American Baseball Research". Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  6. ^ "American League Bars Champion's Trades With Rival Clubs Except on Waiver". The New York Times. July 8, 1941. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1941/07/08/105157708.pdf. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  7. ^ "Regulating the Yankees: Baseball and Antitrust in 1939 – Marquette University Law School Faculty Blog". October 10, 2008. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  8. ^ Moraski, Richard. "The Washington Senators in Wartime – Society for American Baseball Research". Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  9. ^ "1942 Major League Managers". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  10. ^ "1942 American League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  11. ^ "1942 American League Pitching Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  12. ^ "1942 National League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  13. ^ "1942 National League Pitching Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  14. ^ "Most Valuable Player Award by The Sporting News | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
  15. ^ "Major League Player of the Year Award by The Sporting News | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
  16. ^ "Manager of the Year Award by The Sporting News | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
  17. ^ "MLB Executive of the Year Award | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
  18. ^ "Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  19. ^ "New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  20. ^ "San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  21. ^ "Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  22. ^ "Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  23. ^ "Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  24. ^ "St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  25. ^ "Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  26. ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  27. ^ "Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  28. ^ "Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  29. ^ "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  30. ^ "Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  31. ^ "Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  32. ^ "Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  33. ^ "Philadelphia Phillies Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1942_Major_League_Baseball_season&oldid=1293112185"