Major League Baseball Season Recap 1944

Seasons

Major League Baseball Season Recap 1944

World Series – St. Louis Cardinals NL over St. Louis Browns AL 4 games to 2

World Series MVP –
Babe Ruth Award –

Awards – </strong?
Major League Cy Young Award Cy Young Award National League Cy Young Award American League
MVP Awards – NL Marty Marion AL Hal Newhouser
Major League Rookie of The Year –
NL Rookie of The Year – AL Rookie of The Year –

All-Star Game – July 11th – N.L. 7 over A.L. 1, played at Forbes Field (NL)
AL Starter H. Borowy NL Starter B. Walters MVP

All Star Game 2 over played at
AL Starter NL Starter

Chicago White Sox shortstop Luke Appling reports for duty at Camp Lee, VA.

Chicago White Sox shortstop Luke Appling reports for duty at Camp Lee, VA.

Joe Dugan_athletics

Joe Dugan is hit by a car while crossing a Boston street

1944 – Bill Terry announces his retirement from baseball and plans to start a cotton business.

Boston Braves fire manager Casey Stengel

Boston Braves fire manager Casey Stengel

Bob Coleman is named as manager of the Boston Braves

Sal Bando

Sal bando is born in Cleveland OH.

Joe Nuxhall

Joe Nuxhall signs a professional contract with the Cincinnati Reds

Brooklyn Dodgers first baseman Howie Schultz is rejected by the United States military

Brooklyn Dodgers first baseman Howie Schultz is rejected by the United States military

Rick Ferrell

Future Hall of Fame catcher Rick Ferrell is traded by the St. Louis Browns

It’s True, Cy Young’s middle name is not Tecumseh, as sometimes listed, but the initial T stands for True. The Hall of Fame right-hander’s middle name mixup may be the result of his teammates calling him ‘The Chief,’ the English word for Tecumseh.

Due to World War II travel restrictions, the Boston Red Sox open training camp at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.

In Maryland, the Washington Senators start spring training with six knuckleballers likely to make the staff

In Maryland, the Washington Senators start spring training with six knuckleballers likely to make the staff

3.29.1945 - Bear Mountain State Park NY - President Branch Rickey and manager Leo Durocher hold a bench conference - or maybe he's proposing!

Branch Rickey suggests the pooling of surplus players if major league players are drafted for military

Mel Ott of the New York Giants hits the first National League home run of the season, the 464th of his career.

Mel Ott of the New York Giants hits the first National League home run of the season, the 464th of his career.

elmer gedeon

Elmer John Gedeon becomes the first major league player to lose his life serving in World War II

After hitting just one home run in his last 297 games, Mike Kreevich hits two round-trippers in the Browns’ 5-3 victory over Chicago at Sportsman’s Park. The 35 year-old right fielder will finish the season with five homers for the eventual American League champs.

Jim Tobin

At Braves Field, Jim Tobin of the Boston Braves pitches a one-hit 6 – 0 shutout against the Philadelphia Phillies in the Braves’ home opener. Philadelphia second baseman Ford Mullen gets the only hit in the 6th inning. In his previous start, Tobin lost a three-hitter to the New York Giants, 2 – 1, at the Polo Grounds.

Tobin homers in his own no hitter

Tobin homers in his own no hitter

In the first game of a doubleheader split, first baseman Phil Weintraub collects 11 RBI and player-manager Mel Ott scores six runs, drawing five walks as the New York Giants defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers, 26 – 8. Brooklyn wins the nightcap, 5 – 4, in a game shortened due to darkness.

George Myatt goes 6 for 6 to help the Washington Senators beat the Boston Red Sox, 11 – 4.

Charley Schanz of the Philadelphia Phillies takes a 1 – 0 no-hitter into the 7th inning before giving up a two-run home run to Joe Medwick of the New York Giants, the only Giants hit of the day. Schanz wins his own game by clearing the bases with a triple in the 9th.

For the first time in the city’s history, blacks are allowed to buy grandstand seats in St. Louis. The Browns and Cardinals are the last major league teams to integrate seating for fans, having restricted the minority to the bleachers in previous years.

Joe McCarthy

oe McCarthy returns to manage the New York Yankees after missing most of spring training and the early season due to illness

Mel Harder

Mel Harder becomes 50th pitcher to win 200 games

Cardinal ace Mort Cooper picks up his first win of the season as the Cards beat the Dodgers, 4 – 2.

Hal Trosky

Hal Trosky, not known for his basestealing ability steals home in 16th

Frankie Hayes hits a grand slam in the 9th inning off the Tigers’ Rufe Gentry, as the Athletics win, 6 – 2.

Reds reliever Clyde Shoun, making his first start of the season, throws a no-hitter to nip the Boston Braves, 1 – 0

The White Sox beat the Yankees, 10 – 4, to stop Hank Borowy’s two-year winning streak at 11.

The Cincinnati Clowns of the Negro American League defeat the Great Lakes Naval Center Negro team, 7 – 5.

Milwaukee defeats Toledo, 28 – 0, in an American Association game.

Wartime restrictions are eased‚ and Ebbets Field is the scene of the first night game in metro New York since 1941. The Giants’ Bill Voiselle loses a 2 – 1‚ 9th-inning lead because an apparent last-out fly ball is dropped by CF Johnny Rucker when Charlie Mead runs into him. Two runners score and the Dodgers win, 3 – 2. In other cities‚ there was no restriction on night play‚ but games could be interrupted at any time by test blackouts.

Frankie Hayes of the Athletics hits his second grand slam in 10 days. This one comes against the Tigers in an 8 – 4 win at Detroit and ties Hayes for the major league lead in homers with Pat Seerey of Cleveland and Howie Schultz of the Dodgers.

5/30/1944 – In the first game of a double header, catcher Spud Davis and pitcher Joe Vitelli were inserted into the game in a double switch in the bottom of the sixth inning. In the top of the eighth, Davis batted in Vitelli’s spot and singled. However, when the Dodgers pointed out the mistake, Vitelli was called out and Davis batted again. This time he grounded out.

At Briggs Stadium, Al Unser, whose son Del will play in the major leagues, hits a pinch-hit grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving the Tigers a 6-2 walk-off victory over New York. The game winning round-tripper will be the second baseman's only home run this season.

At Briggs Stadium, Al Unser, whose son Del will play in the major leagues, hits a pinch-hit grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving the Tigers a 6-2 walk-off victory over New York. The game winning round-tripper will be the second baseman’s only home run this season.

Washington Senators outfielder Stan Spence goes 6-for-6 against Browns

Washington Senators outfielder Stan Spence goes 6-for-6 against Browns

1944 – In Hawaii‚ Joe DiMaggio hits a 435-foot home run‚ but the 7th Army Force team loses 6 – 2 to a Navy team‚ as former major league P Bob Harris throw a four-hitter for the Navy.

Baseball cancels today's scheduled eight-game slate due to the Allied invasion of Normandy known as D-Day. The military operation has 60,000 Allied troops, including six minor leaguers who will be killed in action, landing along a heavily protected 50-mile stretch of the coastline in France to fight Germany to begin an offensive assault against Hitler and the Nazi party.

Baseball cancels today’s scheduled eight-game slate due to the Allied invasion of Normandy known as D-Day. The military operation has 60,000 Allied troops, including six minor leaguers who will be killed in action, landing along a heavily protected 50-mile stretch of the coastline in France to fight Germany to begin an offensive assault against Hitler and the Nazi party.

Red Barrett retires the first 22 batters he faces before his bid for a perfect game is broken up with an eighth-inning single by Delmar Ennis. The Cardinals’ right-hander gains his first victory of the season with his 7-0 whitewashing of Philadelphia at Sportsman’s Park.

Joe Nuxhall

Joe Nuxhall becomes the youngest player to appear in the major leagues

Gene Moore hits a pinch-hit grand slam in the bottom of the 7th off Joe Heving of Cleveland to give the Browns a 4 – 2 win in a doubleheader split with St. Louis. The Browns win the other game, 13 – 1.

The Giants takes a doubleheader from the Phillies by identical scores of 6 – 5. In the first game the Giants use 22 players‚ including 5 pitchers‚ 3 catchers‚ 3 second basemen‚ 3 pinch hitters‚ and 2 pinch runners.

In Pittsburgh‚ Chicago’s Paul Erickson stops the Pirates‚ 5 – 0‚ and newly-acquired Bob Chipman follows with a 1 – 0 win. The Cubs’ score in the nitecap comes on rookie Tony York’s 6th hit of the day: he’ll have just 20 hits in this‚ his only major league season.

The Cards set a National League record for double plays in a doubleheader as they turn 9 to back the six-hit efforts of Red Munger and Harry Gumbert to win, 3 – 1 and 4 – 1. The Cards up their NL lead to 5 1/2 games. The Cards turn 4 double plays in game 1 and 5 in game 2 to up the NL mark from 7 in a twinbill. 2B Emil Verban is in 7 of the twin killings. In game 2‚ the Cards break a 1 – 1 tie with three consecutive homers in the 6th off Clyde Shoun – by Walker Cooper‚ Whitey Kurowski‚ and Danny Litwhiler.

Although he will continue to play in the minor leagues until 1955, Ed Levy appears in his 40th and final game of his three-year tenure in the major leagues. The Irish Catholic first baseman, born as Edward Clarence Whitner in 1911, is asked to start using his stepfather’s surname by Yankee team president Ed Barrow to help the club attract more Jewish fans to the Bronx ballpark.

Boston right-hander Jim Tobin holds the Phillies hitless in the shortened five-inning nightcap, blanking Philadelphia at Braves Field, 7-0. In April, ‘Abba Dabba’ threw a full-game no-hitter against Brooklyn.

In the first game of a twin bill, Charley Schantz gets the win when the Phillies blank Boston for 15 innings, matching the longest shutout in franchise history. Philadelphia right-fielder Ron Northey's homer in the top of the frame scores the game's only run in the 1-0 victory at Braves Field.

In the first game of a twin bill, Charley Schantz gets the win when the Phillies blank Boston for 15 innings, matching the longest shutout in franchise history. Philadelphia right-fielder Ron Northey’s homer in the top of the frame scores the game’s only run in the 1-0 victory at Braves Field.

1944 - The Dodgers' Ed Head tosses a two-hitter against the Phillies as Philadelphia infielder Charlie Letchas accounts for both Phillies hits.

1944 – The Dodgers’ Ed Head tosses a two-hitter against the Phillies as Philadelphia infielder Charlie Letchas accounts for both Phillies hits.

The Cardinals beat the Pirates, 16 - 0, as Cards hurler Mort Cooper tosses a three-hitter while his teammates pound out 22 hits.

The Cardinals beat the Pirates, 16 – 0, as Cards hurler Mort Cooper tosses a three-hitter while his teammates pound out 22 hits.

At the Polo Grounds with over 50,000 fans looking on, the New York major league teams face each other in a six inning three-team game (a team played consecutive innings against the other two teams then sat out an inning) to raise money for war bonds. The charity contest, billed as the Tri-Cornered Baseball Game, ends with the final score of Dodgers 5, Yankees 1, Giants 0.

At the Polo Grounds with over 50,000 fans looking on, the New York major league teams face each other in a six inning three-team game (a team played consecutive innings against the other two teams then sat out an inning) to raise money for war bonds. The charity contest, billed as the Tri-Cornered Baseball Game, ends with the final score of Dodgers 5, Yankees 1, Giants 0.

Baltimore's Oriole Park, erected in 1914 for the Federal League, burns down. The Orioles moves to the city's unroofed Venable Stadium. It will be used this way until a second tier is added and the ballpark is re-named "Memorial Stadium" when the St. Louis Browns move in for the 1954 season.

Baltimore’s Oriole Park, erected in 1914 for the Federal League, burns down. The Orioles moves to the city’s unroofed Venable Stadium. It will be used this way until a second tier is added and the ballpark is re-named “Memorial Stadium” when the St. Louis Browns move in for the 1954 season.

Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis

Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis is the lone inductee into Hall of Fame

Phil Cavarretta

Phil Cavaretta sets an All-Star Game record by reaching base five consecutive times in the NL’s 7-1 victory

Dick Wakefield finishes Navy air training and then is released from the service pending assignment

Dick Wakefield finishes Navy air training and then is released from the service pending assignment

The Dodgers score eight unearned runs against the Braves to win, 8 – 5, and break their 16-game losing streak. They will lose another five in a row.

Nelson Potter

Nelson Potter of the St. Louis Browns becomes the first major league pitcher to be suspended for throwing a spitball

Bill Nicholson

Bill Nicholson is walked with bases loaded during power serge

1944 – The fourth straight bad start by Bucky Walters of Cincinnati will deprive him of the ERA title. Bucky gives up 27 runs in 24 innings after a brilliant start of the season. He will recover to win 23 games and finish with an ERA of 2.40, but teammate Ed Heusser will be the ERA champ with 2.38.

Tommy Brown, just 16 years and 8 months old, plays SS for Brooklyn in both games of a twin bill loss, 6 – 2 and 7 – 1, to the Cubs. He hits a double and scores a run.

Old Timers game at Shibe Park Features several Hall of Famers

Old Timers game at Shibe Park Features several Hall of Famers

1944 – The Browns win their ninth straight game for the second time this season in a 3 – 2 win over the Yankees in New York. They lead by 6 1/2 games. St Louis’s other team, the Cardinals, after winning 26 in July, now leads the National League by 16 1/2 games.

Red Barrett of the Boston Braves throws only 58 pitches in shutting out the Cincinnati Red

Red Barrett of the Boston Braves throws only 58 pitches in shutting out the Cincinnati Red

The West takes the 1944 Negro League East-West Game, 7 - 4

The West takes the 1944 Negro League East-West Game, 7 – 4

Coverted pitcher Johnny Lindell, who enjoys a five-for-five day at the plate

The Cardinals beat the Reds, 3 - 0, as Ted Wilks (14-1) wins his 11th in a row. He will lose his next start, September 2 in Pittsburgh, 5 - 4.

The Cardinals beat the Reds, 3 – 0, as Ted Wilks (14-1) wins his 11th in a row. He will lose his next start, September 2 in Pittsburgh, 5 – 4.

Braves 3B Damon Phillips has 11 assists versus the Giants, equaling an 1884 mark.

The Giants lose to Brooklyn, 8 – 1‚ as Giant Joe Medwick is hit on the elbow and leaves the game for treatment. With both teams out of the race‚ Dodgers manager Leo Durocher agrees to allow Medwick to re-enter the game if Durocher can pick the courtesy pinch runner for him. He selects slow-footed Gus Mancuso‚ who is promptly erased on a double play ground ball.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. The Senators start semi-pro pitcher Jug Thesenga‚ who holds the Yankees scoreless for 5 innings before the roof caves in. But the Senators rally to win‚ 10 – 7‚ behind reliever Roger Wolff‚ who snaps his personal 11-game losing streak.

Batting cleanup for the Dodgers, Dixie Walker completes a cycle when he hits a sixth-inning double off Rube Fischer in the team’s 8-4 win over the Giants. The Brooklyn right fielder’s four RBIs prove to be the difference in the Ebbets Field’s contest.

1944 – After losing 13 of 17 games and dropping from first place, the Browns turn back their principal rival, the Tigers, behind Jack Kramer.

1944 – In a rare night game‚ allowed by American League president Will Harridge after wet grounds delayed the afternoon game‚ the Tigers edge the host White Sox‚ 3 – 2‚ to stay close to the Browns and Yankees. Only 1‚216 fans are on hand.

1944 – Radio announcer Bill Stern reports on a scandal involving the Browns. A Chicago newspaper attributes the Browns’ recent slump to the fact that the team wants a larger park for the World Series. Four days later, Stern repudiates the story.

9/15/1944 – The announced lineup for the White Sox in St. Louis had Eddie Carnett batting fifth and Guy Curtwright following Carnett. However, the official lineup card handed to HP Umpire Joe Rue showed the two players reversed. In the top of the first, Wally Moses singled, Roy Schalk sacrificed Moses to second and Ralph Hodgin flied out. Hal Trosky was walked intentionally and Carnett singled to left, scoring Moses. On the throw home, Hodgin advanced to third and Carnett to second. Browns manager Luke Sewell talked to umpire Rue, with the latter calling out Curtwright and nullifying the run. The Browns won the game, 5 to 1.

1944 – Jack Kramer’s one-hitter against the White Sox puts the Browns back into first place.

Reds OF Dain Clay has no chances in a 21-inning doubleheader.

The Cardinals finally clinch the National League flag with a 5 – 4 win over Boston. Twenty games ahead on September 1st, the Cards then blew 15 of the next 20 games. They will finish with 105 victories and their 3rd title under Billy Southworth, whose clubs have won 316 games in 3 years. Pittsburgh finishes 14 1/2 games behind.

Going into the final Monday of the season, the Tigers hold a one-game lead over the Browns with the Yankees now out of the running. Russ Christopher of the A's beats the Tigers, 2 - 1, to produce a tie for the lead.

Going into the final Monday of the season, the Tigers hold a one-game lead over the Browns with the Yankees now out of the running. Russ Christopher of the A’s beats the Tigers, 2 – 1, to produce a tie for the lead.

At Fenway Park in front of 19,815 paid fans, the Boston Yanks lose their NFL debut, with B.C. Alumnus Teddy Williams scoring the squad’s only touchdown in the 28-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Team owner Ted Collins, who is singer Kate Smith’s manager, selected the name ‘Yanks’ because he initially thought the new franchise would represent New York with its home games played at Yankee Stadium, but the football Giants refused to let his team share the New York metropolitan area.

1944 – The Browns give the lead back by insisting on playing the Red Sox in the rain under the arcs and then losing, 4 – 1. The Red Sox had just lost 10 straight.

Hal Newhouser wins his 29th as Detroit whips Washington, 7 – 3.

The Browns remain tied with Detroit as Denny Galehouse goes all the way, winning 2 – 0 for his 9th victory of the year.

Dixie Walker wins NL batting crown hitting .357 for 7th place Dodgers

10 1 1944 sportsman park

St Louis Browns claim their only American League Pennant

1944 – The only all-St. Louis World Series opens with the Browns, as the visiting team, beating the Cardinals on George McQuinn’s home run, 2 – 1. Denny Galehouse is the winning pitcher and Mort Cooper the loser despite allowing just two hits.

Musial leads Cardinals over Browns

Musial leads Cardinals over Browns

The Cardinals top the Browns, 3 - 1, and win the World Series in six games.

The Cardinals top the Browns, 3 – 1, and win the World Series in six games.

FDR Visits Ebbets Field

FDR Visits Ebbets Field

Eiji Sawamura became a national hero by striking out Babe Ruth in an exhibition game dies in WWII action

Eiji Sawamura became a national hero by striking out Babe Ruth in an exhibition game dies in WWII action

Joe Niekro is born in Martin's Ferry, OH.

Joe Niekro is born in Martin’s Ferry, OH.

The Historic Pitching Performances of Tom Seaver and Gary Gentry in 1970

Hall of Famer George Thomas Seaver is born in Fresno, California

1944 – Five groups totaling 23 players, managers, umpires and sportwriters visit war theaters as part of the United Service Organizations program. Included are Mel Ott, Dutch Leonard, Frankie Frisch, Bucky Walters, Harry Heilmann, Carl Hubbell, Freddie Fitzsimmons, Bill Summers, Beans Reardon, Johnny Lindell, Tuck Stainback, Steve O’Neill, Leo Durocher, Joe Medwick, Nick Etten, Dixie Walker, Paul Waner and Rip Sewell.

Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis

Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, the first Major League Baseball Commissioner, dies of a heart attack

Detroit Tigers pitcher Hal Newhouser is named Most Valuable Player in the American League

Detroit Tigers pitcher Hal Newhouser is named Most Valuable Player in the American League

Jim Ray is born in Rock Hill, SC.

Roger Bresnahan pitching

Roger Bresnahan, who will be elected to the Hall of Fame eight weeks later, dies in Toledo, OH

1944 – The Tigers swap infielder Joe Orengo to the Red Sox for Skeeter Webb, son-in-law of Detroit manager Steve O’Neill. O’Neill denies any knowledge of trade talks, saying “I read about it in the morning paper.”

Steve Renko is born in Kansas

Steve Renko is born in Kansas

Official National League statistics published today show Brooklyn's Dixie Walker at the top of the hitters with a .357 batting average, ahead of Stan Musial at .347. In an even closer vote than occurred in the American League, the National League Most Valuable Player Award goes to fielding wizard shortstop Marty Marion of the Cardinals, who tallies one more vote than Cubs slugger Bill Nicholson (189). The Cardinals committed only 112 errors and fielded .982, both better than previous records held by the 1940 Cincinnati Reds. Marion is the third different Cardinals player in three years to win MVP honors.

Official National League statistics published today show Brooklyn’s Dixie Walker at the top of the hitters with a .357 batting average, ahead of Stan Musial at .347. In an even closer vote than occurred in the American League, the National League Most Valuable Player Award goes to fielding wizard shortstop Marty Marion of the Cardinals, who tallies one more vote than Cubs slugger Bill Nicholson (189). The Cardinals committed only 112 errors and fielded .982, both better than previous records held by the 1940 Cincinnati Reds. Marion is the third different Cardinals player in three years to win MVP honors.

Hall of Famer Steve Carlton is born in Miami, Florida

Hall of Famer Steve Carlton is born in Miami, Florida

Buddy Lewis wins the Distinguished Flying Cross

Buddy Lewis wins the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service in the Burma War Theater during World War II

Episode 2 – Daily Rewind Willie Mays goes to the Hall of Fame