Major League Baseball Season Recap 1950

World Series – New York Yankees AL over Philadelphia Phillies NL 4 games to 0

World Series MVP –
Babe Ruth Award – Ferry Coleman

Awards –
Major League Cy Young Award Cy Young Award National League Cy Young Award American League
MVP Awards – NL Kim Konstanty AL Phil Rizzuto
Major League Rookie of The Year –
NL Rookie of The Year – Sam Jethroe AL Rookie of The Year – Walt Dropo

All-Star Game – July 11th – N.L. 4 over A.L. 3 (14), played at Comiskey Park I (AL)
AL Starter V. Raschi NL Starter R. Roberts+ MVP

Events that happened during 1950

Sort bySearch Days, Events, Players Title (A - Z)Date (Newest)

January 6, 1950

1950 – Charlie Grimm resigns as vice president of the Chicago Cubs to sign a three-year contract to manage the Dallas franchise in the Texas League for a record salary of $90,000. Grimm comments, “these hands were never intended to carry a brief case.”

January 10, 1950

1950 – The Cleveland Indians dismiss coach George Susce when his son George D. Susce signs with the Boston Red Sox.

January 10, 1950

George Susce is relieved of his duties by Cleveland general manager Hank Greenberg when the bullpen coach’s son declines an offer to sign with the Tribe, deciding instead to play for less money with Louisville, a farm team of the Red Sox. George Jr., who will make his major league debut against the Yankees in 1955, compiles a 22-17 record in 117 games during his five seasons with Boston and Detroit.

January 12, 1950

The New York Yankees sell their Newark Bears franchise to the Chicago Cubs

January 13, 1950

Bob Forsch is born in Sacramento, CA.

January 18, 1950

Bob Feller tells the Cleveland Indians that he should receive a cut in pay after a subpar 15-14 season in 1949

January 23, 1950

The Associated Press picks the 1914 Miracle Braves as the greatest sports upset in the 20th century.

January 24, 1950

Jackie Robinson signs a contract for $35,000, reportedly making him the highest-paid player in Brooklyn Dodgers team history

January 31, 1950

The Pittsburgh Pirates sign high school pitcher Paul Pettit for a record $100,000 after buying his contract from a film producer

February 2, 1950

Bobby Doerr receives the Fred Hoey Award

February 9, 1950

Chicago White Sox purchase C Phil Masi from the Pirates

February 10, 1950

Cincinnati Reds sell veteran pitcher Johnny Vander Meer to the Chicago Cubs

February 11, 1950

Hall of Fame outfielder “Kiki” Cuyler dies at the age of 50

February 16, 1950

1950 – Former Giants Mel Ott and Bill Terry are the top vote-getters, but fail to be elected into the Hall of Fame.

February 26, 1950

1950 – The Boston Red Sox sell pitcher Jack Kramer to the New York Giants for $25,000. Kramer will charge the Red Sox with railroading him out of the American League because of his differences with manager Joe McCarthy.

March 7, 1950

 James Rodney Richard is born in Vienna, LA

March 25, 1950

Duke Snider, Ted Williams and Roy Campanella

April 1, 1950

Pacific Coast League Hollywood Stars wear shorts and rayon shirts as their Opening Day uniform

April 3, 1950

Mel Parnell reveals he pitched last season with a sore elbow

April 5, 1950

The phrase “bullpen baron” which will be applied famously to Pirates reliever ElRoy Face 

April 10, 1950

April 10, 1950 – Due to a salary dispute, St. Louis Browns pitcher Al Widmar quits the team and threatens to sue baseball. Widmar will sign a contract within the week.

April 18, 1950

Commissioner Happy Chandler gives Ted Williams his American League MVP Award

April 18, 1950

The first opening night game is held in St. Louis. The Cardinals, behind a complete game by Gerry Staley and home runs from Red Schoendienst and Stan Musial, beat the Pirates, 4 – 2, at Sportsman’s Park.

April 18, 1950

U.S. President Harry Truman throws out two balls at the Washington Senators opener – one left-handed and the other right-handed – then watches the Senators beat the Philadelphia Athletics, 8 – 7. When rain starts falling in the 6th inning, he puts on a raincoat and remains to the end.

April 18, 1950

Sam Jethroe, former Cleveland Buckeyes star of the Negro American League, becomes the first black player for the Braves. The 33 year-old highly-touted prospect, who will lead the majors with 35 stolen bases, will be named the National League’s Rookie of the Year.

April 18, 1950

Vin Scully calls the first game of his illustrious 67-year career with the Dodgers

April 18, 1950

The Phillies play their first game with name official changed back from Blue Jays, routing the Dodgers at Shibe Park, 9-1. The team wears red pinstriped uniforms designed by manager Eddie Sawyer that are reminiscent of club’s look in the early 1900s in the early 1900s.

April 19, 1950

Sid Gordon of the Boston Braves hits the first National League grand slam of the season

April 23, 1950

Boston Braves and Philadelphia Phillies start the match in daylight and finish under the lights, a first in the majors

April 28, 1950

Jim Martin, the Pampa Oilers’ catcher, is struck by lightning behind the plate during a Class C West Texas-New Mexico League contest played at Abilene’s Blue Sox Stadium. The 20 year-old backstop, who will return to the lineup tomorrow, is knocked unconscious by the bolt of electricity that propels his mask 20 feet beyond the pitcher’s mound.

May 3, 1950

Vic Raschi balks four times in one game, a club record and two fewer than the single-season record

May 7, 1950

In Washington‚ The Senators double the Indians‚ 10-5‚ overcoming two homeruns by Tribe rookie Al Rosen‚ his 1st two in the ML. Connie Marrero serves up the homers. Washington wins in the 7th on Gil Coan’s grand slam off Bob Lemon hit into the new LF stands at Griffith Stadium. The temporary stands in left and left-center were put up to take advantage of the Senators’ new power hitters‚ but they will come down in two days. Coan is the only Nat to reach the stands but nine visitors hit homers there prompting the take down. The stands hold 854 customers but no one sits there while the stands are up.

May 8, 1950

The Senators send Clyde Vollmer to Boston for SS Merl Combs and OF Tommy O’Brien. The following day, the Sox will sell P Harry Dorish to the Browns.

May 8, 1950

Ralph Kiner hits his second grand slam in three games. It is the future Hall of Famer’s eighth career bases-full homer.

May 9, 1950

Ralph Kiner of the Pirates hits his second grand slam in three days – and the eighth of his career – and adds a three-run homer to drives in seven runs as the Pirates beat Brooklyn, 10 – 5.

May 10, 1950

1950 – The Reds trade veteran C Walker Cooper to the Braves for 2B Connie Ryan.

May 11, 1950

Connecticut Senator Abe Ribicoff introduces legislation for the observance of a National Baseball Day.

May 11, 1950

A train strike forces many teams to fly to their next scheduled games. Traveling by air is still a rarity in the major leagues at this time.

May 12, 1950

Ted Williams apologizes to Red Sox fans for the ‘insulting’ gestures he made after being booed by the Fenway Faithful for allowing the eventual winning run to score on his second error of yesterday’s game. In response to the patrons’ vocal displeasure, the ‘Splendid Splinter’ had bowed three times to various sections of the Boston ballpark and made an obscene gesture with his finger.

May 14, 1950

Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star first baseman Johnny Hopp hits two home runs and four singles in six at-bats, leading the Pirates to a 16 – 9 victory over the Chicago Cubs in the second game of a doubleheader at Wrigley Field.

May 18, 1950

At the Polo Grounds, Rube Walker hits a grand slam in the 6th inning for the Chicago Cubs. In the bottom of the inning, Monte Irvin also hits a grand slam for the New York Giants. It is the first time in major league history that each team hit a grand slam in the same inning. The game is called on account of rain after six innings, and the Giants win, 10 – 4.

May 21, 1950

Ralph Kiner’s historic 475-foot triple highlights Pittsburgh’s counter-intuitive twin bill sweep of the struggling Giants (incidentally elevating the cellar-bound Bucs to an unaccustomed and short-lived .500 record). Notwithstanding its adverse effect on their team, the Polo Grounds faithful are emphatic in their approval, moving Pittsburgh Press beat writer Les Biederman to observe: “The 34,972 fans never had seen anything like this Kiner liner, and when the slugger scored a moment later the customers arose to shower him with applause. As he went to left field after the inning, the fans there responded again.”

May 23, 1950

1950 – Pittsburgh’s first bonus baby, Bill MacDonald, who went 13-11 at New Orleans in 1949, makes his first major league start and shuts out the Phillies‚ 6 – 0. MacDonald will finish the season at 8-10 for the last-place Bucs before going into the service in 1951. He’ll win just one more major league game after that.

May 24, 1950

Nat Clifton’s Harlem Globetrotter contract is purchased by the New York Knicks, making the talented athlete the first black to sign a deal to play in the National Basketball Association. Prior to his career in the NBA, ‘Sweetwater’ played first base for the Chicago American Giants in the Negro Leagues.

May 25, 1950

Bob Miller shut out the Pittsburgh Pirates on eight hits for his third straight victory

May 26, 1950

The Philadelphia Athletics make some changes as a result of a front office coup. Connie Mack’s son, Earle, who has been assistant manager, assumes the duties of chief scout. Earle, who had hoped to succeed his father as manager, is replaced by Jimmy Dykes. Mickey Cochrane is named general manager.

May 29, 1950

Pueblo (Western League) announces that its players will don shorts during the summer.

May 29, 1950

White Sox P Howie Judson‚ loser of 15 straight games – 14 last year and 1 this year – breaks his string of reverses with a 12 – 8 relief win over the Browns.

May 29, 1950

David Tracy resigns as the Browns’ team psychologist due to the lack of cooperation from the players. The 8-22 last-place team loses confidence in their psychological guru when his use of hypnosis, used in an effort to relax the struggling players, fails to improve the club’s performance on the field.

June 2, 1950

George Kell of the Detroit Tigers hits for the cycle in the 16 – 5 against Philadelphia Athletics

June 2, 1950

The St. Louis Browns win both games of a doubleheader against the Washington Senators, 10 – 5 and 9 – 3. Hank Arft goes 5 for 5 in the opener, while Harry Dorish is the winning pitcher in the second game. Dorish also steals home on the front end of a double steal with Ray Coleman, to become the last American League pitcher in the 20th century to steal home.

June 4, 1950

Ernie Banks makes his professional debut with the Kansas City Monarchs

June 8, 1950

Boston Red Sox establish a major league record for the most runs in one game as they rip the St. Louis Browns, 29-4

June 8, 1950

Kansas City A’s sign pitcher Lew Krausse to a $125,000 bonus, the largest in major league history

June 10, 1950

In a game called after five innings‚ the Senators’ Sandy Consuegra makes his first major league start and shuts out the White Sox‚ 6 – 0.

June 11, 1950

Bob Lemon beats the A’s in extra innings at Shibe Park – Full Broadcast

June 12, 1950

1950 – Major League Baseball names Connie Mack as the Honorary American League manager of the All-Star Game.

June 18, 1950

In the second game of a double header against the Philadelphia A’s at Cleveland Stadium, the Indians establish an American League record by scoring 14 runs in the first inning as they rout Philadelphia, 21-2. Cleveland also won the first game, 7-0.

June 21, 1950

Joe DiMaggio gets his 2,000th hit, a 7th-inning single off the Indians’ Marino Pieretti, as the Yanks win, 8 – 2

June 21, 1950

Phils rookie Bob Miller (6-0) continues his unbeaten streak, turning back the Pirates, 7 – 4. Willie Jones, Del Ennis, Andy Seminick and Bill Nicholson lead a home run attack, and Miller helps by starting a triple play in the 7th. Hank Borowy, obtained on waivers from the Phils, takes the loss.

June 21, 1950

Renegade ballplayer Danny Gardella admits accepting a pay-off to drop his suit against baseball. After a month-long tryout with the Cardinals, Gardella had been sent to their Houstonfarm club where, shortly afterward, he was released. Gardella argues that he should be paid for the entire year, and he blames his release on his suit against the major leagues.

June 22, 1950

 Larry Jansen wins the first game of a doubleheader with a 3 – 0 shutout running his scorless streak to 29 innings

June 23, 1950

Coach Bibb Falk of the University of Texas leads his team to their second consecutive NCAA baseball title.

June 23, 1950

Tigers and Yankees combine to hit a record Eleven home runs – a major league record

June 23, 1950

Jose Aguiar, pitching for the Newport Canners in the Mountain States League, records a 7 – 0 no-hit win versus the Big Stone Gap Rebels. Newport will then be no-hit by Tom Dunovant of the Harlan Smokies, losing 7 – 0, the very next night. Aguiar will throw another no-hitter on August 19th versus the Morristown Red Sox yet finish the season with a pedestrian 12-15 record and a 4.92 ERA.

June 23, 1950

Luke Easter has his second consecutive two-homer day to lead the Indians to a 13 – 4 trouncing of the Senators. Easter had two yesterday in a win over New York. Al Rosen adds a single, double, and triple to back Bob Lemon’s pitching.

June 23, 1950

Red Sox manager Joe McCarthy resigns and Steve O’Neill takes over.

June 24, 1950

Willie Mays makes his professional baseball debut, playing centerfield for Trenton, the Giants’ farm team in the Class B Inter State League. The 20 year-old outfielder from Alabama goes hitless in the game against Hagerstown in Maryland, but will hit .353 in 81 games, before being promoted to the Minneapolis Millers, the Triple A affiliate of the parent club.

June 24, 1950

At The Polo Grounds – With just 11 career homers, catcher Wes Westrum has three home runs and a triple today, as the Giants beat Cincinnati, 12 – 2. The Giants belt seven home runs (Hank Thompson, Alvin Dark, Whitey Lockman and Monte Irvin hit the others) in the game, with Westrum driving in four runs and scoring five. Sheldon Jones is the winner, scattering eight hits.

June 24, 1950

The Phils top the Cubs, 5 – 4, on two-run homers by Granny Hamner and Andy Seminick. Jim Konstanty, in relief of Russ Meyer, hurls four hitless innings to save the win. The Whiz Kids trail the Dodgers by a game.

June 24, 1950

The first-place Dodgers have a contest delayed to New York’s Sunday curfew when their game with the Pirates is halted with one out in the 8th, Brooklyn leading, 19 – 12. Five homers are hit including a Jackie Robinsongrand slam in the 8th. The game will be completed later.

June 24, 1950

Art Houtteman pitches Detroit to a 4 – 1 win over the Yankees. Yogi Berra’s homer is the only Yankee score, as New York loses its 4th straight and 8th in 12 games. Detroit now leads the American League by three games.

June 24, 1950

The Newport Canners of the Mountain States League are no-hit by Tom Dunovant of the Harlan Smokies, losing 7 – 0. The previous night, Jose Aguiar, pitching for Newport, recorded a 7 – 0 no-hit win versus the Big Stone Gap Rebels.

June 24, 1950

6/24/1950 – The game between the Pirates and Dodgers in Brooklyn was stopped at 11:59 because of a curfew. When the contest was resumed on 8/1, two Pirates players, Dale Coogan and Earl Turner had left the team. Two players (Hank Schenz and George Strickland) replaced them and the bottom of the eighth inning continued. In the top of the ninth, Strickland should have batted but Schenz came to the plate and grounded out. The Dodgers, who won the game 21-12, did not object since the improper batter made an out. One amazing point in all of this is that the Pirates pitcher at the point of the suspension, Vic Lombardi, took the mound again when the game resumed six weeks later! Moreover, the actual batting out of turn took place over a month after the official date of the game.

June 24, 1950

Giants’ catcher Wes Westrum hits three home runs and a triple. The 27 year-old backstop’s fifteen total bases help New York defeat Cincinnati at the Polo Grounds, 12-2.

June 25, 1950

The A’s Paul Lehner ties an American League record with 11 putouts in LF in a 13 – 5 win against the White Sox.

June 25, 1950

At Shibe Park Hank Sauer enjoys a 4-for-4 day at the plate, stroking two home runs and two doubles. The 33 year-old All-Star outfielder’s 12 total bases help the Cubs defeat Philadelphia Phillies – 11-8.

June 25, 1950

Ralph Kiner leads the Pirates to a 16 – 11 win at Brooklyn by hitting for the cycle, adding a 2nd home run, and driving in eight runs.

June 27, 1950

At Toledo (American Association), Marlin Stuart of Toledo pitches a 1 – 0 perfect game against Indianapolis. It is the second perfect game in league history. The Tigers will recall Stuart.

June 28, 1950

Roy Smalley of the Cubs hits for the cycle in a 15 – 3 win over the Cards at Wrigley Field. Doyle Lade is the winner.

June 29, 1950

Chicago American Giants of the Negro American League sign two white players, Lou Chirban and Lou Clarizio

June 29, 1950

Whitey Ford is called up by the Yankees from Kansas City (American Association).

June 29, 1950

At Milwaukee (AA), Minneapolis OF Bama Rowell lofts a 4th-inning fly ball to right. As RF Bob Jaderlund awaits, two nighthawks dart in and peck the ball, altering its flight. CF Bob Addis also misses the ball, and Rowell ends up with a double, then scores what will be in the winning run as the Brewers win, 5 – 4.

June 29, 1950

At Shibe Park in what looks like a football score, the Boston Red Sox overpower the Philadelphia A’s, 22 – 14

June 30, 1950

Brownie stalwart P Ned Garver loses the game because of his mental error against the White Sox. In what would have been the winning run in regulation, Garver is called out for his failure to touch third base when rounding it. He loses, 3 – 2, in 13 innings.

June 30, 1950

Joe and Dom DiMaggio both homer in the same game for the only time in their careers when each goes deep in Red Sox’s 10-2 rout of the Yankees. Dom’s sixth-inning solo shot off Joe Ostrowski pads Boston’s large lead, and Joe’s round-tripper to left field in the top of the eighth frame is much too little too late in the Fenway contest.

July 1, 1950

At Boston, Tommy Byrne takes the loss for the Yankees, but reliever Whitey Ford does little to help. In his major league debut, Ford throws 4 2/3 inning, allowing seven hits, six walks, and five earned runs. Boston rolls, 13 – 4. Rookie Walt Dropo hits a grand slam for the Bosox to dump the Yanks into 3rd place.

July 1, 1950

Behind unbeaten rookie Bob Miller, the first-place Phils trip the Dodgers, 6 – 4. Jim Konstanty makes his 30th relief appearance to help Miller win his 7th straight. Mike Goliat and Willie Jones homer to pace an 11-hit attack. By winning their second straight game from Brooklyn, the Whiz Kids move .002 ahead of St. Louis and a game and a half ahead of Brooklyn.

July 1, 1950

The Reds’ Ewell Blackwell has to go ten innings but finally beats the Cubs, 5 – 3, striking out 14 and allowing just two hits. One of the hits is Andy Pafko’s 3-run home run in the 9th.

July 1, 1950

Whitey Ford’s Yankee debuts at Fenway park

July 2, 1950

Bob Feller earns his 200th career victory

July 2, 1950

At Crosley Field, Monk Dubiel makes his 4-hitter hold up as the Cubs win 16 – 0 over the Reds. Andy Pafko drives in five runs with a double, triple and home run, Bill Serena adds a 3-run homer, and Hank Edwards has three RBIs on four hits.

July 2, 1950

The Yankees gain a split of their 4-game series in Boston by trouncing the Red Sox, 15 – 9. Big John Mize plays first base and contributes a home run and a single.

July 2, 1950

Jackie Robinson steals home

July 3, 1950

Joe DiMaggio plays firstbase for only time in his career

July 4, 1950

Sid Gordon ties themlb record for season grand slams with four

July 4, 1950

Fan gets shot at Giants game

July 5, 1950

In a sloppy game that features 18 walks, Cliff Mapes drives in five runs with a homer and single to pace the Yankees to a 12 – 8 win over the Athletics. Tommy Byrne (9-3) is the winner despite giving up six hits and six walks in five innings (he walks two in the 6th). He also hits four batters to tie the major league record. Alex Kellner pitches four innings, giving up six runs in the loss. The A’s lose Eddie Joost who tears ligaments in his left knee in a collision with Mapes at second base in the 7th.

July 7, 1950

The Reds’ Connie Ryan steals home in the 11th to give Cincinnati a 5 – 4 win over Chicago.

July 8, 1950

Red Schoendienst of the Cards goes 5 for 5 against Pittsburgh, but the Cards lose, 7 – 6, to drop the Birds into 2nd place, a game behind the Phillies. The Bucs win in the 9th when they load the bases and pinch-hitterJack Phillips’ long fly ball is seemingly snagged by Stan Musial, but then drops into Greenberg Gardens for a walk-off grand slam. Ralph Kiner and Stan Rojek also homer for the Corsairs.

July 10, 1950

1950 – The Giants pick up P Jim Hearn on waivers from St. Louis.

July 11, 1950

The Midsummer Classic returns to Comiskey Park, the site of the first game, and is won by the National League, 4-3, thanks to Red Schoendienst’s 14th-inning home run. It’s a game of firsts – first extra-inning All-Star Game, first time the NL wins at an AL park, and the first Midsummer Classic ever broadcast on national television.

July 11, 1950

Ted Williams fractures Elbow in first network televised an All-Star Game

July 13, 1950

Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox undergoes an operation to remove several bone fragments from his elbow

July 13, 1950

Doctors remove seven bone fragments from Ted Williams’ elbow in a 75-minute operation. He was injured in yesterday’s All-Star Game and will be sidelined until mid-September. But he will go on to hit .350 for the rest of 1950 and .336 throughout the rest of his career, including .388 and .328 to lead the American League in 1957 and 1958 respectively.

July 14, 1950

The Boston Red Sox produce a second 11-run inning this year, as they score 11 in the 2nd inning against the Chicago White Sox to win at home, 13 – 1

July 14, 1950

The Waterbury Timers of the Colonial League have a franchise but no players when the 12-man squad is fired after refusing to board the team bus for two scheduled games at Kingston, NY. Strike issues are several: the players claim that the team bus is unsafe; the bus is scheduled to bring them home after the first game and return for the second rather than lay over; six players claim that the club reneged on the promise of a pay raise if they were still on the roster on June 2. The league will disband on July 16.

July 15, 1950

The Colonial League ceases operation, citing the competition of television and radio as the cause of its failure.

July 16, 1950

Monk Dubiel starts a streak of 18 straight wins over the Chicago Cubs

July 16, 1950

Major League players connect for 37 home runs today for a new record. Leading the offense is Cincinnati with two wins over the Giants, 16 – 4 and 11 – 10. In the American League, the Red Sox and Indians hit seven home runs in their doubleheader split: Moose Dropo collects three homers.

July 16, 1950

Arguably the most memorable of today’s record-breaking home run total comes off the bat of career bench player Ted Beard, helping his cellar-bound Bucs salvage a split with the still contending Braves. At 5 foot, 8 inches, en route to a career .285 slugging percentage (albeit in the midst of his career year, with 4 HR, 12 RBI, and an OPS of nearly .700), Beard launches one over Forbes Field’s 86-foot high right field grandstand roof, just the second time in the grandstand’s 25-year existence this feat has been accomplished, its sole predecessor being Babe Ruth’s final major league home run on May 25, 1935.

July 17, 1950

 Yankee rookie Whitey Ford wins his first major league game, beating the visiting White Sox, 4 – 3

July 18, 1950

1950 – At Chicago, the Phils split with the Cubs, winning the nitecap, 8 – 3, as Bubba Church beats big Bob Rush. Chicago wins the opener, 5 – 2, with Paul Minner besting Robin Roberts. The Phils now share the top spot in the National League with Boston and the Cards.

July 19, 1950

The Pirates purchase 3B Bob Dillinger from the Athletics for $35,000.

July 19, 1950

The Yankees obtain their first black players, OF Elston Howard and P Frank Barnes

July 19, 1950

Vern Stephens crashes a 3-run home run, his 200th career homer, in the 1st off Fred Hutchinson.

July 19, 1950

Frank E. McKinney resigns as president of the Pirates. He sells interests in the club to John Galbreath and Tom Johnson, with Galbreath assuming the presidency. Vice President Bing Crosby retains his minority interest.

July 19, 1950

Southpaw Ed Lopat of the Yanks wins, 16 – 1, over the Browns, throwing a two-hitter in the first game of a doubleheader.

July 20, 1950

1950 – The Giants beat St. Louis, 13 – 3, with an eight-run 3rd inning. Roy “Stormy” Weatherly has a double and triple in the inning.

July 22, 1950

Chicago’s Billy Pierce out-duels the A’s Bobby Shantz to win, 6 – 1

July 22, 1950

The Phils split a pair with the Reds to retain a tie for the National League lead with the Cardinals. Robin Roberts wins his 11th in the opener, stopping the Reds, 2 – 0, on four hits. Willard Ramsdell takes the loss. In the second game, Howie Fox shuts out the Phils till the 9th to win, 6 – 1.

July 22, 1950

Red Sox manager “Old Marse” Joe McCarthy leaves the team, citing ill health as the reason. Steve O’Neill replaces him. The Red Sox whip the Browns, 11 – 2, for their 12th win in 13th meetings with St. Louis. Mickey McDermott pitches the complete game win, pulling the Bosox to within 6 1/2 games of first-place Detroit.

July 23, 1950

Sheldon Jones of the New York Giants pitches a one-hitter against the Cubs, winning, 3 – 0, in the second game of a doubleheader. Rube Walker’s hit in the 8th is the only safety. Larry Jansen takes the first game, 5 – 3.

July 23, 1950

Tigers P Saul Rogovin hits a 2nd-inning grand slam off Yankees P Eddie Lopat as the first-place Bengals nip the onrushing New York Yankees, 6 – 5.

July 24, 1950

Jimmie Foxx and Mel Ott, are inducted into the Hall of Fame

July 24, 1950

1950 – At the annual Hall of Fame Game in Cooperstown, the Red Sox beat the Giants, 8 – 5. Dick Littlefield goes all the way for Boston.

July 24, 1950

7/24/1950: In a game that had been rescheduled from 5/10 due to rain in Pittsburgh, Eddie Waitkus lost a home run. In the top of the seventh inning with the Pirates ahead, 2-1, the Phillies rallied to take the lead as Waitkus hit a two-run shot with two outs. There had been a 34-minute rain delay at the end of the second inning and after the homer, the game was delayed for an hour and two minutes before it was called. According to the rules, the score reverted back to the end of the sixth inning since the lead had changed and the home team had not had its turn at bat in the inning. Thus all events in the top of the seventh were eliminated.

July 25, 1950

After 10 straight losses at Ebbets Field dating back to 1949, the Cards win, 9 – 5.

July 25, 1950

Phillies pitchers Bubba Church and Robin Roberts shut out the Cubs, 7 – 0 and 1 – 0, in a doubleheader sweep. The wins put the Phils in first place by a half-game over St. Louis.

July 26, 1950

Brooklyn beats the Cardinals, 7 – 5, as the Dodgers’ Jim Russell switch-hits home runs, making him the first switch-hitter in history to do it more than once. Stan Musial hits in his 30th straight game, the longest hitting streak of the decade. He is en route to a .346 batting average for the season and his 4th batting title. The Cards, currently 1 1/2 games behind Brooklyn, will begin a slow and steady descent to 5th place.

July 27, 1950

Philadelphia’s Del Ennis cracks a double in the 7th and a grand slam in the 8th inning to drive in seven runs against the Cubs as the Phils win, 13 – 3 at home

July 27, 1950

Former Dodger great Kirby “Koiby” Higbe hurls a no-hitter for the Minneapolis Millers (American Association) against the Columbus Red Birds.

July 27, 1950

Stan Musial goes hitless to end his 30-game hitting streak. But everyone else in the Cards lineup has a safety as St. Louis dusts the Dodgers, 13 – 3.

July 28, 1950

1950 – The Indians’ Larry Doby, Al Rosen and Luke Easter connect for consecutive home runs in the 3rd in a 13 – 1 whipping of the Red Sox.

July 28, 1950

7/28/1950 – The Cubs played in Brooklyn in a game that started at 8:30pm. After a 30-minute rain delay in the third and another that lasted 1:20 in the eighth, the contest finally ended at 1:21am. The official lineup presented to the umpires by Cubs manager Frank Frisch showed Bob Borkowski batting second and Carmen Mauro third. In the first inning, they batted in reverse order but both made outs. They repeated the process in the fourth inning. However, in the fifth inning of the score less game, the Cubs started the scoring. With two out and a run in, Wayne Terwilliger reached on Pee wee Reese’s throwing error, scoring the second run for the Cubs. Mauro then singled to left, scoring Roy Smalley. Dodger coach Clyde Sukeforth then pointed out to Umpire Lou Jorda that Mauro was out of order. Borkowski, the proper batter, was called out, the run was nullified and the inning was over. The Cubs eventually won the game, 12-5.

July 30, 1950

Del Ennis of the Phils hits his second grand slam in three days in a 10 – 0 pasting of Pittsburgh

July 30, 1950

The Cards stop the Giants, 6 – 3, to end New York’s win streak of nine games. Gerry Staley wins his 10th on a seven-hitter and is backed by Enos Slaughter’s single, double and triple. Red Schoendienst’s wide toss to 3rd in the 9th ends his streak of 57 games without an error. He had handled 323 chances without an error.

August 1, 1950

The Dodgers complete a suspended game of June 24th with the Pirates, by scoring 2 more runs in the 8th to post a 21 – 12 win, outhitting the Pirates, 25 to 8. Preacher Roe is the winner over Bill Werle. 12 extra-base hitsare made by the two teams, including 5 homers. Jackie Robinson hits his second career grand slam as the Dodgers score 7 runs in both the 3rd and 8th innings. In the regular contest, Erv Palica gives the Brooks a 3 – 1 win.

August 1, 1950

Acting on the suggestion of Florida International League President Johnny Burroughs, the last-place St. Petersburg Saints players elect their own manager. Their choice, by a near unanimous vote to succeed Jim Pruett, who resigned, is recently acquired RF Roxie Humberson. He is the team’s fourth manager this season.

August 2, 1950

Andy Pafko of the Cubs hits three home runs in the second game of a doubleheader, but the Cubs lose both to the Giants, 11 – 1 and 8 – 6.

August 2, 1950

Larry Doby hits three homers in a game as Cleveland beats Washington, 11 – 0. Besides tossing the shutout, Indians hurler Bob Lemon hits a home run. Lemon has now won nine in a row.

August 2, 1950

Elmer Valo hits for the cycle as the A’s thrash the White Sox, 10 – 3.

August 3, 1950

The Pirates sell Hank Borowy to the Tigers, and the Indians waive Gene Bearden to the Senators.

August 5, 1950

Jim Hearn gives up a leadoff single to Bob Dillinger, then throttles the Pirates the rest of the way for a 5 – 0 win at the Polo Grounds. It is his second win since joining the Giants on July 10.

August 6, 1950

Boston P Ellis Kinder hits a grand slam off White Sox ace Billy Pierce, and totals six RBIs in the game. Kinder’s homer comes after an intentional pass to Birdie Tebbetts. For “Old Folks,” it is his first and only career homer. The Red Sox roll, 9 – 2. Kinder also stops rookie Chico Carrasquel’s consecutive game hitting streak of 24 games. Joe Dobson gives up seven hits in the nitecap and wins, 4 – 3, to give the Bosox a sweep.

August 6, 1950

Sal Maglie and Larry Jansen of the Giants both hurl shutouts, winning, 3 – 0 and 5 – 0 respectively, against the Pirates.

August 7, 1950

At Rickwood Field, the Birmingham police bar three white players of the Chicago American Giants from playing in a Negro American League doubleheader against the Birmingham Black Barons. The local officers met Ted Radcliffe at the gate, informing the visiting manager that his ‘non-black’ players will have to watch the game from the ‘white only’ grandstand, due to the city’s segregation laws.

August 10, 1950

1950 – In the second game of a twinbill, Washington pitcher Gene Bearden bats eighth with batterymate Len Okrie in the ninth spot. Bearden picks up a hit but loses the game, 4 – 3, to Boston’s Walt Masterson. Masterson swipes a base, the first stolen base by a Red Sox pitcher this year.

August 11, 1950

Vern Bickford, throwing just 97 pitches, no-hits the Dodgers at Braves’ Field, 7-0. The 29 year-old right-hander hurls the first hitless game for Boston since Jim Tobin accomplished the feat, also against Brooklyn, on April 27, 1944.

August 11, 1950

Boston P Vern Bickford no-hits the Dodgers in Boston before 29‚008 fans. Bickford has lost only once to Brooklyn since joining Boston in 1948.

August 11, 1950

Yankee great Joe DiMaggio is benched for the first time in his career

August 11, 1950

RF Ken Wood of the Browns nails two Tiger runners in the 8th inning of the 2nd game of a doubleheader‚ tying a major league mark. The Browns prevail, 2 – 1‚ after winning game 1‚ 4 – 3‚ in 10 innings.

August 12, 1950

Allie Reynolds hits a bases-loaded single and hurls the Yanks to a 7 – 2 win over the A’s. The loss goes to Carl Scheib‚ but Bobby Shantz pitches the last 6 2/3 innings and clouts his only career homer‚ off the Chief.

August 12, 1950

The Giants’ Eddie Stanky is banished by umpire Lon Warneke for refusing to stop waving his arms in an attempt to distract Phillies’ batter Andy Seminick. This is a reprise of a shuffle Stanky initiated on August 9th. In the 4th‚ Stanky moves over behind second base and goes into a windup the same time as the pitcher. Giants manager Leo Durocher had agreed to await a league ruling on the tactic‚ but after Seminick knocks Hank Thompsonunconscious in a collision at third base‚ Durocher turns Stanky loose. In the 4th‚ Seminick reaches base on an error‚ then on a force at second base, he puts a linebacker block on Bill Rigney‚ Stanky’s replacement‚ and both dugouts empty for a brawl. The Phils go on to win, 5 – 4, in 11 innings‚ on Stan Lopata’s triple and a sac fly by Eddie Waitkus. The Giants protest Stanky’s ouster to no avail.

August 13, 1950

The Giants earn a split with the Phils as Jim Hearn shuts out the Whiz Kids, 2 – 0. But the Phils will take 11 of their next 14 games to hold a seven-game edge over second-place Brooklyn.

August 13, 1950

At Rochester (International League), the Red Wings edge Jersey City, 3 – 2, in 22 innings. Pitchers Tom Poholsky of Rochester and Andy Tomasic of Jersey City go all the way.

August 13, 1950

In the bottom of the twenty-second inning, with both starting pitchers still in the game, Don Richmond lines a single down the right-field line, plating Dick Cole to give Rochester a 3-2 victory over Jersey City at Red Wing Stadium. Tom Poholsky, after yielding two unearned runs in the top of the second, goes on to hurl 20 consecutive scoreless innings for the complete-game victory, but is matched zero-for-zero, until the last inning, by opposing J. C. Giants pitcher Andy Tomasic, who also goes the distance after giving up single runs in the first and second frames.

August 14, 1950

Before 60,120, the Indians turn back the Tigers, 3 – 2, in 10 innings, and reduce Detroit’s first-place advantage to 2 1/2 games. Al Rosen ties the game in the 9th with a two-out home run. RF Bob Kennedy helps the Tribe’s cause by starting a triple play from the outfield, recalling Tribe LF Charlie Jamieson’s two triple plays of 1928.

August 14, 1950

The Reds plate 11 runs in the 3rd inning as they beat the host Pirates, 13 – 8.

August 15, 1950

The Red Sox defeat the Athletics, 8 – 3 and 9 – 4, to begin a streak in which they reel off 27 of 30, propelling themselves back into the pennant race. Walt Dropo is hospitalized, however, after being beaned by the A’s Hank Wyse.

August 15, 1950

In a late-developing barn burner between bottom feeders, the last place Bucs waste one of the longest home runs of Ralph Kiner’s career by blowing a 9th-inning lead to the next-to-last Reds, giving up 6 runs in the top of the frame. However, displaying great resilience, they come all the way back, scoring six and winning, 10 – 9, as Clyde McCullough lines one off pitcher John Hetki to score Wally Westlake with the game-ending tally. The Post-Gazette’s Jack Hernon recalls fondly the game’s initial eight innings: “It was a good game to watch for eight innings as Ralph Kiner gave Bill Werle a 4 – 2 lead over Ewell Blackwell with a two-run homer in the 5th inning. The ball left the field slightly to the left of the light tower near dead center field and carried far into Schenley Park. It was one of Kiner’s longest homers.” Researcher Bill Jenkinson places it at 480 feet.

August 16, 1950

Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers denies news reports that Jackie Robinson, last year’s MVP, will be traded. The latest tempest was started by the second baseman’s comments after he was removed from the lineup on August 12th by Burt Shotton after making an error. “I wouldn’t be surprised if I was traded,” Jackie was quoted as saying.

August 16, 1950

The Phils polish off the second place Braves, 5 – 1, on Robin Roberts’ three-hitter. The Phils score four in the 4th off Vern Bickford, concluding the scoring with Del Ennis’ 26th homer.

August 16, 1950

At the Polo Grounds, Hank Thompson’s two inside-the-park home runs off Don Bankhead and Carl Erskine contribute to the Giants’ 16-7 drubbing of the Dodgers. The 24 year-old third baseman will hit 129 round-trippers in his 9-year career, three of which will be of the IPHR variety.

August 17, 1950

In the American League’s first Ladies Night Game, the Red Sox top the A’s, 10 – 6, at Fenway Park

August 18, 1950

1950 – A’s lefty Lou Brissie gives up just one Yankee hit in the last five innings, but it’s a critical one. With the score 2 – 2 in the top of the ninth, Joe DiMaggio cracks his 22nd home run of the year to give the third place New Yorkers a 3 – 2 win and hand the Mackmen their sixth straight loss.

August 19, 1950

The Gillette Safety Razor Co. pays $800,000 for TV rights to the World Series. Radio rights will add another $175,000 more.

August 19, 1950

The Pirates outslug the Cubs, 13 – 9, for their sixth win in seven games. Ralph Kiner slugs two homers to put him seven days and nine games ahead of last year’s pace, when he hit 54. He has rapped eight dingers this month and four in the last five games. Clyde McCullough adds a bases-loaded triple, sac fly, and two-run double, while Johnny Hopphomers. The Cubs answer with homers by Hank Sauer, Mickey Owen, and Roy Smalley, but it’s not enough. Reliever Bob Rush loses to Murry Dickson.

August 20, 1950

1950 – In the 1950 East-West Game, a record four future major leaguers make pitching appearances, throwing 10 of the 18 innings. The West wins, 5 – 3, behind 3 hits, a run, 2 RBI and two steals by Jesse Douglas. In a losing cause, Junior Gilliam homers – he will become the only player to hit homers in both an East-West Game and All-Star Game.

August 24, 1950

1950 – Boston SS Vern Stephens’ ninth inning grand slam against the Browns gives the Red Sox a 6 – 2. win. The Sox have now won nine straight and have whipped the Browns 18 times in 19 games this year.

August 25, 1950

The Red Sox win their 11th straight, beating the leading Tigers, 6 – 2, behind Mel Parnell. Boston, in fourth place, is just 3 1/2 games in back of Detroit.

August 25, 1950

1950 – The Cubs win, 7 – 6, over the Braves, as reliever Dutch Leonard tops Warren Spahn.

August 26, 1950

Hall of Famer Roy Campanella of the Brooklyn Dodgers hits three consecutive home runs

August 27, 1950

Clyde Vollmer’s pinch slam against Al Benton in the Sox’s 6-run seventh helps Boston to an 11 – 9 win

August 27, 1950

Allie Reynolds hurls a 2-hitter in a 2-1 win over White Sox

August 28, 1950

Earle and Roy Mack, Connie’s sons by his first marriage, purchase 54 percent interest in the Athletics from Connie Mack, Jr., their younger brother from a second marriage. Earle, Roy and Connie Mack now own 1,198 shares out of 1,500. “As long as dad wants to manage,” the two announce, “he will continue to manage.”

August 28, 1950

At Fenway Park the Red Sox come back from 12 – 1 deficits to beat the Indians 15 – 14

August 28, 1950

At Wrigley Field, Hank Sauer socks three consecutive home runs off Curt Simmons, as the Cubs edge the Phillies 7 – 5 in game 1. Sauer will connect for three homers off Simmons once more, in 1952. Knuckleballer Dutch Leonard, in his only start of the year, is today’s winner. The Phils then take the nitecap, 9 – 5, to move 5 1/2 games ahead of the Dodgers.

August 29, 1950

8/29/1950: Tommy Byrne, a Yankee pitcher, hit a home run in the bottom of the second inning of the second game of a scheduled doubleheader. It came with 1 on and 1 out off Sam Zoldak and put the Yanks ahead 4 to 0. In the bottom of the third, the game was called because of rain.

August 30, 1950

The Tigers drop out of first place for the first time since June 10 when they split a pair with the Senators, losing 3 – 2 in 11 innings, then taking the nitecap, 10 – 8.

August 30, 1950

Eddie Stanky ties a major league record by drawing a walk in seven consecutive plate appearances

August 31, 1950

Gil Hodges of the Brooklyn Dodgers ties a major league record by piling up 17 total bases in a game

September 1, 1950

Philadelphia’s GM Bob Carpenter, in an effort to save the Phillies a 24-hour train trip from St. Louis to play the Braves, charters his team’s first plane flight. The TWA Lockhead Constellation, which is delayed because of mechanical problems, makes a precarious landing during a severe thunderstorm on a rainy, foggy day in Boston, resulting with the anxious players on board loudly cheering the pilot for their safe arrival.

September 1, 1950

Philadelphia’s GM Bob Carpenter, in an effort to save the Phillies a 24-hour train trip from St. Louis to play the Braves, charters his team’s first plane flight. The TWA Lockhead Constellation, which is delayed because of mechanical problems, makes a precarious landing during a severe thunderstorm on a rainy, foggy day in Boston, resulting with the anxious players on board loudly cheering the pilot for their safe arrival.

September 2, 1950

Phil Cavarretta leads off the 9th with a single, the Cubs’ lone hit against the Reds’ Ewell Blackwell. The Whip strikes out 10 in winning, 5 – 1.

September 2, 1950

At Philadelphia, Mel Parnell registers his ninth straight win over the A’s as the Red Sox win, 9 – 3.

September 3, 1950

1950 – Havana (Florida International League) wins its fifth straight pennant. Miami, managed by Pepper Martin, finishes second.

September 4, 1950

Don Bessent of LaGrange (Georgia-Alabama League) pitches a 14 – 0 playoff no-hitter over Carrollton.

September 4, 1950

Giant hurlers Jim Hearn and Sal Maglie hurl twin shutouts over the Phils, winning 2 – 0 and 9 – 0. Coupled with a shutout loss to the Giants yesterday, the Phils have not scored in three games at home.

September 4, 1950

Reds OF Johnny Wyrostek drives in eight runs in a doubleheader sweep of the visiting Cardinals, 5 – 4 and 8 – 4.

September 5, 1950

Phils lefty Curt Simmons is the first player inducted into the Army as a result of the Korean conflict. He will get one more start before reporting and will miss the World Series.

September 5, 1950

Purdue University Athletic Director Red Mackey criticizes the Yankees for signing his 19-year-old star P/SS Bill Skowron, who was also expected to be the starting right halfback on the Boilermakers’ football squad.

September 5, 1950

The Yankees acquire 1B Johnny Hopp, who is second in the National League in hitting with a .340 mark, from the Pirates for an undisclosed amount of cash. The Yanks believe Hopp will provide late-season pennant insurance.

September 6, 1950

Don Newcombe misses pitching complete games in both games of a doubleheader for the Brooklyn Dodgers

September 7, 1950

Tiger OF Hoot Evers hits for the cycle, and knocks in six runs in a 13 – 13, 10-inning tie with Cleveland

September 8, 1950

Russ Meyer snaps the Phils’ 5-game losing streak with a 4 – 3 victory over the Dodgers.

September 9, 1950

Sal Maglie of the Giants hurls his fourth consecutive shutout, tying a major-league record, and beats the Dodgers, 2 – 0. Alvin Dark’s two homers provide the runs.

September 9, 1950

Dom Dimaggio steals his 15th base, that will lead the AL in steals and is lowest number in league history

September 9, 1950

The Tigers and White Sox finally finish a game that started in April. The game was originally scheduled as the nitecap of a doubleheader on April 30th, but was halted by darkness after 9 innings deadlocked at 7 – 7. Rescheduled for August 10th, the contest was halted in the 7th with the score 1 – 1. Art Houtteman finally settles it with a 1 – 0, 12-inning win. Hoot Evers triples and scores on a single by Johnny Groth. The league leaders fail to cash in by losing the nitecap, 5 – 4, cutting their lead to a half game over New York and a game ahead of Boston.

September 9, 1950

With the Phillies in the thick of a pennant race, their southpaw starter Curt Simmons will miss the rest of the season, as well as the entire 1951 campaign, when his National Guard unit is activated due to the Korean conflict. The left-hander, who is stationed at Indiana’s Camp Atterbury, will be granted a leave to watch his team in the World Series, but Philadelphia decides not to request he be made eligible to participate in the Fall Classic.

September 10, 1950

San Francisco (Pacific Coast League) lefty Al Lien throws a 17-inning, 1 – 0, shutout over the Hollywood Stars.

September 10, 1950

9/10/1950: The Phillies’ Jackie Mayo homered in the bottom of the sixth inning before the game was called due to rain. Since the sixth inning had not been completed, the score (and stats) reverted back to the previous full inning because the lost homer left the Phillies still trailing, by a score of 3-2.

September 10, 1950

The Red Sox extend their home streak to 22 straight vs the A’s

September 10, 1950

Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees hits three 400-foot home runs against the Washington Senators

September 11, 1950

1950 – The Yanks move back in first with a twin win over the Senators, 5 – 1 and 6 – 2.

September 12, 1950

Ewell Blackwell gives up just one hit, a run-scoring double in the 4th to Gene Hermanski, but the Dodgers whip the Reds ace, 2 – 1. Carl Erskine allows three hits, including a double by Blackwell and a home run by Ted Kluszewski. Hermanski and Duke Snider drive in the two runs for Brooklyn.

September 12, 1950

The Yankees blow a 6-run lead as Cleveland scores four in the 9th inning off Allie Reynolds to win, 8 – 7. Luke Easter’s 3-run home run – his second of the game – is the big blow, as the Yankees skid to second place, a half game behind Detroit and a half game ahead of Boston.

September 13, 1950

Sal Maglie’s string of scoreless innings ends at 45, but he beats the Pirates, 3 – 1

September 14, 1950

Vic Raschi posts his 20th win of the season to give New York a hard-fought 7 – 5 win

September 14, 1950

Pinch-hitter Ted Tappe homers in his first major-league at bat, off Erv Palica, but the Reds lose 6 – 2 to Brooklyn. The Reds also drop the second game, 5 – 2.

September 14, 1950

The Browns stretch their win streak to eight games by beating the Red Sox, 6 – 3, for their second win over the Millionaires in 20 games. The eight-game streak is the longest since 1944for St. Louis. The defeat drops the Bosox two games behind the Yanks. His fractured elbow now healed, Ted Williams pinch hits in the eighth and doubles.

September 15, 1950

Ted Williams returns to the Red Sox lineup and raps a home run and three singles in a 12 – 9 defeat of the Browns. The Red Sox will come within two games of the first-place Yankeesthis week, but will end up in third place, behind both New York and Detroit.

September 15, 1950

In game two, Eddie Waitkus of the Phils gets five hits for the third time this season, as the Phillies beat the Reds 8 – 7 in 19 innings. Teammate Del Ennis goes 5 for 10. The Reds lead 5 – 0 after five innings, but the Phils tie it up in regulation. Both teams score twice in the 18th, and the Phils score in the 19th on a bases-loaded hit by Ennis. The Phils win the lid lifter, 2 – 1.

September 15, 1950

At Ebbets Field, Cardinal starter Cloyd Boyer hurts his arm while warming up and is replaced by Red Munger. The reliever goes the distance, beating the Dodgers, 6-2, getting credit for a complete game, but not for a game started.

September 15, 1950

Johnny Mize hits three home runs in one game for the sixth time in his career, establishing a major league record.

September 16, 1950

At Ebbets Field, Reds rookie Ted Tappe pinch hits in the 8th and homers in his first major league at bat. The round-tripper, off Erv Palica, helps cement a 6 – 3 win over Brooklyn. Tappe will hit four more homers, all as a member of the Chicago Cubs.

September 16, 1950

Rookie Whitey Ford tosses a six-hitter to lift the Yankees  back into first place

September 18, 1950

1950 – At Ebbets Field, the Dodgers’ Tommy Brown hits three home runs in his team’s losing effort. He is the third Dodger this year to clout three homers in one game. The Cubs’ Ron Northey hits his third lifetime pinch grand slam – a record – to give Chicago a 9 – 7 win.

September 19, 1950

Duke Snider gets a cake from Fans on his birthday

September 21, 1950

1950 – Warren Spahn of the Braves wins his 21st game, hurling a 2-hit, 5 – 0 win over the Cards.

September 23, 1950

Don Newcombe outpitches Robin Roberts to give Brooklyn a 3 – 2 win against the 1st-place Phils.

September 23, 1950

In what amounts to a political and monetary act of leverage, Brooklyn’s Branch Rickey offers to sell his 25 percent interest to real estate mogul William Zeckendorf.

September 23, 1950

Mike Garcia and the Indians hand the Tigers a 10 – 2 defeat to leave Detroit in second place at the end of the day.

September 23, 1950

The Athletics erupt for 12 runs against the Senators in the 6th inning to win, 16 – 5. Reserve catcher Joe Astroth hits his first homer, a grand slam off Julio Moreno, and a single and knocks in a since-topped record six runs in the big inning. Astroth had 22 RBIs in 104 games prior to today.

September 23, 1950

The Braves’ Johnny Sain fails in his attempt to win his 20th game, but hits his first major-league home run, off Larry Jansen, in a 4 – 3 loss to the visiting Giants. With two outs in the 10th, Sam Jethroe loses Don Mueller’s fly ball in the sun and Mueller legs out a triple. Hank Thompson’s single wins it for Jansen. A Saturday crowd of 5,535 watch the Braves drop out of 2nd place, while the Giants move to within three games of the Phils.

September 23, 1950

The Yankees, tied for first place with the Tigers and two games ahead of Boston, open a crucial series with the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Joe DiMaggio’s 1st-inning home run off Mel Parnell is all the scoring needed, as the Bombers win, 8 – 0. Ed Lopat gives up five hits, including a leadoff triple to Dom DiMaggio.

September 24, 1950

P Erv Palica of the Dodgers is the star today, pitching a two-hitter in an 11 – 0 win over Philadelphia, and hitting a 5th-inning grand slam off Bubba Church of the Phils. The win cuts the Phillies’ lead to five games. The Phils will win two out of three in Boston to put the Braves out of the race.

September 24, 1950

Mental lapses crush Tiger hopes. Due to heavy smoke from a Canadian forest fire, Detroit puts on the lights in a Sunday afternoon contest with the Indians. Cleveland’s only score in nine innings is pitcher Bob Lemon’s home run in the 4th, as the match is tied 1 – 1 on Johnny Lipon’s homer. Lemon opens the 10th with a triple, and two intentional walks follow. With the bases loaded and one out, C Aaron Robinson thinks he has a shot at a double play by just stepping on home. Because of the haze, he does not see 1B Don Kolloway remove the force after fielding the ball hit by slugger Luke Easter, and the Indians win, 2 – 1.

September 24, 1950

66,924 fans are on hand for Johnny Mize Day at Yankee Stadium

September 25, 1950

1950 – Both Mel Parnell and rookie Harry Taylor of the Red Sox shut out Philadelphia, winning 8 – 0 and 3 – 0. Parnell throws a three-hitter, and Taylor allows only two hits in the nightcap to win his first major league game.

September 26, 1950

1950 – Phils relief ace Jim Konstanty makes his 71st appearance, a major-league record, in the Phils’ 8 – 7 win over the Braves in front of 1,987 Boston fans.

September 27, 1950

Against the A’s, Whitey Ford relieves and loses his first game after nine wins. The Yanks lose, 8 – 7.

September 27, 1950

The Phils rally for five runs in the 8th to tie, but the Giants win in 10 innings, 8 – 7. Monte Irvin, sliding across the plate with the winning run, injures catcher Andy Seminick, limiting his effectiveness. He will play the next day and all through the World Series, later to find out that he has a bone separation. In the nitecap, Bobby Thomson’s 1st-inning inside-the-park grand slam is all the Giants need as Jim Hearn wins, 5 – 0. The Dodgers split with the Braves, cutting the Phillies’ lead to two games.

September 30, 1950

Before 23,879 at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn pulls within one game of the lead, as Erv Palica wins 7 – 3 over the Phillies. The Brooks rout rookie Bob Miller and then Duke Snider and Roy Campanella pound homers off Jim Konstanty. It is the Phillies’ fifth loss in a row, their eighth in 10 games. The red-hot Dodgers have now won 13 of their last 16 games. For the second year in a row, the pennant race will come down to the last game. If the Dodgers win tomorrow, the race will end in a three-way tie.

September 30, 1950

P Gerry Staley and Red Munger combine for a doubleheader sweep of the Cubs when the Cards win 2 – 0 and 4 – 0.

October 1, 1950

Whiz Kids win pennant after Richie Ashburn guns down runner at plate

October 1, 1950

Burt Shotton of the Dodgers and the A’s Connie Mack both retire and will become the last managers to wear street clothes

October 4, 1950

Relief ace Jim Konstanty of the Philadelphia Phillies starts and loses Game 1 of the World Series to Vic Raschi and the New York Yankees|Yankees, 1 – 0. Bobby Brown hits a double and scores the lone run on two long flies.

October 5, 1950

DiMaggio carries Yankees over Phillies with Glove and Bat

October 7, 1950

Rookie pitcher Whitey Ford beats Bob Miller and the “Whiz Kids” gives the Yankees their 13th World Championship

October 16, 1950

After five seasons at the helm, Eddie Dyer, who will be eventually replaced by Marty Marion, resigns as the manager of the Cardinals. The former St. Louis skipper won a World Championship as a rookie pilot with the Redbirds in 1946, compiling an outstanding 446-325 (.578) record during his post-war tenure with the club that never included a losing season.

October 18, 1950

Connie Mack retires as manager of the Philadelphia A’s

October 26, 1950

Walter O’Malley succeeds Branch Rickey as president of the Dodgers

October 26, 1950

The Baseball Writers Association of America selects New York Yankees shortstop Phil Rizzuto as the American League MVP

November 2, 1950

Jim Konstanty 2nd Philly to win MVP Award

November 6, 1950

Branch Rickey signs a five-year deal with the Pirates to be the club’s executive vice president and general manager

November 8, 1950

Slugging first baseman Walt Dropo wins the 1950 American League Rookie of the Year

November 8, 1950

Commissioner Happy Chandler and players’ representatives agree on the split of the TV and radio rights from the World Series.

November 9, 1950

Chicago White Sox release long time shortstop Luke Appling

November 9, 1950

The Associated Press chooses Philadelphia Phillies skipper Eddie Sawyer as Manager of the Year.

November 9, 1950

Sam Jethroe is the oldest National League Rookie of the Year

November 10, 1950

Cleveland Indians fire popular manager Lou Boudreau

November 10, 1950

Seventeen months after nearly being mortally wounded by an obsessed fan’s rifle shot to the chest, Eddie Waitkus is named the Comeback Player of the Year by the Associated Press. The Phillies’ infielder hit .284 this season and continued to be one of the best fielding first basemen in the league.

November 16, 1950

1Major League Presidents Ford Frick (American League) and Will Harridge (National League) vote to deposit $950,000 received for World Series TV and radio rights into the player’s pension fund.

November 16, 1950

Pittsburgh Pirates picked up Dale Long and George Metkovich in the Rule 5 draft

November 20, 1950

Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Roy Hamey resigns and is replaced by Branch Rickey.

November 26, 1950

1950 – The Gillette Safety Razor Co. signs a six-year deal, worth an estimated $6 million, with Major League Baseball for the TV-radio rights for the World Series.

November 27, 1950

Boston Red Sox sign future hall of famer Lou boudreau

November 28, 1950

Chuck Dressen replaces Burt Shotton as the Dodgers skipper.

December 5, 1950

Chuck Dressen replaces Mel Ott with Giants’ organization after he leaves to manage the Pacific Coast League’s

December 11, 1950

A. B. ‘Happy’ Chandler’s contract as commissioner isn’t renewed for a second term when he receives only nine of the twelve owners’ votes needed for re-election. The former Kentucky Senator, an 1982 Hall of Fame inductee due to his lasting contributions to the game, is given credit for helping to integrate the majors, putting six umpires on the field during the World Series, and establishing the players’ pension fund in 1947, with the $475,000 made by selling the rights to broadcast the World Series on the radio.

December 12, 1950

1950 – The owners vote to drop the bonus and high school rule which was designed to prevent the wealthier clubs from buying up all of the available talent. The rule required that all “bonus players” had to stay on the major league roster after one season in the minors.

December 14, 1950

1950 – Major League owners choose Lou Perini (Braves), Phil Wrigley (Cubs), Del Webb (Yankees) and Ellis Ryan (Indians) to select a new Commissioner as soon as possible. In a close vote, 9-7, Happy Chandler’s contract was not renewed three days earlier to serve a third term as baseball’s leader.

December 18, 1950

New York Yankee great Tommy “Old Reliable” Henrich calls it a career as a player

December 26, 1950

With a large portion going to the players’ pension fund, outgoing Commissioner Happy Chandler announces the Gillette Razor Company has purchased the television rights to the All-Star Game for six years for six million dollars.

October 17, 2019

Herb Chapman of Gadsden (Southeastern League) goes hitless, ending his 42-game hitting streak‚ the 9th longest streak ever recorded in the minor leagues. During the streak he hit .366.