Eighteen year-old Joe DiMaggio makes his professional debut at the end of the San Francisco Seals campaign, playing shortstop for the team. Next year, the future Yankee superstar will hit .340 with 169 RBI’s and 28 home runs in his first full season in the Pacific Coast League.
On September 28, 1932, Philadelphia A’s owner Connie Mack sells three of his star players in an effort to reduce his payroll. Mack sends outfielder Al Simmons, outfielder Mule Haas, and infielder Jimmy Dykes to the Chicago White Sox for $150,000…
1932 – In a doubleheader split with the Giants, Chuck Klein of the Phillies is 0 for 8 but closes the season with 38 home runs and 20 stolen bases to become the only player of the lively-ball era (1920 and after) to lead his league in these two departments. Klein also finishes 2nd in RBIs (137), while teammates Don Hurst (143) and Pinky Whitney (124) finish 1st and 3rd. In this century, only the 1915 Tigers and 1928 Yankees have the top three RBI producers in a season.
Jimmie Foxx hits his 58th home run in the last game of the season to finish two short of Babe Ruth’s 1927 record of 60. Foxx adds two singles but the A’s lose, 2 – 1, to the Senators’ Alvin Crowder. Crowder wins his 26th and 15th straight game, one short of the American League record held by Walter Johnson, Smoky Joe Wood and Lefty Grove. Foxx finishes with 169 RBIs while teammate Al Simmons ties for 2nd with 151.
Paul Waner sets a new National League record with his 62nd double, as the Pirates defeat the Cardinals 7 – 1. The 2nd-place Pirates will be the first team to finish above .500 (86-68) while scoring fewer runs than their opponents (701 to 711). The NL won’t see it again in a full season until the 1984 Mets, while it won’t happen in the American League until 1948.
Jimmie Foxx hits his 2nd grand slam in three days, giving him 57 homers for the season, but the A’s lose in the 10th to Washington, 8 – 7.
In a battle of Boston collegians, Harvard beats Boston College. Charlie Devens, former Harvard hurler, makes his major league debut for the Yankees and beats Boston, 8 – 2. The loss goes to Ed Gallagher, former Boston College pitcher who exits in the 5th. Babe Ruth swats his 41st homer of the year in the 9th and Lou Gehrig belts his 34th in the 5th.
1932 – Trailing 8 – 6 to Cleveland after five innings, White Sox reliever Bill Chamberlain gives up five runs to start the 6th. In disgust, Sox manager Lew Fonseca, an infielder-outfielder throughout his career, inserts himself as pitcher. With two runners on, he retires all three batters he faces, then turns the ball over to Chad Kimsey to finish the game. The Tribe wins, 13 – 6, as Wes Ferrell wins his 23rd.
1932 – Jimmie Foxx slugs home run #54 to lead the A’s to an 8 – 4 win over the visiting Yankees. Al Simmons and Eric McNair also homer off Red Ruffing as Sugar Cain is able to win.
The Cubs clinch the National League pennant when they beat Pittsburgh, 5-2, thanks to Kiki Cuyler’s seventh-inning bases-loaded triple. The Wrigley Field contest features rookie second baseman Billy Herman’s 200th hit of the season.