Leo Durocher at spring training in Hot Springs, Arkansas – 1939.
Leo Durocher at spring training in Hot Springs, Arkansas – 1939.
Joe McCarthy and Jacob Ruppert at spring training in St. Petersburg, Florida – 1939.
Joe McCarthy and Jacob Ruppert at spring training in St. Petersburg, Florida – 1939.
Rookie outfielder Pete Reiser starts his second spring training game for the Brooklyn Dodgers
1939 – Rookie outfielder Pete Reiser starts his second spring training game for the Brooklyn Dodgers. After going 0 for 3 yesterday against the Yankees, Reiser belts a home run in his first at bat against the Cardinals, and follows with a walk and two singles. He will have 10 straight hits before striking out three times against Yankees pitcher Oral Hildebrand six days later. When Jack Haley relieves Hildebrand, Reiser hits a home run off him. Reiser will go north with Brooklyn and play in an April 15th exhibition against the Yankees in Ebbets Field before being sent to the Triple-A Elmira Pioneers.
Tommy Davis is born in Brooklyn, NY
1939 – Tommy Davis is born in Brooklyn, NY. The former two-time N.L. batting champ hits .271 as an Astro during parts of the 1969 and 1970 seasons.
1939 Spring Training Game Audio New York Yankees vs Cincinnati Reds
On March 15, 1939 the New York Yankees face the Cincinnati Reds in a spring training game. These two teams will also face off in the 1939 World Series. The Yankees finished with a record of 106–45, winning their 11th pennant, finishing 17 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox, the Red Sox…
Jim Bouton is born in Newark, NJ. The righthander had a blazing fastball when he pitched in the World Series for the Yankees in 1964
1939 – Jim Bouton is born in Newark, NJ. The righthander had a blazing fastball when he pitched in the World Series for the Yankees in 1964. By the time he gets to Houston in 1969, all he has left is a knuckleball and a manuscript.
Lefty Grove and Walter Johnson at Fenway Park, circa 1939.
Lefty Grove and Walter Johnson at Fenway Park, circa 1939.
Baseball writers select Eddie Collins, Willie Keeler and George Sisler to the Hall of Fame
On January 24, 1939, the baseball writers select Eddie Collins, Willie Keeler and George Sisler to the Hall of Fame. Sisler set a major league season-record (later broken by Ichiro Suzuki) with 257 hits in 1920 and batted .420 in 1922 on his way to a .340 career batting average. Collins batted an even .333…
New York Yankees Elect Ed Barrow as President
On January 17, 1939, the New York Yankees elect Ed Barrow as president. Barrow replaces Jacob Ruppert, who died four days earlier. Barrow will remain Yankee president until 1945, when the team is bought by Dan Topping and Del Webb.
Hilario “Sandy” Valdespino is born in San Jose de las Lajas, Cuba. The reserve outfielder bats .244 for the Astros during the first five months of the 1969 season before being traded. He had been in the 1965 World Series during his rookie season with the Minnesota Twins.
Hilario “Sandy” Valdespino is born in San Jose de las Lajas, Cuba. The reserve outfielder bats .244 for the Astros during the first five months of the 1969 season before being traded. He had been in the 1965 World Series during his rookie season with the Minnesota Twins.
