The 1950 Boston Red Sox season was the 50th season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox finished third in the American League (AL) with a record of 94 wins and 60 losses, four games behind the AL and World Series champion New York Yankees. This was the last time that the Red Sox won at least 90 games until their return to the World Series in 1967.
The team scored 1,027 runs, one of only six teams to score more than 1,000 runs in a season in the modern era (post-1900), and, along with the 1999 Cleveland Indians, are one of two teams to do so post-World War II. The 1950 Red Sox compiled a .302 batting average, and remain the most recent major league team to record a .300 or higher team batting average for a season.
Offseason
Trades and Transactions
October 24, 1949: It is reported that Dick Gernert, a junior at Temple University, has signed with the Red Sox over the weekend. November 17, 1949: The Red Sox draft pitcher George Copeland from the Rochester Red Wings for $10,000. December 1, 1949: The Red Sox purchase pitcher Al Papai from the St. Louis Browns off waivers for $10,000. February 26, 1950: The Red Sox announce the sale of pitcher Jack Kramer to the New York Giants for a reported sum of $25,000. April 14, 1950: The Red Sox sign third baseman Ken Keltner as a free agent.
Regular season In a game on June 8, the Red Sox set a major league record for total bases by a team in one game, which still stands. During their 29–4 win over the St. Louis Browns, the Red Sox collected 28 hits: 7 home runs, 1 triple, 9 doubles, and 11 singles for 60 total bases. The Red Sox, who had already beaten the Browns 20–4 the day before, became only the second team since 1901 (after the 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates) to score 20 or more runs in consecutive games.
The team's record during August equalled a franchise record for highest winning percentage for a month that had been established by the 1901 Boston Americans when they were during June; the record was finally surpassed when the 2026 Red Sox were during July.
Game log
Boston Win Boston LossTie Game
|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 1 || April 18 || Vs. New York || 15─10 || Johnson (1–0) || Masterson (0–1) || Page (1) || 0─1 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 2 || April 19 (1) || Vs. New York || 3─6 || Dobson (1─0) || Raschi (0─1) || ─ || 1─1 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 3 || April 19 (2) || Vs. New York || 16─7 || Lopat (1─0) || Kinder (0─1) || Page (2) || 1─2 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 4 || April 21 || @ Athletics || 8─2 || McDermott (1─0) || Brissie (0─1) || ─ || 2─2 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 5 || April 22 || @ Athletics || 5─6 || Kellner (1─0) || Kinder (0─2) || ─ || 2─3 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 6 || April 23 (1) || @ Athletics || 4─9 || Shantz (1─0) || Dobson (1─1) || Hooper (2) || 2─4 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 7 || April 23 (2) || @ Athletics || 12─2 || Parnell (1─0) || Wyse (1─1) || ─ || 3─4 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 8 || April 24 || @ Washington || 0─3 || Scarborough (2─0) || Papai (0─1) || ─ || 3─5 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 9 || April 26 || @ New York || 2─10 || Lopat (2─0) || McDermott (1─1) || ─ || 3─6 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 10 || April 27 || @ New York || 7─2 || Kinder (1─2) || Byrne (0─1) || ─ || 4─6 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 11 || April 28 || Vs. Athletics || 1─4 || Parnell (2─0) || Kellner (1─1) || ─ || 5─6 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 12 || April 30 (1) || Vs. Athletics || 0─19 || Dobson (2─1) || Fowler (0─1) || ─ || 6─6 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 13 || April 30 (2) || Vs. Athletics || 5─6 || Stobbs (1─0) || Wyse (1─2) || Papai (1) || 7─6 ||
|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 14 || May 2 || Vs. Cleveland || 1─6 || McDermott (2─1) || Garcia (0─1) || ─ || 8─6 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 15 || May 3 || Vs. Cleveland || 2─7 || Kinder (2─1) || Feller (2─1) || ─ || 9─6 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 16 || May 4 || Vs. Cleveland || 5─4 || Lemon (2─1) || Parnell (2─1) || ─ || 9─7 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 17 || May 5 || Vs. Chicago || 2─5 || Dobson (3─1) || Pierce (1─1) || ─ || 10─7 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 18 || May 6 || Vs. Chicago || 1─11 || Stobbs (2─0) || Holcolmbe (0─1) || ─ || 11─7 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 19 || May 7 (1) || Vs. St. Louis || 6─8 || Schanz (1─0) || Fine (0─1) || Masterson (1) || 12─7 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 20 || May 7 (2) || Vs. St. Louis || 2─6 || Papai (1─1) || Fannin (0─1) || ─ || 13─7 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 21 || May 9 || Vs. Detroit || 1─6 || Parnell (3─1) || Trucks (2─1) || ─ || 14─7 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 22 || May 11 (1)|| Vs. Detroit || 13─4 || Hutchinson (2─1)|| Dobson (3─2) || ─ || 14─8 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 23 || May 11 (2) || Vs. Detroit || 5─3 || Gray (2─1) || Kinder (2─3) || Houtteman (2) || 14─9 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 24 || May 12 || Vs. Washington || 1─3 || McDermott (3─1) || Scarborough (2─3) || ─ || 15─9 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 25 || May 13 || Vs. Washington || 4─5 || Masterson (1─1) || Hudson (3─2) || Dobson (1) || 16─9 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 26 || May 14 (1) || Vs. Washington || 1─8 || Parnell (4─1) || Hittle (1─1) || ─ || 17─9 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 27 || May 14 (2) || Vs. Washington || 10─5 || Weik (1─1) || Papai (1─1) || Marrero (1) || 17─10 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 28 || May 16 || @ Detroit || 6─1 || Dobson (4─2) || Houtteman (4─2) || ─ || 18─10 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 29 || May 17 || @ Detroit || 3─6 || Ted Gray (3─1)|| Kinder (2─4) || ─ || 18─11 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 30 || May 18 || @ Detroit || 13─2 || Papai (2─2) || Fred Hutchinson (2─2) || Dobson (2) || 19─11 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 31 || May 19 || @ Cleveland || 1─4 || Sam Zoldak (1─1) || Parnell (4─2) || ─ || 19─12 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 32 || May 20 || @ Cleveland || 5─8 || Bob Lemon (4─2) || Chuck Stobbs (2─1) || ─ || 19─13 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 33 || May 21 (1)|| @ Chicago || 7─0 || Kinder (3─4) || Bill Wight (2─4) || ─ || 20─13 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" || 34 || May 21 (2) || @Chicago || 3─4 || Billy Pierce (2─3) || Joe Dobson (4─3) || ─ || 20─14 ||
Trades and transactions
May 7: The Red Sox in a trade with the Washington Senators send outfielder Tommy O'Brien and infielder Merrill Combs to the Senators in exchange for outfielder Clyde Vollmer. May 8: The Red Sox sell pitcher Harry Dorish to the St. Louis Browns for an undisclosed amount of cash. May 15: The Red Sox unconditionally and unceremoniously release the only Black player in their organization, Piper Davis, from their Scranton affiliate after he plays only 15 games. Davis, 33, is leading the team—which is 2–13 and last in the Class A Eastern League—in doubles (four), home runs (three), and runs batted in (ten), with a batting average of .333."Piper Davis" at Baseball Reference. "What does a player have to do make the grade?" a frustrated Davis asks a local sportswriter. Tom Yawkey's Red Sox will take nine more years before breaking the baseball color line. June 2: Tom Umphlett reveals that he has recently signed a contract with the Red Sox as an amateur free agent. June 7: The Red Sox sign outfielder Neil Chrisley as an amateur free agent. June 21: The Red Sox sign amateur free agent Faye Throneberry on a $6000 contract.
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Opening Day lineup 7 Dom DiMaggio CF 6 Johnny Pesky 3B 9 Ted Williams LF 5 Vern Stephens SS 2 Al Zarilla RF 1 Bobby Doerr 2B10 Billy Goodman 1B14 Matt Batts C17 Mel Parnell P
Roster 1950 Boston Red Sox Roster Pitchers Catchers
Infielders Outfielders
Other batters Manager
Coaches (First base) (Third base) (Hitting) (Bullpen) (Bullpen)
Player stats
= Indicates team leader = Indicates league leader Batting
Starters by position Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; R = Runs; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases Pos Player G AB H R Avg. HR RBI SB C 79 268 83 33 .310 8 451 1B 136 559 180 101 .322 34 1440 2B 149 586 172 103.294 27 1203 SS 149 628 185 125 .295 30 1441 3B 127 490 153 112 .312 1 492 OF 130 471 153 92 .325 9 742 OF 89 334 106 82.317 28 973 OF 141 588 193 131.328 7 70 15
Other batters Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI 110 424 150 .354 4 68 75 238 65 .273 4 34 57 169 48 .284 7 37 54 107 34 .318 0 20 27 84 25 .298 1 12 9 31 4 .129 0 3 13 28 9 .321 0 2 24 17 5 .294 0 2 10 12 3 .250 0 2 6 11 4 .364 0 0 3 8 0 .000 0 0 1 0 0 ---- 0 0 1 0 0 ---- 0 0
Pitching
Starting pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Player G IP W L ERA SO 40 249.0 18 10 3.61 93 39 206.2 15 10 4.18 81 32 169.1 12 7 5.10 78 22 101.1 8 6 6.04 57
Other pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Player G IP W L ERA SO 48 207.0 14 12 4.26 95 38 130.0 7 3 5.19 96 33 129.1 8 6 5.64 60 3 19.0 2 0 1.42 8
Relief pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Player G W L SV ERA SO 16 4 2 2 6.75 19 15 2 2 1 9.26 13 14 3 2 0 8.34 14 11 0 0 0 7.24 6 9 1 0 0 3.79 5 8 0 0 0 10.29 1 4 0 0 0 4.50 3 1 0 0 0 3.86 0 1 0 0 0 18.00 1 1 0 0 0 20.25 0 1 0 0 0 9.00 0 1 0 0 0 6.75 0
Awards and Records +NameAwardRefs.Walt DropoAmerican League Rookie of the YearRBI MLB Leader (144)Vern StephensRBI MLB Leader (144)Billy GoodmanMLB Batting Champion
Farm system
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Roanoke, MarionJohnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 2nd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007
References
External links 1950 Boston Red Sox team page at Baseball Reference 1950 Boston Red Sox season at baseball-almanac.com