The 1950 major league baseball season began on April 18, 1950. The regular season ended on October 1, with the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 47th World Series on October 4 and ended with Game 4 on October 7. The Yankees swept the Phillies in four games, capturing their 13th championship in franchise history, and their second of five consecutive World Series titles.

The 17th All-Star Game was held on July 11 at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois, home of the Chicago White Sox. The National League won, 4–3.

On Opening Day, April 18, the Boston Braves became the fifth team in MLB to break the color line when they fielded Sam Jethroe.

The only no-hitter of the season was pitched by Vern Bickford on August 9, in the Boston Braves 7–0 victory over the Brooklyn Dodgers. This season saw the first use of a bullpen car, by the Cleveland Indians.

Schedule

The 1950 schedule consisted of 154 games for all teams in the American League and National League, each of which had eight teams. Each team was scheduled to play 22 games against the other seven teams of their respective league. This continued the format put in place since the season (except for ) and would be used until in the American League and in the National League.

Opening Day took place on April 18, featuring all 16 teams, the first time since . The final day of the regular season was on October 1, which also saw all 16 teams play, continuing the trend from . This was the first time since that all 16 teams played their first and last games on the same days. The World Series took place between October 4 and October 7.

Rule changes The 1950 season saw the following rule changes: Home team must bat second, in the bottom of the inning. This replaced the previous rule which would give the manager or captain of the home team preference to whether the home team would bat first or second. A major league game did not feature a home team in the top of the inning since 1914. The pitching mound must be 15 inches high. The previous rule stated that the maximum height was 15 inches but gave no minimum. Rules for determining winning and losing pitcher were formally established (though followed the same standard since 1920). A winning pitcher is determined by the pitcher who is currently in the game when his team scores the leading run, where the team does not give up the lead later. A starting pitcher must pitch at least five innings, or else the win goes to the reliever deemed "most effective". A losing pitcher is determined by the pitcher to give up the losing run. The size of all gloves, aside from first baseman and catcher's gloves, are regulated to be no more than 8 inches wide and 12 inches long. The size and shape of the webbing between the thumb and index finger was also regulated. The strike zone was redefined and shrunk to be from the armpits to the top of the knees of the batter. When a batter reaches first on a strikeout due to a passed ball on strike three, the pitcher is charged with an error, not a wild pitch. However, when determining earned runs for said pitcher, the ball is treated as a wild pitch, so that the pitcher would not be absolved for causing the opposing team scoring on said passed ball. For the 1950 season only, if a baserunner is attempting to steal a base, and is "well advanced towards the base" while a balk is called, the runner is awarded a stolen base. Rules regarding drafting high-school-age players were amended. Previously, a player who had either left school early or who did not finish high school on schedule had to wait until his last enrolled class (potentially later than the class in which he started school) graduated. Now, a high-school student could sign with a professional club after the class in which he first entered high school had graduated. In an arrangement between the major leagues and the US Department of Justice, teams could authorize broadcasts outside a 50-mile radius of their ballpark at hours when a team in the broadcast area was not playing. Players now had to remain on the disabled list for only 30 days instead of 60 (this introduced the 30-day disabled list, along with the already existing 60-day list). The National League made the following changes in regards to night games: Aside from local ordinances, the 12:50a.m. curfew restriction for games was lifted, allowing tie games to continue indefinitely until a team won. The suspended-game policy, which stated that a game that had to be halted (primarily) due to a curfew would resume the next time the two teams met, was restored. The twilight doubleheader was restored, matching policy of the American League. Ballpark lights were now allowed to be turned on when afternoon games ran into darkness before its conclusion. In contrast to the National League, the American League allowed ballpark lights to be turned on when afternoon games ran into darkness, but only during the final series of the season, and only for teams vying for first, second, third, or fourth place in the standings.

Teams LeagueTeamCityBallparkCapacityManagerBoston Red SoxBoston, MassachusettsFenway Park35,200Chicago White SoxChicago, IllinoisComiskey Park47,400Cleveland IndiansCleveland, OhioCleveland Stadium73,811Detroit TigersDetroit, MichiganBriggs Stadium58,000New York YankeesNew York, New YorkYankee Stadium67,000Philadelphia AthleticsPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaShibe Park33,166St. Louis BrownsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park34,000Washington SenatorsWashington, D.C.Griffith Stadium29,731Boston BravesBoston, MassachusettsBraves Field37,106Brooklyn DodgersNew York, New YorkEbbets Field32,111Chicago CubsChicago, IllinoisWrigley Field38,690Cincinnati RedsCincinnati, OhioCrosley Field30,101New York GiantsNew York, New YorkPolo Grounds54,500Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaShibe Park33,166Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaForbes Field33,730St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park34,000

Standings

American League

National League

Tie games 8 tie games (4 in AL, 4 in NL), which are not factored into winning percentage or games behind (and were often replayed again) occurred throughout the season.

American League Chicago White Sox, 2 Cleveland Indians, 1 Detroit Tigers, 3 New York Yankees, 1 Philadelphia Athletics, 1 Washington Senators, 1

National League Boston Braves, 2 Brooklyn Dodgers, 1 Chicago Cubs, 1 Philadelphia Phillies, 3 Pittsburgh Pirates, 1

Postseason The postseason began on October 4 and ended on October 7, with the New York Yankees sweeping the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1950 World Series in four games.

Bracket

Managerial changes Off-season Team Former Manager New ManagerBoston BravesJohnny CooneyBilly SouthworthWashington SenatorsJoe KuhelBucky Harris

In-season Team Former Manager New ManagerBoston Red Sox Joe McCarthySteve O'NeillChicago White Sox Jack OnslowRed Corriden

League leaders American League

+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Billy Goodman (BoS) .354 OPS Larry Doby (CLE) .986 HR Al Rosen (CLE) 37 RBI Walt Dropo (BOS)Vern Stephens (BOS) 144 R Dom DiMaggio (BOS) 131 H George Kell (DET) 218 SB Dom DiMaggio (BOS) 15

+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Bob Lemon (CLE) 23 L Alex Kellner (PHA) 20 ERA Early Wynn (CLE) 3.20 K Bob Lemon (CLE) 170 IP Bob Lemon (CLE) 288.0 SV Mickey Harris (WSH) 15 WHIP Early Wynn (CLE) 1.250

National League

+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Stan Musial (STL) .346 OPS Stan Musial (STL) 1.034 HR Ralph Kiner (PIT) 47 RBI Del Ennis (PHI) 126 R Earl Torgeson (BSN) 120 H Duke Snider (BRO) 199 SB Sam Jethroe (BSN) 35

+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Warren Spahn (BSN) 21 L Bob Rush (CHC) 20 ERA Sal Maglie (NYG) 2.71 K Warren Spahn (BSN) 191 IP Vern Bickford (BSN) 311.2 SV Jim Konstanty (PHI) 22 WHIP Larry Jansen (NYG) 1.065

Milestones Batters Four home runs in one game

Gil Hodges (BRO): Became the sixth player to hit four home runs in one game in a 19–3 win against the Boston Braves on August 31.

Cycles

George Kell (DET): Kell hit for his first cycle and sixth in franchise history, in game two of a doubleheader on June 2 against the Philadelphia Athletics. Ralph Kiner (PIT): Kiner hit for his first cycle and 16th in franchise history, on June 25 against the Brooklyn Dodgers. Roy Smalley Jr. (CHC): Smalley hit for his first cycle and fifth in franchise history, on June 28 against the St. Louis Cardinals. Elmer Valo (PHA): Valo hit for his first cycle and 10th in franchise history, on August 2 against the Chicago White Sox. Hoot Evers (DET): Evers hit for his firsy cycle and seventh in franchise history, on September 7 against the Cleveland Indians.

Other batting accomplishments Bob Elliott / Sid Gordon / Willard Marshall / Luis Olmo / Earl Torgeson (BSN): Set a National League record of 13 home runs in three consecutive games from May 4 to 6. Jack Phillips (PIT): Became the first pinch-hitter to hit a walk-off grand slam in major league history in a 7–6 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on July 8. Ron Northey (CHC/): Set a Major League record by becoming the first player to hit three career grand slams as a pinch-hitter on September 18 as a part of the Chicago Cubs in a 9–7 victory over the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Pitchers No-hitters

Vern Bickford (BSN): Bickford threw his first career no-hitter and seventh no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Brooklyn Dodgers 7–0 on August 11. Bickford walked four and struck out three, throwing 55 strikes on 97 pitches.

Other pitching accomplishments Bob Feller (CLE): Recorded his 200th career win on July 2 against the Detroit Tigers.

Awards and honors Regular season Baseball Writers' Association of America AwardsBBWAA AwardNational LeagueAmerican LeagueRookie of the Year Sam Jethroe (BSN) Walt Dropo (BOS)Most Valuable Player Jim Konstanty (PHI) Phil Rizzuto (NYY) Babe Ruth Award(World Series MVP) — Jerry Coleman (NYY)

Other awards The Sporting News Awards Award National League American League Player of the Year — Phil Rizzuto (NYY) Pitcher of the Year Jim Konstanty (PHI) Bob Lemon (CLE) Rookie of the Year — Whitey Ford (NYY) Manager of the Year — Red Rolfe (DET) Executive of the Year — George Weiss (NYY)

Home field attendance Team nameWinsHome attendanceNew York Yankees981.0%2,081,380 −8.9%27,031Detroit Tigers959.2%1,951,4747.2%24,092Cleveland Indians923.4%1,727,464 −22.7%22,435Boston Red Sox94 −2.1%1,344,080 −15.8%17,456Philadelphia Phillies9112.3%1,217,03548.5%15,603Brooklyn Dodgers89 −8.2%1,185,896 −27.4%15,204Pittsburgh Pirates57 −19.7%1,166,267 −19.5%15,146Chicago Cubs644.9%1,165,9442.0%14,948St. Louis Cardinals78 −18.8%1,093,411 −23.6%14,387New York Giants8617.8%1,008,878 −17.2%13,275Boston Braves8310.7%944,391 −12.7%11,954Chicago White Sox60 −4.8%781,330 −16.6%9,890Washington Senators6734.0%699,697 −9.2%8,970Cincinnati Reds666.5%538,794 −23.9%7,089Philadelphia Athletics52 −35.8%309,805 −62.1%4,023St. Louis Browns589.4%247,131 −8.8%3,340

See also 1950 in baseball (Events, Movies, Births, Deaths) 1950 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League season 1950 Nippon Professional Baseball season

References

External links

1950 Major League Schedule at Baseball Reference