The 1934 major league baseball season began on April 17, 1934. The regular season ended on September 30, with the St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 31st World Series on October 3 and ended with Game 7 on October 9. The Cardinals then defeated the Tigers, four games to three, capturing their third championship in franchise history, since their previous in . Going into the season, the defending World Series champions were the New York Giants from the season.
The second All-Star Game was held on July 10 at the Polo Grounds in New York, New York, home of the New York Giants. The American League won, 9–7.
Schedule
The 1934 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, April 17, featured all sixteen teams, the first since the season. The final day of the regular season was on September 30, which also saw all sixteen teams play, continued the trend which began with the season. This was the second time that both Opening Day and the final day of the season saw all sixteen teams play, the previous being in . The World Series took place between October 3 and October 9.
Rule changes The 1934 season saw the following rule changes: The National and American Leagues agree to adopt a uniform ball, authorizing respective Presidents John Heydler and Will Harridge to meet with manufactures and settle on a ball for both leagues. Both leagues agreed to prohibit "synthetic" doubleheaders (which is when teams would postpone weekday games to have two games on a weekend day) on Sundays until after June 15. Both leagues altered the practices governing counting players on option toward team limits and salary responsibility for optioned players.
Teams LeagueTeamCityBallparkCapacityManagerBoston Red SoxBoston, MassachusettsFenway Park33,817Chicago White SoxChicago, IllinoisComiskey Park52,000Cleveland IndiansCleveland, OhioLeague Park21,414Detroit TigersDetroit, MichiganNavin Field30,000New York YankeesNew York, New YorkYankee Stadium62,000Philadelphia AthleticsPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaShibe Park33,000St. Louis BrownsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park34,023Washington SenatorsWashington, D.C.Griffith Stadium32,000Boston BravesBoston, MassachusettsBraves Field46,500Brooklyn DodgersNew York, New YorkEbbets Field32,000Chicago CubsChicago, IllinoisWrigley Field40,000Cincinnati RedsCincinnati, OhioCrosley Field26,060New York GiantsNew York, New YorkPolo Grounds56,000Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaBaker Bowl18,800Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaForbes Field41,000St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park34,023
Standings
American League
National League
Tie games 8 tie games (5 in AL, 3 in NL), which are not factored into winning percentage or games behind (and were often replayed again) occurred throughout the season.
American League Boston Red Sox, 1 Chicago White Sox, 1 Philadelphia Athletics, 3 St. Louis Browns, 2 Washington Senators, 3
National League Boston Braves, 1 Brooklyn Dodgers, 1 Chicago Cubs, 1 Cincinnati Reds, 1 Pittsburgh Pirates, 1 St. Louis Cardinals, 1
Postseason The postseason began on October 3 and ended on October 9 with the St. Louis Cardinals defeating the Detroit Tigers in the 1934 World Series in seven games.
Bracket
Managerial changes Off-season Team Former Manager New ManagerBoston Red Sox Marty McManusBucky HarrisBrooklyn DodgersMax CareyCasey StengelCincinnati RedsDonie BushBob O'FarrellDetroit Tigers Del BakerMickey CochranePhiladelphia PhilliesBurt ShottonJimmie Wilson In-season Team Former Manager New ManagerChicago White Sox Lew FonsecaJimmy DykesCincinnati RedsBob O'FarrellBurt ShottonBurt ShottonChuck DressenPittsburgh PiratesGeorge GibsonPie Traynor
League leaders American League
+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Lou Gehrig1 (NYY) .363 OPS Lou Gehrig (NYY) 1.172 HR Lou Gehrig1 (NYY) 49 RBI Lou Gehrig1 (NYY) 166 R Charlie Gehringer (DET) 135 H Charlie Gehringer (DET) 214 SB Billy Werber (BOS) 40 1 American League Triple Crown batting winner
+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Lefty Gomez2 (NYY) 26 L Bobo Newsom (SLB) 20 ERA Lefty Gomez2 (NYY) 2.33 K Lefty Gomez2 (NYY) 158 IP Lefty Gomez (NYY) 281.2 SV Jack Russell (WSH) 8 WHIP Lefty Gomez (NYY) 1.133 2 American League Triple Crown pitching winner
National League
+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Paul Waner (PIT) .362 OPS Ripper Collins (STL) 1.008 HR Ripper Collins (STL)Mel Ott (NYG) 35 RBI Mel Ott (NYG) 135 R Paul Waner (PIT) 122 H Paul Waner (PIT) 217 SB Pepper Martin (STL) 23
+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Dizzy Dean (STL) 30 L Si Johnson (CIN) 22 ERA Carl Hubbell (NYG) 2.30 K Dizzy Dean (STL) 195 IP Van Mungo (BRO) 315.1 SV Carl Hubbell (NYG) 8 WHIP Carl Hubbell (NYG) 1.032
Milestones Batters Cycles
Doc Cramer (PHA): Cramer hit for his first cycle and eighth in franchise history, on June 10 against the New York Yankees. Lou Gehrig (NYY): Gehrig hit for his first cycle and sixth in franchise history, on June 25 against the Chicago White Sox. Moose Solters (BOS): Solters hit for his first cycle and sixth in franchise history, in game one of a doubleheader on August 19 against the Detroit Tigers.
Other batting accomplishments Goose Goslin (DET): Sets a major league record when he grounds into four double plays in a single game against the Cleveland Indians on April 28. Babe Ruth (NYY): Became the first player in Major League history to hit 700 home runs on July 13 against the Detroit Tigers.
Pitchers No-hitters
Paul Dean (STL): Dean threw his first career no-hitter and third no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Brooklyn Dodgers 3–0 in game two of a doubleheader on September 21. Dean walked one and struck out six.
Awards and honors Regular season
Baseball Writers' Association of America AwardsBBWAA AwardNational LeagueAmerican LeagueMost Valuable Player Dizzy Dean (STL) Mickey Cochrane (DET)
The Sporting News Awards Award National League American League Most Valuable Player Dizzy Dean (STL) Lou Gehrig (NYY)
Home field attendance Team nameWinsHome attendanceDetroit Tigers10134.7%919,161186.4%11,490New York Yankees943.3%854,68217.4%11,100New York Giants932.2%730,85120.9%9,745Chicago Cubs860.0%707,52519.1%9,189Boston Red Sox7620.6%610,640127.2%7,930Brooklyn Dodgers719.2%434,188 −17.6%5,639Cleveland Indians8513.3%391,3380.9%5,017Washington Senators66 −33.3%330,074 −24.6%4,343St. Louis Cardinals9515.9%325,05626.9%4,222Pittsburgh Pirates74 −14.9%322,62211.7%4,136Philadelphia Athletics68 −13.9%305,8472.9%4,024Boston Braves78 −6.0%303,205 −41.4%4,043Chicago White Sox53 −20.9%236,559 −40.5%3,154Cincinnati Reds52 −10.3%206,773 −5.3%2,651Philadelphia Phillies56 −6.7%169,8858.6%2,393St. Louis Browns6721.8%115,30530.9%1,517
Venues After moving into Cleveland Stadium mid-way through the season, the Cleveland Indians move back into League Park due to plummeting attendance caused by the Great Depression.
The Cincinnati Reds' Redland Field is renamed to Crosley Field following the February 1934 purchase of the Reds by local businessman Powel Crosley Jr.
See also 1934 in baseball (Events, Births, Deaths)
References
External links 1934 Major League Schedule at Baseball Reference