The 1933 major league baseball season began on April 12, 1933. The regular season ended on October 1, with the New York Giants and Washington Senators as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 30th World Series on October 3 and ended with Game 5 on October 7. In the second iteration of this World Series matchup, the Giants defeated the Senators, four games to one, capturing their fourth championship in franchise history, since their previous in . Going into the season, the defending World Series champions were the New York Yankees from the season.
The first All-Star Game was held on July 6 at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois, home of the Chicago White Sox. The American League won, 4–2.
The season featured eight players hitting for the cycle, tied for the most of any single major league season. It was also the last season before the Senators and Philadelphia Athletics became perennial American League cellar-dwellers. The Senators would have only four more winning seasons in Washington, D.C., and would not return to the World Series until 1965 as the Minnesota Twins, while the Athletics would have only four winning seasons until moving to Oakland in 1968, winning only 40.2 percent of their games over 34 seasons.
Schedule
The 1933 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 12 and saw ten teams across both leagues play. The final day of the regular season was on October 1 and featured all sixteen teams, continuing the trend which began with the season. The World Series took place between October 3 and October 7.
Rule change The 1933 season saw a rule change regarding player limits; all teams were required to reach the 23 player limit by May 15 (previously, the required date was June 15). June 15 was retained as the day of the trade deadline.
Teams LeagueTeamCityBallparkCapacityManagerBoston Red SoxBoston, MassachusettsFenway Park33,817Chicago White SoxChicago, IllinoisComiskey Park52,000Cleveland IndiansCleveland, OhioCleveland Stadium78,811Detroit 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, OhioRedland 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 10 tie games (4 in AL, 6 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, 1 Detroit Tigers, 1 New York Yankees, 2 Philadelphia Athletics, 1 St. Louis Browns, 2 Washington Senators, 1
National League Boston Braves, 2 Brooklyn Dodgers, 4 Cincinnati Reds, 1 New York Giants, 4 St. Louis Cardinals, 1
Postseason The postseason began on October 3 and ended on October 7 with the New York Giants defeating the Washington Senators in the 1933 World Series in five games.
Bracket
Managerial changes Off-season Team Former Manager New ManagerCincinnati RedsDan HowleyDonie BushWashington SenatorsWalter JohnsonJoe Cronin
In-season Team Former Manager New ManagerCleveland Indians Roger PeckinpaughBibb FalkBibb FalkWalter JohnsonDetroit TigersBucky HarrisDel BakerSt. Louis Browns Bill KilleferAllen SothoronAllen SothoronRogers HornsbySt. Louis CardinalsGabby StreetFrankie Frisch
League leaders Any team shown in indicates a previous team a player was on during the season.
American League
+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Jimmie Foxx1 (PHA) .356 OPS Jimmie Foxx (PHA) 1.153 HR Jimmie Foxx1 (PHA) 48 RBI Jimmie Foxx1 (PHA) 163 R Lou Gehrig (NYY) 138 H Heinie Manush (WSH) 221 SB Ben Chapman (NYY) 27 1 American League Triple Crown batting winner
+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Alvin Crowder (WSH)Lefty Grove (PHA) 24 L Ted Lyons (CWS) 21 ERA Mel Harder (CLE) 2.95 K Lefty Gomez (NYY) 163 IP Bump Hadley (SLB) 316.2 SV Jack Russell (WSH) 13 WHIP Firpo Marberry (DET) 1.229
National League
+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Chuck Klein2 (PHI) .368 OPS Chuck Klein (PHI) 1.025 HR Chuck Klein2 (PHI) 28 RBI Chuck Klein2 (PHI) 120 R Pepper Martin (STL) 122 H Chuck Klein (PHI) 223 SB Pepper Martin (STL) 26 2 National League Triple Crown batting winner
+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Carl Hubbell (NYG) 23 L Paul Derringer (CIN/) 27 ERA Carl Hubbell (NYG) 1.66 K Dizzy Dean (STL) 199 IP Carl Hubbell (NYG) 308.2 SV Phil Collins (PHI) 6 WHIP Carl Hubbell (NYG) 0.982
Milestones Batters Cycles
Pepper Martin (STL): Martin hit for his first cycle and seventh in franchise history, on May 5 against the Philadelphia Phillies. Chuck Klein (PHI): Klein hit for his second cycle and fifth in franchise history, on May 26 against the St. Louis Cardinals. Arky Vaughan (PIT): Vaughan hit for his first cycle and 10th in franchise history, on June 24 against the Brooklyn Dodgers. Mickey Cochrane (PHA): Cochrane hit for his second cycle and fifth in franchise history, on August 2 against the New York Yankees. Pinky Higgins (PHA): Higgins hit for his first cycle and sixth in franchise history, on August 6 against the Washington Senators. Jimmie Foxx (PHA): Higgins hit for his first cycle and seventh in franchise history, on August 14 against the Cleveland Indians. Earl Averill (CLE): Averill hit for his first cycle and second in franchise history, on August 17 against the Philadelphia Athletics. Babe Herman (CHC): Herman hit for his third cycle and fourth in franchise history, on September 30 against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Miscellaneous Lou Gehrig (NYY): Broke a Major League record for most consecutive games on August 17 by surpassing Everett Scott's record of 1,307.
Awards and honors Regular season
Baseball Writers' Association of America AwardsBBWAA AwardNational LeagueAmerican LeagueMost Valuable Player Carl Hubbell (NYG) Jimmie Foxx (PHA)
The Sporting News Awards Award National League American League Most Valuable Player Carl Hubbell (NYG) Jimmie Foxx (PHA)
Home field attendance Team nameWinsHome attendanceNew York Yankees91 −15.0%728,014 −24.3%9,707New York Giants9126.4%604,47124.7%7,850Chicago Cubs86 −4.4%594,112 −39.0%7,520Brooklyn Dodgers65 −19.8%526,815 −22.7%6,585Boston Braves837.8%517,8032.0%6,725Washington Senators996.5%437,53317.8%5,757Chicago White Sox6736.7%397,78970.6%5,166Cleveland Indians75 −13.8%387,936 −17.3%5,038Detroit Tigers75 −1.3%320,972 −19.2%4,115Philadelphia Athletics79 −16.0%297,138 −26.7%3,910Pittsburgh Pirates871.2%288,7470.5%3,750Boston Red Sox6346.5%268,71547.5%3,732St. Louis Cardinals8213.9%256,171 −8.3%3,327Cincinnati Reds58 −3.3%218,281 −38.8%2,763Philadelphia Phillies60 −23.1%156,421 −41.8%2,173St. Louis Browns55 −12.7%88,113 −21.7%1,144
Venues The 1933 saw the Cleveland Indians play their first full season at Cleveland Stadium, though would not do so again for another 13 seasons. The team would return to League Park following the conclusion of the season after only playing at Cleveland Stadium since mid-, but would play an increasing part of their to seasons at the Stadium until they permanently left League Park starting with the season.
See also 1933 in baseball (Events, Births, Deaths)
References
External links 1933 Major League Schedule at Baseball Reference