The 1938 major league baseball season began on April 18, 1938. The regular season ended on October 2, with the Chicago Cubs 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 35th World Series on October 5 and ended with Game 4 on October 9. In the second iteration of this World Series matchup, the Yankees swept the Cubs in four games, capturing their seventh championship in franchise history, and their third in a four-World Series run, becoming the first team to win three consecutive World Series.
The sixth All-Star Game was held on July 6 at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, Ohio, home of the Cincinnati Reds. The National League won, 4–1.
Schedule
The 1938 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.
American League Opening Day took place on April 18 with four teams playing, while National League Opening Day took place the following day, featuring all eight teams. This was the first season since that both leagues opened on different days. The final day of the regular season was on October 2 and featured all sixteen teams, continuing the trend since the previous season. The World Series took place between October 5 and October 9.
Teams An asterisk (*) denotes the ballpark a team played the minority of their home games at LeagueTeamCityBallparkCapacityManagerBoston Red SoxBoston, MassachusettsFenway Park33,817Chicago White SoxChicago, IllinoisComiskey Park50,000Cleveland IndiansCleveland, OhioLeague Park22,500Cleveland Stadium*78,811*Detroit TigersDetroit, MichiganBriggs Stadium58,000New York YankeesNew York, New YorkYankee Stadium71,699Philadelphia AthleticsPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaShibe Park33,000St. Louis BrownsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park34,023Gabby StreetWashington SenatorsWashington, D.C.Griffith Stadium32,000Boston BeesBoston, MassachusettsNational League Park41,700Brooklyn DodgersNew York, New YorkEbbets Field35,000Chicago CubsChicago, IllinoisWrigley Field38,396Cincinnati RedsCincinnati, OhioCrosley Field29,401New York GiantsNew York, New YorkPolo Grounds51,856Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaBaker Bowl*18,800*Shibe Park33,000Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaForbes Field40,000St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park34,023
Standings
American League
National League
Tie games 16 tie games (8 in AL, 8 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 Cleveland Indians, 1 Detroit Tigers, 1 New York Yankees, 5 Philadelphia Athletics, 2 St. Louis Browns, 4 Washington Senators, 1
National League Boston Bees, 1 Brooklyn Dodgers, 2 Chicago Cubs, 2 Cincinnati Reds, 1 New York Giants, 2 Philadelphia Phillies, 1 Pittsburgh Pirates, 2 St. Louis Cardinals, 5
Postseason The postseason began on October 5 and ended on October 9 with the New York Yankees sweeping the Chicago Cubs in the 1938 World Series in four games.
Bracket
Managerial changes Off-season Team Former Manager New ManagerBoston Bees Bill McKechnie Casey StengelCincinnati Reds Bobby Wallace Bill McKechnieCleveland Indians Steve O'Neill Ossie VittDetroit Tigers Cy Perkins Mickey CochranePhiladelphia Athletics Earle Mack Connie MackSt. Louis Browns Jim Bottomley Gabby Street
In-season Team Former Manager New ManagerChicago Cubs Charlie Grimm Gabby HartnettDetroit Tigers Mickey Cochrane Del BakerPhiladelphia Phillies Jimmie Wilson Hans LobertSt. Louis Browns Gabby Street Oscar MelilloSt. Louis Cardinals Frankie Frisch Mike González
League leaders American League
+ Hitting leadersStat PlayerTotal AVG Jimmie Foxx (BOS) .349 OPS Jimmie Foxx (BOS) 1.166 HR Hank Greenberg (DET) 58 RBI Jimmie Foxx (BOS) 175 R Hank Greenberg (DET) 143 H Joe Vosmik (BOS) 201 SB Frankie Crosetti (NYY) 27
+ Pitching leadersStat PlayerTotal W Red Ruffing (NYY) 21 L George Caster (PHA) 20 ERA Lefty Grove (BOS) 3.08 K Bob Feller (CLE) 240 IP Bobo Newsom (SLB) 329.2 SV Johnny Murphy (NYY) 11 WHIP Dutch Leonard (WSH) 1.227
National League
+ Hitting leadersStat PlayerTotal AVG Ernie Lombardi (CIN) .342 OPS Johnny Mize (STL) 1.036 HR Mel Ott (NYG) 36 RBI Joe Medwick (STL) 122 R Mel Ott (NYG) 116 H Frank McCormick (CIN) 237 SB Stan Hack (CHC) 16
+ Pitching leadersStat PlayerTotal W Bill Lee (CHC) 22 L Hugh Mulcahy (PHI) 20 ERA Bill Lee (CHC) 2.66 K Clay Bryant (CHC) 135 IP Paul Derringer (CIN) 307.0 SV Dick Coffman (NYG) 12 WHIP Carl Hubbell (NYG) 1.140
Milestones Batters Cycles
Odell Hale (CLE): Hale hit for his first cycle and third in franchise history, on July 12 against the Washington Senators.
Other batting accomplishments Jimmie Foxx (BOS): Became the third player in Major League history to hit 400 home runs in the fifth inning against the Cleveland Indians on June 27.
Pitchers No-hitters
Johnny Vander Meer (CIN): Vander Meer threw his first career no-hitter and sixth no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Boston Bees 3–0 on June 11. Vander Meer walked three and struck out four. Vander Meer threw his second career no-hitter and seventh no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Brooklyn Dodgers 6–0 on June 15. Vander Meer walked eight and struck out seven. He is the first in major league history to throw two no-hitters in a season, as well as the only player to ever throw no-hitters in back-to-back starts, the latter of which has been described as "the most unbreakable of all baseball records" by LIFE. Monte Pearson (NYY): Pearson threw his first career no-hitter and third no-hitter in franchise, by defeating the Cleveland Indians 13–0 on August 27. Pearson walked two and struck out seven.
Other pitching accomplishments Bob Feller (CLE): Set a modern Major League record for most strikeouts in a single game, throwing 18 strikeouts in a 4–1 loss to the Detroit Tigers in game one of a doubleheader on October 2.
Awards and honors Regular season Baseball Writers' Association of America AwardsBBWAA AwardNational LeagueAmerican League Most Valuable Player Ernie Lombardi (CIN) Jimmie Foxx (BSN)
Other awards The Sporting News Awards Award National League American League Most Valuable Player Ernie Lombardi (CIN) Jimmie Foxx (BSN) Player of the Year Johnny Vander Meer (CIN) — Manager of the Year — Joe McCarthy (NYY) Executive of the Year Warren Giles (CIN) —
Baseball Hall of Fame
Grover Cleveland Alexander Alexander Cartwright (pioneer contributor) Henry Chadwick (pioneer contributor)
Home field attendance Team nameWinsHome attendanceNew York Yankees99 −2.9%970,916 −2.7%12,290Chicago Cubs89 −4.3%951,6406.3%12,359New York Giants83 −12.6%799,633 −13.7%10,954Detroit Tigers84 −5.6%799,557 −25.4%10,121Cincinnati Reds8246.4%706,75671.9%9,179Brooklyn Dodgers6911.3%663,08737.4%8,961Cleveland Indians863.6%652,00615.4%8,579Boston Red Sox8810.0%646,45915.5%8,619Pittsburgh Pirates860.0%641,03339.5%8,218Washington Senators752.7%522,69431.4%6,701Philadelphia Athletics53 −1.9%385,357 −10.5%5,070Boston Bees77 −2.5%341,149 −11.5%4,549Chicago White Sox65 −24.4%338,278 −42.6%4,634St. Louis Cardinals71 −12.3%291,418 −32.4%3,598Philadelphia Phillies45 −26.2%166,111 −21.9%2,215St. Louis Browns5519.6%130,4175.9%1,694
Venues Over 76 home games, the Cleveland Indians played 58 games at League Park and 18 games at Cleveland Stadium. All Thursday games took place at League Park. This would be the 4th of 12 seasons since that saw the Indians play at both venues.
The Detroit Tigers' venue, Navin Field, named after former owner Frank Navin, was renamed to Briggs Stadium, named after new owner Walter Briggs Sr., prior to the season's start.
The Philadelphia Phillies would play their last game at the Baker Bowl on June 30 after 28 home games, having played 52 seasons there going back to , and moved into the Philadelphia Athletics' home at Shibe Park, where they would go on to play for 33 seasons through .
See also 1938 in baseball (Events, Births, Deaths)
References
External links 1938 Major League Schedule at Baseball Reference