The 1940 major league baseball season began on April 16, 1940. The regular season ended on September 29, with the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 37th World Series on October 2 and ended with Game 7 on October 8. The Reds defeated the Tigers, four games to three, capturing their second 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 eighth All-Star Game was held on July 9 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis, Missouri, hosted by the St. Louis Cardinals. The National League won, 4–0.
Schedule
The 1940 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 16, featured all sixteen teams, the first since the season. The final day of the regular season was on September 29, which also saw all sixteen teams play, the first since the season. This was the first time since that all sixteen teams played their first and last games on the same days. The World Series took place between October 2 and October 8.
Rule changes The 1940 season saw the following rule changes: The scoring sacrifice fly, exempting a batter from a time at bat when a runner scored after the putout on a fly ball, was eliminated after being reimplemented the previous season, given that sacrifices nearly doubled. The sacrifice fly would be reimplemented in . When a run scores as result of a batter hitting into a double play, he is no longer awarded a run batted in. In the American League, a rule attempting to curb the four-consecutive World Series winning New York Yankees was implemented, limiting any defending champion team from trading with other American League teams, except through waivers. A champion team could purchase a player outright only when the other seven teams waived such transaction. The rule would eventually be repealed following the season.
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, OhioCleveland Stadium78,811League Park*22,500*Detroit TigersDetroit, MichiganBriggs Stadium58,000New York YankeesNew York, New YorkYankee Stadium71,699Philadelphia AthleticsPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaShibe Park33,000St. Louis BrownsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park34,023Washington SenatorsWashington, D.C.Griffith Stadium32,000Boston BeesBoston, MassachusettsNational League Park45,000Brooklyn DodgersNew York, New YorkEbbets Field35,000Chicago CubsChicago, IllinoisWrigley Field38,000Cincinnati RedsCincinnati, OhioCrosley Field29,401New York GiantsNew York, New YorkPolo Grounds56,000Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaShibe Park33,000Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaForbes Field33,537St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park34,023
Standings
American League
National League
Tie games 8 tie games (3 in AL, 5 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 Cleveland Indians, 1 Detroit Tigers, 1 New York Yankees, 1 St. Louis Browns, 2
National League Brooklyn Dodgers, 3 Cincinnati Reds, 2 Pittsburgh Pirates, 2 St. Louis Cardinals, 3
Postseason The postseason began on October 2 and ended on October 8 with the Cincinnati Reds defeating the Detroit Tigers in the 1940 World Series in seven games.
Bracket
Managerial changes Off-season Team Former Manager New ManagerPhiladelphia Athletics Earle Mack Connie MackPittsburgh Pirates Pie Traynor Frankie Frisch
In-season Team Former Manager New ManagerSt. Louis Cardinals Ray Blades Mike González Mike González Billy Southworth
League leaders American League
+ Hitting leadersStat PlayerTotal AVG Joe DiMaggio (NYY) .352 OPS Hank Greenberg (DET) 1.103 HR Hank Greenberg (DET) 41 RBI Hank Greenberg (DET) 150 R Ted Williams (BOS) 134 H Doc Cramer (BOS)Barney McCosky (DET)Rip Radcliff (SLB) 200 SB George Case (WSH) 35
+ Pitching leadersStat PlayerTotal W Bob Feller1 (CLE) 27 L George Caster (PHA)Dutch Leonard (WSH) 19 ERA Bob Feller1 (CLE) 2.61 K Bob Feller1 (CLE) 261 IP Bob Feller (CLE) 320.1 SV Al Benton (DET) 17 WHIP Bob Feller (CLE) 1.133 1 American League Triple Crown pitching winner
National League
+ Hitting leadersStat PlayerTotal AVG Debs Garms (PIT) .355 OPS Johnny Mize (STL) 1.039 HR Johnny Mize (STL) 43 RBI Johnny Mize (STL) 137 R Arky Vaughan (PIT) 113 H Stan Hack (CHC)Frank McCormick (CIN) 191 SB Lonny Frey (CIN) 22
+ Pitching leadersStat PlayerTotal W Bucky Walters (CIN) 22 L Hugh Mulcahy (PHI) 22 ERA Bucky Walters (CIN) 2.48 K Kirby Higbe (PHI) 137 IP Bucky Walters (CIN) 305.0 SV Joe Beggs (CIN)Jumbo Brown (NYG)Mace Brown (PIT) 7 WHIP Bucky Walters (CIN) 1.092
Milestones Batters Cycles
Harry Craft (CIN): Craft hit for his first cycle and seventh in franchise history, on June 8 against the Brooklyn Dodgers. Harry Danning (NYG): Danning hit for his first cycle and 12th in franchise history, on June 15 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Johnny Mize (STL): Mize hit for his first cycle and ninth in franchise history, in game one of a doubleheader on July 13 against the New York Giants. Buddy Rosar (NYY): Rosar hit for his first cycle and ninth in franchise history, on July 19 against the Cleveland Indians. Joe Cronin (BOS): Cronin hit for his second cycle and seventh in franchise history, on August 2 against the Detroit Tigers. Joe Gordon (NYY): Gordon hit for his first cycle and 10th in franchise history, on September 8 against the Boston Red Sox.
Other batting accomplishments Jimmie Foxx (BOS): Became the second player in Major League history to hit 500 home runs in the sixth inning in game one of a doubleheader against the Philadelphia Athletics on September 24.
Pitchers No-hitters
Bob Feller (CLE): Feller threw his first career no-hitter and sixth no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Chicago White Sox 1–0 on April 16. Feller walked five and struck out eight. Tex Carleton (BRO): Carleton threw his first career no-hitter and eighth no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Cincinnati Reds 3–0 on April 30. Carleton walked two and struck out four.
Miscellaneous Brooklyn Dodgers: Set a major league record for most runs scored in the 20th inning, by scoring four runs against the Boston Bees on July 5.
Awards and honors
Regular season Baseball Writers' Association of America AwardsBBWAA AwardNational LeagueAmerican LeagueMost Valuable Player Frank McCormick (CIN) Hank Greenberg (DET)
Other awards The Sporting News Awards Award National League American League Most Valuable Player Frank McCormick (CIN) Hank Greenberg (DET) Player of the Year — Bob Feller (CLE) Manager of the Year Bill McKechnie (CIN) — Executive of the Year — Walter Briggs Sr. (DET)
Home field attendance Team nameWinsHome attendanceDetroit Tigers9011.1%1,112,69333.1%14,085New York Yankees88 −17.0%988,97515.0%13,013Brooklyn Dodgers884.8%975,9782.1%12,049Cleveland Indians892.3%902,57660.1%11,007Cincinnati Reds1003.1%850,180 −13.4%11,041New York Giants72 −6.5%747,8526.5%9,840Boston Red Sox82 −7.9%716,23425.0%9,066Chicago White Sox82 −3.5%660,33611.1%8,466Chicago Cubs75 −10.7%534,878 −26.4%6,946Pittsburgh Pirates7814.7%507,93434.8%6,772Philadelphia Athletics54 −1.8%432,1459.4%6,087Washington Senators64 −1.5%381,24112.4%4,951St. Louis Cardinals84 −8.7%324,078 −19.0%4,209Boston Bees653.2%241,616 −15.5%3,222St. Louis Browns6755.8%239,591119.5%3,112Philadelphia Phillies5011.1%207,177 −25.5%2,622
Venues Over 82 home games, the Cleveland Indians played 49 games at Cleveland Stadium and 33 games at League Park. All Sunday home games took place at Cleveland Stadium. This would be the 6th of 12 seasons since that saw the Indians play at both venues.
Retired numbers Willard Hershberger had his No. 5 retired by the Cincinnati Reds, though his number would enter circulation just two years later. His number would later be re-retired to honor Johnny Bench in . This was the first number retired by the team.
See also 1940 in baseball (Events, Births, Deaths)
References
External links 1940 Major League Schedule at Baseball Reference