Wikipedia

1948 in baseball

See also: 1948 Major League Baseball season and 1948 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League season

The following are the baseball events of the year 1948 throughout the world.

Champions

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Major League Baseball

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Other champions

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Winter Leagues

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Club tournaments

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Awards and honors

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Statistical leaders

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American League National League Negro American League Negro National League
Stat Player Total Player Total Player Total Player Total
AVG Ted Williams (BRS) .369 Stan Musial (SLC) .376 Artie Wilson (BIR) .433 Lester Lockett (BAL) .362
HR Joe DiMaggio (NYY) 39 Ralph Kiner (PIT)
Johnny Mize (NYG) 		40 Willard Brown (KC) 7 Luke Easter (HOM)
Lester Lockett (BAL) 		6
RBI Joe DiMaggio (NYY) 155 Stan Musial (SLC) 131 Willard Brown (KC) 54 Lester Lockett (BAL) 53
W Hal Newhouser (DET) 21 Johnny Sain (BSB) 24 Jim LaMarque (KC) 9 Bill Byrd (BAL) 10
ERA Gene Bearden (CLE) 2.43 Harry Brecheen (SLC) 2.24 Ford Smith (KC) 2.43 Bill Ricks (PHS) 1.56
K Bob Feller (CLE) 164 Harry Brecheen (SLC) 149 Jim LaMarque (KC) 80 Joe Black (BAL) 85

Major league baseball final standings

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American League final standings

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National League final standings

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Negro league baseball final standings

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All Negro leagues standings below are per Seamheads.[1]

Negro American League final standings

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Negro National League final standings

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This was the sixteenth and final season of the Negro National League. Homestead and Baltimore each won a half of the season. As such, they were matched against each other in the postseason. In the playoffs, Homestead won Games 1 and 2 before a curfew called Game 3 in the ninth inning. Game 4 went to Baltimore, but Homestead had protested that Game 3 should be played from where Game 3 had been stopped (8–4, bases loaded) rather than the start of the ninth inning (tied). The league agreed, but Baltimore refused to play and therefore forfeited.[2]

Negro league postseason

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1948 was the 23rd and final time that there was a "Playoff Series" held between black baseball teams. 1913 is retroactively the only one not in the major league era of Negro league baseball (1920–1948). 1948 is the only time that saw both the American and National League hold a postseason series to determine the pennant (Major League Baseball would not hold such a format for 21 years).[3][4]

  • Negro American League Championship Series: Birmingham Black Barons over Kansas City Monarchs 4–3 (one tie).
  • Negro National League Championship Series: Homestead Grays over Baltimore Elite Giants 2–1 (one forfeit).
  • 1948 Negro World Series: Homestead Grays over Birmingham Black Barons 4–1.

All-American Girls Professional Baseball League final standings

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Eastern Division

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Rank Team W L Pct. GB
1 Grand Rapids Chicks 77 48 .616 —
2 Muskegon Lassies 67 58 .536 10
3 South Bend Blue Sox 57 69 .452 20+1⁄2
4 Fort Wayne Daisies 53 73 .421 24+1⁄2
5 Chicago Colleens 47 77 .379 29+1⁄2

Western Division

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Rank Team W L Pct. GB
1 Racine Belles 77 49 .616 —
2 Rockford Peaches 75 50 .600 1+1⁄2
3 Peoria Redwings 71 55 .563 6
4 Kenosha Comets 62 64 .421 15
5 Springfield Sallies 41 84 .328 35+1⁄2

Events

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February

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March

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April

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May

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June

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July

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August

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September

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October

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November

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  • November 10 – The Chicago White Sox acquire young left handed pitcher Billy Pierce from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for All-Star catcher Aaron Robinson, in a move that will give them their pitching ace for the next decade. Detroit even sweetens the deal with $10,000. Pierce will win 186 games for the White Sox over the next 13 years, but Robinson will last fewer than three seasons in Detroit.
  • November 26 – National League president Ford Frick steps in and pays $350 for funeral services, including the cost of a coffin, for the unclaimed body of Hack Wilson. The former slugger, who had died probably of alcohol abuse a few days earlier in a Baltimore hospital, is identified only as a white male.

December

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  • December 2 – Stan Musial of the St. Louis Cardinals is named National League Most Valuable Player. In one of the best seasons ever, Musial led the NL in batting average (.376), runs (135), RBI (131), hits (230), doubles (46), triples (18) and slugging pct. (.702).
  • December 3 – The New York Yankees release shortstop Frankie Crosetti, ending his playing career. He would remain with the team as a coach through the 1968 season.

Movies

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Births

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January

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February

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March

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April

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May

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June

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July

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August

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September

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October

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November

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December

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Deaths

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January

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  • January 4 – Biff Schlitzer, 63, who pitched from 1908 through 1914 for the Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox and Buffalo Blues.
  • January 8 – Howdy Caton, 53, shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates over parts of four seasons from 1917 to 1920.
  • January 9 – Art Jahn, 52, part-time outfielder who played for the Chicago Cubs, New York Giants and Philadelphia Phillies during two seasons spanning 1925 to 1928.
  • January 14 – Art Benedict, 85, second baseman who appeared in three games with the Philadelphia Quakers in 1883.
  • January 23 – Frank Doljack, 40, outfielder who played for the Detroit Tigers from 1930 through 1934 and the Cleveland Indians in 1943.
  • January 30 – Herb Pennock, 53, Hall of Fame pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees in a span of 22 seasons from 1912 to 1934, who during his career posted a lifetime record of 240–161 with a 3.60 ERA in 617 games; collected a perfect 5–0 with a 1.95 ERA in six World Series trips—five with the Yankees, including their first World Series championship; general manager of Philadelphia Phillies from 1944 until his death.
  • January 31 – Clarence Lehr, 61, who played some outfield and infield utility positions with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1911.

February

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  • February 1 – Jim McCormick, 79, infielder who played three games for the National League St. Louis Browns in 1892.
  • February 10 – Bill Clancy, 68, first baseman for the 1905 Pittsburgh Pirates.
  • February 14 – Mordecai Brown, 71, Hall of Fame pitcher whose loss of two fingers in a childhood accident gave him remarkable movement on pitches, winning 20 games six straight years for the Chicago Cubs, while posting a career record of 239–130 with a 2.06 earned run average; the third best ERA in Major League Baseball history amongst pitchers inducted into the Hall of Fame, as well as the best in MLB history for any pitcher with more than 200 wins.[6]
  • February 16 – Percy Coleman, 71, pitcher who played from 1897 to 1898 for the St. Louis Browns and Cincinnati Reds.
  • February 19 – Bob Groom, 63, pitcher for the Washington Senators, St. Louis Terriers, St. Louis Browns and Cleveland Indians during 10 seasons from 1909 to 1918, who also hurled a no-hitter in 1917 against the eventual World Champion Chicago White Sox.[7]
  • February 21 – Irv Ray, 84, shortstop who played with the Boston Beaneaters of the National League in 1888 and 1889, and the Baltimore Orioles of the American Association from 1889 to 1891.

March

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  • March 1 – Rebel Oakes, 64, center fielder who played from 1909 through 1913 with the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals, and later served as a player-manager for the Pittsburgh Rebels of the outlaw Federal League in the 1914 and 1915 seasons.
  • March 10 – Stub Brown, 77, pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles from 1893 to 1894 and the Cincinnati Reds in 1897.
  • March 17 – Ike Butler, 74, pitcher for the 1902 Baltimore Orioles.
  • March 18 – Fritz Von Kolnitz, 54, third baseman who played for the Cincinnati Reds from 1914 to 1915 and the Chicago White Sox in 1916.
  • March 23 – Dutch Meier, 68, outfielder and shortstop who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1906.
  • March 24 – Jimmy Bannon, 76, outfielder for the St. Louis Browns in 1893 and the Boston Beaneaters from 1894 to 1896.
  • March 30 – Charlie Krause, 76, second baseman for the 1901 Cincinnati Reds.

April

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  • April 1 – Heinie Jantzen, 57, outfielder for the 1912 St. Louis Browns.
  • April 3 – Candy Jim Taylor, 64, Negro league baseball third baseman and manager.
  • April 16 – Dick Kauffman, 59, first baseman who played for the St. Louis Browns in the 1914 and 1915 seasons.
  • April 17 – Pat Deisel, catcher for the 1902 Brooklyn Superbas and the 1903 Cincinnati Reds.
  • April 25 – Bertrum Hunter, 42, Negro league baseball player.
  • April 27 – Ad Yale, 78, who appeared in four games with the Brooklyn Superbas in the 1905 season.

May

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  • May 2 – Dick Cogan, 76, two-way player for the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Orphans and New York Giants over part of three seasons spanning 1897–1900.
  • May 4 – John Dolan, 80, pitcher who played for the Cincinnati Reds, Columbus Solons, Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns and Chicago Colts in a span of five seasons between 1890 and 1895.
  • May 7 – Hi Ladd, 78, backup outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Beaneaters in the 1898 season.
  • May 18 – Frank Schneiberg, 68, pitcher for the 1910 Brooklyn Superbas.
  • May 19 – Frank Browning, 65, pitcher for the Detroit Tigers in its 1910 season.
  • May 26 – Bill Sweeney, 62, valuable middle infielder and third baseman whose eight-year National League career began and ended with Chicago (1907, 1914) but was largely spent with the Boston Doves/Rustlers/Braves (1907–1913); stellar 1912 season included .344 batting average, third in NL, with 204 hits, second in the circuit; also set an NL record in 1912 with 425 putouts by a second baseman that would stand for 21 years, while leading the NL both in assists (475) and double plays (75).[8]

June

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July

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  • July 1 – Pete Knisely, 60, outfielder who played for the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs over parts of four seasons from 1912 to 1915.
  • July 3 – Charles Witherow, 96, pitcher who appeared in just one game for the Washington Nationals in 1875. Last surviving player of the National Association of Professional Baseball Players.
  • July 5 – Ed Smith, 84, Canadian pitcher who played in 1884 for the Baltimore Monumentals of the Union Association.
  • July 11 – Bert Hall, 58, for the 1911 Philadelphia Phillies.
  • July 18 – Chick Hartley, 67, outfielder who played for the New York Giants in the 1902 season.
  • July 19 – Charlie See, 51, outfielder who played from 1919 through 1921 for the Cincinnati Reds.
  • July 26 – Homer Davidson, 63, catcher and right fielder who appeared in four games for the Cleveland Naps in 1914.
  • July 27 – Joe Tinker, 68, Hall of Fame shortstop who along second baseman Johnny Evers and first baseman Frank Chance anchored a famed infield double play combination, which is memorialized in the legendary poem Baseball's Sad Lexicon, as the trio led the Chicago Cubs during the glory years of 1906–1910 to four National League pennants and two World Series titles.
  • July 29 – Arnie Stone, 55, pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1923 and 1924 seasons.

August

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  • August 7 – Jimmy Wacker, 64, pitcher who played with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1909 season.
  • August 9:
    • Chick Bowen, 51, backup outfielder for the 1919 New York Giants.
    • Harry Lord, 66, third baseman who played from 1907 through 1910 for the Boston Americans and Red Sox, before joining the Chicago White Sox from 1910 to 1914 and the Buffalo Blues in 1915.
  • August 12 – Billy Graulich, 80, catcher and first baseman who played for the 1891 Philadelphia Phillies.
  • August 13 – Nig Perrine, 63, backup infielder for the 1907 Washington Senators.
  • August 14 – Phil Collins, 46, pitcher who posted an 80–85 (4.66) record in 292 games for the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals over eight seasons between 1923 and 1935; his home park for most of his career was Baker Bowl, a notorious batter-friendly stadium in the lively ball era.
  • August 16 – Babe Ruth, 53, Hall of Fame right fielder and left-handed pitcher, who is considered the greatest star in baseball history, setting enduring records for most home runs in a season (60) and lifetime (714), as well as most career RBI (2,213); lifetime .342 hitter also posted a 94–46 record and 2.28 ERA as a pitcher while playing for seven World Series champions, first with Boston Red Sox (1915, 1916, 1918), then New York Yankees (1923, 1927, 1928, 1932); won 1923 MVP award, at a time when AL rules prohibited winning it more than once; batted .326 with 42 hits (15 homers and 33 RBI) in 41 World Series games, after going 3–0 (0.87 ERA) in three Fall Classic starts (1916, 1918), setting a record for consecutive shutout innings pitched (292⁄3) that lasted for 43 years.
  • August 19 – Fred Odwell, 75, outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds during four seasons from 1904 to 1907, who led the National league in home runs in 1905.
  • August 20 – Walter Blair, 64, catcher for the New York Highlanders from 1907 through 1911, who later played and managed for the Buffalo Buffeds/Blues of the Federal League during their only two seasons in 1914 and 1915.
  • August 26 – Rip Cannell, 68, outfielder who played from 1904 to 1905 for the Boston Beaneaters of the National League.
  • August 29 – Charlie Graham, 70, catcher for the 1906 Boston Red Sox, before becoming manager and owner of the PCL San Francisco Seals.

September

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  • September 3 – Bert Husting, 60, two-star athlete in the 1890s University of Wisconsin teams, who later pitched in the majors for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Americans and Philadelphia Athletics from 1900 to 1902.
  • September 8 – Bill Byers, 70, backup catcher for the 1904 St. Louis Cardinals.
  • September 18 – Art Devlin, 68, third baseman who played from 1904 through 1911 with the New York Giants and the Boston Braves from 1912 to 1913, also a member of the 1905 World Series champion team.
  • September 23 – Rich Durning, 55, pitcher for the Brooklyn Robins from 1917 to 1918.
  • September 26 – Elmer Leifer, 55, who made 10 appearances as a pinch hitter with the Chicago White Sox in 1921.

October

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  • October 1 – Lew Camp, 80, 19th-century Major League Baseball infielder who played with the St. Louis Browns in 1892 and for the Chicago Colts from 1893 to 1894.
  • October 7 – Doc Imlay, 59, pitcher for the 1913 Philadelphia Phillies.
  • October 8 – Al Orth, 76, softly thrower but curveball specialist, who pitched with the Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Senators and New York Highlanders in a span of 15 seasons from 1895 to 1909, winning 204 games for them, yet struck out just 948 batters in 3,354 innings of work, while remaining an effective pitcher during the early years of the American League, posting career season-highs with 27 wins and 133 strikeouts for the Highlanders in 1906.[9]
  • October 12 – Bill Gardner, 82, pitcher who played three games for the Baltimore Orioles of the American Association in 1887.
  • October 20 – Ed Kusel, 62, pitcher for the 1909 St. Louis Browns.
  • October 24:
    • Harry Grabiner, 57, minority owner and vice president of the Cleveland Indians since 1946; previously served for 30 years (1915–1945) in the front office of the Chicago White Sox.
    • Jack Thoney, 68, well-traveled outfielder and infielder who played from 1902 through 1911 for the Cleveland Bronchos, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Senators, New York Highlanders and Boston Red Sox.
  • October 28 – Roy Ellam, 62, shortstop who played with the Cincinnati Reds in the 1909 season and for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1918.
  • October 31 – Dick Redding, 58, star pitcher of the Negro leagues who set numerous strikeout records and pitched several no-hitters.

November

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  • November 1 – Fred Mollenkamp, 58, first baseman who played for the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1914 season.
  • November 4 – Jake Powell, 40, outfielder for the Washington Senators, New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies in a span of 11 seasons from 1930 to 1945, who helped the Yankees win the World Series every year from 1936 to 1939, and hit a .455 average in the 1936 series.
  • November 7 – Jake Smith, 61, pitcher who appeared in two games for the Philadelphia Phillies during the 1911 season.
  • November 15 – Joe Wagner, 59, second baseman for the Cincinnati Reds in the 1915 season.
  • November 18 – Joe Regan, 76, outfielder for the 1898 New York Giants.
  • November 22 – Bob Emmerich, 57, center fielder for the Boston Braves in the 1923 season.
  • November 23 – Hack Wilson, 48, Hall of Fame center fielder for four different clubs during 12 seasons from !923–1934, most prominently with the Chicago Cubs between 1926 and 1931, who finished his career with a lifetime .307 batting average, 244 home runs, 1,063 RBI and four home run titles, hitting 56 long balls in 1930, to set a National League record that stood for 68 years, while driving in 191 runs in the same season, which still the all-time major league record.
  • November 30 – Frank Bowerman, 79, catcher and battery-mate for Christy Mathewson on the New York Giants, who also played for the Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates, and later managed the 1909 Boston Doves.

December

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  • December 3:
    • Gus Bono, 54, pitcher for the 1920 Washington Senators.
    • Fred Buckingham, 72, pitcher who played for the Washington Senators in its 1895 season.
  • December 6 – Bill Dammann, 76, pitcher who played from 1897 through 1899 for the Cincinnati Reds.
  • December 8 – Pelham Ballenger, 54, third baseman for the Washington Senators in the 1928 season.
  • December 26 – Joe Pate, 56, pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics over parts of two seasons from 1926 to 1927.
  • December 27 – Marv Peasley, 60, pitcher who appeared in two games for the Detroit Tigers in 1910.
  • December 29 – Larry Hoffman, 70, third baseman for the 1901 Chicago Orphans.

Sources

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  1. ^ "1948 Season- Seamheads Negro Leagues Database". www.seamheads.com. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
  2. ^ "1948 Negro National League II Season Summary".
  3. ^ "Negro League Playoff Series".
  4. ^ "1948 Negro League World Series".
  5. ^ Saving the memories of 1948 Duluth Dukes baseball. Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved on September 13, 2018.
  6. ^ Mordecai Brown Biography. National Baseball Hall of Fame official website. Retrieved on February 1, 2018.
  7. ^ St. Louis Browns 3, Chicago White Sox (day). Game played on Sunday, May 6, 1917 (2nd Game) at Sportsman's Park III. Retrosheet box score. Retrieved on February 1, 2018.
  8. ^ Bill Sweeney. Article written by Peter Morris. SABR Biography Project. Retrieved on June 2, 2019.
  9. ^ Al Orth. Article written by Chris Hauser. SABR Biography Project. Retrieved on May 2, 2019
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