1951 Major League Baseball season

Summary

The 1951 Major League Baseball season opened on April 16 and finished on October 12, 1951. Teams from both leagues played a 154-game regular season schedule. At the end of the regular season, the National League pennant was still undecided, resulting in a three-game playoff between the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers. After splitting the first two games, the stage was set for a decisive third game, won in dramatic fashion on a walk-off home run from the bat of Giant Bobby Thomson, one of the most famous moments in the history of baseball, commemorated as the "Shot Heard 'Round the World" and "The Miracle at Coogan's Bluff". The Giants lost the World Series to defending champion New York Yankees, who were in the midst of a 5-year World Series winning streak.

1951 MLB season
LeagueMajor League Baseball
SportBaseball
DurationApril 16 – October 12, 1951
Number of games154
Number of teams16
Regular season
Season MVPAL: Yogi Berra (NYY)
NL: Roy Campanella (BKN)
AL championsNew York Yankees
  AL runners-upCleveland Indians
NL championsNew York Giants
  NL runners-upBrooklyn Dodgers
World Series
ChampionsNew York Yankees
  Runners-upNew York Giants
Finals MVPPhil Rizzuto (NYY)
MLB seasons

Awards and honors edit

Statistical leaders edit

  American League National League
Type Name Stat Name Stat
AVG Ferris Fain PHA .344 Stan Musial SLC .355
HR Gus Zernial CWS/PHA 33 Ralph Kiner PIT 42
RBIs Gus Zernial CWS/PHA 129 Monte Irvin NYG 121
Wins Bob Feller CLE 22 Larry Jansen NYG
Sal Maglie NYG
23
ERA Saul Rogovin CWS 2.78 Chet Nichols Jr. BSB 2.88
SO Vic Raschi NYY 164 Don Newcombe BKN
Warren Spahn BSB
164
SV Ellis Kinder BSR 14 Ted Wilks SLC/PIT 13
SB Minnie Miñoso CLE/CWS 31 Sam Jethroe BSB 35

Standings edit

Postseason edit

Bracket edit

World Series
   
AL New York Yankees 4
NL New York Giants 2

Managers edit

American League edit

Team Manager Comments
Boston Red Sox Steve O'Neill Finished 3rd
Chicago White Sox Paul Richards
Cleveland Indians Al López Finished 2nd
Detroit Tigers Red Rolfe
New York Yankees Casey Stengel Won 3rd World Series in row
Philadelphia Athletics Connie Mack
St. Louis Browns Zack Taylor
Washington Senators Bucky Harris

National League edit

Team Manager Comments
Boston Braves Billy Southworth and Tommy Holmes
Brooklyn Dodgers Chuck Dressen Finished 2nd, lost playoff to NYG
Chicago Cubs Frankie Frisch and Phil Cavarretta
Cincinnati Reds Luke Sewell
New York Giants Leo Durocher Won Pennant in 3 game playoff with Brooklyn
Philadelphia Phillies Eddie Sawyer
Pittsburgh Pirates Billy Meyer
St. Louis Cardinals Marty Marion Finished 3rd

Home field attendance edit

Team name Wins Home attendance Per game
New York Yankees[1] 98 0.0% 1,950,107 -6.3% 25,001
Cleveland Indians[2] 93 1.1% 1,704,984 -1.3% 22,143
Chicago White Sox[3] 81 35.0% 1,328,234 70.0% 17,029
Boston Red Sox[4] 87 -7.4% 1,312,282 -2.4% 17,497
Brooklyn Dodgers[5] 97 9.0% 1,282,628 8.2% 16,444
Detroit Tigers[6] 73 -23.2% 1,132,641 -42.0% 14,710
New York Giants[7] 98 14.0% 1,059,539 5.0% 13,584
St. Louis Cardinals[8] 81 3.8% 1,013,429 -7.3% 12,828
Pittsburgh Pirates[9] 64 12.3% 980,590 -15.9% 12,572
Philadelphia Phillies[10] 73 -19.8% 937,658 -23.0% 12,177
Chicago Cubs[11] 62 -3.1% 894,415 -23.3% 11,616
Washington Senators[12] 62 -7.5% 695,167 -0.6% 9,147
Cincinnati Reds[13] 68 3.0% 588,268 9.2% 7,640
Boston Braves[14] 76 -8.4% 487,475 -48.4% 6,250
Philadelphia Athletics[10] 70 34.6% 465,469 50.2% 5,892
St. Louis Browns[15] 52 -10.3% 293,790 18.9% 3,815

Events edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  2. ^ "Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  3. ^ "Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  4. ^ "Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  5. ^ "Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  6. ^ "Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  7. ^ "San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  8. ^ "St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  9. ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  10. ^ a b "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  11. ^ "Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  12. ^ "Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  13. ^ "Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  14. ^ "Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  15. ^ "Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  16. ^ "Charlton's Baseball Chronology". www.baseballlibrary.com. Archived from the original on July 28, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  17. ^ a b c May 15 in Baseball History[permanent dead link]. Know More About Baseball]. Retrieved on May 15, 2019.
  18. ^ Fenway Park Timeline. MLB.com. Retrieved on May 15, 2019.
  19. ^ Chicago White Sox at Boston Red Sox Box Score, May 15, 1951. Baseball Reference. Retrieved on May 15, 2019.
  20. ^ Firstman, Diane (May 16, 2016). "And all the Runs were Scored 2 by 2". valueoverreplacementgrit.com. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  21. ^ "Strange and Unusual Plays". www.retrosheet.org. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  22. ^ Mackin, Bob (2004). The Unofficial Guide to Baseball's Most Unusual Records. Canada: Greystone Books. p. 240. ISBN 9781553650386.

External links edit

  • 1951 Major League Baseball season schedule at Baseball Reference