1950 in baseball


Champions

Major League Baseball

Major league baseball final standings

American League final standings

National League final standings

All-American Girls Professional Baseball League final standings

Nippon Professional Baseball final standings

Central League final standings

Pacific League final standings

Events

January

  • January 10 – R. R. M. Carpenter Jr., the 34-year-old owner of the Philadelphia Phillies, announces that his team is abandoning its six-year-old attempt to rebrand itself as the Philadelphia Blue Jays. Returning whole-heartedly to their original moniker, in use since 1885, the 1950 Phillies will deck themselves out in red-pinstriped home uniforms with bright red caps, sweatshirts and socks, and Phillies in red script across their shirtfronts.
  • January 18 – Coming off a sub-par season, Bob Feller of the Cleveland Indians asks for, and receives, a significant pay cut. His 1950 deal is worth an estimated $45,000—a 31% reduction from his previous earnings of $65,000.
  • January 23 – An Associated Press poll of sportswriters ranks the 1914 "Miracle" Boston Braves' comeback from last place on July 19 to the National League pennant and a four-game triumph in the 1914 World Series as the greatest upset in U.S. sports of the first-half of the 20th century.
  • January 31 – In perhaps the most prominent and controversial amateur free agent signing of the era, the Pittsburgh Pirates sign southpaw pitching phenom Paul Pettit, 18, out of a suburban Los Angeles high school for a record-setting $100,000 bonus. Of that total, $85,000 buys out a Hollywood film producer who had acquired the rights to Pettit's life story. At the behest of "jilted" MLB clubs, the office of Commissioner of Baseball Happy Chandler conducts an investigation that clears the Pirates of any wrongdoing.

    February

  • February 9 – The Chicago White Sox acquire veteran catcher and native Chicagoan Phil Masi, 34, from the Pittsburgh Pirates in a cash transaction.
  • February 10 – The Cincinnati Reds sell pitcher Johnny Vander Meer, 35, to the Chicago Cubs for an undisclosed amount of cash. In ‚ Vander Meer became the first pitcher in major league history to pitch two consecutive no-hitters, displaying his mastery over the Boston Bees and the Brooklyn Dodgers, setting a record that still stands today.
  • February 14 – The Chicago Cubs hire Wid Matthews as director of player personnel and de facto general manager. Matthews, 54, is a long-time associate of Branch Rickey's and most recently was the Midwest scouting supervisor of Rickey's Brooklyn Dodgers. He succeeds Charlie Grimm, who returns to uniform as manager of the Dallas Eagles of the Double-A Texas League.
  • February 17 – The Cleveland Indians release pitcher Leroy "Satchel" Paige. The 43-year-old pitching great from the Negro leagues appeared in 52 games for Cleveland after joining the team in July 1948, fashioned a 10–8 record and 2.78 earned run average, with four complete games, two shutouts and six saves over 1½ seasons, and won a 1948 World Series ring.
  • February 27 – In a tie-breaking game, Carta Vieja pitcher Chet Brewer defeats Puerto Rico's Caguas, 9–3, to give Panama the title in the 1950 Caribbean Series. Panama third baseman Joe Tuminelli, who hit two home runs and drove in six runs, is named Most Valuable Player.

    March

  • March 22 – Engineers from General Electric demonstrate an "electronic umpire" at the Brooklyn Dodgers' spring camp in Vero Beach, Florida. Along with calling balls and strikes, the device is designed to calculate the speed of pitchers' offerings.
  • March 26 – The New York Giants purchase the contract of pitcher Jack Kramer from the Boston Red Sox. Kramer, 32, is in the twilight of a 12-year MLB career that saw him help pitch the 1944 St. Louis Browns to the American League pennant, post a stellar 1–0 record in 11 innings in the 1944 World Series, and go 18–5 for the second-place 1948 Bosox.
  • March 28 – Eddie Miller, a slick-fielding shortstop who made seven National League All-Star teams in the eight seasons between and, is placed on waivers by the Philadelphia Phillies. Miller, 33, is a victim of the Phils' youth movement: in, he was forced to move to second base when he was unseated by 22-year-old shortstop Granny Hamner, one of the "Whiz Kids" who will change the course of Philadelphia's baseball history in the season to come.

    April

  • April 11 – The Texas League Opening Day between the Dallas Eagles and Tulsa Oilers is staged at the Cotton Bowl. Hall of Fame members Frank Baker‚ Ty Cobb‚ Mickey Cochrane‚ Dizzy Dean‚ Charlie Gehringer, Travis Jackson and Tris Speaker are featured. The regular Dallas Eagles team takes to the field after Dean throws out the first pitch. 53‚578 fans‚ by then the largest paid crowd in minor-league history‚ enthusiastically enjoy the exhibition.
  • April 18:
  • *President Harry Truman throws out two balls at the traditional Presidential Opener at Griffith Stadium – one left-handed and the other right-handed. The game marks 87-year-old Connie Mack's Golden Anniversary season as manager of the visiting Philadelphia Athletics, who have made a major off-season trade looking to build upon their promising 1949 campaign and return to contention, and added gold trim to their uniforms in Mack's honor. However, the homestanding Washington Senators get the Athletics' season off on a sour note, scoring five first-inning runs and ultimately dealing Mack an 8–7 defeat.
  • *The Boston Braves become the fifth of the 16 MLB teams to break the baseball color line with the debut of fleet centerfielder Sam Jethroe. At the Polo Grounds‚ Jethroe goes 2-for-4‚ including a home run, to lead the Braves to an 11–4 beating of the New York Giants behind winning pitcher Warren Spahn. Jethroe will be selected 1950's National League Rookie of the Year after leading the Senior Circuit with 35 stolen bases.
  • *Billy Martin, later to become one of baseball's most controversial figures as a player and eventual manager, makes his major league debut at age 21, getting hits in both of his at bats, and scoring a run, and driving in three for the New York Yankees in a 15–10 win over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park's Opening Day. The Yanks overcome a 10–4 Boston lead with a nine-run eighth inning.
  • *Vin Scully makes his debut as a broadcaster for the Brooklyn Dodgers, calling two innings of the team's 9–1 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies at Shibe Park. Scully will retire from broadcasting after a 67-year tenure, the longest for any baseball broadcaster.
  • *The first night Opening Day game in major league history is played at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis, with the Cardinals defeating the Pirates 4–2‚ behind the six-hit pitching of Gerry Staley. Stan Musial and Red Schoendienst contribute with a home run each for the winners.
  • *Third baseman Ken Keltner, 33, is released by the Cleveland Indians. Best known for his stellar defensive plays that halted Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak on July 17, 1941, he further cemented himself in Cleveland lore by catching the final, game-clinching out of the 1948 World Series. The Boston Red Sox immediately sign Keltner as a free agent, then use him sparingly until releasing him for good on June 6.
  • April 27 – The St. Louis Cardinals deal left-hander Ken "Hook" Johnson to the Philadelphia Phillies for outfielder Johnny Blatnik. Johnson, 27 and known for his curveball, threw a one-hitter for the Redbirds in his first MLB start on September 27, 1947, but his career has been marred by control problems.
  • April 30 – In St. Louis, southpaws Harry Brecheen of the Cardinals and Johnny Schmitz of the visiting Chicago Cubs battle into the bottom of the 13th inning without allowing a run. Then, with one out, catcher Del Rice blasts a home run to give the Cardinals the 1–0 victory. Rice's game-winner is only the fourth hit of the day off Schmitz; meanwhile, Brecheen fans eight Cubbies.

    May

  • May 2 – Just recalled from Triple-A to fill in for injured first baseman Billy Goodman, lanky rookie Walt Dropo is two-for-two in a 6–2 Boston Red Sox victory over the Cleveland Indians at Fenway Park. Dropo, 27, immediately becomes a Bosox regular; he goes on to co-lead the American League in runs batted in, slug 34 homers, bat.322, start for the AL in the All-Star Game, and win his circuit's Rookie of the Year Award. Goodman, meanwhile, returns to the Bosox lineup May 22 as a second baseman and later moves to the outfield—gaining enough plate appearances to win the AL batting title.
  • May 4 – The second-division Chicago White Sox enjoy a rare feast in the New York Yankees' home ballyard, collecting 23 hits and shutting out the Bombers, 15–0, in the Bronx. Bob Cain tosses a five-hitter, Jim Busby and Gus Zernial each lash four safeties, and Hank Majeski belts his third homer of 1950. Uncharacteristically, the Yankees are charged with four errors.
  • May 6 – Five different Boston Braves—Bob Elliott, Sid Gordon, Willard Marshall, Luis Olmo and Earl Torgeson—hit home runs in a 15–11 trouncing of the Cincinnati Reds, and the Braves set a National League record of 13 home runs in three consecutive games‚ breaking the mark of 12 set by the New York Giants from July 1–3‚ 1947. Grady Hatton and Ron Northey hit consecutive homers for the Reds in a losing cause.
  • May 8 – The Washington Senators deal outfielder Clyde Vollmer to the Boston Red Sox for shortstop Merl Combs and outfielder Tommy O'Brien.
  • May 9 – Ralph Kiner of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits his second grand slam in three days—and the eighth of his career—then adds a three-run homer to drive in seven runs, as the Pirates beat the Brooklyn Dodgers, 10–5.
  • May 10 – The last-place Cincinnati Reds make three deals, trading catcher Walker Cooper to the Boston Braves for infielder Connie Ryan, purchasing the contract of pitcher Willie Ramsdell from the Brooklyn Dodgers, and selling infielder Jimmy Bloodworth to the Philadelphia Phillies.
  • May 11 – After he misplays a ball in the Fenway Park outfield, Red Sox fans boo Ted Williams. He reacts by making an obscene gesture three times, once to the fans in right field, next to those in center, and finally to fans along the left-field line. The boos continue when Williams comes to bat, driving him to leave the batter's box and spit toward a group of booing fans near home plate. The Red Sox drop a doubleheader to the Detroit Tigers and fall out of first place; they trail Detroit by a full game in the American League standings.
  • May 12 – One day after his outburst, Williams issues an apology to Red Sox fans.
  • May 15:
  • *The Red Sox unconditionally and unceremoniously release the only Black player in their organization, Piper Davis, from their Scranton affiliate after he plays only 15 games. Davis, 33, is leading the team—which is 2–13 and last in the Class A Eastern League—in doubles, home runs, and runs batted in, with a batting average of.333. "What does a player have to do to make the grade?" a frustrated Davis asks a local sportswriter. Tom Yawkey's Red Sox will take nine more years before breaking the baseball color line.
  • *The New York Yankees sell the contracts of two players—one to each St. Louis franchise: the Browns obtain right-handed pitcher Cuddles Marshall and the Cardinals get outfielder/sometime pitcher Johnny Lindell.
  • May 17 – The arch-rival New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers make a rare deal with each other, with the Giants purchasing the contract of third baseman Spider Jorgensen. The Giants also sell 38-year-old veteran catcher Ray Mueller, famous as the "Iron Man" for his prodigious "most consecutive games caught" record set during the mid-1940s, to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
  • May 26:
  • *The Philadelphia Athletics, whose season began with the hope of pennant contention in Connie Mack's 50th year as manager, compound their on-field woes—they've dropped 21 of their first 32 American League games—with severe dissension among the Mack family itself. Mack's wife, his youngest son, Connie Jr., and Ben Macfarland are arrayed in one ownership faction, while Mack's older sons by his first marriage, Roy and Earle, form the opposition. Today, the Mrs. Mack/Connie Jr./Macfarland team engineer the removal of Earle Mack as the club's assistant manager and heir apparent to Connie Sr., and name Baseball Hall of Fame former catcher Mickey Cochrane general manager and head of the front office, while Jimmy Dykes is elevated from coach to assistant manager. Roy and Earle Mack, who remain co-owners, begin planning to buy out their stepmother, half-brother, and Macfarland and regain control of the team. To do so, they will go into debt that will seriously hamper their efforts to keep the club solvent in coming years.
  • *The 8–22 Chicago White Sox, lodged in last place in the American League, replace manager Jack Onslow with coach Red Corriden, who will handle the club for the remainder of 1950.
  • May 31 – The White Sox and Washington Senators make a six-player trade, with Chicago sending pitcher Ray Scarborough, first baseman Eddie Robinson and second baseman Al Kozar to Washington for pitcher Bob Kuzava, second baseman Cass Michaels and outfielder Johnny Ostrowski.