1954 Major League Baseball season


The 1954 major league baseball season began on April 13, 1954. The regular season ended on September 26, with the [New York New York Giants (baseball)|Giants (baseball)|New York Giants] and Cleveland Indians as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 51st World Series on September 29 and ended with Game 4 on October 2. The Giants swept the Indians in four games, capturing their fifth 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 21st Major League Baseball All-Star Game was held on July 13 at Cleveland Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio, home of the Cleveland Indians. The American League won, 11–9, ending the National League's four-win streak.
In a continuation of the relocation trend that began the previous season, the St. Louis Browns moved from St. Louis, Missouri to Baltimore, Maryland, leaving St. Louis a one-team city, and seeing the return of American League baseball to Baltimore after 52 seasons. The previous American League relocation involved the same franchise, when the Milwaukee Brewers moved to St. Louis as the Browns, 53 seasons earlier. The season would also prove to be the last season of the Athletics franchise in Philadelphia, moving to Kansas City, Missouri the following season as the Kansas City Athletics.
During the 1953 Winter Meetings, the National League relaxed requirements for relocation, changing the necessary votes from unanimous between the eight teams to 75%. This eased the eventual relocation of the Giants and Dodgers to California in.
On Opening Day, April 13, the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals became the ninth and tenth teams in professional baseball to break the color line when they fielded Curt Roberts and Tom Alston, respectively; the Cincinnati Redlegs became the 11th team just four days later when they fielded future Nino Escalera and Chuck Harmon, while the Washington Senators became the 12th team on September 6 when they fielded Carlos Paula.

Schedule

The 1954 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 and would be used until in the American League and in the National League.
Opening Day took place on April 13, featuring all sixteen teams, the first time since. The final day of the regular season was on September 26, which saw fourteen teams play, and was the first time since that the scheduled regular season didn't end with all sixteen teams. The World Series took place between September 29 and October 2.

Rule changes

The 1954 season saw the following rule changes:
  • During half innings where a team was batting, all players of that team must remove their gloves from the field. In addition, any equipment not on a player was to be removed from the field.
  • Rules regarding a defensive interference offense expanded to include all fielders on the field, not just changed from a catcher.
  • Fielders who were in the batter's vision could no longer deliberately distract the batter.
  • The sacrifice fly rule was brought back, having been previously used in. This time, the rule was considered when a player scored after the catch only. Sacrifice bunts and flies were listed separately in official averages.
  • Both leagues banned twilight-night doubleheaders and Spring night games.
  • The American League banned night games on getaway days if either team had to play the next afternoon.
  • If a balk occurs, and a batter hits the pitch on said balk call, the manager can choose between the two outcomes, either the balk, or the result of the results of the play by the batter hitting the ball in play.

Standings

Tie games

5 tie games, which are not factored into winning percentage or games behind occurred throughout the season.

American League

The Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, and Philadelphia Athletics had two tie games each, while the Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, and Washington Senators each had one each.

Postseason

The postseason began on September 29 and ended on October 2 with the New York Giants sweeping the Cleveland Indians in the 1954 World Series in four games.

Bracket



League leaders

American League

StatPlayerTotal
AVGBobby Ávila .341
OPSTed Williams 1.148
HRLarry Doby 32
RBILarry Doby 126
RMickey Mantle 129
HNellie Fox
Harvey Kuenn 		201
SBJackie Jensen 22

StatPlayerTotal
WBob Lemon
Early Wynn 		23
LDon Larsen 21
ERAMike Garcia 2.64
KBob Turley 185
IPEarly Wynn 270.2
SVJohnny Sain 26
WHIPMike Garcia 1.125

National League

StatPlayerTotal
AVGWillie Mays .345
OPSWillie Mays 1.078
HRTed Kluszewski 49
RBITed Kluszewski 141
RStan Musial
Duke Snider 		120
HDon Mueller 212
SBBill Bruton 34

StatPlayerTotal
WRobin Roberts 23
LMurry Dickson 20
ERAJohnny Antonelli 2.30
KRobin Roberts 185
IPRobin Roberts 336.2
SVJim Hughes 24
WHIPRobin Roberts 1.025

Milestones

  • Umpire Bill McGowan set a Major League record by officiating in his 2,541st consecutive game.

Awards and honors

Baseball Hall of Fame

Venues

With the relocation of the St. Louis Browns from St. Louis, Missouri to Baltimore, Maryland as the Baltimore Orioles, they leave Busch Stadium and move into Baltimore Memorial Stadium. They would go on to play there for 38 seasons through.
The Philadelphia Athletics would play their last game at Connie Mack Stadium on September 19 against the New York Yankees, relocating to Kansas City, Missouri at Municipal Stadium as the Kansas City Athletics for the start of the season.

Television coverage

ABC aired the Saturday Game of the Week for the second consecutive year. The All-Star Game and World Series aired exclusively on NBC.

Retired numbers