1955 Major League Baseball season
1955 MLB season | |
---|---|
League | American League (AL) National League (NL) |
Sport | Baseball |
Duration | Regular season:
|
Number of games | 154 |
Number of teams | 16 (8 per league) |
TV partner(s) | NBC, CBS |
Regular season | |
Season MVP | AL: Yogi Berra (NYY) NL: Roy Campanella (BKN) |
AL champions | New York Yankees |
AL runners-up | Cleveland Indians |
NL champions | Brooklyn Dodgers |
NL runners-up | Milwaukee Braves |
World Series | |
Champions | Brooklyn Dodgers |
Runners-up | New York Yankees |
World Series MVP | Johnny Podres (BKN) |
The 1955 major league baseball season began on April 11, 1955. The regular season ended on September 25, with the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 52nd World Series on September 28 and ended with Game 7 on October 4. The Dodgers defeated the Yankees, four games to three, capturing the 1st championship in franchise history. This was the sixth World Series between the two teams, and the first to see the Dodgers win over the Yankees.
The 22nd Major League Baseball All-Star Game was played on July 12, hosted by the Milwaukee Braves in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with the National League winning, 6–5.
In a continuation of the relocation trend that began in 1953, a team relocated in the third year in a row; the American League's Philadelphia Athletics moved from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Kansas City, Missouri, leaving Philadelphia a one-team city.
On April 14, the New York Yankees became the 13th team in professional baseball to break the color line when they fielded Elston Howard.[1]
Schedule
[edit]The 1955 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 1904 season (except for 1919) and would be used until 1961 in the American League and 1962 in the National League.
Opening Day took place on April 11, featuring four teams. The final day of the regular season was on September 25, which saw all sixteen teams play, the first time since 1953. The World Series took place between September 28 and October 4.
Teams
[edit]Standings
[edit]American League
[edit]Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York Yankees | 96 | 58 | .623 | — | 52–25 | 44–33 |
Cleveland Indians | 93 | 61 | .604 | 3 | 49–28 | 44–33 |
Chicago White Sox | 91 | 63 | .591 | 5 | 49–28 | 42–35 |
Boston Red Sox | 84 | 70 | .545 | 12 | 47–31 | 37–39 |
Detroit Tigers | 79 | 75 | .513 | 17 | 46–31 | 33–44 |
Kansas City Athletics | 63 | 91 | .409 | 33 | 33–43 | 30–48 |
Baltimore Orioles | 57 | 97 | .370 | 39 | 30–47 | 27–50 |
Washington Senators | 53 | 101 | .344 | 43 | 28–49 | 25–52 |
National League
[edit]Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brooklyn Dodgers | 98 | 55 | .641 | — | 56–21 | 42–34 |
Milwaukee Braves | 85 | 69 | .552 | 13½ | 46–31 | 39–38 |
New York Giants | 80 | 74 | .519 | 18½ | 44–35 | 36–39 |
Philadelphia Phillies | 77 | 77 | .500 | 21½ | 46–31 | 31–46 |
Cincinnati Redlegs | 75 | 79 | .487 | 23½ | 46–31 | 29–48 |
Chicago Cubs | 72 | 81 | .471 | 26 | 43–33 | 29–48 |
St. Louis Cardinals | 68 | 86 | .442 | 30½ | 41–36 | 27–50 |
Pittsburgh Pirates | 60 | 94 | .390 | 38½ | 36–39 | 24–55 |
Postseason
[edit]Bracket
[edit]World Series | ||||||||||
AL | New York Yankees | 6 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 0 | ||
NL | Brooklyn Dodgers | 5 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
Managerial changes
[edit]Off-season
[edit]In-season
[edit]Team | Former Manager | New Manager |
---|---|---|
St. Louis Cardinals | Eddie Stanky | Harry Walker |
League leaders
[edit]American League
[edit]Stat | Player | Total |
---|---|---|
AVG | Al Kaline (DET) | .340 |
HR | Mickey Mantle (NYY) | 37 |
RBI | Ray Boone (DET) Jackie Jensen (BOS) |
116 |
R | Al Smith (CLE) | 123 |
H | Al Kaline (DET) | 200 |
SB | Jim Rivera (CWS) | 25 |
Stat | Player | Total |
---|---|---|
W | Whitey Ford (NYY) Bob Lemon (CLE) Frank Sullivan (BOS) |
18 |
L | Jim Wilson (BAL) | 18 |
ERA | Billy Pierce (CWS) | 1.97 |
K | Herb Score (CLE) | 245 |
IP | Frank Sullivan (BOS) | 260.0 |
SV | Ray Narleski (CLE) | 19 |
National League
[edit]Stat | Player | Total |
---|---|---|
AVG | Richie Ashburn (PHI) | .338 |
HR | Willie Mays (NYG) | 51 |
RBI | Duke Snider (BKN) | 136 |
R | Duke Snider (BKN) | 126 |
H | Ted Kluszewski (CIN) | 192 |
SB | Bill Bruton (MIL) | 25 |
Stat | Player | Total |
---|---|---|
W | Robin Roberts (PHI) | 23 |
L | Sam Jones (CHC) | 20 |
ERA | Bob Friend (PIT) | 2.83 |
K | Sam Jones (CHC) | 198 |
IP | Robin Roberts (PHI) | 305.0 |
SV | Jack Meyer (PHI) | 16 |
Awards and honors
[edit]Regular season
[edit]Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards | ||
---|---|---|
BBWAA Award | National League | American League |
Rookie of the Year | Bill Virdon (STL) | Herb Score (CLE) |
Most Valuable Player | Roy Campanella (BKN) | Yogi Berra (NYY) |
Other awards
[edit]- Babe Ruth Award (World Series MVP): Johnny Podres (BKN)
The Sporting News awards
[edit]- Player of the Year Award: Duke Snider (BKN)[2]
- Pitcher of the Year Award: Robin Roberts (PHI, National);[3][4] Whitey Ford (NYY, American)[5][6]
- Rookie of the Year Award: Bill Virdon (STL, National); Herb Score (CLE, American)
- Manager of the Year Award: Walter Alston (BKN)
Baseball Hall of Fame
[edit]Home field attendance
[edit]Team name | Wins | %± | Home attendance | %± | Per game |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Milwaukee Braves[7] | 85 | −4.5% | 2,005,836 | −5.9% | 26,050 |
New York Yankees[8] | 96 | −6.8% | 1,490,138 | 1.0% | 19,352 |
Kansas City Athletics[9] | 63 | 23.5% | 1,393,054 | 357.2% | 18,330 |
Cleveland Indians[10] | 93 | −16.2% | 1,221,780 | −8.5% | 15,867 |
Boston Red Sox[11] | 84 | 21.7% | 1,203,200 | 29.2% | 15,426 |
Detroit Tigers[12] | 79 | 16.2% | 1,181,838 | 9.4% | 15,349 |
Chicago White Sox[13] | 91 | −3.2% | 1,175,684 | −4.5% | 15,269 |
Brooklyn Dodgers[14] | 98 | 6.5% | 1,033,589 | 1.3% | 13,423 |
Philadelphia Phillies[15] | 77 | 2.7% | 922,886 | 24.9% | 11,986 |
Chicago Cubs[16] | 72 | 12.5% | 875,800 | 17.1% | 11,374 |
Baltimore Orioles[17] | 57 | 5.6% | 852,039 | −19.7% | 10,785 |
St. Louis Cardinals[18] | 68 | −5.6% | 849,130 | −18.3% | 11,028 |
New York Giants[19] | 80 | −17.5% | 824,112 | −28.7% | 10,432 |
Cincinnati Redlegs[20] | 75 | 1.4% | 693,662 | −1.5% | 9,009 |
Pittsburgh Pirates[21] | 60 | 13.2% | 469,397 | −1.3% | 6,259 |
Washington Senators[22] | 53 | −19.7% | 425,238 | −15.6% | 5,523 |
Television coverage
[edit]The Game of the Week moved from ABC to CBS[23] (the rights were actually set up through the Falstaff Brewing Corporation[24][25][26]).
The All-Star Game and World Series aired on NBC.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "These players integrated each MLB team". MLB.com. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
- ^ "Duke Snider Baseball Almanac Awards". Baseball Almanac.
- ^ "Robin Roberts Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Robin Roberts Baseball Almanac Awards". Baseball Almanac.
- ^ "Whitey Ford Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Whitey Ford Baseball Almanac Awards". Baseball Almanac.
- ^ "Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ "Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ Walker, James R.; Bellamy, Robert V. (2008). Center field shot: a history of baseball on television. University of Nebraska Press. p. 103. ISBN 978-0803248250.
- ^ "Falstaff Newspaper Ads 1950-60's". A Falstaff Collector.
- ^ "SPORTS BRIEFS". Los Angeles Times. March 6, 1954. p. B3.
- ^ Sieler, Pete (May 8, 2015). "TV Radio Movies 1/16/15". TRM – TVRadioMovies.com. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015.