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1943 Major League Baseball season

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This article is about the 1943 Major League Baseball season only. For information on all of baseball, see 1943 in baseball.
1943 MLB season
LeagueAmerican League (AL)
National League (NL)
SportBaseball
DurationRegular season:
  • April 20 – October 3, 1943 (AL)
  • April 21 – October 3, 1943 (NL)
World Series:
  • October 5–11, 1943
Number of games154
Number of teams16 (8 per league)
Regular season
Season MVPAL: Spud Chandler (NYY)
NL: Stan Musial (SLC)
AL championsNew York Yankees
  AL runners-upWashington Senators
NL championsSt. Louis Cardinals
  NL runners-upCincinnati Reds
World Series
ChampionsNew York Yankees
  Runners-upSt. Louis Cardinals
MLB seasons
Locations of teams for the 1942–1953 American League seasons
American League
Locations of teams for the 1943–1952 National League seasons
National League

The 1943 major league baseball season began on April 20, 1943. The regular season ended on October 3, with the St. Louis Cardinals 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 40th World Series on October 5 and ended with Game 5 on October 11. In the fourth iteration of this World Series matchup (and a rematch of the previous year), the Yankees defeated the Cardinals, four games to one, capturing their tenth championship in franchise history, since their previous in 1941. Going into the season, the defending World Series champions were the St. Louis Cardinals from the 1942 season.

The 11th Major League Baseball All-Star Game was held on July 13 at the Shibe Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, hosted by the Philadelphia Athletics. The American League won, 5–3. This was also the first All-Star Game held at night.

In order to conserve rail transport during World War II, the 1943 spring training sites was limited to an area east of the Mississippi River and north of the Ohio River. Spring training sites included the Chicago White Sox in French Lick, Indiana; the Washington Senators in College Park, Maryland; and the Yankees in Asbury Park, New Jersey.[1]

Schedule

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See also: Major League Baseball schedule

The 1943 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.

American League Opening Day took place on April 20 with a game between the Philadelphia Athletics and Washington Senators, while National League Opening Day took place on the following day, featuring four teams. This was the first season since 1941 that both leagues opened on different days. The final day of the regular season was on October 3, which saw all sixteen teams play, also the first time since 1941. The World Series took place between October 5 and October 11.

Teams

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An asterisk (*) denotes the ballpark a team played the minority of their home games at

League Team City Stadium Capacity Manager[2]
American League Boston Red Sox Boston, Massachusetts Fenway Park 35,000 Joe Cronin
Chicago White Sox Chicago, Illinois Comiskey Park 50,000 Jimmy Dykes
Cleveland Indians Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland Stadium 78,811 Lou Boudreau
League Park* 22,500*
Detroit Tigers Detroit, Michigan Briggs Stadium 58,000 Steve O'Neill
New York Yankees New York, New York Yankee Stadium 70,000 Joe McCarthy
Philadelphia Athletics Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Shibe Park 33,000 Connie Mack
St. Louis Browns St. Louis, Missouri Sportsman's Park 34,023 Luke Sewell
Washington Senators Washington, D.C. Griffith Stadium 32,000 Ossie Bluege
National League Boston Braves Boston, Massachusetts Braves Field 37,746 Casey Stengel
Bob Coleman
Brooklyn Dodgers New York, New York Ebbets Field 35,000 Leo Durocher
Chicago Cubs Chicago, Illinois Wrigley Field 38,396 Jimmie Wilson
Cincinnati Reds Cincinnati, Ohio Crosley Field 29,401 Bill McKechnie
New York Giants New York, New York Polo Grounds 56,000 Mel Ott
Philadelphia Phillies Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Shibe Park 33,000 Bucky Harris
Freddie Fitzsimmons
Pittsburgh Pirates Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Forbes Field 33,467 Frankie Frisch
St. Louis Cardinals St. Louis, Missouri Sportsman's Park 34,023 Billy Southworth

Standings

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American League

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American League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
New York Yankees 98 56 .636 — 54‍–‍23 44‍–‍33
Washington Senators 84 69 .549 13½ 44‍–‍32 40‍–‍37
Cleveland Indians 82 71 .536 15½ 44‍–‍33 38‍–‍38
Chicago White Sox 82 72 .532 16 40‍–‍36 42‍–‍36
Detroit Tigers 78 76 .506 20 45‍–‍32 33‍–‍44
St. Louis Browns 72 80 .474 25 44‍–‍33 28‍–‍47
Boston Red Sox 68 84 .447 29 39‍–‍36 29‍–‍48
Philadelphia Athletics 49 105 .318 49 27‍–‍51 22‍–‍54

National League

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National League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
St. Louis Cardinals 105 49 .682 — 58‍–‍21 47‍–‍28
Cincinnati Reds 87 67 .565 18 48‍–‍29 39‍–‍38
Brooklyn Dodgers 81 72 .529 23½ 46‍–‍31 35‍–‍41
Pittsburgh Pirates 80 74 .519 25 47‍–‍30 33‍–‍44
Chicago Cubs 74 79 .484 30½ 36‍–‍38 38‍–‍41
Boston Braves 68 85 .444 36½ 38‍–‍39 30‍–‍46
Philadelphia Phillies 64 90 .416 41 33‍–‍43 31‍–‍47
New York Giants 55 98 .359 49½ 34‍–‍43 21‍–‍55

Postseason

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The postseason began on October 5 and ended on October 11 with the New York Yankees defeating the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1943 World Series in five games.

Bracket

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World Series
   
AL New York Yankees 4
NL St. Louis Cardinals 1

Managerial changes

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Off-season

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Team Former Manager New Manager
Detroit Tigers Del Baker Steve O'Neill
Philadelphia Phillies Hans Lobert Bucky Harris
Washington Senators Bucky Harris Ossie Bluege

In-season

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Team Former Manager New Manager
Boston Braves Casey Stengel Bob Coleman
Philadelphia Phillies Bucky Harris Freddie Fitzsimmons

League leaders

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American League

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Hitting leaders[3]
Stat Player Total
AVG Luke Appling (CWS) .328
OPS Charlie Keller (NYY) .922
HR Rudy York (DET) 34
RBI Rudy York (DET) 118
R George Case (WSH) 102
H Dick Wakefield (DET) 200
SB George Case (WSH) 61
Pitching leaders[4]
Stat Player Total
W Spud Chandler (NYY)
Dizzy Trout (DET) 		20
L Lum Harris (PHA) 21
ERA Spud Chandler (NYY) 1.64
K Allie Reynolds (CLE) 151
IP Jim Bagby (CLE) 273.0
SV Gordon Maltzberger (CWS) 14
WHIP Spud Chandler (NYY) 0.992

National League

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Hitting leaders[5]
Stat Player Total
AVG Stan Musial (SLC) .357
OPS Stan Musial (SLC) .988
HR Bill Nicholson (CHC) 29
RBI Bill Nicholson (CHC) 128
R Arky Vaughan (BKN) 112
H Stan Musial (SLC) 220
SB Arky Vaughan (BKN) 20
Pitching leaders[6]
Stat Player Total
W Mort Cooper (SLC)
Elmer Riddle (CIN)
Rip Sewell (PIT) 		21
L Nate Andrews (BSB) 20
ERA Max Lanier (SLC) 1.90
K Johnny Vander Meer (CIN) 174
IP Al Javery (BSB) 303.0
SV Les Webber (BKN) 10
WHIP Whit Wyatt (BKN) 1.007

Awards and honors

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Regular season

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Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards
BBWAA Award National League American League
Most Valuable Player Stan Musial (SLC) Spud Chandler (NYY)

Other awards

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The Sporting News Awards
Award National League American League
Most Valuable Player[7] Stan Musial (SLC) Spud Chandler (NYY)
Player of the Year[8] — Spud Chandler (NYY)
Manager of the Year[9] — Joe McCarthy (NYY)
Executive of the Year[10] — Clark Griffith (WSH)

Home field attendance

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Team name Wins %± Home attendance %± Per game
Brooklyn Dodgers[11] 81 −22.1% 661,739 −36.2% 8,594
New York Yankees[12] 98 −4.9% 618,330 −32.9% 8,030
Detroit Tigers[13] 78 6.8% 606,287 4.5% 7,773
Washington Senators[14] 84 35.5% 574,694 42.4% 7,562
St. Louis Cardinals[15] 105 −0.9% 517,135 −6.6% 6,384
Chicago White Sox[16] 82 24.2% 508,962 19.5% 6,697
Chicago Cubs[17] 74 8.8% 508,247 −14.0% 6,777
Pittsburgh Pirates[18] 80 21.2% 498,740 11.1% 6,394
Philadelphia Phillies[19] 64 52.4% 466,975 102.9% 5,987
New York Giants[20] 55 −35.3% 466,095 −40.2% 6,053
Cleveland Indians[21] 82 9.3% 438,894 −4.5% 5,700
Cincinnati Reds[22] 87 14.5% 379,122 −11.2% 4,861
Philadelphia Athletics[23] 49 −10.9% 376,735 −11.0% 4,769
Boston Red Sox[24] 68 −26.9% 358,275 −50.9% 4,653
Boston Braves[25] 68 15.3% 271,289 −4.9% 3,523
St. Louis Browns[26] 72 −12.2% 214,392 −16.1% 2,784

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Suehsdorf, A. D. (1978). The Great American Baseball Scrapbook, p. 103. Random House. ISBN 0-394-50253-1.
  2. ^ "1943 Major League Managers". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  3. ^ "1943 American League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  4. ^ "1943 American League Pitching Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  5. ^ "1943 National League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  6. ^ "1943 National League Pitching Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  7. ^ "Most Valuable Player Award by The Sporting News | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
  8. ^ "Major League Player of the Year Award by The Sporting News | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
  9. ^ "Manager of the Year Award by The Sporting News | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
  10. ^ "MLB Executive of the Year Award | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
  11. ^ "Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  12. ^ "New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  13. ^ "Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  14. ^ "Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  15. ^ "St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  16. ^ "Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  17. ^ "Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  18. ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  19. ^ "Philadelphia Phillies Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  20. ^ "San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  21. ^ "Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  22. ^ "Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  23. ^ "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  24. ^ "Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  25. ^ "Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  26. ^ "Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
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