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Wikipedia

1955 in baseball

See also: 1955 Major League Baseball season and 1955 Nippon Professional Baseball season

The following are the baseball events of the year 1955 throughout the world.

Champions

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Major League Baseball

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Other champions

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Winter Leagues

Awards and honors

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MLB statistical leaders

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American League National League
AVG Al Kaline DET .340 Richie Ashburn PHI .338
HR Mickey Mantle NYY 37 Willie Mays NYG 51
RBI Ray Boone DET &
Jackie Jensen BOS		 116 Duke Snider BKN 136
Wins Whitey Ford NYY,
Bob Lemon CLE
& Frank Sullivan BOS		 18 Robin Roberts PHI 23
ERA Billy Pierce CHW 1.97   Bob Friend PIT 2.83  
Ks Herb Score CLE 245 Sam Jones CHC 198

Major league baseball final standings

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Nippon Professional Baseball final standings

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Central League final standings

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Central League G W L T Pct. GB
Yomiuri Giants 130 92 37 1 .713 —
Osaka Tigers 130 77 52 1 .597 15.0
Chunichi Dragons 130 71 57 2 .555 20.5
Hiroshima Carp 130 58 70 2 .453 33.5
Kokutetsu Swallows 130 57 71 2 .445 34.5
Taiyo Whales 130 31 99 0 .238 61.5

Pacific League final standings

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Pacific League G W L T Pct. GB
Nankai Hawks 143 99 41 3 .707 —
Nishitetsu Lions 144 90 50 4 .643 9.0
Mainichi Orions 142 85 55 2 .607 14.0
Hankyu Braves 142 80 60 2 .571 19.0
Kintetsu Pearls 142 60 80 2 .429 39.0
Daiei Stars 141 53 87 1 .379 46.0
Toei Flyers 143 51 89 3 .364 48.0
Tombo Unions 141 42 98 1 .300 57.0

Events

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Before the Athletics arrive in town, the Kansas City Monarchs move their base of operations to Grand Rapids, Michigan. They retain the name "Kansas City Monarchs" and continue in the Negro American League as a barnstorming team.

January

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  • January 24 – In an effort to speed up the game, Major League Baseball announces a new rule which requires a pitcher to deliver the ball within 20 seconds after taking a pitching position.

February

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March

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April

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Catcher Elston Howard (shown during 1961 World Series)

May

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June

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July

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August

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September

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October

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November

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December

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Roy Campanella in 1953, when he won his 2nd NL MVP

Births

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January

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February

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March

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April

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May

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June

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July

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August

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September

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October

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November

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December

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Deaths

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January

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  • January 13 – Bill Dinneen, 78, pitching star of the 1903 World Series, while winning three games for the champion Boston Americans against the Pittsburgh Pirates, including the first two shutouts in World Series history.
  • January 18 – Phil Morrison, 60, pitcher who worked two-thirds of an inning for the Pittsburgh Pirates, his lone major-league appearance, on September 30, 1921.
  • January 22 – Bob Wicker, 77, right-hander who pitched in 138 games for the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds between 1901 and 1906; won 20 games for 1903 Cubs; also appeared in 26 games as an outfielder, and batted .205 lifetime.
  • January 23 – Elmer Brown, 71, southpaw hurler who worked in 43 games for St. Louis of the American League and Brooklyn of the National League between 1911 and 1915.
  • January 24 – Monte Beville, 79, catcher and first baseman for the New York Highlanders and Detroit Tigers in 1903–1904 who got into 145 career games.
  • January 25 – Harry Barton, 80, switch-hitting catcher-infielder who played in 29 games for the 1905 Philadelphia Athletics.
  • January 26 – Austin Walsh, 63, outfielder who appeared in 57 games for Chicago of the "outlaw" Federal League in 1914.
  • January 28 – Bill Calhoun, 64, who got into six games as a pinch hitter and first baseman for the 1913 Boston Braves.

February

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  • February   3 – Fred Brown, 75, outfielder over parts of two seasons for the Boston Beaneaters in 1901 and 1902, and later a politician who served as Governor of New Hampshire and also in the United States Senate.
  • February   6 – Rosey Rowswell, 71, radio sportscaster best known for being the first full-time play-by-play announcer for the Pittsburgh Pirates, serving from 1936 until his death.
  • February   6 – Hank Thormahlen, 58, pitcher for the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Brooklyn Robins between 1917 and 1925.
  • February 10 – Cuke Barrows, 71, outfielder who played from 1909 to 1912 for the Chicago White Sox.
  • February 10 – Ray Hartranft, 64, pitcher for the 1913 Philadelphia Phillies.
  • February 10 – Allie Strobel, 70, second baseman who saw action with the Boston Beaneaters in 1905 and 1906.
  • February 13 – Clyde Spearman, 42, one of five brothers to play in the Negro leagues; outfielder for five clubs between 1935 and 1946 and led 1938 Negro National League in hits while a member of the Philadelphia Stars.
  • February 15 – Lynn Nelson, 49, pitcher and pinch hitter in all or part of seven seasons between 1930 and 1940 for the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers; had a pedestrian mound record of 33–42 (5.25) in 166 games pitched, but batted .281 lifetime with 103 hits, including a .354 season with 1937 Athletics with 40 hits, four home runs and 29 runs batted in.
  • February 15 – Tom Tennant, 72, pinch-hitter who appeared in just two games for the St. Louis Browns in the 1912 season.
  • February 23 – Bill Tozer, 72, pitcher in four games for the 1908 Cincinnati Reds.
  • February 25 – Ike Kamp, 54, pitcher who played for the Boston Braves in 1924 and 1925.

March

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  • March   4 – Doc Reisling, 80, "dead-ball era" pitcher who posted a 2.45 earned run average in 49 career games for the 1903–1904 Brooklyn Superbas and 1909–1910 Washington Senators.
  • March 10 – Rick Adams, 76, left-handed pitcher who worked in 11 games for the 1905 Senators.
  • March 13 – Buck Sweeney, 64, who appeared in one game (with one at bat) as a left fielder for the Philadelphia Athletics on September 28, 1914.
  • March 13 – Joe Vernon, 65, pitcher whose two-game career included one contest for the 1912 Chicago Cubs and one for the 1914 Brooklyn Tip-Tops of the "outlaw" Federal League.
  • March 16 – Red Booles, 74, left-hander who pitched in four games for the 1909 Cleveland Naps.
  • March 18 – Morrie Aderholt, 39, outfielder who appeared in 106 games over all or part of five seasons spanning 1939 to 1945 for the Washington Senators, Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Braves; scout for Washington at the time of his death.
  • March 18 – Ty Helfrich, 64, second baseman who appeared in 43 games for the Federal League's Brooklyn Tip-Tops in 1915.
  • March 19 – Ed Hovlik, 63, who pitched in 11 games for the 1918–1919 Washington Senators.
  • March 19 – George Stultz, 81, pitcher who threw a complete-game victory, allowing no earned runs, in his only big-league appearance for the Boston Beaneaters of the National League on September 22, 1894.
  • March 27 – Frank Roth, 76, catcher who played in 282 games over six seasons between 1903 and 1910, principally the Philadelphia Phillies; later a coach.
  • March 28 – Tom Lynch, 94, 19th-century outfielder-catcher who played in 42 games for Wilmington of the Union Association (1884) and Philadelphia of the National League (1884–1885).

April

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  • April   2 – Reggie Grabowski, 47, pitcher for the 1932–1934 Philadelphia Phillies who worked in 51 career games.
  • April   8 – Alfred Saylor, 43, pitcher for the 1943–1945 Birmingham Black Barons who led the 1944 Negro American League in innings pitched and games lost.
  • April 10 – Curt Bernard, 77, who appeared in 43 games, mostly as an outfielder, for the 1900–1901 New York Giants.
  • April 16 – Louis Graff, 88, listed as appearing in one game as a catcher for the Syracuse Stars of the major-league American Association on June 23, 1890.
  • April 28 – Felix Chouinard, 67, outfielder-infielder who played 50 of his 88 career games in the Federal League (Brooklyn Tip-Tops, Pittsburgh Rebels, Baltimore Terrapins) in 1914–1915, after debuting with the Chicago White Sox in 1910–1911.

May

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  • May   3 – Newt Randall, 75, Canadian outfielder who played in 97 games for Chicago and Boston of the National League in 1907.
  • May   4 – Fredrick Westervelt, 77, umpire who officiated in the American League (1911–1912), Federal League (1915), and National League (1922–1923).
  • May 13 – Lefty George, 68, longtime minor-league pitcher (1909–1921, 1923–1933, 1940 and 1943–1944), where he won 327 career games, whose MLB tenure included 52 total games for the 1911 St. Louis Browns, 1912 Cleveland Naps, 1915 Cincinnati Reds, and 1918 Boston Braves.
  • May 18 – Harry Wood, 70, Maine native who appeared in two games as an 18-year-old outfielder for Cincinnati in April 1903.
  • May 24 – Bob Cone, 61, pitcher who appeared in two-thirds of an inning in his lone appearance with the last-place Philadelphia Athletics on July 25, 1915.
  • May 29 – Ray Brown, 66, Chicago Cubs' right-hander who threw a complete-game victory in his lone MLB game on September 29, 1909.
  • May 31 – Henry Jones, 98, 19th-century infielder-outfielder who played in 34 games for the 1884 Detroit Wolverines of the National League.

June

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  • June   2 – Harry Eccles, 61, pitcher who played for the Philadelphia Athletics during the 1915 season.
  • June   6 – Mike Kelley, 79, first baseman for the 1899 Louisville Colonels; later a longtime minor league manager (notably with St. Paul and Minneapolis) and club owner (Minneapolis).
  • June 16 – Mike Morrison, 88, pitcher who played for the Cleveland Spiders, Syracuse Stars and Baltimore Orioles in part of three seasons between 1887 and 1890.
  • June 18 – Jack Katoll, 82, German pitcher who played for the Chicago Orphans, Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles in a span of four seasons from 1898 to 1902.
  • June 19 – Eli Juran, 52, left-handed first baseman-outfielder-pitcher who appeared for five different clubs in the Eastern Colored League and East–West League in 1926 and 1932.
  • June 22 – Frankie Hayes, 40, five-time All-Star catcher who played for the Philadelphia Athletics, St. Louis Browns, Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox for 14 seasons spanning 1933 to 1947; a workhorse who caught 312 consecutive games between October 1943 and April 1946, a Major League record, including catching all 155 Athletics games in 1944, setting a still-standing American League season record;[2] led AL three times in total chances per game, twice each in fielding average, putouts, double plays and errors, and once in assists; his 29 double plays in 1945 is the second-highest total ever for a catcher.
  • June 27 – Harry Agganis, 26, Boston Red Sox first baseman who appeared in 157 games between April 13, 1954 and June 2, 1955, when he was sidelined by illness; former local schoolboy (Lynn Classical High School) and college (Boston University) football star, nicknamed "The Golden Greek", who compiled outstanding records as a quarterback and became first person in BU history to receive All-American honors.[3]
  • June 29 – Horace Milan, 61, outfielder who played in 42 games with the Washington Senators in 1915 and 1917; brother of speedster Clyde Milan.

July

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  • July 12 – Dan McGeehan, 70, second baseman who played three games for the St. Louis Cardinals in April 1911.
  • July 12 – Jesse Stovall, 79, pitcher who hurled in 28 games for the 1903 Cleveland Naps and 1904 Detroit Tigers; also played six games as a first baseman and pinch hitter.
  • July 12 – Harry Taylor, 89, 19th-century first baseman and outfielder who played 438 games for the 1890–1892 Louisville Colonels and 1893 Baltimore Orioles.
  • July 20 – Joe Shannon, 58, who appeared in five contests as a pinch hitter, outfielder and first baseman for the 1915 Boston Braves at the age of 18.
  • July 22 – Lafayette Henion, 56, pitcher who made one appearance in MLB when he threw three innings of relief for the Brooklyn Robins on September 10, 1919.
  • July 28 – Rudy Baerwald (also known as Rudy Bell and Jack Bell), 74, outfielder in 18 games for 1907 New York Highlanders.
  • July 28 – Dell Clark, 64, second baseman for the 1921 St. Louis Giants of the Negro National League.
  • July 30 – Dave Rowan, 73, Canadian first baseman who appeared in 18 contests for the St. Louis Browns between May 27 and June 22, 1911.

August

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  • August   2 – Peaches O'Neill, 75, Notre Dame graduate who appeared in eight contests as a catcher, first baseman and pinch hitter for the 1905 Cincinnati Reds.
  • August   3 – Mule Shirley, 54, first baseman who played 44 games for pennant-winning 1924 and 1925 Washington Senators; played in three games as pinch hitter or pinch runner in the 1924 World Series for champion Senators.
  • August   4 – Mike Balenti, 69, shortstop-outfielder who appeared in 78 total games for 1911 Cincinnati Reds and 1913 St. Louis Browns; a Native American (Cheyenne) who attended Carlisle Indian School.
  • August   5 – Norm Glockson, 61, catcher and pinch hitter who received a seven-game trial with Cincinnati late in the 1914 season.
  • August   5 – Wilbur Pritchett, 58, pitcher who hurled for five clubs over eight seasons in Black baseball between 1924 and 1932.
  • August   6 – Hooks Cotter, 55, first baseman for 1922 and 1924 Chicago Cubs, appearing in 99 career games
  • August 11 – Jerry Byrne, 48, pitcher in three games for the 1929 Chicago White Sox.
  • August 11 – Babe Ellison, 56, infielder-outfielder in 135 games for the 1916–1920 Detroit Tigers; enjoyed brilliant minor-league career with San Francisco Seals from 1921 to 1927, where in 1924 he compiled 307 hits in 201 Pacific Coast League games, seventh-most in history; member of PCL Hall of Fame.
  • August 23 – Eugene Redd, 55, third baseman-shortstop for the Cleveland Tate Stars and Milwaukee Bears of the Negro National League in 1922–1923.
  • August 24 – John Raleigh, 68, southpaw who went 1–10 (4.10 ERA) in 18 games for the 1909–1910 St. Louis Cardinals.
  • August 25 – Jimmy Hudgens, 53, pinch hitter/first baseman who played in 26 career games for the 1923 St. Louis Cardinals and 1925–1926 Cincinnati Reds.
  • August 26 – Sol White, 87, pioneer player, manager and executive of the Negro leagues (1887 to 1926) and member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame (elected 2006); piloted Philadelphia Giants to four consecutive championships (1904–1907) and in the latter year wrote the first history of Black baseball.

September

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  • September   1 – Jim Oglesby, 50, first baseman and minor-league veteran who appeared in three games at age 30 for the 1936 Philadelphia Athletics.
  • September   3 – Hal Schwenk, 65, southpaw who, in his only MLB game, pitched his St. Louis Browns to an 11-inning, 5–4 complete game victory on September 4, 1913.
  • September   4 – Gus Weyhing, 88, fire-balling 145 lb (66 kg) hurler who won 264 games (losing 232) for 11 teams in four major leagues (National, American, Players', and the American Association) between 1887 and 1901, and set the all-time record for hit batsmen (277); won 30 or more games for four consecutive seasons (1889–1892), and 20 or more games on three other occasions; also lost 19 or more games eight times.[4]
  • September   8 – Dode Criss, 70, good-hitting pitcher turned pinch hitter and first baseman who played in 227 games for 1908–1911 St. Louis Browns; batted .276 lifetime with 84 hits and posted 3–9 record (4.38 ERA) in 30 mound appearances.
  • September 10 – Shano Collins, 69, outfielder/first baseman who appeared in 1,799 games for the Chicago White Sox (1910–1920) and Boston Red Sox (1921–1925); member of 1917 World Series champions; manager of Red Sox, 1931 to June 18, 1932.
  • September 12 – Dick Adkins, 35, shortstop who played three games for the Philadelphia Athletics in September 1942.
  • September 16 – George Brown, 69, outfielder for Dayton, Columbus and Detroit of the Negro National League in 1920 and 1921; prior to that, played extensively for independent Black baseball clubs during the 1910s.
  • September 16 – Dan Sherman, 64, pitcher who faced four batters (and registered one out) in his only appearance for Chicago of the Federal League on September 4, 1914.
  • September 20 – Art Herman, 84, pitcher who appeared in 17 games for Louisville of the National League in 1896 and 1897.
  • September 22 – Louis Drucke, 66, New York Giants' pitcher who worked in 53 games between 1909 and 1912; member of 1911 NL champions.
  • September 23 – McKinley Brewer, 59, pitcher-outfielder-first baseman for the 1921 Chicago Giants of the Negro National League.
  • September 23 – Gary Fortune, 60, pitcher who went 0–5 lifetime (6.61 ERA) in 20 games for the Philadelphia Phillies (1916, 1918) and Boston Red Sox (1920).
  • September 27 – Fred Walden, 65, catcher who played in one game, caught one inning, and made one error, in his one MLB game on June 3, 1912, as a member of the St. Louis Browns.

October

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  • October   4 – Stan Baumgartner, 60, relief pitcher who spent eight seasons in the majors with both of Philadelphia's MLB teams, the Phillies and Athletics, between 1914 and 1926, then became a prominent baseball writer in that city.
  • October   5 – Lyman Lamb, 60, third baseman for the St. Louis Browns during two seasons from 1920 to 1921.
  • October   9 – Howie Fox, 34, pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies and Baltimore Orioles from 1944 to 1954.
  • October   9 – Jim Jackson, 77, utility outfielder who played for the Baltimore Orioles, New York Giants and Cleveland Naps over four seasons from 1901 to 1906.
  • October 13 – Fred Lear, 61, third baseman who played for the Philadelphia Athletics, Chicago Cubs and New York Giants in part of four seasons between 1915 and 1920.
  • October 18 – George Murray, 57, who pitched from 1922 to 1933 for the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Washington Senators and Chicago White Sox.
  • October 18 – Charlie Shields, 32, pitcher who played for the Chicago American Giants, New York Cubans and Homestead Grays of the Negro leagues between 1941 and 1943.
  • October 26 – Jack Bushelman, 70, pitcher who played with the Cincinnati Reds in the 1909 season and for the Boston Red Sox from 1911 to 1912.
  • October 27 – Clark Griffith, 85, Hall of Fame pitcher and manager, and principal owner of the Washington Senators since 1920; won 237 games in 20-year career in three major leagues between 1891 and 1914, with 20 or more victories in seven different campaigns; led National League in earned run average (1.88) in 1898, then was a key recruiter of NL players to upstart American League in 1901; managed Chicago White Stockings, New York Highlanders, Cincinnati Reds and Senators between 1901 and 1920;[5] his 1901 White Stockings won the pennant in the AL's inaugural season.

November

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  • November   3 – John Merritt, 61, backup outfielder who appeared in just one game with the New York Giants in the 1913 season.
  • November   4 – Cy Young, 88, Hall of Fame pitcher who won a record 511 games over a 22-year career with five clubs from 1890 to 1911, being a 30-game winner five seasons, a 20-game victor sixteen times, pitching a perfect game, two no-hitters, and while being a member of the 1903 Boston Americans hurling the first pitch in a World Series game.[6]
  • November   5 – Frank Gregory, 67, pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds in their 1912 season.
  • November   5 – Bert Wilson, 44, Chicago-based sportscaster who was the radio voice of the Cubs from 1943 to 1955.
  • November 12 – Sam Crane, 61, shortstop who played for the Philadelphia Athletics, Washington Senators, Cincinnati Reds and Brooklyn Robins in part of seven seasons spanning 1914–1922.
  • November 15 – Calvin Clarke, 39, outfielder, second baseman and pitcher who appeared for the 1938 Washington Black Senators and 1941 Newark Eagles of the Negro National League.
  • November 19 – Otto Jacobs, 66, catcher for the 1918 Chicago White Sox.
  • November 23 – Fred Tauby, 49, part-time outfielder who played with the Chicago White Sox in the 1935 season and for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1937.
  • November 30 – John Stone, 50, outfielder for the Detroit Tigers and Washington Senators from 1928 to 1938, who hit over .300 in seven of his eleven seasons, with a career-high .341 in 1936.

December

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  • December   6 – Honus Wagner, 81, legendary Hall of Fame shortstop of the Pittsburgh Pirates who won eight National League batting crowns and led the league in runs batted in, stolen bases, doubles and slugging average at least five times each in a 21-year career, posting an overall batting line of .328/.391/.467, having scored 1,739 runs, connect 3,420 hits and stolen 723 bases.[7]
  • December   8 – Buck Washer, 73, pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies during the 1905 season.
  • December   9 – Curt Walker, 59, right fielder who played twelve seasons from 1919 to 1930 for the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds and New York Giants, compiling a slash line of.304/.374/.440 and 1,475 hits in 1,359 games, while batting a .300 or better average in seven seasons.
  • December 17 – Rube DeGroff, 76, backup outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals during two seasons from 1905 to 1906.
  • December 18 – George Caster, 48, pitcher who played for the Philadelphia Athletics, St. Louis Browns and Detroit Tigers during twelve seasons from 1934 to 1946, as well as a member of the 1945 World Champion Tigers.
  • December 18 – Francisco José Cróquer, 35, Venezuelan sportscaster specialized in baseball and boxing, who achieved international renown and became a household name in Latino communities after joining the Gillette Cavalcade of Sports in the late 1940s.
  • December 19 – Moxie Divis, 61, outfielder who played for the Philadelphia Athletics during the 1916 season.
  • December 22 – Jimmy O'Rourke, 71, outfielder who played in 1908 with the New York Highlanders.
  • December 23 – Joe McManus, 68, who pitched in 1913 for the Cincinnati Reds.
  • December 24 – Jake Boultes, 71, who played from 1907 through 1909 for the Boston Doves, mostly as a pitcher, although he also played a handful of games as a shortstop and third baseman.
  • December 27 – William "Lord" Byron, 83, National League umpire from 1913 to 1919, officiating 1,012 games and the 1914 World Series.
  • December 27 – Jim Fairbank, 74, pitcher who played for the Philadelphia Athletics during the 1903 and 1904 seasons.
  • December 31 – Clint Brown, 52, relief pitcher for the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox in a span of fifteen seasons from 1928 to 1942, who posted a career 89–93 W-L record with 64 saves and 4.26 ERA, leading the American League relievers in 1939 in appearances (61), games finished (56), saves (18) and innings (1181⁄3), ending 11th in the voting for the American League MVP Award.[8]

Sources

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  1. ^ "Frick Favors Return of "the Old Spitter"". Milwaukee Journal. 1955-03-08. p. 2. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  2. ^ Iron Man Catchers. Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers.Retrieved on March 3, 2018.
  3. ^ Harry Agganis article. SABR Biography Project. Retrieved on March 3, 2018.
  4. ^ Racanelli, John. "Gus Weyhing". sabr.org. Society for American Baseball Research Biography Project. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  5. ^ Clark Griffith article. Baseball Hall of Fame website. Retrieved on March 3, 2018.
  6. ^ Cy Young article. Baseball Hall of Fame website. Retrieved on March 3, 2018.
  7. ^ Honus Wagner article. Baseball Hall of Fame website. Retrieved von March 3, 2018.
  8. ^ 1939 American League MVP voting. Baseball Reference. Retrieved on March 4, 2018.
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