1947 Major League Baseball season

This article is about the 1947 Major League Baseball season only. For information on all of baseball, see 1947 in baseball.

The 1947 Major League Baseball season, was contested from April 15 through October 6, 1947. The American League and National League both featured eight teams, with each team playing a 154-game schedule. The World Series was contested between the New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers, with the Yankees winning in seven games, capturing the 11th championship in franchise history.

1947 MLB season
League	Major League Baseball
Sport	Baseball
Duration	April 15 – October 6, 1947
Number of games	154
Number of teams	16
Regular season
Season MVP	AL: Joe DiMaggio (NYY) NL: Bob Elliott (BSB)
AL champions	New York Yankees
AL runners-up	Detroit Tigers
NL champions	Brooklyn Dodgers
NL runners-up	St. Louis Cardinals
World Series
Champions	New York Yankees
Runners-up	Brooklyn Dodgers
MLB seasons
← 1946 1948 →

On April 15, Opening Day for the National League's Brooklyn Dodgers, Jackie Robinson was in the Dodgers' lineup, playing first base against the Boston Braves at Ebbets Field.^[1] His appearance in a major league game broke the baseball color line, the practice of excluding players of black African descent. Later in the season, Larry Doby debuted with the Cleveland Indians on July 5, becoming the first black player in the American League.^[2]

Statistical leaders

American League National League Type Name Stat Name Stat AVG Ted Williams BSR .343 Harry Walker SLC/PHP .363 HR Ted Williams BSR 32 Ralph Kiner PIT Johnny Mize NYG 51 RBI Ted Williams BSR 114 Johnny Mize NYG 138 Wins Bob Feller CLE 20 Ewell Blackwell CIN 22 ERA Joe Haynes CWS 2.42 Warren Spahn BSB 2.33 SO Bob Feller CLE 196 Ewell Blackwell CIN 193 SV Ed Klieman CLE Joe Page NYY 17 Hugh Casey BKN 18 SB Bob Dillinger SLB 34 Jackie Robinson BKN 29

Standings

American League v t e American League W L Pct. GB Home Road New York Yankees 97 57 0.630 — 55–22 42–35 Detroit Tigers 85 69 0.552 12 46–31 39–38 Boston Red Sox 83 71 0.539 14 49–30 34–41 Cleveland Indians 80 74 0.519 17 38–39 42–35 Philadelphia Athletics 78 76 0.506 19 39–38 39–38 Chicago White Sox 70 84 0.455 27 32–43 38–41 Washington Senators 64 90 0.416 33 36–41 28–49 St. Louis Browns 59 95 0.383 38 29–48 30–47

National League v t e National League W L Pct. GB Home Road Brooklyn Dodgers 94 60 0.610 — 52–25 42–35 St. Louis Cardinals 89 65 0.578 5 46–31 43–34 Boston Braves 86 68 0.558 8 50–27 36–41 New York Giants 81 73 0.526 13 45–31 36–42 Cincinnati Reds 73 81 0.474 21 42–35 31–46 Chicago Cubs 69 85 0.448 25 36–43 33–42 Philadelphia Phillies 62 92 0.403 32 38–38 24–54 Pittsburgh Pirates 62 92 0.403 32 32–45 30–47

Postseason

Bracket

	World Series
	AL	New York Yankees	4
	NL	Brooklyn Dodgers	3

Awards and honors

 

Joe DiMaggio (1951)

• Baseball Hall of Fame: Carl Hubbell; Frankie Frisch; Mickey Cochrane; Lefty Grove
• Most Valuable Player: Joe DiMaggio (AL); Bob Elliott (NL)
• Rookie of the Year: Jackie Robinson
• The Sporting News Player of the Year Award: Ted Williams (AL) – OF, Boston Red Sox
• The Sporting News Manager of the Year Award: Bucky Harris (AL) – New York Yankees

Managers

American League

Team	Manager	Comments
Boston Red Sox	Joe Cronin	Finished 3rd
Chicago White Sox	Ted Lyons
Cleveland Indians	Lou Boudreau
Detroit Tigers	Del Baker	Finished 2nd
New York Yankees	Bucky Harris	Won World Series
Philadelphia Athletics	Connie Mack
St. Louis Browns	Muddy Ruel
Washington Senators	Ossie Bluege

National League

Team	Manager	Comments
Boston Braves	Billy Southworth	Finished 3rd
Brooklyn Dodgers	Clyde Sukeforth and Burt Shotton	Won Pennant
Chicago Cubs	Charlie Grimm
Cincinnati Reds	Johnny Neun
New York Giants	Mel Ott
Philadelphia Phillies	Ben Chapman
Pittsburgh Pirates	Billy Herman and Bill Burwell
St. Louis Cardinals	Eddie Dyer	Finished 2nd

Home field attendance

Team name	Wins	%±	Home attendance	%±	Per game
New York Yankees^[3]	97	11.5%	2,178,937	-3.8%	28,298
Brooklyn Dodgers^[4]	94	-2.1%	1,807,526	0.6%	23,173
New York Giants^[5]	81	32.8%	1,600,793	31.2%	21,063
Cleveland Indians^[6]	80	17.6%	1,521,978	44.0%	19,513
Boston Red Sox^[7]	83	-20.2%	1,427,315	0.7%	17,621
Detroit Tigers^[8]	85	-7.6%	1,398,093	-18.8%	17,476
Chicago Cubs^[9]	69	-15.9%	1,364,039	1.6%	17,266
Pittsburgh Pirates^[10]	62	-1.6%	1,283,531	71.1%	16,247
Boston Braves^[11]	86	6.2%	1,277,361	31.7%	16,589
St. Louis Cardinals^[12]	89	-9.2%	1,247,913	17.5%	16,207
Philadelphia Athletics^[13]	78	59.2%	911,566	46.6%	11,687
Philadelphia Phillies^[14]	62	-10.1%	907,332	-13.2%	11,784
Cincinnati Reds^[15]	73	9.0%	899,975	25.7%	11,688
Chicago White Sox^[16]	70	-5.4%	876,948	-10.8%	11,693
Washington Senators^[17]	64	-15.8%	850,758	-17.2%	11,049
St. Louis Browns^[18]	59	-10.6%	320,474	-39.1%	4,162

Events

April–June

• April 15 – Major League Baseball's color line is officially broken when Jackie Robinson makes his Major League debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers against the Boston Braves at Ebbets Field.
• April 27 – It is Babe Ruth Day at Yankee Stadium. Despite having throat cancer, he speaks to the packed house, proclaiming, "The only real game, I think, in the world is baseball."
• June 18 – Ewell Blackwell pitches a no-hitter, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 6–0 win over the Boston Braves.

July–September

• July 5 – Larry Doby makes his debut for the Cleveland Indians, becoming the first black baseball player in the American League, and fully integrating Major League Baseball.
• July 8 – At Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, the American League defeats the National League, 2–1, in the All-Star Game.
• July 10 – Cleveland Indians pitcher Don Black throws a no-hitter in a 3–0 win over the Philadelphia Athletics.
• July 19 – Hall of Fame Negro leagues player Willard Brown makes his major league debut with the St. Louis Browns. Brown would only appear in 21 games for St. Louis in his only major league season, batting .179 with one home run and six runs batted in.
• July 20 – With both Hank Thompson and Willard Brown in the starting line-up, the St. Louis Browns become the first major league club to field two black players at the same time. Both players play all nine innings of both games of a doubleheader with the Boston Red Sox.
• August 13 – The St. Louis Browns' Willard Brown clubs a pinch hit a two-run, inside-the-park homer against Detroit Tigers pitcher Hal Newhouser, to become the first African American player to hit a home run in American League history.
• August 20 – Washington Senators relief pitcher Tom Ferrick loses both games of a doubleheader with the Cleveland Indians. While pitching with the St. Louis Browns the previous season, Ferrick won both games of a doubleheader against the Philadelphia Athletics on August 4.
• August 26 – Brooklyn Dodgers' Dan Bankhead became the first black pitcher in the majors. He homered in his first major league plate appearance, but didn't fare well on the mound. In 3 ¹⁄₃ innings of relief, he gave up 10 hits and six earned runs to the Pittsburgh Pirates, who won the game, 16–3.
• September 3 – Bill McCahan of the Philadelphia Athletics no-hits the Washington Senators in a 3–0 victory.

October–December

• October 6 – The New York Yankees defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers, 5–2, in Game 7 of the World Series to win their eleventh World Championship, four games to three. This was the first World Series involving a nonwhite player, as Dodgers first baseman Jackie Robinson had racially integrated Major League Baseball at the beginning of the season. It was also the first Series to be shown on television although coverage was limited to New York City and surrounding environs.
• November 27 – Triple Crown winner Ted Williams (.343 BA, 32 home runs, 114 RBI) is edged out by Joe DiMaggio (.315, 20, 97) for the American League MVP Award by one point. One BBWAA member fails to include Williams anywhere on his ballot.

See also

• 1947 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League season

References

1. Spatz, Lyle. "April 15, 1947: Jackie Robinson's major league debut". SABR. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
2. McMurray, John. "Larry Doby". SABR. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
3. "New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
4. "Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
5. "San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
6. "Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
7. "Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
8. "Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
9. "Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
10. "Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
11. "Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
12. "St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
13. "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
14. "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
15. "Cincinnati Reds 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. "Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
18. "Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.

External links

• 1947 Major League Baseball season schedule at Baseball Reference