1945 Brooklyn Dodgers season

1945 Brooklyn Dodgers
Major League affiliations
National League (since 1890)
Location
Ebbets Field (since 1913)
Brooklyn, New York (since 1883)
Other information
Owner(s)	James & Dearie Mulvey, Walter O'Malley, Branch Rickey, John L. Smith
General manager(s)	Branch Rickey
Manager(s)	Leo Durocher
Local radio	WHN Red Barber, Connie Desmond
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As World War II was drawing to a close, the 1945 Brooklyn Dodgers finished 11 games back in third place in the National League race.

Offseason

• February 24, 1945: Carden Gillenwater was purchased from the Dodgers by the Boston Braves.^[1]
• March 28, 1945: Whit Wyatt was purchased from the Dodgers by the Philadelphia Phillies.^[2]

Regular season

Eddie Stanky led the NL in runs scored with 128 in 1945, when he drew a then-record 148 walks.^[3]

Season standings

National League	W	L	GB	Pct.
Chicago Cubs	98	56	--	.636
St. Louis Cardinals	95	59	3	.617
Brooklyn Dodgers	87	67	11	.565
Pittsburgh Pirates	82	72	16	.532
New York Giants	78	74	19	.513
Boston Braves	67	85	30	.441
Cincinnati Reds	61	93	37	.396
Philadelphia Phillies	46	108	52	.299

Record vs. opponents

1945 National League Records Sources:
Team	BOS	BR	CHC	CIN	NYG	PHI	PIT	STL
Boston	—	9–13–1	7–15	10–12	10–10–2	14–8	7–15	10–12
Brooklyn	13–9–1	—	8–14–1	11–11	15–7	19–3	12–10	9–13
Chicago	15–7	14–8–1	—	21–1	11–11	17–5	14–8	6–16
Cincinnati	12–10	11–11	1–21	—	6–16	12–10	10–12	9–13
New York	10–10–2	7–15	11–11	16–6	—	17–5	11–11	6–16
Philadelphia	8–14	3–19	5–17	10–12	5–17	—	6–16	9–13
Pittsburgh	15–7	10–12	8–14	12–10	11–11	16–6	—	10–12–1
St. Louis	12–10	13–9	16–6	13–9	16–6	13–9	12–10–1	—

Opening Day lineup

Opening Day lineup
Name	Position
Frenchy Bordagaray	Left fielder
Luis Olmo	Center fielder
Augie Galan	First baseman
Dixie Walker	Right fielder
Bill Hart	Third baseman
Mickey Owen	Catcher
Mike Sandlock	Shortstop
Leo Durocher	Second baseman
Curt Davis	Starting pitcher

Notable transactions

• June 15, 1945: Ben Chapman was traded by the Dodgers to the Philadelphia Phillies for Johnny Peacock.^[4]

Roster

1945 Brooklyn Dodgers
Roster
Pitchers 13 Ralph Branca 23 Cy Buker -- Claude Crocker 26 Curt Davis 28 Hal Gregg 22 Ray Hathaway 16 Art Herring 29 Clyde King 18 Vic Lombardi 25 Otho Nitcholas 14 Lee Pfund 10 Ernie Rudolph 17 Tom Seats 31,32 Les Webber		Catchers 15 Stan Andrews 3,34 Fats Dantonio 32 Ray Hayworth 10 Mickey Owen  5 Johnny Peacock  1 Mike Sandlock 15 Clyde Sukeforth Infielders 27,31 Eddie Basinski 33 Frenchy Bordagaray  9 Tommy Brown  8 Claude Corbitt 13 John Douglas  2 Leo Durocher 24 Augie Galan  6 Bill Hart  8 Howie Schultz 12 Eddie Stanky  6 Ed Stevens  9 Barney White		Outfielders 19 Morrie Aderholt  3 Red Durrett 3,4,32 Babe Herman 25 Don Lund 21 Luis Olmo  9 Erv Palica 35 Goody Rosen 11 Dixie Walker		Manager  2 Leo Durocher Coaches 30 Red Corriden  7 Charlie Dressen 32 Ray Hayworth 15 Clyde Sukeforth

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos	Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
C	Sandlock, MikeMike Sandlock	80	195	55	.282	2	17
1B	Galan, AugieAugie Galan	152	576	177	.307	9	92
2B	Stanky, EddieEddie Stanky	153	555	143	.258	1	39
3B	Bordagaray, FrenchyFrenchy Bordagaray
SS	Basinski, EddieEddie Basinski
OF	Walker, DixieDixie Walker
OF	Rosen, GoodyGoody Rosen
OF	Olmo, LuisLuis Olmo

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
Stevens, EdEd Stevens
Brown, TommyTommy Brown
Hart, BillBill Hart
Schultz, HowieHowie Schultz
Dantonio, FatsFats Dantonio
Peacock, JohnnyJohnny Peacock
Owen, MickeyMickey Owen
Aderholt, MorrieMorrie Aderholt
Sukeforth, ClydeClyde Sukeforth
Andrews, StanStan Andrews
Herman, BabeBabe Herman
Durrett, RedRed Durrett
Douglas, JohnJohn Douglas
Durocher, LeoLeo Durocher	2	5	1	.200	0	2
Corbitt, ClaudeClaude Corbitt
Lund, DonDon Lund
Hayworth, RayRay Hayworth
White, BarneyBarney White
Palica, ErvErv Palica

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
Gregg, HalHal Gregg
Davis, CurtCurt Davis
Branca, RalphRalph Branca	16	109.2	5	6	3.04	69
Herring, ArtArt Herring
Head, EdEd Head
Wurm, FrankFrank Wurm

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
Lombardi, VicVic Lombardi
Seats, TomTom Seats
Webber, LesLes Webber
Pfund, LeeLee Pfund
Chapman, BenBen Chapman
Hathaway, RayRay Hathaway

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	W	L	SV	ERA	SO
Buker, CyCy Buker	42	7	2	5	3.30	48
King, ClydeClyde King
Nitcholas, OthoOtho Nitcholas
Rudolph, ErnieErnie Rudolph
Crocker, ClaudeClaude Crocker

Awards and honors

• 1945 Major League Baseball All-Star Game – Unofficial Rosters, the Game was not played due to the war
  • Hal Gregg starter
  • Goody Rosen reserve
  • Dixie Walker reserve
• TSN Major League All-Star Team
  • Goody Rosen

Farm system

Level	Team	League	Manager
AA	Montreal Royals	International League	Bruno Betzel
AA	St. Paul Saints	American Association	Ray Blades
A1	Mobile Bears	Southern Association	Clay Hopper
B	Newport News Dodgers	Piedmont League	Jake Pitler
B	Trenton Packers	Interstate League	Walter Alston
D	Olean Oilers	Pennsylvania–Ontario–New York League	John Fitzpatrick
D	Zanesville Dodgers	Ohio–Indiana League	Jack Knight Morris Mikesell Ray Hayworth Eric McNair Clay Bryant

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Mobile, Zanesville

Notes

1. Carden Gillenwater page at Baseball Reference
2. Whit Wyatt page at Baseball Reference
3. Eddie Stanky at Baseball Library
4. Ben Chapman page at Baseball Reference

References

• Baseball-Reference season page
• Baseball Almanac season page

External links

• 1945 Brooklyn Dodgers uniform
• Brooklyn Dodgers reference site
• Acme Dodgers page
• Retrosheet