1955 in baseball
The following are the baseball events of the year 1955 throughout the world.
Champions
Major League Baseball
- World Series: Brooklyn Dodgers over New York Yankees (4-3); Johnny Podres, MVP
- All-Star Game, July 12 at County Stadium: National League, 6-5 (12 innings)
Other champions
- Caribbean World Series: Cangrejeros de Santurce (Puerto Rico)
- College World Series: Wake Forest University
- Japan Series: Yomiuri Giants over Nankai Hawks (4-3)
- Little League World Series: Morrisville, Pennsylvania
Awards and honors
MLB statistical leaders
| 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 BRO | 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
American League final standings
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National League final standings
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Events
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.
April–June
- April 12 – After a big civic parade, the Athletics open their first season in Kansas City with a win over the Detroit Tigers, 6–2, before a crowd of 32,844.
- April 14 – Elston Howard becomes the first African-American to wear the New York Yankees uniform. Howard singles in his first-at-bat, against the Boston Red Sox, as the Yankees win 8–4.
- April 23: The Chicago White Sox tallied a franchise record 29 runs/29 hits against the host Kansas City Athletics, including seven home runs, in a 29–6 ripping. Sherm Lollar was 5-for-6 with a pair of home runs and five RBI, and became the only player in the decade to get two hits in one inning twice in the same game (2nd and 6th innings). Chico Carrasquel hit 5-for-6, and Bob Nieman paced the attack with two homers and seven RBI. Walt Dropo added a homer and seven RBI, while pitcher Jack Harshman and Minnie Miñoso also homered. Carrasquel and Miñoso each scored five runs. Kansas City had homers from Vic Power and Bill Renna. Bobby Shantz was the losing pitcher.
- May 12 – Sam Jones of the Chicago Cubs no-hits the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4–0, becoming the first African American to pitch a no-hitter in the Major Leagues. Jones does it in the hardest way, when In the ninth inning he walks the bases full and then strikes out Dick Groat, Roberto Clemente and Frank Thomas in a row to preserve his victory. It is also the first no-hitter at Wrigley Field in 38 years. Only 2,918 fans are on hand to witness the double milestone.
- May 13 – At Yankee Stadium, Mickey Mantle hits home runs from both sides of the plate for the first time in his major league career. The New York Yankees slugger finishes the game with three home runs – two left-handed and one right-handed, while driving in all of his team's runs in a 5–2 victory over the Detroit Tigers. Whitey Ford is the winning pitcher and Steve Gromek takes the loss.
July–September
- July 12 – In the All-Star Game in Milwaukee's County Stadium, the American League takes a 5-run lead on a 3-run home run by Mickey Mantle off Robin Roberts, only to see the National League tie it. Milwaukee Braves' pitcher Gene Conley strikes out the side in the 12th inning, and Stan Musial of the St. Louis Cardinals homers off Frank Sullivan of the Red Sox to win it.
- July 31 – On the anniversary of his 4-home run game, Braves' first baseman Joe Adcock has his arm broken by a pitch from the New York Giants' Jim Hearn. Adcock will miss the rest of the season.
- August 20 – The Chicago White Sox rally to edge the Detroit Tigers‚ 8–7. Nellie Fox and Jim Rivera pace the attack with four hits apiece‚ while Chico Carrasquel adds a home run. George Kell drives in five runs for the White Sox. The win leaves Chicago (71-46) tied in second place with Cleveland (73-48)‚ and a game in back of New York (74-47).
- September 8 – The Brooklyn Dodgers clinch the National League pennant by beating the Milwaukee Braves, 10–2, for their 8th NL title. The Dodgers also break their own Major League Baseball record for the earliest clinching, set in 1953.
- September 16 – The Kansas City Athletics score seven runs in the first inning and roll to a 13–7 win over the faltering Chicago White Sox. The third place Sox lose their 10th in 17 games. Héctor López hits a three-run home run in the first to start the scoring and later in the game Joe Astroth adds another three-run homer. George Kell and Chico Carrasquel hits solo homers for Chicago. In the 8th‚ 16-year-old shortstop Alex George debuts for Kansas City‚ handling two chances in the field flawlessly and making out in his one at bat. George will go 1-for-10 in this his only Major League season.
October–December
- October 3 – No more "wait till' next year" as the Brooklyn Dodgers, behind the pitching of Johnny Podres, brings its first, and only, World Championship to Brooklyn after seven previous frustrated World Series appearances in a 2-0 win over the New York Yankees. The Dodgers win the Series four game to three, and Podres is named Most Valuable Player – the first time the award is given in the World Series.
- October 25 – Chicago White Sox GM Frank Lane trade SS Chico Carrasquel and CF Jim Busby to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for CF Larry Doby. The trade was made by Lane to make room for Carrasquel's fellow Venezuelan and future Hall of Famer Luis Aparicio.
- November 2 – The Pittsburgh Pirates name Bobby Bragan as their new field manager, replacing Fred Haney.
- November 8 – In a nine-player transaction before the 1956 season, the Washington Senators sent All-Stars Bob Porterfield and Mickey Vernon along with Johnny Schmitz and Tom Umphlett to the Boston Red Sox, in exchange for Dick Brodowski, Neil Chrisley, Tex Clevenger, Karl Olson and Minor leaguer Al Curtis.
- November 12 – Fred Hutchinson replaces Harry Walker as the St. Louis Cardinals manager. With the departure of Walker, next season will be the first time in National League history without a player-manager.
- November 21 – Carl Stotz, principal founding father of the Little League, sues the organization for breach of contract. The suit will be settled out of court.
- November 28 – The Chicago Cubs trade pitcher Hal Jeffcoat to the Cincinnati Redlegs in exchange for catcher Hobie Landrith.
- December 8 – Lenny Yochim of the Leones del Caracas became the first pitcher to throw a no-hitter in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. The 27-year-old left-hander accomplished the feat in a 3–0 victory over the Navegantes del Magallanes helped by catcher Earl Battey. Ramón Monzant was credited with the loss. Previously, the screwballer Yochim had pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates in part of two seasons.
Births
January
- January 1 – LaMarr Hoyt
- January 1 – Bob Owchinko
- January 21 – Dave Smith
- January 21 – Mike Smithson
- January 24 – Ted Cox
- January 26 – Brian Doyle
- January 26 – Joe Pettini
- January 28 – Joe Beckwith
- January 31 – Ted Power
February
- February 1 – Ernie Camacho
- February 4 – Gary Allenson
- February 4 – Rusty Kuntz
- February 5 – Mike Heath
- February 7 – Dámaso García
- February 7 – Charlie Puleo
- February 9 – Jerry Keller
- February 12 – Juan Bonilla
- February 12 – Chet Lemon
March
- March 11 – Larry Landreth
- March 12 – Ruppert Jones
- March 15 – Mickey Hatcher
- March 18 – Dwayne Murphy
- March 19 – Mike Norris
- March 25 – Lee Mazzilli
April
- April 2 – Billy Sample
- April 7 – Bobby Mitchell
- April 14 – Chris Welsh
- April 16 – Bruce Bochy
- April 16 – Rick Jones
- April 17 – Tom Runnells
- April 18 – Bobby Castillo
- April 22 – David Clyde
- April 23 – Tom Dixon
- April 26 – Mike Scott
May
- May 7 – Bob Ferris
- May 12 – Ralph Botting
- May 14 – Dennis Martínez
- May 14 – Hosken Powell
- May 16 – Jack Morris
- May 16 – Tack Wilson
- May 19 – Ed Whitson
- May 21 – Eddie Milner
- May 25 – Andrés Mora
- May 27 – Ross Baumgarten
June
- June 10 – Floyd Bannister
- June 10 – Scott Ullger
- June 17 – Joe Charboneau
July
- July 3 – Matt Keough
- July 7 – Len Barker
- July 7 – Jerry Dybzinski
- July 9 – Willie Wilson
- July 21 – Mark Lemongello
- July 27 – Shane Rawley
August
- August 2 – Jim Dorsey
- August 6 – Ron Davis
- August 6 – Steve Nicosia
- August 11 – Bryn Smith
- August 18 – Bruce Benedict
- August 19 – Terry Harper
- August 19 – Ned Yost
- August 22 – Larry Vanover
- August 29 – Phil Cuzzi
- August 27 – Pat Kelly
- August 30 – Renie Martin
September
- September 5 – Gil Patterson
- September 16 – Robin Yount
- September 18 – Don McCormack
- September 13 – Mike Fischlin
- September 16 – Joe Edelen
- September 22 – Jeffrey Leonard
- September 24 – Mike Champion
October
- October 1 – Jeff Reardon
- October 3 – Jim Joyce
- October 4 – Gary Cederstrom
- October 4 – Lary Sorensen
- October 8 – Jerry Reed
- October 9 – Alex Taveras
- October 21 – Jerry Garvin
- October 25 – Danny Darwin
November
- November 2 – Greg Harris
- November 2 – Bob Tufts
- November 5 – Bobby Ramos
- November 9 – Jeff Cox
- November 10 – Jack Clark
- November 15 – Fred Breining
- November 15 – Randy Niemann
- November 18 – Luis Pujols
- November 22 – Kevin Rhomberg
- November 22 – Wayne Tolleson
- November 23 – Todd Cruz
- November 26 – Jay Howell
December
- December 7 – Scot Thompson
- December 18 – Jim Clancy
- December 18 – Bobby Clark
- December 22 – Lonnie Smith
- December 23 – Keith Comstock
- December 30 – Keith MacWhorter
- December 31 – Jim Tracy
Deaths
- January 13 – Bill Dinneen, 78, pitching star of the 1903 World Series who went on to have a 29-year career as an American League umpire.
- February 6 – Rosey Rowswell, 71, radio sportscaster best known for being the first full-time play-by-play announcer for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
- February 6 – Hank Thormahlen, 58, pitcher for the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Brooklyn Robins between 1917 and 1925.
- May 4 – Fredrick Westervelt, 77, major league umpire for five years.
- June 6 – Mike Kelley, 79, first baseman for the 1899 Louisville Colonels, later became a long time minor league baseball owner and manager.
- June 27 – Harry Agganis, 26, Red Sox first baseman from Lynn, Massachusetts who gave up being a football star to play for the BoSox, closer to his home and mother. On June 2, he was hospitalized with pneumonia. He rejoined the Sox 10 days later, fell ill again on June 27 and was flown back to Cambridge, Ma. where he died of a pulmonary embolism.
- August 26 – Sol White, 87, player, manager and executive with various Negro leagues and teams from 1887 to 1926.
- September 23 – Gary Fortune, 60, pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox between 1916 and 1920.
- October 9 – Howie Fox, 34, pitcher for the Reds, Phillies and Orioles from 1944 to 1954.
- October 18 – George Murray, 57, pitched from 1922 to 1933 for the Yankees, Red Sox, Senators and White Sox.
- October 27 – Clark Griffith, 85, Hall of Fame pitcher and manager, and owner of the Washington Senators since 1920.
- November 4 – Cy Young, 88, Hall of Fame pitcher who won a record 511 games over a 22-year career and pitched three no-hitters, including a perfect game.
- November 30 – John Stone, 50, outfielder for the Tigers and Senators from 1928–38, who collected seven .300 seasons, with a career-high .341 in 1936.
- December 6 – Honus Wagner, 81, legendary Hall of Fame shortstop who won eight National League batting crowns and led the league in RBI, stolen bases, doubles and slugging percentage at least five times each.
- 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 27 – Lord Byron, 83, National League umpire from 1913 to 1919.
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