1956 in baseball

The following are the baseball events of the year 1956 throughout the world.

Champions

Major League Baseball

World Series: New York Yankees over Brooklyn Dodgers (4-3); Don Larsen, MVP
All-Star Game, July 10 at Griffith Stadium: National League, 7-3

Other champions

College World Series: Minnesota
Japan Series: Nishitetsu Lions over Yomiuri Giants (4-2)
Little League World Series: Lions Hondo, Roswell, New Mexico

Winter Leagues

Awards and honors

Most Valuable Player
- National League – Don Newcombe, Brooklyn Dodgers
- American League – Mickey Mantle, New York Yankees
First Cy Young Award: Don Newcombe, Brooklyn Dodgers
Rookie of the Year
- National League – Frank Robinson, Cincinnati Reds
- American League – Luis Aparicio, Chicago White Sox

Major League Baseball statistical leaders

	American League		National League
AVG	Mickey Mantle¹ NYY	.353	Hank Aaron MIL	.324
HR	Mickey Mantle¹ NYY	52	Duke Snider BKN	43
RBI	Mickey Mantle¹ NYY	130	Stan Musial STL	109
Wins	Frank Lary DET	21	Don Newcombe BKN	27
ERA	Whitey Ford NYY	2.47	Lew Burdette MIL	2.70
Ks	Herb Score CLE	263	Sam Jones CHC	176

¹ Major League Triple Crown Batting Winner

Major league baseball final standings

American League final standings

American League
Club	Wins	Losses	Win %	GB
New York Yankees	97	57	.630	--
Cleveland Indians	88	66	.571	9
Chicago White Sox	85	69	.552	12
Boston Red Sox	84	70	.545	13
Detroit Tigers	82	72	.532	15
Baltimore Orioles	69	85	.448	28
Washington Senators	59	95	.383	38
Kansas City Athletics	52	102	.338	45

National League final standings

National League
Club	Wins	Losses	Win %	GB
Brooklyn Dodgers	93	61	.604	--
Milwaukee Braves	92	62	.597	1
Cincinnati Reds	91	63	.591	2
St. Louis Cardinals	76	78	.494	17
Philadelphia Phillies	71	83	.461	22
New York Giants	67	87	.435	26
Pittsburgh Pirates	66	88	.429	27
Chicago Cubs	60	94	.390	33

Events

January–March

February 6 – Supporting the Wagner-Cashmore plan to build a $30-million downtown Brooklyn sports center, Brooklyn Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley promises to buy four million dollars worth of bonds.

April–June

April 22 – The Philadelphia Phillies manage just three hits, but one of them is a three-run home run by Ted Kazanski, as Robin Roberts wins, 3–1, over Johnny Antonelli and the New York Giants.
April 26 – Chico Carrasquel batted 2-for-4, including two runs, a grand slam and a career-high seven runs batted in, to guide the Cleveland Indians to a crushing 14–2 victory over the Kansas City Athletics. Early Wynn pitched a nine-strikeout, four-hit, two-run complete game to earn the victory, while Lou Kretlow allowed seven runs in four-plus innings to get the loss.
May 2 – At Wrigley Field, the New York Giants defeat the Chicago Cubs, 6-5, in a 17-inning game in which 48 players see action–25 Giants and 23 Cubs. Chicago's Don Hoak sets a National League record by striking out six times in the game, which also features a record 11 intentional walks, including two each to the Giants' Willie Mays and Wes Westrum and the Cubs' Ernie Banks.
May 12 – Carl Erskine tosses the second no-hitter of his career as the Brooklyn Dodgers blank the New York Giants, 3–0, at Ebbets Field. His first no-hitter came on June 19, 1952 against the Chicago Cubs at Ebbets Field.
May 26 – Al Simmons died in Milwaukee, at the age of 54. A former Philadelphia Athletics outfielder as well as a three-time All-Star and two-time champion bat, Simmons posted a .334 average with 307 home runs and 1827 RBI in a 20-season major league career that included stints with six other teams besides the Athletics. Simmons was enshrined into the Hall of Fame in 1953.
May 30 – Mickey Mantle of the New York Yankees narrowly misses hitting the first home run ever hit completely out of Yankee Stadium. With Hank Bauer and Gil McDougald on base in the fifth inning of Game One of a doubleheader against the Washington Senators, Mantle, batting left-handed against Pedro Ramos, hits a towering drive above the level of the stadium roof. However, a stiff wind cuts down the ball, which strikes the right-field facade, 18 inches (460 mm) above the level of the roof. The home run gives the Yankees a 3-1 lead; they go on to win 4-3.
June 21 – Jack Harshman of the Chicago White Sox defeats Connie Johnson of the Baltimore Orioles 1-0 in a game in which both pitchers throw a one-hitter.
June 27 – Chico Carrasquel went 5-for-6, including two doubles, two runs, and a game-ending RBI single in the 11th inning off Don Mossi, as the Cleveland Indians edged the Baltimore Orioles 12–11. Hal Brown was the winning pitcher in a 6 ¹⁄₃-inning relief effort.

July–September

July 10 – At Griffith Stadium, home of the Washington Senators, the National League topped the American League, 7-3, in the All-Star Game. Willie Mays, Stan Musial, Ted Williams, and Mickey Mantle all hit home runs.
July 14 – At Fenway Park, Mel Parnell of the Boston Red Sox no-hits the Chicago White Sox 4-0. The no-hitter is the Red Sox' first since Howard Ehmke in 1923, the first at Fenway since the Washington Senators' Walter Johnson no-hit the Red Sox in 1920, and the first by a Red Sox left-hander since Dutch Leonard in 1918.
July 25 – Roberto Clemente of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits the first, and so far only, walk-off inside-the park grand slam in major league history in a 9-8 win over the Chicago Cubs.
August 2 – Herb Score shuts out the visiting New York Yankees‚ 4–0‚ for the Cleveland Indians seventh shutout in their last 12 games. Bobby Ávila gets the Indians on board with an inside-the-park home run in the third inning. An inning later, Preston Ward and Rocky Colavito hit back-to-back home runs and one out later Chico Carrasquel homers. The four solo homers in a shutout victory sets a major league record. Yankees starter Tom Sturdivant, who gave up the four homers, is the losing pitcher.
August 8 – Robin Roberts wins his eighth straight game and his fourth in 10 days‚ as the visiting Philadelphia Phillies defeat the New York Giants‚ 9–3. Phillies shortstop Ted Kazanski lines an inside-the-park grand slam off Jim Hearn‚ just the fourth in club history to pace the attack.
September 25 – At Ebbets Field, Sal Maglie of the Brooklyn Dodgers no-hits the Philadelphia Phillies 5-0.
September 30 – Chicago White Sox pitcher Jim Derrington becomes the youngest pitcher in modern history to start a game. He loses to the Kansas City Athletics, 7-6, at the age of 16 years and 10 months.

October–December

October 8 – New York Yankees pitcher Don Larsen pitches a perfect game in Game 5 of the World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers, in a 2-0 victory. It is only the fourth perfect game since 1900 and sixth in the history of Major League Baseball. To date it remains the only perfect game in baseball post-season history, and also the only no-hitter in the World Series.
October 9 – The Dodgers bounce back. Brooklyn's Clem Labine comes out of the bullpen to pitch a 1-0 victory for the Dodgers in Game 6 of the World Series. Yankee Enos Slaughter misjudges Jackie Robinson's fly ball, and Jim Gilliam scores from second base; it turned out to be Robinson's last major league hit. The series is tied at 3 games apiece.
October 10 – The New York Yankees defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers, 9-0, in Game 7 of the World Series to win their seventeenth World Championship, four games to three. Johnny Kucks goes the distance in the victory, allowing only three hits. Yogi Berra hits a pair of 2-run home runs and Bill Skowron hits a grand slam. Don Newcombe takes the loss, his fourth in Series competition. It was the last World Series game being played at Brooklyn's Ebbets Field. Yankees pitcher Don Larsen is named Most Valuable Player.
October 24 – Birdie Tebbetts of the Cincinnati Reds is named National League Manager of the Year.
October 25 – Chicago White Sox manager Marty Marion resigns. Al López replaces him.
November 27:
- Don Newcombe, who posted a 27-7 record with 139 strikeouts and a 3.06 ERA for the National League pennant-winning Brooklyn Dodgers, becomes the first MLB Cy Young Award winner. Only one pitcher will be selected each season for this prestigious pitching award until 1967, when each league will name a winner.
- Outfielder Charlie Peete, given a good shot at being the first black starter on the St. Louis Cardinals, is killed in a plane crash in Caracas, Venezuela. Peete, who hit .192 in 23 games for St. Louis in 1956, was returning from playing winter ball.
November 28 – The Cleveland Indians name Kerby Farrell to replace Al López as the team manager. Farrell won the Junior World Series as the pilot of the Double-A Indianapolis Indians.
December 1 – Outfielder Frank Robinson of the Cincinnati Reds is unanimously voted the National League Rookie of the Year. In the American League, Chicago White Sox shortstop Luis Aparicio is voted Rookie of the Year with 22 points, beating out outfielders Tito Francona of the Baltimore Orioles and Rocky Colavito of the Cleveland Indians.

Births

January–February

January 10 – Dan Rohn
January 12 – Chuck Porter
January 15 – Rance Mulliniks
January 15 – Jerry Narron
January 25 – Dale Mohorcic
February 1 – Geoff Combe
February 2 – Manny Sarmiento
February 4 – Chris Bando
February 9 – Mookie Wilson
February 12 – Brian Denman
February 14 – Dave Dravecky
February 22 – Joe Lefebvre
February 24 – Eddie Murray
February 25 – Kevin Hickey
February 25 – Ed Lynch

March–April

March 12 – Dale Murphy
March 14 – Butch Wynegar
March 16 – Juan Espino
March 17 – Rick Lisi
March 17 – Tim Lollar
March 17 – Rod Scurry
March 21 – Mike Darr
March 23 – Ron Johnson
March 24 – Garry Templeton
March 27 – Dave Hostetler
March 30 – Jack Lazorko
April 4 – Tom Herr
April 12 – Jose Alvarez
April 14 – Bobby Sprowl
April 22 – Moose Haas
April 22 – Dave Schmidt
April 26 – Tim Tolman

May–June

May 4 – Ubaldo Heredia
May 4 – Ken Oberkfell
May 5 – Ron Oester
May 18 – Jim Farr
May 19 – Luis Salazar
May 19 – Eric Show
May 22 – Mark Brouhard
May 23 – Buck Showalter
May 27 – Mark Clear
May 28 – Randy Martz
May 30 – Dana DeMuth
May 30 – Mike LaCoss
June 3 – Julio Valdez
June 4 – Terry Kennedy
June 10 – Brad Gulden
June 15 – Lance Parrish
June 21 – Rick Sutcliffe
June 24 – George Vukovich
June 29 – Pedro Guerrero

July–August

July 5 – Rick Lancellotti
July 6 – Jang Hyo-Jo
July 7 – Terry Bevington
July 8 – Terry Puhl
July 11 – Joey McLaughlin
July 12 – Bryan Clark
July 12 – Mario Soto
July 13 – Bill Caudill
July 18 – Butch Edge
July 18 – Razor Shines
July 22 – Scott Sanderson
July 25 – Dave Patterson
July 31 – Gordie Pladson
August 2 – Derek Botelho
August 2 – Roger LaFrançois
August 5 – Dave Edler
August 5 – Dave Rozema
August 8 – Cliff Speck
August 19 – Ron Roenicke
August 19 – Kevin Saucier
August 20 – Joel Finch
August 21 – John Henry Johnson
August 22 – Paul Molitor
August 24 – Tony Bernazard
August 26 – George Bjorkman
August 30 – Scott Brown
August 30 – Roger Erickson

September–October

September 5 – Tom Hallion
September 7 – Orlando Sánchez
September 12 – Cholly Naranjo
September 12 – Mark Thurmond
September 15 – John Pacella
September 17 – Thad Bosley
September 24 – Hubie Brooks
October 1 – Vance Law
October 2 – Jeff Doyle
October 3 – Bob Kearney
October 4 – Charlie Leibrandt
October 7 – Rudy Law
October 8 – Jeff Lahti
October 12 – Steve Shirley
October 22 – Frank DiPino
October 23 – Luis Silverio
October 24 – Gary Serum
October 25 – Andy McGaffigan

November–December

November 1 – Gary Redus
November 3 – Bob Welch
November 11 – Jeff Byrd
November 12 – Jody Davis
November 19 – Dickie Noles
November 26 – Ron Meridith
November 26 – Bob Walk
November 29 – Rick Anderson
November 29 – Joe Price
November 30 – Dave Engle
November 30 – Barry Evans
December 1 – Tom Filer
December 4 – Bárbaro Garbey
December 7 – Ozzie Virgil
December 12 – Steve Farr
December 13 – Dale Berra
December 16 – Rick Sofield
December 19 – Stan Cliburn
December 19 – Stew Cliburn
December 19 – Tom Lawless
December 25 – Wallace Johnson
December 25 – Charlie Lea
December 29 – Dave Ford

Deaths

January 4 – John Beckwith, 55, star infielder of the Negro Leagues
January 10 – Algie McBride, 86, outfielder for the Chicago Colts, Cincinnati Reds, and New York Giants from 1896 to 1901.
January 23 – Billy Evans, 71, American League umpire from 1906 to 1927, later the general manager of the Indians and Tigers
January 31 – Buck Weaver, 65, one of the eight Chicago White Sox players suspended for life in the Black Sox scandal
February 8 – Long Tom Hughes, 77, pitcher for the Chicago Orphans at the turn of the 20th century and one of the first World Series pitchers ever, in 1903, with the Boston Americans
February 8 – Connie Mack, 93, Hall of Fame manager of the Philadelphia Athletics from 1901 to 1950, retiring with a record 3,731 victories
February 25 – Jack Lewis, 72, second baseman for the Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Rebels between 1911 and 1915
March 2 – Fred Merkle, 67, first baseman for the New York Giants who infamously committed a controversial baserunning blunder in 1908 that likely cost his team the National League pennant.
April 18 – John Heydler, 86, National League president from 1918 to 1934
May 6 – Harry Ostdiek, 75, catcher who played for the Cleveland Naps (1904) and Boston Red Sox (1908)
May 26 – Al Simmons, 54, Hall of Fame outfielder who batted a career .334 and was named the AL's MVP in 1929 by The Sporting News
June 2 – Denny Sullivan, 73, center fielder for the Washington Senators, Boston Red Sox/Americans and Cleveland Naps between 1905 and 1909
September 22 – Jesse Tannehill, 82, 6-time winner of 20 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox
October 13 – George Dumont, 60, pitcher for the Washington Senators and Boston Red Sox between 1915 and 1919
October 30 – Dick Midkiff, 42, pitcher for the 1938 Boston Red Sox
November 22 – Roy Carlyle, 55, outfielder for the Washington Senators, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees in the 1920s
November 27 – Charlie Peete, 27, St. Louis Cardinals outfielder, in a plane crash in Venezuela while playing winter baseball
November 30 – John Shea, 59, pitcher for the 1928 Boston Red Sox
December 27 – Hob Hiller, 63, infielder for the Boston Red Sox in the early 1920s

History of baseball

1845 to 1868 1869

1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889

1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909

1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929

1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949

1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969

1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

See also Baseball Major League Baseball Minor league baseball Negro league baseball Nippon Professional Baseball

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/4/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.