1938 Playoffs
NABL News: Playoffs begin
Monday, October 3rd, 1938
Playoff baseball is a being unto itself. It is a mythical creature, a fleeting, mystical force that consumes anyone with a passion for one of the ballclubs vying for championship gold. It sweeps over you, pins you to your seat or kicks you forcibly to your feet in the flash of an instant. Today, the North American BaseBall League gives way to this passion as players, fans and the elite clubs of the league embark on an exciting journey fraught with anguish and ecstasy. Here is the slate for today's games in the North American Series:
Philadelphia Phillies versus Boston Red Sox.
Philadelphia at Boston
Game 1
Monday 10/4
Boston 2 Philadelphia 1:
WP Mort Cooper
LP Cliff Melton
HR Don Padgett
Myril Hoag's second RBI of the game in the bottom of the ninth lifts Red Sox.
Game 2
Tuesday 10/5
Philadelphia 3 Boston 1:
WP Bill Lee
LP Dick Errickson
Bill Lee scatters six hits
Boston at Philadelphia
Game 3
Thursday 10/7
Philadelphia 7 Boston 4:
WP Lee Grissom
LP Red Ruffing
HR Dib Williams Terry Moore Don Padgett (2)
Phillies score four in the 8th on a hit, two walks and an error/
Game 4
Friday 10/8
Philadelphia 11 Boston 3:
WP Cliff Melton (1-1)
LP Clarence Pickrel
HR Zeke Bonura Bob Seeds
Game 5
Saturday 10/9
Boston 2 Philadelphia 1:
WP Dick Errickson (1-1)
LP Bill Lee(1-1)
Errickson scatters seven hits
Philadelphia at Boston
Game 6
Monday 10/11
Boston 7 Philadelphia 6 (11)
WP Clarence Pickrel (1-1)
LP Ray Prim
HR Zeke Bonura (2)
Game 7
Tuesday 10/12
Philadelphia 5 Boston 1:
WP Cliff Melton (2-1)
LP Mort Cooper (1-1)
HR Don Padgett (3)
Phillies Win 1938 North American Series
Wednesday, October 12th, 1938
Philadelphia did well in regular season play, but they did even better in the postseason -- they won the whole shebang, finishing off the Boston Red Sox in the North American Series 4-3 to claim the crown for the 2nd time.
In the elimination game today at Fenway Park II, the Phillies polished off Boston 5-1 to win the North American BaseBall League championship. MVP was Don Padgett (11 for 29, .379 avg 3 HR, 10 RBIs.)
1938 Draft
NABL News: First-Year Player Draft
Wednesday, October 12th, 1938
The scouting reports are in. Baseball officials have spent endless hours, days and weeks debating and agonizing over which first-year players should be drafted. Some guys do it scientifically, while the grizzled old pros go by gut feel. Whatever the team's philosophy, the North American BaseBall League amateur draft is today and these ballclubs have the first five selections: Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Detroit, Chicago and Philadelphia. It is the consensus among the baseball journalists and experts that these guys will go in the first ten picks:
1. Joe Gordon, 23 year-old second baseman out of college.
2. Ted Williams, 20 year-old right fielder out of college.
3. Marv Breuer, 24 year-old starting pitcher out of college.
4. Les Fleming, 23 year-old right fielder out of college.
5. Johnny Hopp, 22 year-old center fielder out of college.
6. Barney McCosky, 21 year-old center fielder out of college.
7. Bob Bowman, 28 year-old starting pitcher out of college.
8. Hal Newhouser, 17 year-old starting pitcher out of high-school.
9. Fred Hutchinson, 19 year-old starting pitcher out of high-school.
10. Jack Kramer, 20 year-old starting pitcher out of college.
Round One Results
| Pittsburgh Pirates: RF Ted Williams |
| Cincinnati Reds: RF Charlie Keller |
| Detroit Tigers: CF Barney McCosky |
| Chicago Cubs: SP Hal Newhouser |
| Philadelphia Athletics: SP Dizzy Trout |
| St. Louis Cardinals: RF Bob Elliott |
| New York Giants: SP Junior Thompson |
| New York Yankees: 2B Joe Gordon |
| Cleveland Indians: SP Marv Breuer |
| St. Louis Browns: SP Jack Kramer |
| Philadelphia Athletics: SP Fred Hutchinson |
| Brooklyn Dodgers: MR Ken Raffensberger |
| New York Yankees: RF Les Fleming |
| Philadelphia Phillies: CF Johnny Hopp |
| Philadelphia Phillies: 3B Hank Majeski |
| Cincinnati Reds: MR Joe Dobson |
| Philadelphia Phillies: 1B Mickey Vernon |
| Pittsburgh Pirates: C Phil Masi |
| Brooklyn Dodgers: SP Bill Posedel |
Senators Draft Results
Johnny Berardino 2B
Fred Chapman SS
Joe Callahan MR
Lefty Sullivan MR
Major Retirements
Chick Hafey (WSH) .313 avg 1679 hits 180 HR 956 RBIs
John Monroe (BOS) .277 avg 1787 hits 867 RBIs.
Bill Terry (CLE) .337 avg 2166 hits 136 HR 1011 RBIs.
Max Bishop (CHN) .278 avg 2011 hits 42 HR 837 RBIs.
Earle Combs (CLE) .332 avg 2639 hits 91 HR 1126 RBIs.
Awards
Best Defenders Announced by NL
Monday, October 24th, 1938
"Ball hawk" is a good name for the members of the defensive elite, the players who make leather shine. The fielders who crashed the wall, leaped in the air, and dived in the hole better than any others during 1938 have been tabbed as the National League's Glove Wizard Award winners. Here are this year's best:
Pitcher: Jim Weaver (Cincinnati Reds)
Catcher: Bill DeLancey (Cincinnati Reds)
First Baseman: Zeke Bonura (Philadelphia Phillies)
Second Baseman: Lonny Frey (St. Louis Cardinals)
Third Baseman: Davey Claire (St. Louis Cardinals)
Shortstop: Arky Vaughan (St. Louis Cardinals)
Left Fielder: Mel Almada (Cincinnati Reds)
Center Fielder: Joe DiMaggio (Cincinnati Reds)
Right Fielder: Roy Weatherly (Cincinnati Reds)
American League Announces Glove Wizard Award Winners
Monday, October 24th, 1938
Any pitcher would love to have these defenders on the field backing them up. They are the best glovemen in the American League for 1938. This year's Glove Wizard Award winners are:
Pitcher: Bill McGee (St. Louis Browns)
Catcher: Harry Danning (Cleveland Indians)
First Baseman: Terry Lyons (Detroit Tigers)
Second Baseman: Billy Herman (Boston Red Sox)
Third Baseman: Joe Sewell (New York Yankees)
Shortstop: Cecil Travis (Chicago White Sox)
Left Fielder: Jeff Heath (New York Yankees)
Center Fielder: Sam Chapman (Detroit Tigers)
Right Fielder:
George Selkirk (Washington Senators)
1938 Best NL Rookie Picked
Tuesday, October 25th, 1938
The National League Newcomer of the Year Award has been given to Lou Boudreau of the Philadelphia Phillies.
In the 1938 season the 21-year-old shortstop played in 147 games, recording a .319 batting average with 7 home runs, 74 RBIs and 119 runs scored.
Detroit Center Fielder Wins AL Rookie of the Year
Tuesday, October 25th, 1938
The top-rated rookie for 1938 in the American League has been selected and the honor went to Detroit center fielder Sam Chapman.
It was a season to remember for the 22-year-old Tigers newcomer. He wrapped up his first year with a .284 batting average, 20 doubles, 7 triples and 35 home runs. Chapman also had 136 RBIs and scored 106 times.
Great Season For Derringer, Wins NL Outstanding Pitcher Award
Thursday, October 27th, 1938
National League hitters didn't have much of a chance in the 1938 season when the Pittsburgh manager wrote "Paul Derringer" on the lineup card. Outing after outing, he held teams in check and usually got a win.
He excelled with a 25-13 mark and 2.46 ERA in 39 starts, tossed 344.1 innings, fanned 139 and held opposing teams to a .238 average.
Best AL Pitcher Announced
Thursday, October 27th, 1938
This season's American League Outstanding Pitcher Award trophy went to Red Ruffing, the ace of the Boston pitching staff.
He dominated all season, finishing with 20 wins and 13 losses and a 2.98 ERA. In 35 starts he worked a total of 283.2 innings, striking out 127, while walking 101. Other clubs managed to hit only .263 against him.
1938 NL #1 Hitter is Chicago's Mize
Friday, October 28th, 1938
When it came to hitting the baseball, Johnny Mize had few peers in the National League this year. The gifted first baseman for Chicago tagged opposing pitchers for a .348 average and was voted the Outstanding Hitter Award for 1938. Included in his season stats were 212 hits, 31 doubles, 13 triples, 32 home runs, 110 runs scored and 112 RBIs.
Heath Selected AL's Best Hitter
Friday, October 28th, 1938
New York's Jeff Heath teed off on opposing pitching all season long and claimed the American League Outstanding Hitter Award today.
He belted out 207 hits in 614 at-bats to compile a .337 batting average and a .393 on-base percentage in 1938. He also tallied 43 doubles, 15 triples, 30 home runs, 121 RBIs, and 121 runs scored.
Accomplishments for 1938
Johnny Mize hits 3 HRs on August 20th
Lonny Frey has 6 hits on September 30th
Bruce Campbell and George DeTore each hit for the cycle
Joe Sewell picks up his 3000th hit
Goose Goslin 2500th hit
Lefty Grove and Red Ruffing both notch their 250th win.
Jimmie Foxx hits HR #400, Gabby Hartnett 300th HR
Joe Medwick has a 40 game hitting streak