The following are thebaseball events of the year1954 throughout the world.

• World Series:New York Giants overCleveland Indians (4–0)
• All-Star Game, July 13 atCleveland Stadium: American League, 11–9

• All-American Girls Professional Baseball League:Kalamazoo Lassies
• College World Series:Missouri
• Japan Series:Chunichi Dragons overNishitetsu Lions (4–3)
• Little League World Series: National,Schenectady, New York

Winter Leagues

• 1954 Caribbean Series:Criollos de Caguas
• Cuban League:Alacranes del Almendares
• Dominican Republic League:Estrellas Orientales
• Mexican Pacific League:Venados de Mazatlán
• Panamanian League:Carta Vieja Yankees
• Puerto Rican League:Criollos de Caguas
• Venezuelan League:Pastora de Occidente

• Baseball Hall of Fame
  • Rabbit Maranville
  • Bill Dickey
  • Bill Terry
• MLB Most Valuable Player Award
  • Willie Mays (NYG, National)
  • Yogi Berra (NYY, American)
• MLB Rookie of the Year Award
  • Wally Moon (STL, National)
  • Bob Grim (NYY, American)
• The Sporting News Player of the Year Award
  • Willie Mays (NYG)
• The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award
  • Johnny Antonelli (NYG, National)
  • Bob Lemon (CLE, American)

• The Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award
  • Wally Moon (STL, National)
  • Bob Grim (NYY, American)
• The Sporting News Manager of the Year Award
  • Leo Durocher (NYG)

v t e American League Team W L Pct. GB Home Road Cleveland Indians 111 43 .721 — 59‍–‍18 52‍–‍25 New York Yankees 103 51 .669 8 54‍–‍23 49‍–‍28 Chicago White Sox 94 60 .610 17 45‍–‍32 49‍–‍28 Boston Red Sox 69 85 .448 42 38‍–‍39 31‍–‍46 Detroit Tigers 68 86 .442 43 35‍–‍42 33‍–‍44 Washington Senators 66 88 .429 45 37‍–‍41 29‍–‍47 Baltimore Orioles 54 100 .351 57 32‍–‍45 22‍–‍55 Philadelphia Athletics 51 103 .331 60 29‍–‍47 22‍–‍56

Orioles Red Sox White Sox Indians Tigers Athletics Yankees Senators Locations of teams for the 1954American League season American League

v t e National League Team W L Pct. GB Home Road New York Giants 97 57 .630 — 53‍–‍23 44‍–‍34 Brooklyn Dodgers 92 62 .597 5 45‍–‍32 47‍–‍30 Milwaukee Braves 89 65 .578 8 43‍–‍34 46‍–‍31 Philadelphia Phillies 75 79 .487 22 39‍–‍39 36‍–‍40 Cincinnati Redlegs 74 80 .481 23 41‍–‍36 33‍–‍44 St. Louis Cardinals 72 82 .468 25 33‍–‍44 39‍–‍38 Chicago Cubs 64 90 .416 33 40‍–‍37 24‍–‍53 Pittsburgh Pirates 53 101 .344 44 31‍–‍46 22‍–‍55

Dodgers Cubs Redlegs Braves Giants Phillies Pirates Cardinals Locations of teams for the 1953–1957National League seasons National League

• January 12 – TheInternational League makes two franchise shifts, as theTriple-ABaltimore Orioles team is transferred 150 miles (240 km) south to become theRichmond Virginians, while theSpringfield Cubs move toCuba's capital, becoming theHavana Sugar Kings. The Springfield/Havana franchise is the successor of theNewark Bears, who played from 1912–1919 and 1921–1949 in the International circuit.
• January 13 – ThePhiladelphia Phillies acquire veteran right-handed pitcherMurry Dickson from thePittsburgh Pirates for pitcherAndy Hansen, infielderJack Lohrke and $70,000.
• January 14 – FormerNew York Yankees greatJoe DiMaggio marries actressMarilyn Monroe in San Francisco.
• January 20 – TheCleveland Indians andWashington Senators trade veteran catchers, withJoe Tipton going to Washington in exchange forMickey Grasso.
• January 26 – TheSt. Louis Cardinals acquire first basemanTom Alston fromSan Diego of theOpen-ClassificationPacific Coast League for pitcherEddie Erautt, first baseman/outfielderDick Sisler and $100,000. Alston, 27, will break the Cardinals'color line by becoming the club's first black player on April 13, 1954.

• February 1 – A major trade shakes up theNational League. TheNew York Giants obtain southpaw pitchersJohnny Antonelli andDon Liddle, backup catcherEbba St. Claire, infielderBilly Klaus and $50,000 from theMilwaukee Braves for outfielderBobby Thomson—aPolo Grounds hero famous for authoring the Giants'pennant-winning three-run home run in1951, known as theShot Heard 'Round the World—and backup catcherSam Calderone. The deal has a massive, immediate impact when Antonelli goes 21–7 and tops the NL inearned run average (2.30) to help lead the 1954 Giants to the NL championship, then he and Liddle start and win games in New York's four-game sweep of theCleveland Indians in the1954 World Series.
• February 2 – The newly relocatedBaltimore Orioles unconditionally release all-time great hurlerSatchel Paige, who went 3–9 (3.53 ERA) with 11saves in 57 games at age 47 for the1953 St. Louis Browns. The release does not end Paige's remarkable career, however: in1965, at 59, he will return to the majors for theKansas City Athletics and throw three shutout innings against theBoston Red Sox.
• February 5 – TheOrioles continue to shed members of the1953 Browns, sending infielderJohnny Lipon and outfielderJohnny Groth to theChicago White Sox for infielderNeil Berry and outfielderSam Mele.
• February 10 – TheMilwaukee Braves trade former All-Star and no-hit pitcherVern Bickford to theBaltimore Orioles for rookie catcherCharlie White and $10,000.
• February 13 – TheChicago White Sox trade left-handed pitcherGene Bearden to theSeattle Rainiers of thePacific Coast League for shortstopAlex Garbowski and minor-league hurler Art DelDuca. The trade signals the end of Bearden's MLB career; as a rookie, he had pitched the1948 Cleveland Indians to apennant andWorld Series championship.
• February 18 – TheWashington Senators obtain futureAmerican LeagueAll-Star first basemanRoy Sievers from theBaltimore Orioles in exchange for left fielderGil Coan.
• February 19
  • TheBrooklyn Dodgers sign 19-year-oldPuerto Rican amateur free agentRoberto Clemente to a contract worth $5,000, plus a $10,000 signing bonus. In so doing, they beat out a number of other clubs in the Clemente sweepstakes, outspending their cross-river rivalsNew York Giants andNew York Yankees, as well as theMilwaukee Braves. The Dodgers assign Clemente immediately to theTriple-AMontreal Royals. There, the future Hall of Fame right fielder will put up decent numbers in 1954, posting a .257/.286/.372batting line with tenextra base hits and onestolen base in 155plate appearances. But, unfortunately for the Dodgers, Clemente will never play a game for their big-league team: Brooklyn leaves him exposed to the 1954Rule 5 draft, where he will be selected by thePittsburgh Pirates.^[1]
  • TheCleveland Indians obtain veteran outfielderDave Philley from thePhiladelphia Athletics for two rookie pitchers,Lee Wheat andBill Upton, and $15,000.
• February 22 –Puerto Rico clinches its second straightCaribbean Series when its champions, theCriollos de Caguas, win their fourth game in five outings, andPanama topsCuba.
• February 23 – TheNew York Yankees part company with "The Springfield Rifle," right-handed pitcherVic Raschi, selling his contract to theSt. Louis Cardinals for $85,000. Raschi, almost 35, spent all or part of eight seasons with the Bombers, going 120–50 (awinning percentage of .706) with a 3.47earned run average in 218American League games; he won 20 or more games for three straight seasons (1949–1951), made fourAll-Star teams, and led AL hurlers instrikeouts (1951). A six-timeWorld Series champion, Raschi went 5–3 (2.24 ERA) in 11 Fall Classic games, eight of them starting assignments.

• March 13 –Milwaukee Braves outfielderBobby Thomson breaks his ankle while sliding into a base during a spring training game. Thomson will be out of the Braves' lineup until July 14. In between, he is immediately replaced by a promising prospect namedHank Aaron.^[2][3]
• March 16 – ThePhiladelphia Phillies sell the contract of veteran first basemanEddie Waitkus to theBaltimore Orioles for $40,000. Waitkus, 34, will essentially split first-base duties withDick Kryhoski during the "modern" Orioles' maiden season in Baltimore.
• March 20 – TheMilwaukee Braves obtain shortstopRoy Smalley from theChicago Cubs for pitcherDave Cole.
• March 28 – TheBrooklyn Dodgers trade infielder and formerly highly touted prospectBobby Morgan to thePhiladelphia Phillies for $50,000 andDick Young—not theinfluential New York sportswriter, but a 26-year-old second baseman.
• March 29 –Chicago Cubsplayer–managerPhil Cavarretta gives team ownerPhilip K. Wrigley an honest (and negative) assessment of the Cubs' chances for the upcoming season, then is dismissed for his defeatist attitude. He becomes the first manager ever to be given the gate duringspring training.Stan Hack replaces him, even though Cavarretta is right: the Cubs will finish in seventh place this year. He spends 1954 with the crosstownChicago White Sox and bats .316 in 77 appearances as a pinch-hitter and part-time outfielder/first baseman.

• April 9–10 –Nat Peeples, a 27-year-old outfielder, appears in theDouble-AAtlanta Crackers' first two regular-season games and goes hitless in fourat bats against the home-standingMobile Bears before he's demoted to theClass AJacksonville Braves. In doing so, Peeples becomes the first, and only,African-American player in theSouthern Association, founded in 1901 and the highest-levelminor league in America'sDeep South. WithJim Crow laws still in force, the Association reverts to its all-white status and remainsracially segregated until it disbands after the1961 season.^[4]
• April 11 – To make room for promising rookie outfielderWally Moon, theSt. Louis Cardinals trade longtime greatEnos Slaughter to theNew York Yankees in exchange for three minor leaguers, including future (1955)National League Rookie of the YearBill Virdon.
• April 12 – TheCleveland Indians sign futureHall-of-FamerHal Newhouser, 32, who had been released by theDetroit Tigers on July 22, 1953. The four-time 20-game-winner will become the 1954 Tribe's lefthandedrelief ace, going 7–2 (2.51ERA) with sevensaves.

• April 13
  • After performing military service,Willie Mays of theNew York Giants, 22, appears in his first MLB game since May 28, 1952. Since coming to the Giants in late May of 1951, Mays' team has gone 107–48 (.690) with him on the roster, and 153–157 (.494) with him in aU.S. Army uniform.^[5] In the bottom of the sixth inning of Opening Day at thePolo Grounds, Mays hits a solo home run offCarl Erskine to break a three-all tie and secure a 4–3 victory over the arch-rivalBrooklyn Dodgers—a harbinger of Mays' and the Giants' remarkable 1954 season to come.
  • The brand-newBaltimore Orioles (formerly theSt. Louis Browns) open in Detroit and lose to the hostTigers, 3–0.Don Larsen takes the loss againstSteve Gromek. The Tigers start fast and will win 12 of their first 18 games.
  • First basemanTom Alston becomes the first black player inSt. Louis Cardinals history.
  • Second basemanCurt Roberts becomes the first black player inPittsburgh Pirates history.
  • AtComiskey Park, theCleveland Indians defeat theChicago White Sox 8–2 behind acomplete game fromEarly Wynn and home runs fromWally Westlake andGeorge Strickland. It's the first of 111 victories for the 1954 Indians, anAmerican League record that will last for 44 years.
• April 15 –Baltimore hosts its first AL home opener since1902. Following a 90-minute parade, theOrioles draw an opening-day record of 46,354 in a 3–1 afternoon win over theChicago White Sox. The Orioles'Clint Courtney hits the first MLB home run in Baltimore'sMemorial Stadium.Bob Turley strikes out nine in bestingVirgil Trucks.Vern Stephens also homers for Baltimore.
• April 16 –Roy Hamey, 51, formerlyGeorge Weiss' top lieutenant in theNew York Yankees' front office, succeeds ownerR. R. M. Carpenter Jr. as general manager of thePhiladelphia Phillies.
• April 17 –Pinch hitterNino Escalera of theCincinnati Redlegs becomes the first black player in the venerable franchise's history. Hitting for veteran catcherAndy Seminick in the seventh inning, Escalerasingles offLew Burdette. Cincinnati falls to theMilwaukee Braves, 5–1 atCounty Stadium.
• April 23 – AtSportsman's Park, now called "Busch Stadium,"Hank Aaron of theMilwaukee Braves hits his first major league home run, offSt. Louis Cardinals pitcherVic Raschi. His first major league hit, a double, had also been hit off Raschi, eight days earlier. Aaron will go on to breakBabe Ruth's record of 714 career home runs in1974 and retire with 755, a record that will stand untilBarry Bonds breaks it in2007.

• May 2
  • Stan Musial of theSt. Louis Cardinals slams five home runs in a doubleheader against the visitingNew York Giants. He hits three in the first game, won by the Cardinals 10–6, and adds two in the nightcap, won by the Giants 9–7.Nate Colbert of theSan Diego Padres will tie Musial's record by hitting five home runs in a1972 doubleheader; coincidentally, an eight-year-old Colbert is in attendance today to watch Musial's feat.
  • Right-handerDon Johnson blanks thePhiladelphia Athletics on two hits, 4–0, atConnie Mack Stadium in the first game of a doubleheader. It's the third straight shutout for Johnson'sChicago White Sox. The scoreless skein is broken in the nightcap, with Philadelphia'sMarion Fricano getting a 2–1 victory. The doubleheader split gives Chicago (11–6) a half-game lead over theDetroit Tigers (9–5) in theAmerican League.
• May 9 – Two ties are recorded in the American League, both caused by Sunday darkness curfews in the second games of doubleheaders. AtComiskey Park, left-handersBilly Pierce of theWhite Sox andBilly Hoeft of theTigers battle to a ten-inning, scoreless tie. InThe Bronx, theNew York Yankees andPhiladelphia Athletics play to a nine-inning, 1–1 deadlock. Per AL rules, individual statistics will count but each game will be replayed in full later in the season.
• May 12 – TheWashington Senators purchase the contract of 26-year-old outfielderJim Lemon from theCleveland Indians. Lemon hasbatted only .175 over 28 games with Cleveland, but in1956 he'll win the Senators' right field job and average 28 homers and 87 runs batted in for the next five seasons.
• May 16
  • Playing in only his third game of 1954 after breaking hiscollarbone inspring training,Ted Williams goes five-for-five, with two home runs, a double, and five RBI. But hisBoston Red Sox drop the nightcap of a doubleheader to theDetroit Tigers, 9–8, in 14 innings atBriggs Stadium. The Red Sox are now 6–15 and last in theAmerican League.
  • In the midst of an 11-game winning streak, theCleveland Indians sweep the visitingPhiladelphia Athletics, 12–7 and 6–0, and move into a first-place tie with theChicago White Sox.
• May 23 – TheWhite Sox obtain future Hall-of-FamerGeorge Kell from theBoston Red Sox for fellow third basemanGrady Hatton and $100,000.
• May 29 – Making yet another deal, theWhite Sox trade catcherRed Wilson to theDetroit Tigers for another receiver,Matt Batts.

• June 1 – TheCleveland Indians acquire outfielder/first basemanVic Wertz from theBaltimore Orioles for pitcherBob Chakales. In the upcoming1954 World Series, Wertz will make one of the most famousouts in Series history.
• June 3 – TheNew York Giants slug five home runs—three from third basemanHank Thompson and two from centerfielderWillie Mays—and defeat theSt. Louis Cardinals 13–8 atBusch Stadium. Thompson, with eight, and Mays (five) account for all of New York's 13 runs batted in. The win allows the Giants to move within one game of theBrooklyn Dodgers in a tightNational League pennant race.

• June 9 – Recently acquiredJohnny Antonelli of theNew York Giants fires his second straightcomplete gameshutout and improves his season mark to 8–2 (2.41 ERA) to humble his former team, theMilwaukee Braves, 4–0. Giants shortstopAlvin Dark goes four-for-four and scores two runs. The win lifts New York into a first-place tie with theBrooklyn Dodgers.
• June 11 – With hisChicago White Sox holding a slim 1½-game lead in the Junior Circuit, general managerFrank "Trader" Lane swings into action, making two deals. In the first, he acquires pitcherSonny Dixon from theWashington Senators for fellow hurlerGus Keriazakos; then Lane deals Dixon, pitcherAl Sima, outfielderBill Wilson and $15,000 to thePhiladelphia Athletics for pitcherMorrie Martin and outfielderEd McGhee.
• June 12
  • AtMilwaukee County Stadium,Jim Wilson of theMilwaukee Bravesno-hits thePhiladelphia Phillies 2–0, bestingRobin Roberts in the one-hour, 43-minute contest. The Braves score both runs on solo home runs: in the first inning byJohnny Logan and the fifth by Wilson's catcher,Del Crandall. The no-hitter is the first in the Braves'Milwaukee history; the franchise had moved fromBoston after the1952 season.
  • In theAmerican League, theCleveland Indians take a half-game lead in the pennant race, defeating theBoston Red Sox 4–3 behindBob Feller andDon Mossi. It's the Tribe's second victory in what will be a five-game sweep of the stumbling Bosox atFenway Park, and the second in a nine-game winning streak overall. By June 20, Cleveland's AL lead will be four full games over theChicago White Sox.
• June 14 – TheDetroit Tigers deal veteran infielderJohnny Pesky to theWashington Senators for infielderMel Hoderlein.
• June 19 – Although not known for lavish spending on"bonus babies", theWashington Senators signIdaho schoolboy strongmanHarmon Killebrew to a $50,000 bonus contract out ofPayette High School.Herman Welker, Idaho's United States Senator, recommends the youngster toClark Griffith's team, and Welker's tip pays off when Killebrew slugs 559 homers over 21 seasons with the franchise and earns a berth in theBaseball Hall of Fame.
• June 23
  • Harvey Haddix of theSt. Louis Cardinals wins his tenth straightdecision and extends his consecutive scoreless-innings-pitched streak to 372⁄3, tops in 1954, defeating thePittsburgh Pirates atForbes Field, 7–1. Haddix' record is now12–3 (2.85). His scoreless streak, which began June 4, ends in the sixth frame today.^[6]
  • In a 17-inning marathon between the two worst teams in theAmerican League, the last-placeBaltimore Orioles (23–42) defeat the seventh-placeBoston Red Sox (22–39) atMemorial Stadium, 8–7. The game lasts four hours and 58 minutes, longest in AL history.^[7]
• June 29 – At thePolo Grounds, theNew York Giants go 13 innings to defeat their hated rivals, theBrooklyn Dodgers, 4–3.Pinch hitterLamar "Dusty" Rhodes'single drives home the tying and winning runs to erase a 3–2 Brooklyn lead. The Giants and Dodgers have been going head-to-head in theNational League race since early June; after sweeping the Dodgers in this three-game series, the Giants will hold a four-game lead in the Senior Circuit on July 1.

• July 4
  • Ray Narleski throws 52⁄3 innings of hitless relief,Early Wynn gets the save, andLarry Doby homers and drives in two runs as theCleveland Indians win their seventh straight game by beating the visitingChicago White Sox, 2–1. At the season's traditional halfway point, Cleveland (52–22) leads the second-placeNew York Yankees (49–28) by 41⁄2 games in theAmerican League.
  • In theNational League, theNew York Giants (50–25) split a double-header with thePittsburgh Pirates atForbes Field, enabling the second-placeBrooklyn Dodgers (46–28) to shave a half-game off their lead; it now stands at 31⁄2 lengths.
• July 11 – At thePolo Grounds, theGiants'Don Muellerhits for the cycle in the opening game of adoubleheader, a 13–7 New York triumph over thePirates in which nine different players (six of them Giants) slam home runs.^[8] The 1954 MLB season's only "cycle" marks a banner season for Mueller, 27, who will lead the NL inhits (212) andbat .342, second only to teammateWillie Mays.^[6]
• July 13 – TheAmerican League makes an eighth-inning comeback atCleveland Municipal Stadium to win theAll–Star Game, 11–9.Washington Senatorsrookie left-handerDean Stone is the winning pitcher without officially facing a batter, as he throws outRed Schoendienst trying tosteal home in the top of the 8th, ending that half of the inning.
• July 15 – When the All-Star break ends, the 40–37Philadelphia Phillies have a new manager in their dugout: formerSt. Louis Cardinals standout centerfielderTerry Moore, 42, who takes over for 63-year-old veteranSteve O'Neill. Moore has never managed before, while O'Neill has reached the end of a 14-year career as a pilot of four MLB teams, highlighted by his leadership of the1945 World Series championDetroit Tigers. The change doesn't light a fire under the Phils, however: they will go only 35–42 under Moore in his half-season as their skipper.
• July 19
  • AtCrosley Field,Harry Perkowski of theCincinnati Redlegs throws an 11-inning, three-hit, complete-game shutout against the league-leadingNew York Giants. His battery mate, catcherHobie Landrith, smacks a solo,walk-off home run in the home half of the 11th to secure the victory. The setback leaves the 60–30 Giants six games ahead of second-placeBrooklyn.
  • Meanwhile, in theAmerican League, both the first-placeCleveland Indians (61–28) and the runner-upNew York Yankees (61–29) win. The two teams have kept in lockstep, with Cleveland a half-game in front of the Bombers, for nine straight days—since before the All-Star break.
  • Mickey Owen of theBoston Red Sox bashes a two-out,walk-off grand slam offMike Blyzka to cap a five-run ninth inning and beat theBaltimore Orioles, 9–7, in the first game of a doubleheader atFenway Park. The Red Sox also win the night game 8–5.
• July 22 – TheYankees sign veteran free-agent pitcherRalph Branca, 28, the formerBrooklyn Dodger who had been released by theDetroit Tigers on July 11.
• July 25
  • Jack Harshman of theChicago White Sox sets a team record by striking out 16 in a 5–2 complete game victory over the Boston Red Sox. The previous White Sox mark (15) was shared byEddie Cicotte,Ed Walsh andJim Scott. Harshman's 16 Ks are the most strikeouts inFenway Park history and the record will stand for 32 years untilApril 29, 1986, whenRoger Clemens becomes the first MLB pitcher to strike out 20 players in a nine-inning game.
  • AtConnie Mack Stadium,Bob Turley of theBaltimore Orioles walks 12Philadelphia Athletics hitters in only 62⁄3 innings pitched. Shockingly, he allows only two runs and leaves the contest with a 4–2 lead.^[9] Turley, 23, will lead the American League with 181bases on balls allowed in 2471⁄3 innings pitched in 1954; today's game is one of five in which he walks nine or more men.^[6] But, his career will turn around when he's dealt to theNew York Yankees in a massive, 17-player trade on November 17.

• July 28 –Dusty Rhodes of theNew York Giants goes three-for-three (all home runs), scores four times, and drives in four runs in support ofJohnny Antonelli, as the Giants shut out theSt. Louis Cardinals at thePolo Grounds, 10–0. Antonelli improves to 15–2 on the season, and backup outfielder and pinch hitter Rhodes improves his season-longbatting average to an astronomical .474 (27 for 57 in 42 games played). Rhodes' remarkable regular season (.341, 15 homers and 1.105OPS in 186plate appearances) will continue with his clutch hitting (.667, 2, 2.381 in 7 PA) in the1954 World Series.
• July 31 –Joe Adcock of theMilwaukee Braves beltsfour home runs in today's game, becoming the seventh player to do so in major league history. En route, he victimizes four different pitchers. Adcock also adds adouble to go five-for-five, with five runs scored, 18 total bases, and seven runs batted in. The Braves beat theBrooklyn Dodgers, 15–7, atEbbets Field.^[6][10]

• August 4 –Earle Mack, one of three co-owners of thePhiladelphia Athletics, reveals that Chicago-based businessmanArnold Johnson's reported $4.5 million bid for the team is the only offer the nearly destitute franchise has received. If his bid succeeds, Johnson plans to move the Athletics toKansas City, Missouri, where voters have approved a $2 million bond issue for renovation and expansion ofBlues Stadium, which Johnson owns and operates. Says Mack: "There isn't a chance at keeping the team inPhiladelphia as far as finances are concerned."^[11]
• August 13 –Jack Harshman throws a 16-inning, nine-hit, complete-game shutout andMinnie Miñoso's RBItriple scoresNellie Fox with the game's only run, as theChicago White Sox down theDetroit Tigers 1–0 atComiskey Park. Detroit'sAl Aber, who goes 151⁄3 innings, is the hard-luck loser. The win allows the third-place ChiSox to stay 71⁄2 games behind the first-placeCleveland Indians.
• August 15 – AtEbbets Field, the visitingNew York Giants out-homer theBrooklyn Dodgers, four to two, but all four blasts come with the bases empty and the Dodgers claim a 9–4 victory.Billy Loes (8–3) is the winning pitcher, as Brooklyn creeps to within a half-game of the league-leading Giants.
• August 22 – Sitting 41⁄2 games out of first, theNew York Yankees acquire veteran relief pitcherJim Konstanty onwaivers from thePhiladelphia Phillies. Konstanty, 37, was the1950NL Most Valuable Player as the relief ace of the"Whiz Kids" Phillies. Although he's extremely effective as a Yankee (0.98earned run average, one win and two saves) in nine games down the stretch, it's not enough to enable New York to catch the front-runningCleveland Indians.

• September 1 – The last full month of the major-league season begins with theNew York Giants (82–47) holding a 31⁄2-game lead over theBrooklyn Dodgers (79–51) in theNational League, and theCleveland Indians (95–36) in front of theNew York Yankees (89–41) by 51⁄2 contests in theAmerican League.
• September 5 – During what turns out to be theAll-American Girls Professional Baseball League's final game,Kalamazoo Lassies'June Peppas pitches a complete game and drives in four runs in an 8–5 victory against theFort Wayne Daisies, to clinch the championship title. The league folds after twelve years of uninterrupted activities.^[12]
• September 6 – Cuban outfielderCarlos Paula becomes the first black player inWashington Senators history.
• September 8 – The first-placeNew York Giants beef up their catching corps for the stretch drive by claimingJoe Garagiola onwaivers from theChicago Cubs. Garagiola, 28, is wrapping up a nine-year MLB playing career before moving to the broadcast booth, where he will become aFord C. Frick Award winner.
• September 12 – Behind futureBaseball Hall of FamersBob Lemon (22–6) andEarly Wynn (21–11), theCleveland Indians sweep a doubleheader from the visitingNew York Yankees to increase their American League lead to 81⁄2 games.
• September 14 –Paul Richards resigns as skipper of theChicago White Sox to become bothfield manager andgeneral manager of theBaltimore Orioles. As their pilot, Richards, 45, has led the ChiSox' renaissance on the field, going 342–265 (.607) since the opening of the1951 season. In Baltimore, he will be entrusted with building the lowly Orioles into a winner. Although his front office duties begin immediately, Richards allows incumbent Orioles' skipperJimmy Dykes to finish the 1954 season before he will take over in the O's dugout. Meanwhile, in Chicago, coach and formerSt. Louis Cardinals star shortstopMarty Marion becomes the White Sox' new manager.
• September 18 – TheCleveland Indians clinch the 1954American Leaguepennant by defeating theDetroit Tigers 3–2 in a rain-soaked contest atBriggs Stadium.Early Wynn wins his 23rd game. It's Cleveland's third AL flag overall, and their first since1948.
• September 19 – Only 1,915 fans are on hand atConnie Mack Stadium to witness theNew York Yankees defeat thePhiladelphia Athletics in what proves to be the last home game played in the franchise's 54-year tenure in Philadelphia.
• September 20 –Sal Maglie allows only fivehits andHank Thompson drives in the deciding run, leading theNew York Giants to a pennant-clinching 7–1 victory over theBrooklyn Dodgers atEbbets Field. It's the Giants' 17thNational League championship dating to1888—and it will be their last representingNew York City.
• September 25 – In their penultimate regular-season game, theIndians thrash theDetroit Tigers 11–1 atCleveland Stadium to set a newAmerican League record of 111 victories in a 154-game season. The previous AL mark of 110 wins was set by the1927 "Murderers' Row" New York Yankees, often ranked as one of the greatest all-time teams.
• September 26 – The end of theAmerican League's regular season schedule reveals a stark imbalance between the top three teams—Cleveland (111–43),New York (103–51) andChicago (94–60)—and the rest of the loop. Fourth-placeBoston (69–85), though nominally in the "first division," finishes 42 games out of first place, which is the weakest record of any fourth-place club since the modern era began in 1901. The AL's lopsided standings spur an unprecedented turnover in its managerial ranks, in which six of the eight league clubs change field leaders between September 14 and the start of the 1955 campaign. OnlyAl López of Cleveland andCasey Stengel of New York survive.

• September 29 – In Game 1 of the1954 World Series, with the score tied 2–2 and two base runners in the eighth inning,New York Giantscenter fielderWillie Mays makes one of the greatest catches in history when he races back in thePolo Grounds to make an over-the-head catch ofVic Wertz' 462-foot drive. Wertz, who haddriven in theCleveland Indians' two runs in the first inning, will finish the day 4-for-5, including a double and a triple. The Giants go on to win the game in extra innings, 5–2, thanks to apinch-hit three-runhome run byDusty Rhodes offBob Lemon in the bottom of the 11th inning. Since then,The Catch is a term used to refer to the memorable defensive play executed by Mays.

• October 1 – TheCincinnati Redlegs trade pitcherHarry Perkowski and outfieldersJim Bolger andTed Tappe to theChicago Cubs for pitchersJohnny Klippstein andJim Willis.
• October 2 – TheNew York Giants defeat theCleveland Indians, 7–4, in Game 4 of the 1954 World Series to win their fifthWorld Series championship, four games to none. After finishing the regular schedule with anAmerican League-record 111 wins, Cleveland fails to win a Series game. This is theGiants' fifth Fall Classic title, and their first in21 years. They will not win anotherWorld Series until 2010, more than 50 years after they moved to San Francisco.
• October 8 – TheBaltimore Orioles acquire pitcherRay Moore from theBrooklyn Dodgers for infielderVinicio "Chico" García.
• October 12 – After a daylong meeting in Chicago,American League magnates unanimously—but provisionally—approve the transfer of thePhiladelphia Athletics toKansas City. The provision demands thatRoy Mack, one of the club's three co-owners, convince his legendary father,Connie, and his brotherEarle to approve the team's sale toArnold Johnson and its shift to Missouri. Meanwhile, four other bids for the club, including two local groups who want to keep the Athletics inPhiladelphia, emerge. However, according to AL presidentWill Harridge, only the Johnson offer is considered "really sound."
• October 14–15 – Teams from Philadelphia and Kansas City remain in the news—but neither are theAthletics—when theNational League'sPhiladelphia Phillies hireMayo Smith, 39, as their manager for 1955. The Phils then purchase the contracts of first basemanPancho Herrera and pitcherHank Mason from theKansas City Monarchs of theNegro American League.
• October 19 – TheSt. Louis Cardinals release veteran left-handerAl Brazle on his 41st birthday. Brazle had led the National League insaves in both1952 and1953 and has won 97 games in a Cardinal uniform since joining them in1943.
• October 28 – Defying reports that threeAmerican League owners—Clark Griffith,Tom Yawkey andSpike Briggs—have formed a bloc devoted to keeping the moribundAthletics franchise inPhiladelphia under new ownership, AL moguls vote down the club's possible sale to a group of businessmen based in that city. It's known that ownersDan Topping andDel Webb of theNew York Yankees strongly favorArnold Johnson's bid to buy the team and move it toKansas City. The following day, on October 29, patriarch andBaseball Hall of FamerConnie Mack charges that the American League is forcing a move to Kansas City and publicly reprimands his eldest son,Roy, for supporting the sale to Johnson.

• November 5 – The fate of thePhiladelphia Athletics is finally sealed when, after a bitter family squabble,Connie Mack and sonEarle capitulate to Earle's brotherRoy's desire to sell the team to Chicago businessmanArnold Johnson for $3.5 million. Connie Mack, 91, signs the sale agreement from his sickbed. The club will immediately abandon Philadelphia and move toKansas City for 1955.
• November 8 –R. R. M. Carpenter Jr., owner ofPhiladelphia's lone surviving MLB team, thePhillies, tells the press he will reluctantly purchaseConnie Mack Stadium from Arnold Johnson, new owner of the soon-to-be-calledKansas City Athletics. The Phillies have shared the ballpark, built in 1909, as tenants of the Athletics since 1938, and have no other suitable place to play until a modern stadium can be built.
• November 16 – Future Hall-of-Fame sluggerRalph Kiner becomes a "player to be named later" in an earlier (September 30) transaction when theChicago Cubs ship him to theCleveland Indians as part-payment for pitcherSam "Toothpick" Jones. The trade will conclude on November 30 when the Cubs receive outfielderGale Wade (also a "PTBNL") and $60,000 from Cleveland.
• November 18 – The newly relocatedKansas City Athletics hireLou Boudreau, 37, as their manager for 1955. Boudreau is a futureBaseball Hall of Fame shortstop who, asplayer–manager, led the1948 Cleveland Indians to theWorld Series championship. His hiring highlights the managerial turmoil in theAmerican League that sees six of the eight AL teams change pilots beginning on September 14. On that day,Marty Marion became skipper of theChicago White Sox whenPaul Richards quit the third-place club to join theBaltimore Orioles as bothgeneral manager and field manager. Since the end of the 1954 season:
  • Fourth-placeBoston firesBoudreau and replaces him withPinky Higgins, skipper ofAmerican Association andJunior World Series championLouisville.
  • Fifth-placeDetroit refusesFred Hutchinson's request for a multi-year contract and replaces him with veteranBucky Harris.
  • Sixth-placeWashington hiresChuck Dressen as its manager to fillHarris's slot when Bucky joins the Tigers.
  • Seventh-placeBaltimore allows incumbent skipperJimmy Dykes to finish the regular season beforeRichards takes on his field management role in spring training of 1955.
  • The eighth-placeAthletics, in transition fromPhiladelphia to their new home inKansas City, hireBoudreau to replace player–managerEddie Joost.
• November 22 – In theRule 5 draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates select 20-year-old outfielderRoberto Clemente from the roster of theMontreal Royals, Triple-A affiliate of theBrooklyn Dodgers. Although Clemente—in his first pro season—hit only .257 in 155at bats for Montreal, he will become a Hall of Famer with the Pirates, for whom he will play the remainder of his brilliant, 18-year MLB career and never again appear in a minor-league game.^[1]

• December 1 – TheNew York Yankees andBaltimore Orioles complete a 17-player trade, the largest trade in major league history. The first phase of the transaction began November 18 and will conclude today after the major league draft. Baltimore send pitchersMike Blyzka,Don Larsen andBob Turley; catcherDarrell Johnson; infieldersBilly Hunter andDick Kryhoski; and outfielderJim Fridley to the Yankees, in exchange for pitchersHarry Byrd,Jim McDonald andBill Miller; catchersHal Smith andGus Triandos; infieldersDon Leppert,Willy Miranda andKal Segrist; and outfieldersGene Woodling and Ted Del Guercio.
• December 6 – The wheeler-dealergeneral manager of theChicago White Sox,"Frantic Frank" Lane, makes three trades involving 13 players:
  • He begins by purchasing the contract of diminutive southpawDon Ferrarese from theOakland Oaks of thePacific Coast League.
  • Lane then trades pitchers Ferrarese andDon Johnson, catcherMatt Batts and infielderFred Marsh to theBaltimore Orioles for pitcherBob Chakales, catcherClint Courtney and infielderJim Brideweser.
  • Finally, Lane's White Sox deal pitcherLeo Cristante and two first basemen, two-time former batting championFerris Fain andJack Phillips, to theDetroit Tigers for left-handerTed Gray, first basemanWalt Dropo and outfielderBob Nieman.
• December 8 – TheSt. Louis Cardinals deal veteran starting pitcherGerry Staley and third baseman and1954 All-StarRay Jablonski to theCincinnati Redlegs for relief pitcherFrank Smith, who finished second in theNational League with 20saves during 1954.
• December 9 –Yogi Berra, Hall-of-Fame catcher of theNew York Yankees, wins the 1954American League Most Valuable Player Award, the second MVP trophy of his career.Larry Doby, centerfielder for the AL championCleveland Indians, is the runner-up.
• December 13 – TheBaltimore Orioles acquire two aging stars of the 1950sBrooklyn Dodgers, left-handed pitcherPreacher Roe and third basemanBilly Cox, for two minor-leaguers and $50,000. Roe, 38, retires rather than report to Baltimore, while an injured Cox, 35, appears in 53 games until he's traded in June 1955, then also retires.
• December 14 – TheBrooklyn Dodgers sign 18-year-old left-handerSandy Koufax to a $30,000 "bonus baby" contract. Koufax, then a sophomore at theUniversity of Cincinnati, is a Brooklyn native who has electrified Dodger scouts during an earlier tryout atEbbets Field.
• December 15 –Willie Mays, brilliant 23-year-old centerfielder of the world championNew York Giants, wins theNational League Most Valuable Player Award. In 1954, Mays led the NL inbatting (.345),slugging percentage (.667) andOPS (1.078), and finished third inhome runs (41). Hisiconic defensive play in Game 1 of the World Series came after the MVP voting period had ended.
• December 19 –St. Louis Cardinals centerfielderWally Moon, 24, wins the 1954National League Rookie of the Year Award. Two days later,New York Yankees 20-game-winnerBob Grim, also 24, takes home "ROTY" honors in theAmerican League.

• January 5 –John Littlefield
• January 8 –Yasushi Tao
• January 13 –Steve Comer
• January 14 –Danny Boone
• January 15 –George Cappuzzello
• January 16 –Dave Stapleton
• January 17 –Jerry Turner
• January 18 –Scott McGregor
• January 19 –Rich Gale
• January 23 –Garry Hancock
• January 24 –Timothy Jones
• January 26
  • Blake Doyle
  • Brian Doyle
• January 30
  • Joe Kerrigan
  • Dave Stegman

• February 1 –Mark Souza
• February 2
  • Puchy Delgado
  • Rob Dressler
  • John Tudor
• February 4 –Al Javier
• February 8 –Joe Maddon
• February 10 –Larry McWilliams
• February 13 –Donnie Moore
• February 17 –Mike Macha
• February 24 –Dave Edwards
• February 25 –Bob Brenly
• February 26 –Jeff Yurak
• February 28 –John Poloni

• March 4 –Mark Wagner
• March 7
  • Mike Armstrong
  • Nyls Nyman
• March 8 –Win Remmerswaal
• March 12 –Larry Rothschild
• March 13
  • Randy Bass
  • Terry Leach
• March 16 –Dan Duran
• March 20
  • Steve McCatty
  • Paul Mirabella
• March 29
  • Mike Ramsey
  • Tom Tellmann

• April 3 –Larry Littleton
• April 6 –Ken Clay
• April 8 –Gary Carter
• April 11 –Willie Royster
• April 14
  • Craig Mitchell
  • Casey Parsons
• April 16 –Bruce Robinson
• April 17 –Denny Walling
• April 20
  • Doug Clarey
  • Mike O'Berry
• April 22
  • Dan O'Brien
  • Bill Paschall
• April 25
  • Craig Minetto
  • Greg Wells
• April 29 –Danny Garcia
• April 30 –Joe Strain

• May 1 –Roy Lee Jackson
• May 2
  • Keith Moreland
  • Steve Rippley
• May 6 –Albert Williams
• May 9
  • Tom Chism
  • George Enright
• May 19 –Rick Cerone
• May 22 –Mark Mercer
• May 24 –Bobby Brown
• May 25 –Bob Knepper
• May 26 –Kevin Kennedy
• May 31 –Greg Erardi

• June 5 –Dennis Blair
• June 8 –Lenn Sakata
• June 19 –Johnnie LeMaster
• June 20 –Tony Chévez
• June 25 –Bob Shirley
• June 29 –Rick Honeycutt

• July 4
  • Jim Beattie
  • Dan Larson
• July 6
  • Willie Randolph
  • Jason Thompson
• July 10 –Andre Dawson
• July 14 –Chuck Rainey
• July 16 –Jim Lentine
• July 18 –Harry Spilman
• July 19 –Dan Graham
• July 20 –Gary Woods
• July 27 –Brian Kingman
• July 30 –Ellis Valentine

• August 1 –Roger Miller
• August 6 –Ken Phelps
• August 7
  • Steve Kemp
  • Yasuyuki Nakai
• August 8 –Mark Ross
• August 11 –Gary Holle
• August 14 –Mark Fidrych
• August 19
  • Reggie Baldwin
  • Ned Yost
• August 21 –Bruce Berenyi
• August 24 –Chris Batton
• August 25 –Pete Redfern
• August 31
  • Jack Perconte
  • Claudell Washington

• September 2
  • John Flinn
  • Rick Manning
• September 6 –Steve Macko
• September 7
  • Craig Eaton
  • John Hirschbeck
• September 8
  • Don Aase
  • Jim Smith
• September 10
  • Craig Cacek
  • Preston Hanna
• September 13
  • John Harris
  • Billy Smith
• September 16 –Dave Koza
• September 17 –Wayne Krenchicki
• September 20
  • Bob Detherage
  • Mickey Klutts
• September 21 –Frank MacCormack
• September 22 –Hal Dues
• September 27 –Len Matuszek

• October 3
  • Dennis Eckersley
  • Joe Gates
  • Bert Roberge
• October 4
  • Bill Atkinson
  • Dennis Littlejohn
• October 6 –Roger Weaver
• October 9 –Randy Lerch
• October 12
  • Garth Iorg
  • Gil Kubski
• October 13 –George Frazier
• October 14 –Willie Aikens
• October 15 –Glenn Gulliver
• October 16
  • Chris Bourjos
  • Mike Dimmel
• October 21 –Keith Drumright
• October 22 –Jamie Quirk
• October 23 –John Castino
• October 25 –Tito Landrum
• October 28
  • Gary Rajsich
  • Sammy Stewart
• October 29 –Kip Young

• November 1 –Miguel Diloné
• November 8 –Gary Lucas
• November 9 –Al Greene
• November 10 –Bob Stanley
• November 11
  • Bob Long
  • Ron Musselman
• November 14 –Willie Hernández
• November 18 –Craig Stimac
• November 21
  • Alan Hargesheimer
  • Gary Wilson
• November 23
  • Glenn Brummer
  • Broderick Perkins
  • Ken Schrom
• November 30 –Juan Berenguer

• December 1 –Dan Schatzeder
• December 2 –Julio Cruz
• December 4 –Tucker Ashford
• December 5 –Gary Roenicke
• December 6 –Mike Parrott
• December 11 –Bob Sykes
• December 22 –Sheldon Burnside
• December 22 –Ken Landreaux
• December 25 –Jeff Little
• December 26 –Ozzie Smith

• January 5 –Rabbit Maranville, 62, Hall of Fame shortstop and second baseman for five National League clubs over 23 years between 1912 and 1935, a diminutive and rambunctious character who had the range to top middle infielders inputouts (six times),assists (four),double plays (five), andfielding average (three), as well as thecleanup hitter of the1914 Boston Braves Miracle Team, who after being in last place on theFourth of July, rallied and posted a 68–19 record to win the National League pennant and then, as heavy underdogs, swept theheavily favored Philadelphia Athletics in four straight games to clinch the1914 World Series.^[13]
• January 7
  • C. Joseph Maney, 69, construction executive who in 1944 became co-owner of Boston Braves as one of the "Three Little Steam Shovels" before selling his share to partnerLouis R. Perini in 1952.
  • Red Schillings, 53, relief pitcher in four games for the 1922 Philadelphia Athletics.
• January 9 –Skeeter Shelton, 65, outfielder who played the New York Yankees in the 1915 season, and later served as a baseball coach inWest Virginia University from 1918 to 1920 and atMarshall University from 1922 to 1923.
• January 11 –Sumner Bowman, 86, pitcher who played from 1890 to 1891 for the Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Alleghenys and Philadelphia Athletics.
• January 16
  • Clay Perry, 72, third baseman for the Detroit Tigers in their 1908 season.
  • Fred Payne, 73, catcher who played from 1906 through 1911 for the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox.
• January 20 –Bunny Madden, 71, catcher for the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies between 1909 and 1911.

• February 1 –Norman Plitt, 60, pitcher who played with the Brooklyn Robins and New York Giants in part of two seasons spanning 1918–1927.
• February 4 –Ollie Smith, 88, outfielder who played for the Louisville Colonels in the 1894 season.
• February 5 –Ed Warner, 64, pitcher for the 1912 Pittsburgh Pirates.
• February 10 –Heinie Berger, 72, one of the many German baseball players in the early part of the 20th century, who pitched from 1905 through 1910 for theCleveland Naps of the American League.
• February 13 –Walter Ancker, 60, pitcher who played briefly for the Philadelphia Athletics in the 1915 season.
• February 15
  • John Callahan, 79, pitcher for the St. Louis Browns of the National League in the 1898 season.
  • John Gillespie, 53, pitcher who appeared in 31 games for the Cincinnati Reds during the 1922 season.
• February 16 –Red Parnell, 48, All-Star left fielder and manager in the Negro leagues, most notably for thePhiladelphia Stars club from 1936 to 1943.
• February 20 –Sadie McMahon, 86, 19th century pitcher who played for the Philadelphia Athletics, Baltimore Orioles and Brooklyn Bridegrooms in a span of nine seasons from 1889 through 1897, sporting a 173-127 record and a 3.51 ERA in 351 games, while leading the American Association in wins (36), strikeouts (291), games pitched (60) and innings (509) during the 1890 season.
• February 22 –Chief Wilson, 70, outfielder best known for setting the single-season record for triples in 1912 with 36,a record that still stands, who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals during nine seasons from 1908 to 1916, and was also a member of the1909 World Series Champion Pirates.

• March 1 –Marv Gudat, 50, utility first baseman and outfielder in 69 games for the Cincinnati Reds in the 1929 season and the Chicago Cubs in 1932.
• March 10 –George Textor, 67, catcher who played for theIndianapolis Hoosiers andNewark Peppers of the outlawFederal League over parts of two seasons from 1914 to 1915.
• March 11 –Bill Bradley, 76, third baseman for theCleveland Bluebirds in theinaugural game of the American League in 1901, who was recognized as one of the best third basemen in baseball prior to 1950, along withJimmy Collins andPie Traynor, while leading during the first seven years of the league infielding average four times, three times indouble plays, twice inputouts, and once inassists, setting a league record of seven putouts in one game in both 1901 and 1909, also batting .300 or better three consecutive years and becoming the first player to hitone home run in four straight games in 1902, a record not matched untilBabe Ruth did it in the 1918 season.^[14]
• March 12 –J. A. Robert Quinn, 84, executive; principal owner of the Boston Red Sox from 1923 to 1933 and the Boston Braves from 1936 to 1945; also served as business manager of St. Louis Browns and general manager of Brooklyn Dodgers; patriarch of a four-generation baseball family.
• March 16 –George Grantham, 53, second baseman for the Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and New York Giants in a span of 13 seasons from 1922 to 1934, who hit over .300 every season from 1924 to 1931, and also was a member of the Pirates teams that won theWorld Series in 1925 and theNational League pennant in 1927.
• March 19
  • Charlie Babb, 81, shortstop who played from 1903 through 1905 for the New York Giants and Brooklyn Superbas, managing later in the Minor Leagues from 1906 to 1913.
  • Frank Fahey, 58, left fielder and pitcher for the 1918 Philadelphia Athletics.
• March 22 –Harry LaRoss, 66, outfielder who played for the Cincinnati Reds in 1914.
• March 24 –Chubby Snyder, 63, Danish and German American catcher who appeared in just one game in 1914 with theBuffalo Buffeds of the Federal League.

• April 15 –Chick Holmes, 58, pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics during the 1918 season.
• April 19 –Red Gunkel, 60, pitcher who played in 1916 for the Cleveland Indians.

• May 4 –Otto McIvor, 69, outfielder for the 1911 St. Louis Cardinals.
• May 7 –Les Channell, 68, backup outfielder who played with the New York Highlanders in the 1910 season and for the New York Yankees in 1914.
• May 10 –Eddie Files, 70, pitcher who played with the Philadelphia Athletics during the 1908 season.
• May 11 –Dorsey Riddlemoser, 78, pitcher for the 1899 Washington Senators.
• May 17
  • Roy Parker, 58, pitcher who played briefly for the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1919 season, just after serving in the United States Navy duringWorld War I.
  • Earl Tyree, 64, catcher for the 1914 Chicago Cubs.
• May 22 –Chief Bender, 70, Hall of Fame Native American pitcher who won 212 games and hurled ano-hitter, while starring for three Philadelphia Athletics World Series Champion teams, being also the first pitcher in aWorld Series of six games to throw three complete games.^[15]
• May 23 –Bill Davidson, 70, outfielder who played with the Chicago Cubs in 1909, and for the Brooklyn Superbas and Dodgers teams from 1910 to 1911.
• May 24 –Charlie Biggs, 47, pitcher who played for the Chicago White Sox in 1932.

• June 1
  • George Caithamer, 43, catcher for the 1934 Chicago White Sox.
  • Vern Duncan, 64, center fielder who played with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1913 and for the Baltimore Terrapins from 1914 to 1915.
• June 3 –Zaza Harvey, 75, outfielder who played from 1900 through 1902 for the Chicago Orphans, Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Bronchos.
• June 8 –Tom O'Hara, 73, outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1906 and 1907 seasons.
• June 15 –Lew Carr, 81, utility infielder for the 1901 Pittsburgh Pirates.
• June 23 –Red Massey, 63, outfielder who played with the Boston Braves in the 1918 season.
• June 26 –Charlie Pick, 66, infielder who played with four different teams in part of six seasons spanning 1914–1920, most notably for the 1918 National League champion Chicago Cubs.

• July 8 –Wiley Taylor, 66, pitcher who played from 1911 through 1914 for the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Browns.
• July 13
  • Ed Porray, 65, pitcher for the1914Buffalo Buffeds, who is best known as being the only Major League player born at sea.
  • Grantland Rice, 73, "The Dean of American Sportswriters"; though famed for his football reportage, his baseball coverage made him a posthumous recipient of the 1966J. G. Taylor Spink Award.
• July 15 –Chris Mahoney, 69, pitcher and outfielder for the 1910 Boston Red Sox.
• July 16 –Jack Bracken, 73, pitcher who played for the Cleveland Blues in 1901.
• July 28 –Jim Bagby, 64, Cleveland Indians star pitcher who led the American League with 31 victories in 1920, defeating the Detroit Tigers, 10–1, in a clinching game for the pennant, then defeating the Brooklyn Robins in the1920 World Series, 8–1, while hitting the first home run by a pitcher in World Series history, en route to a world championship for the Indians.^[16]
• July 29 –Babe Borton, 65, first baseman who played for the Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, St. Louis Terriers and St. Louis Browns in part of four seasons between 1912 and 1916.

• August 3 –Art Hoelskoetter, 71, utility man who played all nine positions in his four seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1905 to 1908, though he played at least 15 games at all the positions, except only one game in left field.^[17]
• August 14 –Fabian Kowalik, 46, who pitched with four teams in a span of three seasons from 1932 to 1936, notably as a member of the1935 NL Champion Chicago Cubs.
• August 29 –Jack Ferry, 67, pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1910 to 1913.

• September 1 –Wimpy Quinn, 36, pitcher for the Chicago Cubs in 1941, who later played and managed in the Minor Leagues with theBakersfield Indians.
• September 2 –Fred Osborn, 70, center fielder for the Philadelphia Phillies over parts of three seasons from 1907 to 1909.
• September 5 –Maurice Archdeacon, 55, center fielder who played from 1923 through 1925 for the Chicago White Sox; as a minor-leaguer, scored 166, 151 and 162 runs in successive International League seasons (1921–1923).
• September 13 –Roy Grimes, 61, infielder who played briefly for the New York Giants in 1920; twin brother of first basemanRay Grimes
• September 21 –Herbie Moran, 70, right fielder who played with four clubs in a span of seven seasons from 1908 to 1915, most prominently for the1914 Boston Braves Miracle Team, who, as heavy underdogs, won the National League pennant and later swept theheavily favored Philadelphia Athletics in four straight games to clinch the1914 World Series.
• September 23 –John Wilson, 64, who pitched in three games for the Washington Senators during its 1913 season.

• October 5 –Oscar Charleston, 57, Hall of Fame Negro leagues outfielder and manager, a powerful hitter who could hit to all fields and bunt, steal a hundred bases a year, hit over .300 consistently, and cover center field as well as anyone.^[18]
• October 6 –Josh Devore, 66, outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Giants and Boston Braves during seven season from 1908 to 1914, who arrived in time for theMiracle Braves stretch run which saw them win the National League pennant and the1914 World Series.
• October 12 –Walter Holke, 61, first baseman for the New York Giants, Boston Braves, Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds in part of 11 seasons spanning 1914–1925, who holds the record for themost fielding chances by a player in a game with 43, 42put-outs and oneassist during a 26-inning, 1–1 tie game between the Boston Braves and the Brooklyn Robins on May 1, 1920.^[19]
• October 14 –Bill Swanson, 66, backup infielder for the 1914 Boston Red Sox.
• October 19 –Dave Davenport, 64, pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Terriers and St. Louis Browns from 1914 through 1919, who posted a 22-18 record and 2.20ERA while playing for the Terriers of theFederal League in 1915, leading also the league in games (55),starts (46),complete games (30),shutouts (10),strikeouts (229) andinnings (3922⁄3).^[20]
• October 19 –Hugh Duffy, 87, Hall of Fame center fielder who posted an all-time record .438 batting average in 1894, one of the top hitters of the 1890s that recorded more hits, home runs and runs batted in than any other player in the game, while also teaming with fellow Hall of FamerTommy McCarthy to form the calledHeavenly Twins outfield tandem for theBoston Beaneaters, which captured two National League pennants and a pre-modern World Series Championshipin 1892 and 1893.^[21]
• October 21 –Art Gardiner, 54, pitcher who appeared in just one game with the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1923 season.
• October 22 –Earl Whitehill, 55, dominant left-handed pitcher with four teams from 1923 to 1939, while helping the Washington Senators win the American League pennant in 1933, whose 218 career wins ranks him79th in Major League history.

• November 7
  • Art Bues, 66, third baseman who played with the Boston Braves in the 1913 season and for the Chicago Cubs in 1914.
  • Charlie Frisbee, 80, backup outfielder for the Boston Beaneaters and New York Giants between 1899 and 1900.
• November 20 –Hod Fenner, 57, pitcher who played for the Chicago White Sox in the 1921 season.
• November 21 –Uel Eubanks, 51, pitcher for the 1922 Chicago Cubs.
• November 22 –Charlie Gibson, 75, catcher who played in 1905 for the Philadelphia Athletics.
• November 26 –Bill Doak, 63, pitcher for three different clubs in a span of sixteen seasons from 1912 to 1929, eleven of them with the St. Louis Cardinals, who won 20 games in 1920 and twice led the National League inERA in 1914 and 1921.
• November 27 –Nick Maddox, 68, pitcher who posted a 43-20 record and 2.29earned run average from 1907 to 1910 for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who threw a two-hit, 14-strikeout 4–0shutout in his debut against the St. Louis Cardinals, and later in the season hurled a 2–1no-hitter against the Brooklyn Superbas, becoming the youngest pitcher ever to throw a no-hitter in Major League history at the age of 20 years and ten months, which was also the first no-hit game ever thrown by a Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher.^[22]
• November 29 –Al Lawson, 85, pitcher for the Boston Beaneaters and Pittsburgh Alleghenys during the 1890 season, who later went on to play a pioneering role in the U.S. aircraft industry.

• December 1 –Kid O'Hara, 78, outfielder for the Boston Beaneaters in the 1904 season.
• December 4 –Tony Madigan, 86, pitcher for the 1886 Washington Nationals of the National League.
• December 5 –Russ Christopher, 37, pitcher who played from 1942 through 1948 with the Philadelphia Athletics and Cleveland Indians, including the1948 World Champion Indians.
• December 9 –Bill McGowan, 58, Hall of Fame American Leagueumpire who officiated in 4,425 league games (April 14, 1925 to July 27, 1954), and worked in eight World Series and four All-Star games; did not miss a single inning over 2,541 consecutive games umpired between 1925 and 1942.^[23]
• December 11 –Harry Courtney, 56, who pitched from 1919 to 1922 for the Washington Senators and Chicago White Sox.
• December 17 –Red Proctor, 54, pitcher who saw action in two games with the Chicago White Sox in 1923.
• December 19 –Big Jeff Pfeffer, 72, National League pitcher for the Chicago Cubs and the Boston Beaneaters/Doves/Rustlers teams, who pitched his way into baseball history by throwing ano-hitter against theCincinnati Reds on May 8, 1907.
• December 31 –Tom Raftery, 73, outfielder who appeared in eight games for the Cleveland Naps in the 1909 season.

• Major League Baseball official website
• Minor League Baseball official website
• Baseball Reference – 1954 MLB Season Summary
• Baseball Almanac - Major League Baseball Players Who Were Born in 1954
• Baseball Almanac - Major League Baseball Players Who Died in 1954

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