The1959Milwaukee Braves season was the seventh season for the franchise inMilwaukee and its 89th season overall. The season's home attendancewas 1,749,112,^[1] second in the majors and the eight-teamNational League, but the lowest to date in Milwaukee and the last over 1.5 million.

The Braves ended the National League regular season in a first-place tie with theLos Angeles Dodgers at86–68 (.558), a specialbest-of-three tie-breaking series was played to decide the NL championship for theWorld Series.^[2][3]The Braves lost both gamesby one run,^[4][5] and finished at86–70, two games behindthe Dodgers,^[6] who won the World Series in six games over theChicago White Sox.

• December 1, 1958:Claude Raymond was drafted from the Braves by theChicago White Sox in the 1958rule 5 draft.^[7]
• March 31, 1959:Gene Conley,Harry Hanebrink andJoe Koppe were traded by the Braves to thePhiladelphia Phillies forJohnny O'Brien,Ted Kazanski, andStan Lopata.^[8]

Three days after the conclusion of theWorld Series in1958, which the Braves lost in seven games to theNew York Yankees, the club announced a reorganization of its front office. Team presidentJoseph Cairnes stepped aside, and was succeeded by formerCincinnati RedlegsmanagerBirdie Tebbetts, 46. Named executive vice president, and ranked just below ownerLouis Perini on the Braves' organizational chart, Tebbetts had never before served in a front-office capacity in baseball.^[9]

The repercussions of Tebbetts' appointment to a senior management post were felt three months later whengeneral managerJohn J. Quinn, 50, a member of the team's front office since 1936 (as well as the son of former ownerJ. A. Robert Quinn) and the Braves' GM since 1945, resigned on January 14, 1959, to take the reins of thePhiladelphia Phillies.^[10] Quinn was replaced in Milwaukee by Tebbetts' former teammate with theDetroit Tigers, 37-year-oldJohn McHale, GM of the Tigerssince 1957.^[11] McHale would serve as the Braves' general manager and, later, team president, through the club's final years in Milwaukee and its1966 move toAtlanta, before his dismissal that year.

Right fielderHank Aaron won the National League batting championship with a career-high .355batting average. He also led the league inhits with 223,total bases with 400—both also career highs—andslugging percentage at .636. Aaron finished third in the voting for theNational League Most Valuable Player award. Aaron also led the Braves with 154games played, 629at bats, and 123runs batted in.

Third basemanEddie Mathews led the NL with 46home runs and had a career-high 182 hits, and he led the National League. He also led the team with 118 runs scored, had 182 hits and drove in 114 runs. Mathews finished second toErnie Banks of theChicago Cubs in the voting for the league's Most Valuable Player, who hit 47 home runs and lead the league in runs batted in. The choice was controversial, as the Cubs finished in last place, but Aaron and Mathews split the voting among Braves players, allowing Banks to claim the award.

Warren Spahn andLew Burdette led the National League pitchers with 21 wins apiece, and they had identical 21–15win–loss records in carrying the Braves on their backs for most of the season. Spahn, who was the starting pitcher in the All-Star Game, pitched 292innings, and Burdette pitched 289.2 innings. Third starterBob Buhl returned from a season full of injuries to pitch 198 innings and finish with a good 15–9 record.

The star of the bullpen wasrelief pitcherDon McMahon, who pitched in 60 games (finishing 49), had a 5–3 record, a 2.57earned run average, andsaved 15 games. McMahon was also chosen for the All-Star Game.

On May 26,Harvey Haddix of thePittsburgh Pirates pitched aperfect game through 12 innings of a game against the Braves. Haddix retired the first 36 consecutive batters, but lost the game 1–0 in the 13th inning.^[12]Félix Mantilla broke up the perfect game in the 13th inning.^[13] Braves pitcherLew Burdette also pitched ashutout for all thirteen innings, giving up 12 hits and no walks.^[12]

• Includesbest-of-three tie-breaking series

• April 11, 1959:Humberto Robinson was traded by the Braves to theCleveland Indians forMickey Vernon.^[14]
• May 11, 1959: Claude Raymond was returned to the Braves by theChicago White Sox.^[7]
• May 26, 1959:Phil Roof was signed as an amateur free agent by the Braves.^[15]
• July 19, 1959:Len Gabrielson was signed as an amateur free agent by the Braves.^[16]
• August 20, 1959:Ray Boone was selected off waivers by the Braves from theKansas City Athletics.^[17]
• August 26, 1959:Del Rice was released by the Braves as an active player and signed as a coach.^[18]
• September 11, 1959:Enos Slaughter was selected off waivers by the Braves from theNew York Yankees.^[19]
• October 24, 1959:Rico Carty was signed by the Braves as an amateur free agent.^[20]

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

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

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

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

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

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Austin, Yakima, McCook, Wellsville

• Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (1997).The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America.ISBN 978-0-9637189-8-3.
• 1959 Milwaukee Braves season at Baseball Reference

• Milwaukee Braves seasons
• 1959 Major League Baseball season
• 1959 in sports in Wisconsin

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