Week 1 Results (04/14/1941 - 04/20/1941)

Monday, April 14, 1941

Transactions:

 

New York (AL) first baseman Johnny Sturm made his Major League Debut on 04/14/1941

 

Boston (AL) first baseman Paul Campbell made his Major League Debut on 04/15/1941

 

Chicago (NL) outfielder Lou Novikoff made his Major League Debut on 04/15/1941. Chicago (NL) first baseman Eddie Waitkus made his Major League Debut on 04/15/1941. Chicago (NL) infielder Lou Stringer made his Major League Debut on 04/15/1941             

 

New York (AL) 11 Washington (H) 8

 

The Yankees opened the season with a run in the top of the first, but the hometown Nationals took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth. That lead was short-lived though as New York came back with four runs in the top of the fifth and then the visitors proceeded to pour it on from there. Those extra runs came in handy when Washington scored four times in the bottom of the ninth, necessitating Johnny Murphy to come in and get the final out for Marius Russo (1-0, 8.31). Every Yankee starter has at least one hit and Phil Rizzuto and Charley Keller both had three RBI's to start the season.

 

Tuesday, April 15, 1941

 

Transactions:

             

Washington pitcher Harry Dean made his Major League Debut on 04/16/1941

 

Chicago (AL) first baseman Chet Hajduk made his Major League Debut on 04/16/1941

 

New York (NL) pitcher Ace Adams made his Major League debut on 04/16/1941

 

Boston (AL) pitcher Tex Hughson made his Major League Debut on 04/16/1941. Boston (AL) pitcher Oscar Judd made his Major League Debut on 04/16/1941

 

New York (AL) pitcher Charley Stanceu made his Major League Debut on 04/16/1941. New York (AL) pitcher Steve Peek made his Major League Debut on 04/16/1941

 

Washington 8 Boston (AL) (H) 7

 

The Nationals scored five runs in the top of the third to knock out Jack Wilson (0-1, 23.63) and to take an early 7-1 lead and then held on for dear life and the Red Sox roared back to make it close. Boston had the bases loaded in the ninth but Walt Masterson came on to strike out Bobby Doerr for the third out.

 

Note: BBR shows Pete Fox starting in left field for Boston while ATMgr has Ted Williams, and BBR shows Buddy Myer starting at second base for Washington while ATMgr has Jimmy Bloodworth. Williams is still nursing an ankle he injured in a spring training game and is limited to pinch-hitting duties for the first few weeks of the season. In this game, Williams got a pinch-hit double but was promptly pinch-run for.

 

Cleveland (H) 7 Chicago (AL) 1

 

Bob Feller (1-0, 1.00) went all the way for the season-opening win for Cleveland, the only White Sox run scoring on a solo homerun off the bat of left fielder Moose Solters, the first homerun of the season. The Indians picked up twelve hits for the day, the big inning being a five-run fourth when White Sox starter Bill Dietrich (0-1, 12.46) couldn’t get the second out.

 

Note: The BBR lineup for Cleveland had the same players as ATMgr, but in a very different batting order. Also, the BBR lineup has Bill Dietrich twice in the batting order, as a starter, and as a reliever … something isn’t right there.

 

Philadelphia (AL) 4 New York (AL) (H) 3

 

A's right fielder Eddie Collins led off the game with a double, second baseman Crash Davis followed with a walk, and then left fielder Bob Johnson smashed a three-run homerun to give a quick lead to the visitors, the Yankees did come back, but Johnson came through again as he threw out the potential tying run at home plate in the bottom of the ninth to end the game.

 

Note: BBR has several lineup differences from ATMgr for Philadelphia.

 

Dolph Camilli

Brooklyn (H) 8 New York (NL) 0 (Three Homerun Game)

Two stellar performances from the Dodgers in their opener as Whit Wyatt (1-0, 0.0) only allowed five hits while shutting out their crosstown rivals, the other being a three-homerun game from first baseman Dolph Camilli, accounting for six RBI's. Giants center fielder Johnny Rucker stroked three doubles from the leadoff spot but was not otherwise allowed to reach home safely.

 

Chicago (NL) (H) 4 Pittsburgh 2

 

Cubs left fielder Lou Novikoff hit a homerun in his first ML at-bat and got the home team off with a quick lead, but it was Claude Passeau (1-0, 2.00) who was the star in this one as he limited Pittsburgh to six hits and two runs.

 

St. Louis (NL) 3 Cincinnati (H) 1

 

Lon Warneke (1-0, 1.00) didn’t allow a hit until the sixth inning and got two crucial double plays from his defense late in the game to preserve the tough win. Paul Derringer (0-1, 1.13) only allowed five hits but his own crucial error allowed two runs to score in the second and that was all the visiting Cardinals needed.

 

Note: BBR shows Paul Derringer as the starting pitcher for Cincinnati while ATMgr has Johnny Vander Meer

 

Philadelphia (NL) (H) 6 Boston (NL) 5

 

The Phillies scored four times in the bottom of the first when Boston starter Dick Errickson (0-1, 54.00) couldn’t get the third out, and Philadelphia held on from there for the one-run victory. Cy Blanton (1-0, 3.00) got the hard-fought win for the Braves as lead-off shitter shortstop Bobby Bragan scored three runs to spark the hometown Phillies.

 

Wednesday, April 16, 1941

 

Transactions:

  

Boston (AL) first baseman Paul Campbell was sent out to Montreal (IL) after 04/15/1941 (Season Finale)

 

Chicago (NL) pitcher Paul Erickson made his Major League Debut on 04/17/1941

 

St. Louis (NL) pitcher Hank Gornicki made his Major League Debut on 04/17/1941. St. Louis (NL) pitcher Hersh Lyons made his Major League Debut on 04/17/1941

 

New York (AL) infielder Jerry Priddy made his Major League Debut on 04/17/1941

 

Philadelphia (NL) pitcher Rube Melton made his Major League Debut on 04/17/1941

 

Philadelphia (AL) pitcher Rankin Johnson made his Major League Debut on 04/17/1941

 

Boston (AL) (H) 10 Washington 0

 

Boston hurler Charlie Wagner (1-0, 0.00) got his season off to a great start with a five-hit shutout over the Nationals. The Red Sox nursed a tight 3-0 lead into the bottom of the eighth when they jumped on the Washington bullpen for seven runs, the big hit being a two-run double off the bat of Wagner.

 

Chicago (AL) 4 Cleveland (H) 3

 

The White Sox jumped on Al Milnar (0-1, 6.00) for four runs in the top of the second and that was enough for Eddie Smith (1-0, 4.50) and the Chicago bullpen to hold on for the win. In the bottom of the ninth, the Indians had runners on second and third with one out, but Johnny Humphries got the final two outs with no more harm done to secure the win.

 

New York (AL) (H) 8 Philadelphia (AL) 7

 

New York started off fast with a five-run first, but that wasn't enough to put away the pesky A's. Both teams went deep into their bullpens as the Yankees led 8-3 after the fifth, but a four-run eighth by Philadelphia closed that gap, the big hit being a three-run triple by third baseman Pete "Pecky" Suder. Spud Chandler was summoned to put down the uprising and while he looked shaky at times, he did get the job done and got the Save.

 

St. Louis (AL) (H) 12 Detroit 0

 

The Browns took advantage of a Rudy York error to score three runs in the bottom of the third but it was a six-run fourth that knocked out Bobo Newsom (0-1, 13.50) and got them into the Tigers bullpen. Elden Auker (1-0, 0.00) only gave up one hit to the Detroit offense as he walked to the easy shutout victory.

 

New York (NL) 3 Brooklyn (H) 0

 

An error by Brooklyn right fielder Paul Waner opened the door to a three-run sixth for the Giants and that was all the support Harry "Gunboat" Gumpert (1-0. 0.00) would need today.

 

Eddie Joost

Cincinnati (H) 1 St. Louis (NL) 0

A solo homerun by Reds' shortstop Eddie Joost in the bottom of the fifth was all the scoring in this one and Johnny Vander Meer (1-0, 0.00) limited the Cardinals to only three hits and picked up the win.

 

Boston (NL) 9 Philadelphia (NL) (H) 1

 

The visiting Braves put up a five-spot in the top of the fourth and that was all Many Salvo (1-0, 1.00) needed today to get the win. First baseman Babe Dahlgren went 3-for-4 with three RBI's to spark the Boston offense.

 

Thursday, April 17, 1941

 

Transactions:

 

Chicago (AL) first baseman Chet Hajduk was sent out to Waterloo (IIIL) after 04/16/1941 (Major League Finale)

 

Boston (NL) pitcher Buster Bray made his Major League Debut on 04/18/1941

 

New York (AL) outfielder Johnny Lindell made his Major League Debut on 04/18/1941

 

Chicago (AL) 1 Cleveland (H) 0

 

In the top of the fourth lumbering left fielder Moose Solters beat out a possible inning-ending double play throw to first which allowed Luke Appling to score the game's only run, making a winner of Thornton Lee (1-0, 0.00). Lee only gave up two hits to the hometown Indians hitters.

 

Note: BBR shows Moose Solters starting in left field and Larry Rosenthal in right field for Chicago while ATMgr has them reversed.

 

New York (AL) (H) 9 Philadelphia (AL) 6

 

The A's took the early lead when left fielder Bob Johnson hit a two-run homerun in the top of the first, Johnson's second homerun of the season, the other coming in the first inning against the Yankees earlier in the week. The Yankees soon roared back and took their first lead at 4-3 when Charlie Keller hit a two-run homerun in the third. The surprise of the game was when backup catcher Buddy Rosar hit two homeruns and drove in three runs all while spelling Bill Dickey for a day.

 

Note: BBR shows several lineup changes for New York not reflected in ATMgr.

 

Brooklyn (H) 8 New York (NL) 1

 

Back-to-back homeruns from Pete Reiser and Joe Medwick spotted the Dodgers a 3-0 lead in the first and then a three-run third locked this one up for Curt Davis (1-0, 1.00).

 

Pittsburgh 6 Chicago (NL) (H) 1

 

The Pirates scored four runs in the top of the second to take an early 5-0 lead, the big hit being a two-run triple by second baseman Frankie Gustine. Rip Sewell (1-0, 1.00) only gave up two hits and got the win but was still angry the Cubs had scored their solitary run on a wild pitch.

 

St. Louis (NL) 7 Cincinnati (H) 6

 

Both teams took turns holding the lead throughout the middle of the game, but the Cardinals finally pushed across two runs in the top of the eighth, making a winner out of reliever Hersh Lyons (1-0, 0.00) in what would turn out to be his only Major League appearance.

 

Philadelphia (NL) (H) 7 Boston (NL) 5

 

The Braves were cruising along with a 5-2 lead, but Philadelphia's Johnny Rizzo hit a pinch-hit three-run homerun in the bottom of the sixth to tie the score at 5-5. There the score stayed until Phillies' center fielder Joe Marty hit his second homerun of the game, this one right down the line and just inside the foul pole to give the Phillies the win via a walk-off homerun in the bottom of the ninth

 

Friday, April 18, 1941

 

Transactions:

 

Chicago (AL) infielder Don Kolloway was injured (?) on 04/17/1941

 

St. Louis (NL) pitcher Hersh Lyons was sent out to Rochester (IL) after 04/17/1941 (Major League Finale)

 

Philadelphia (NL) pitcher Rube Melton was injured (?) on 04/17/1941. Philadelphia (NL) pitcher Tommy Hughes made his Major League Debut on 04/19/1941

 

Philadelphia (AL) pitcher Porter Vaughan was sent out to Toronto (IL) after 04/17/1941. Philadelphia (AL) pitcher Tom Ferrick made his Major League Debut on 04/19/1941. Philadelphia (AL) pitcher Lum Harris made his Major League Debut on 04/19/1941

 

Boston (NL) pitcher Eddie Carnett made his Major League Debut on 04/19/1941

 

Pittsburgh outfielder Bud Stewart made his Major League Debut on 04/19/1941

 

Chicago (AL) (H) 10 St. Louis (AL) 5

 

Veteran Chicago starter Ted Lyons (1-0, 5.00) gave up fifteen hits and was losing 5-1 after the third, but he led his team's rally with a 3-for-5 day at the plate with three RBI's as the White Sox exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the sixth to come-from-behind versus their rivals from St. Louis.

 

Cleveland 4 Detroit (H) 0

 

A three-run homerun from Cleveland right fielder Jeff Heath in the top of the second got the Indians off to an early lead and that was all Jim Bagby 1-0, 0.00) needed to walk away with the shutout victory over Detroit. Heath added his fourth RBI of the game as an insurance run in the ninth.

 

Al Brancato

Philadelphia (AL) (H) 7 Boston (AL) 2

Boston starter Lefty Grove (0-1, 8.53) intentionally walked Pete Suder with two outs and two on in the bottom of the seventh to bring up light-hitting shortstop Al Brancato and Brancato immediately paid Grove back by hitting a three-run triple. Jack Knott (1-0, 2.00) welcomed the timely run support and went all the way for the win.

 

New York (AL) 13 Washington (H) 4

 

The Yankees continued their hot start by scoring multiple runs in each of the first five innings and allowing Marius Russo (2-0, 6.11) to cruise to an easy win. Phil Rizzuto went4-for-6 and drove in three runs and Joe DiMaggio hit his first homerun of the season.

 

Boston (NL) (H) 7 Brooklyn 1

 

The Braves jumped on Hugh Casey (0-1, 14.73) for four runs in the fourth and Jim Tobin (1-0, 1.65) held the Dodgers to only four hits to pick up the win. Right fielder Gene Moore had four RBI's on the day, including a two-run double in the fateful fourth.

 

Philadelphia (NL) 11 New York (NL) (H) 6

 

The Phillies jumped out to a 6-2 lead after the fourth and then added on four runs in the seventh to lock this one away for Vito Tamulis (1-0, 3.00). The Giants made a belated comeback attempt, but it was too little too late.

 

Pittsburgh (H) 5 Cincinnati 3

 

A two-run double by first baseman Elbie Fletcher in the bottom of the sixth put the Pirates ahead to stay and Max Butcher (1-0, 3.00) went all the way for the Pittsburgh home opener.

 

St. Louis (NL) 7 Chicago (NL) 2

 

The Cardinals blew open a tight game when they scored five times in the bottom of the fifth inning, the big hit being a three-run double off the bat of catcher Wilbur Cooper. Clyde "Hardrock" Shoun (1-0, 2.00) gave up ten hits but only gave up two runs in getting the complete-game victory.

 

Saturday, April 19. 1941

 

Transactions:

 

New York (AL) outfielder Johnny Lindell was sent out to Newark (IL) after 04/18/1941 (Season Finale)

 

Brooklyn pitcher Bill Swift was injured (?) on 04/18/1941

 

Pittsburgh infielder Alf Anderson made his Major League debut on 04/20/1941

 

Detroit outfielder Ned Harris made his Major League Debut on 04/20/1941

 

Cleveland 7 Detroit (H) 1

 

Bob Feller (2-0, 1.00) only allowed four hits and didn’t give up a run until the bottom of the eighth and captured the easy win. First baseman Hal Trosky hit a two-run double in the first to get Cleveland off to a fast start and ended the game with three hits and three RBI's.

 

Boston (AL) 15 Philadelphia (AL) (H) 6

 

The A's took an early lead behind left fielder Bob Johnson's third homerun of the week and center fielder Sam Chapman's first two homeruns of the season, but the Philadelphia pitching staff couldn’t hold back the Red Sox who soon regained the lead and then put the game out of reach with an eight-run eighth. Right fielder Lou Finney went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and four RBI's to lead the charge for Boston, and Ted Williams drove in two runs with a pinch-hit single in the eighth.

 

New York (AL) 15 Washington (H) 2

 

The Yankees extended their season-opening winning streak to six games as their offense continues to pound their unfortunate opponents. The Yankees have now scored 61 runs in their first six games and show no signs of slowing down. Left fielder Charlie Keller led the way with a 4-for-6 day that included four runs scored, four RBI's, and two more homeruns, giving Keller five homeruns for the season.

 

Brooklyn 8 Boston (AL) (H) 4 (GM 1)

 

It's Patriots' Day in Boston, so it's time for a holiday doubleheader. The Dodgers scored three times in the second and led 4-1 after the third but added another three-spot in the eighth to give Luke Hamlin (1-0, 4.00) a little cushion. Left fielder Joe Medwick hit his second homerun of the season and scored three runs and first baseman Dolph Camilli hit his fourth homerun of the season to lead the Brooklyn offense.

 

Brooklyn 7 Boston (NL) (H) 3 (GM 2)

 

Whit Wyatt (2-0, 1.00) went all the way for the shutout victory in Game Two, with first baseman Dolph Cxamilli picking up three more RBI's, giving him fourteen for the season.

 

New York (NL) (H) 6 Philadelphia (NL) 0

 

Hal Schumacher (1-1, 3.77) scattered five hits and went all the way for the complete-game shutout over the Phillies. Giants first baseman Babe Young hit a two-run homerun and added a third RBI late in the game in support of Schumacher.

 

Pittsburgh (H) 6 Cincinnati 5

 

The Reds scored three times in the first and had a comfortable 5-2 lead after the fifth but then Pittsburgh center fielder Vince DiMaggio hit a three-run homerun in the bottom of the sixth to tie the score at 5-5. Arky Vaughan scored on a sacrifice fly in the seventh and Russ Bauers (1-0, 5.00) held on to the lead for the complete-game win.

 

Sunday, April 20, 1941

 

Transactions:

 

Boston (NL) pitcher George Barnicle made his Major League Finale on 04/19/1941

 

Brooklyn pitcher Van Mungo was sent out to Montreal (IL) after 04/20/1941 (Season Finale)

 

Cleveland 8 Detroit (H) 6

 

The Indians had already scored three runs in the top of the third when first baseman Hal Trosky launched a three-run homerun into the upper deck to give Cleveland a 6-0 lead. Tigers center fielder Barney McCosky answered with a three-run homerun of his own in the bottom half of the inning, to get the score back to 6-4, but the Indians bullpen ended the game with four scoreless innings to preserve the victory.

 

New York (AL) 4 Philadelphia (AL) (H) 3

 

With the score tied at 3-3 after the completion of the third inning, it looked like another offensive explosion was in the offing, but both starters settled down after that and a pitcher's duel broke out. Joe Gordon finally tripled home Red Rolfe in the top of the eighth to give Red Ruffing (2-0, 3.00) the lead and eventually the win.

 

Washington (H) 5 Boston (AL) 3

 

The first four Boston hitters all got hits to start the game, including a leadoff homerun from center fielder Dom DiMaggio, but Washington starter Sid Hudson (2-0, 4.24) shut them down afterward and the Nationals came back to soon tie the game and then took the lead with a three-run bottom of the eighth.

 

Boston (NL) (H) 9 Philadelphia (NL) 0

 

The Braves scored three times in the bottom of the fifth to take a 4-0 lead, the big hit being a two-run double off the bat of third baseman Hank Majeski. Now into the Phillies bullpen, the Braves tacked on three runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth, allowing Manny Salvo (2-0, 0.50) to pick up the easy complete-game shutout victory.

 

Brooklyn 5 New York (NL) (H) 0

 

Three New York errors in the second inning, two from the normally sure-handed second baseman Burgess Whitehead, lead to a four-run inning and Lee Grissom (1-0, 0.00) took over from there to shutout the hometown Giants.

 

Bill Baker

Cincinnati 8 Pittsburgh (H) 6

Pittsburgh took a 6-1 lead with a four-run sixth, but Cincinnati answered right back with a four-run seventh to keep the score close. The Reds then scored three times in the eighth to take their first lead of the game at 8-6, the big hit being a two-run single by backup catcher Bill Baker. Johnny Hutchings came in and kept the Pirates bats quiet in the final two innings to secure the win.

 

St. Louis (NL) (H) 7 Chicago (NL) 2

 

Chicago made it close in mid-game, but a run in the seventh and then a three-run eighth was exactly what Max Lanier (1-0, 2.25) needed to clinch the win. First baseman Johnny Mize had a triple and a homerun and scored three runs to pace the Cardinals' offense.