1939 Brooklyn Dodgers season

The 1939 Brooklyn Dodgers started the year with a new manager, Leo Durocher, who became both the team's manager and starting shortstop. They also became the first New York team to have a regular radio broadcast, with Red Barber handed the announcers job. The team finished in third place, showing some improvement over the previous seasons.

Offseason

• December 13, 1938: Fred Frankhouse was traded by the Dodgers to the Boston Bees for Joe Stripp.^[1]
• December 13, 1938: Lew Krausse and cash were traded by the Dodgers to the St. Louis Cardinals for Jimmy Outlaw.^[2]
• December 13, 1938: Jimmy Outlaw and Buddy Hassett were traded by the Dodgers to the Boston Bees for Gene Moore and Ira Hutchinson.^[2]
• December 19, 1938: Luke Sewell was purchased by the Dodgers from the Chicago White Sox.^[3]
• February 2, 1939: Tom Lanning was purchased by the Dodgers from the Philadelphia Phillies.^[4]
• February 6, 1939: Kemp Wicker^[5] and Chris Hartje^[6] were purchased by the Dodgers from the New York Yankees.
• February 23, 1939: Woody English was purchased from the Dodgers by the Chicago Cubs.^[7]
• March 31, 1939: Bill Posedel was traded by the Dodgers to the Boston Bees for Al Todd.^[8]

Regular season

Season standings

Notable transactions

• May 3, 1939: Lyn Lary was purchased by the Dodgers from the Cleveland Indians.^[9]
• June 15, 1939: Mel Almada was purchased by the Dodgers from the St. Louis Browns.^[10]
• July 18, 1939: Pee Wee Reese was purchased by the Dodgers from the Boston Red Sox.^[11]
• August 12, 1939: Herman Besse was purchased from the Dodgers by the Philadelphia Athletics.^[12]
• August 12, 1939: Al Hollingsworth was purchased by the Dodgers from the New York Yankees.^[13]
• August 17, 1939: Rae Blaemire was purchased from the Dodgers by the New York Giants.^[14]
• August 23, 1939: Ray Hayworth was traded by the Dodgers to the New York Giants for Jimmy Ripple^[15]

Roster

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

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

Other batters

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

Pitching

Starting pitchers

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

Other pitchers

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

Relief pitchers

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

Awards and honors

• 1939 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
  • Dolph Camilli reserve
  • Cookie Lavagetto reserve
  • Babe Phelps reserve
  • Whit Wyatt reserve
• TSN Manager of the Year Award
  • Leo Durocher
• TSN Major League Executive of the Year Award
  • Larry MacPhail

League top five finishers

Dolph Camilli

• #3 in NL in home runs (26)
• #4 in NL in runs batted in (104)
• #4 in NL in runs scored (105)
• #4 in NL in on-base percentage (.409)
• #4 in NL in slugging percentage (.524)

Hugh Casey

• #4 in NL in earned run average (2.93)

Luke Hamlin

• #4 in NL in wins (20)

Cookie Lavagetto

• #4 in NL in stolen bases (14)

Farm system

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Greenwood, Pine Bluff

Notes

References

• Baseball-Reference season page
• Baseball Almanac season page

External links

• 1939 Brooklyn Dodgers uniform
• Brooklyn Dodgers reference site
• Acme Dodgers page
• Retrosheet