The 1956 major league baseball season began on April 17, 1956. The regular season ended on September 30, with the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. In a rematch of the previous season, the postseason began with Game 1 of the 53rd World Series on October 3 and ended with Game 7 on October 10. The series is notable for Yankees pitcher Don Larsen's perfect game in Game 5. In the seventh iteration of this Subway Series World Series matchup (and a rematch of the previous year), the Yankees defeated the Dodgers, four games to three, capturing their 17th championship in franchise history, since their previous in 1953. This would be the final Subway Series matchup between the two teams, as the next World Series between the two in 1963 would see a relocated Dodgers franchise in Los Angeles, California. Going into the season, the defending World Series champions were the Brooklyn Dodgers from the 1955 season.
The 23rd Major League Baseball All-Star Game was held on July 10 at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C., home of the Washington Senators. The National League won, 7–3.
Schedule
The 1956 schedule consisted of 154 games for all teams in the American League and National League, each of which had eight teams. Each team was scheduled to play 22 games against the other seven teams of their respective league. This continued the format put in place since the 1904 season (except for 1919) and would be used until 1961 in the American League and 1962 in the National League.
Opening Day took place on April 17, featuring all sixteen teams, the first time since 1954. The final day of the regular season was on September 30, which also saw all sixteen teams play, continuing the trend from the previous season. This was the first time since 1950 that all sixteen teams played their first and last games on the same days. The World Series took place between October 3 and October 10.
Teams
Standings
Postseason
The postseason began on October 3 and ended on October 10 with the New York Yankees defeating the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1957 World Series in seven games.
Bracket
Managerial changes
Off-season
In-season
League leaders
American League
National League
Milestones
Batters
- Mickey Mantle (NYY):
- Won the Major League Triple Crown by leading both leagues in batting average (.353), home runs (52), and runs batted in (130).
Pitchers
Perfect games
- Don Larsen (NYY)
- Pitched the sixth perfect game in Major League history and the first in franchise history on October 8, in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers. It remains the only perfect game in World Series history. Larsen threw 97 pitches, 71 for strikes, and struck out seven in the 2–0 victory.
No-hitters
- Carl Erskine (BKN):
- Erskine threw the 12th no-hitter in franchise history, and the first since 1952 (when Erskine threw his first no-hitter), by defeating the New York Giants 3–0 on May 12. Erskine threw 102 pitches, 66 of them for strikes, while walking two and striking out three.
- Mel Parnell (BOS):
- Parnell threw the 11th no-hitter in franchise history, and the first since 1923, by defeating the Chicago White Sox 4–0 on July 14. Parnell walked two and struck out 4.
- Sal Maglie (BKN):
- Maglie threw the 13th no-hitter in franchise history, and the Dodgers' second of the season, by defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 5–0 on September 25. Maglie threw 110 pitches, 71 of them for strikes, while walking two and striking out three.
Other pitching accomplishments
- On June 21, Jack Harshman of the Chicago White Sox defeats Connie Johnson of the Baltimore Orioles 1–0, at Comiskey Park in which both pitchers throw matching one-hitters. This game was only the third double one-hitter thrown in the modern era (since 1901).
Miscellaneous
- New York Yankees:
- Set a Major League record by leaving 20 players on base on September 21 against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
- Umpire Ed Rommel was the first umpire to wear glasses in a Major League game on April 18. The game was played between the New York Yankees and the Washington Senators.
- December 6–8 – Major League owners meet in Chicago. Cleveland general manager and minority-owner Hank Greenberg proposed implementing limited interleague play beginning in 1958. Under Greenberg's proposal, each team would continue to play 154-games in a season, 126 of which would be within their league, and 28 against the eight clubs in the other league. The interleague games would all be played during a period immediately following the All-Star Game. The proposal was not adopted.
Awards and honors
Regular season
Other awards
- Sport Magazine's World Series Most Valuable Player Award: Don Larsen (NYY)
Baseball Hall of Fame
- Hank Greenberg
- Joe Cronin
Home field attendance
Television coverage
CBS aired the Saturday Game of the Week for the second consecutive year. The All-Star Game and World Series aired on NBC.
Retired numbers
- Bob Feller had his No. 19 retired by the Cleveland Indians on December 28. This was the first number retired by the team.
See also
- 1956 Nippon Professional Baseball season
References
External links
- 1956 Major League Baseball season schedule
