1940 AL Mini-Play
The 1940 American League race was a very close one, with Detroit winning the division by one game over Cleveland, three games ahead of New York and both Boston and Chicago only eight games back. St. Louis, Washington, and Philadelphia all finished more than 20 games out.
We pick up that American League season on September 10th. Detroit (77-58) and Cleveland (76-57) are virtually tied for first place. New York (75-57) is half a game back. Boston (73-62, 4.0), Chicago (70-64, 6.5), Washington (58-77, 19.0), St. Louis (55-81, 22.5), and Philadelphia (50-78, 23.5) rounded out the standings. With 19 days remaining on the baseball calendar, we will play out the meaningful games of the schedule. As teams are eliminated from contention, we will stop playing their head to head games.
Cincinnati won the National league in 1940 by 12 games over Brooklyn. Instead of replaying that league, Cincinnati is advancing directly to the World Series to face the winner of the American League.
Will Detroit prevail? Will Feller carry his team to the World Series? Will New York, or another club overcome the odds and take the crown? Can Cincinnati repeat as champions? Lots of questions to be answered over the next few months.
St. Louis was already eliminated after September 10th
September 11
Chicago 9, Washington 4. Skeeter Webb 3-3, HR, 2 BB, 2 R, RBI
Cleveland 3, New York 2 (Game 1). Bob Feller (W) 9 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 5 K
Cleveland 8, New York 6 (Game 2). Beau Bell 3-4, R, 2 RBI
Detroit 5, Boston 4. Dick Bartell 2-5, 2B, R
St. Louis 9, Philadelphia 5. Johnny Lucadello (SLB) 4-5, 2B, 2 R
Washington eliminated
Cleveland and Detroit tied for 1st place
September 12
Chicago 15, Philadelphia 5 (Game 1). Joe Kuhel 3-5, T, 2 RBI, 3 R
Cleveland 3, New York 2 (Game 1). Bob Feller (W) 9 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 5 K
Cleveland 8, New York 6 (Game 2). Beau Bell 3-4, R, 2 RBI
Detroit 5, Boston 4. Dick Bartell 2-5, 2B, R
Philadelphia over Chicago (Game 2): Auto-Play
Washington over St. Louis: Auto Play
Philadelphia eliminated
Cleveland leads Detroit by 0.5 games
September 13
Cleveland 10, Boston 6. Roy Weatherly 3-5, 3B, 4 RBI, R
Detroit 11, New York 10. Hank Greenberg 5-5, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 4 R
Chicago 8, Philadelphia 2 (Game 1). Mike Kreevich 4-4, 2 RBI, R
Chicago 10, Philadelphia 6 (Game 2). Mike Kreevich 2-3, HR, 2 RBI, R
St. Louis over Washington: Auto-Play
Cleveland leads Detroit by 0.5 games
September 14
Cleveland 7, Boston 6. Beau Bell 3-4, 2 R
New York 8, Detroit 7. Joe DiMaggio 2-3, HR, 3 RBI, R
Chicago 24, Philadelphia 4. Larry Rosenthal 4-7, 3B, HR, 7 RBI, 3 R
Chicago 10, Philadelphia 6 (Game 2). Mike Kreevich 2-3, HR, 2 RBI, R
St. Louis over Washington: Auto-Play
Cleveland leads Detroit by 1.5 games
September 15
Washington 5, Detroit 4. Dutch Leonard (W) CG, 6 H, 4 ER, 4 K
Boston 3, Chicago 2 (Game 1). Bobby Doerr 2-4, HR, 3 RBI, R
Chicago 15, Boston 1 (Game 2). Johnny Rigney (W) CG, 5 H, 1 ER, 6 K
St. Louis 7, New York 6 (Game 1). Joe Grace 3-5, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R
New York 4, St. Louis 1 (Game 2). Tiny Bonham (W) 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 K
Cleveland 6, Philadelphia 5 (Game 1). Lou Boudreau 2-5, 2B, 2 R
Cleveland 8, Philadelphia 3 (Game 2). Beau Bell 5-5, 3B, 3 RBI, R
Cleveland leads Detroit by 3 games
September 16
Chicago 6, Boston 5. Bill Dietrich 7 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 11 K
Cleveland 16, Philadelphia 12 (Game 1). Hal Trosky 5-7, 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 3 R
Cleveland 6, Philadelphia 0 (Game 2). Harry Eisenstat (W) CG SHO, 8 H, 5 K
Detroit 12, Washington 2. Rudy York 3-4, HR, 5 RBI, R
St. Louis 11, New York 1. Vern Kennedy (W) CG, 4 H, 1 ER, 6 K (HR, 3 RBI)
Cleveland leads Detroit by 3.5 games
September 17
St. Louis 9, New York 4. Johnny Berardino 3-4, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R
Cleveland 16, Philadelphia 5. Ken Keltner 4-6, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 2 R
Detroit 11, Washington 3. Hank Greenberg 2-5, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, SB
Cleveland leads Detroit by 3.5 games
September 18
New York 5, Chicago 1 (Game 1). Red Rolfe 3-5, R.
New York 12, Chicago 4 (Game 2). Charlie Keller 4-5, 2B, 3B, RBI, 3 R.
Cleveland 8, Washington 1 (Game 1). Hal Trosky 3-4, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R.
Cleveland 7, Washington 4 (Game 2). Lou Boudreau 2-5, 3B, 4 RBI
Detroit 10, Philadelphia 1 (Game 1). Barney McCosky 3-4, 2 3B, 4 RBI, 3 R.
Detroit 10, Philadelphia 4 (Game 2). Hank Greenberg 4-5, RBI, 3 R.
Boston 8, St. Louis 4. Joe Cronin 4-5, 2 RBI, 2 R.
Boston eliminated.
Chicago eliminated.
Cleveland leads Detroit by 3.5 games.
September 19
Chicago 8, New York 1. Moose Solters 2-4, HR, 3 RBI, R
Washington 1, Cleveland 0. Dutch Leonard W, CG SHO, 3 H, 8 K.
Detroit 17, Philadelphia 2 (Game 1). Birdie Tebbetts, 5-5, 3B, 4 RBI, 4 R.
Detroit 16, Philadelphia 5 (Game 2). Rudy York, 3-3, 2B, 2 HR, 2 BB, 6 RBI, 4 R.
St. Louis over Boston. Auto-Play.
Cleveland leads Detroit by 2 games.
September 20
Detroit 9, Cleveland 1. Bobo Newsom W, CG, 8 H, 1 ER, 4 K.
St. Louis over Chicago. Auto-Play.
Cleveland leads Detroit by 1 game.
September 21
New York 12, Boston 0. Joe Gordon 4-6, 2B, 4 RBI, R.
Cleveland 14, Detroit 2. Hal Trosky 4-6, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 2 R.
St. Louis over Chicago. Auto-Play.
Cleveland leads Detroit by 2 games.
September 22
Boston 6, New York 5. Tom Carey 2-4, HR, 3 RBI, R.
Cleveland 6, Detroit 2. Bob Feller W, CG, 7 H, 2 ER, 6 K.
Washington over Philadelphia (Game 1). Auto-Play.
Philadelphia over Washington (Game 2). Auto-Play.
Chicago over St. Louis. Auto-Play.
New York eliminated.
Cleveland leads Detroit by 3 games.
September 23
No games scheduled.
Cleveland leads Detroit by 3 games.
September 24
St. Louis 12, Cleveland 4. Wally Judnich 2-6, HR, 3 RBI, R
New York over Washington (Game 1). Auto-play.
New York over Washington (Game 2). Auto-play.
Boston over Philadelphia (Game 1). Auto-play.
Boston over Philadelphia (Game 2). Auto-play.
Cleveland leads Detroit by 2.5 games.
September 25
Cleveland 7, St. Louis 5. Beau Bell 2-5, 2B, 3 RBI.
Chicago 14, Detroit 11 (Game 1). Taffy Wright 5-6, 2B, 4 RBI, R.
Detroit 4, Chicago 2 (Game 2). Bobo Newsom W, CG, 11 H, 2 ER, 1 K.
Cleveland leads Detroit by 3 games.
September 26
Washington over Boston. Auto-Play.
New York over Philadelphia (Game 1). Auto-Play.
New York over Philadelphia (Game 2). Auto-Play.
Cleveland leads Detroit by 3 games.
September 27
Detroit 6, Cleveland 2. Hank Greenberg, 2-4, 2B, 3B, 3 R.
Washington over Boston. Auto-Play.
Chicago over St. Louis. Auto-Play.
New York over Philadelphia. Auto-Play.
Cleveland leads Detroit by 2 games.
September 28
Cleveland 2, Detroit 0. Mel Harder W, CG SHO, 6 H, 3 K.
Philadelphia over Boston (Game 1). Auto-Play.
Boston over Philadelphia (Game 2). Auto-Play.
St. Louis over Chicago. Auto-Play.
New York over Washington (Game 1). Auto-Play.
New York over Washington (Game 2). Auto-Play.
Detroit is eliminated.
Cleveland wins the AL pennant.
September 29
Philadelphia over Boston (Game 1). Auto-Play.
Boston over Philadelphia (Game 2). Auto-Play.
St. Louis over Chicago. Auto-Play.
Cleveland over Detroit. Auto-Play.
New York over Washington. Auto-Play.
1940 WORLD SERIES
Game 1
Scoring Summary
Bot 4: Ival Goodman solo home run. CIN 1, CLE 0.
Top 8: Roy Weatherly solo home run. CLE 1, CIN 1.
Bot 10: Jimmy Ripple solo home run. CIN 2, CLE 1.
W: Beggs. L Milnar.
Cincinnati leads series 1-0.
Game 2
Scoring Summary
Top 1: Ken Keltner two-run single. CLE 2, CIN 0.
Top 1: Ray Mack one-run single. CLE 3, CIN 0.
Bot 1: Billy Werber one-run double. CLE 3, CIN 1.
Bot 5: Billy Werber two-run home run. CLE 3, CIN 3.
Top 7: Hal Trosky three-run home run. CLE 6, CIN 3.
Top 8: Rollie Hemsley two-run home run. CLE 8, CIN 3.
Top 9: Hal Trosky solo home run. CLE 9, CIN 3.
Bot 9: Morrie Arnovich one-run single. CLE 9, CIN 4.
W: Allen. L Walters. S-Harder.
Series tied 1-1.
Game 3
Scoring Summary
Bot 2: Hal Trosky solo home run. CLE 1, CIN 0.
Bot 4: Ray Mack one-run single. CLE 2, CIN 0.
Bot 4: Rollie Hemsley one-run single. CLE 3, CIN 0.
Bot 7: Hal Trosky one-run single. CLE 4, CIN 0.
Bot 7: Beau Bell one-run sacrifice fly. CLE 5, CIN 0.
Top 8: Ernie Lombardi one-run single. CLE 5, CIN 1.
W: Smith. L Turner.
Cleveland leads series 2-1.
Game 4
Scoring Summary
Bot 6: Hal Trosky one-run single. CLE 1, CIN 0.
Bot 6: Beau Bell one-run single. CLE 2, CIN 0.
Top 8: Frank McCormick one-run ground out. CLE 2, CIN 1.
Bot 8: Ken Keltner one-run single. CLE 3, CIN 1.
Top 9: Eddie Joost one-run sacrifice fly. CLE 3, CIN 2.
W: Feller. L-Derringer. S-Eisenstat.
Cleveland leads series 3-1.
Game 5
Scoring Summary
Bot 4: Lou Boudreau one-run single. CLE 1, CIN 0.
Bot 4: Ray Mack one-run single. CLE 2, CIN 0.
Top 6: Ernie Lombardi one-run single. CLE 2, CIN 1.
Top 8: Billy Werber one-run single. CLE 2, CIN 2.
Bot 8: Hal Trosky bases loaded walk. CLE 3, CIN 2.
Bot 8: Beau Bell one-run sacrifice fly. CLE 4, CIN 2.
W: Allen. L-Moore. S-Milnar.
Cleveland leads series 3-1.