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The Military Draft
President Roosevelt institutes the military draft in preparation for the United States' involvement in the War. -
First MLB Draftee
Phillies pitcher, Hugh "losing pitcher" Mulcahy becomes the first major league baseball player to enter the draft. He tell the Sporting News, "I'm on a winning team now!". -
Hitting Streak begins
Joe DiMaggio goes 1 for 4 against the Chicago White Sox to begin his 56 game hitting streak, a record that has yet to be broken. During this streak, which ended on July 17, DiMaggio batted .408 with 15 home runs and 55 RBIs. -
The Greatest Hitter to Have Ever Lived Hits .400
Ted Williams finishes the seaon with a .408 batting average. He currently is the last player to hit over .400 in a season. -
US enters the war
US declares war on Japan after the bombing of Pearl Harbor the day before. Throughout the war, more than 500 players entered the military. Most notable were Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Bob Feller and Stan Musial. -
MLB gets the Green Light
President Roosevelt sends Commissioner Landis the "Green Light" letter in which he assures people that the game of baseball was valuable to keeping up the morale of the American people and recommended that it not be suspensed during the war. -
Women Play Professional Baseball
Due to the amount of Major League Baseball players serving in WWII, baseball executives fear that the sport will fold. They decide to create the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. The AAGPBL consists of 15 teams and remains in existence until 1954. -
Commissioner Landis Dies
While serving as the Commissioner of Baseball, Kenesaw Mountain Landis dies from complications of a heart attack. -
The Williams Shift
As Ted Williams comes to bat, Indians manager Lou Boudreau has his 3rd baseman play in the Shortstop position, his Shortstop play between 1st and 2nd and his centerfielder play more towards right field. This defensive strategy, known as the Williams shift, is still used today. -
Integration of Baseball
Jackie Robinson breaks the color barrier in major league baseball when he takes the field at Ebbets Field as the opening day 1st basemen for the Brooklyn Dodgers. -
AL Integrates
Larry Doby becomes the first black player in the American League when he is signed by Bill Veeck's Cleveland Indians. -
World Series is televised
The World Series between the New York Yankees and Brooklyn Dodgers is broadcast on television for the first time in history. Although only shown is a couple markets, such as New York City, Washington DC and Philadelphia areas, over 3.9 million households watch the series. -
Satchel makes it to the Big Leagues
After spending 20+ years in the Negro Leagues, Satchel Paige makes his major league debut with the Cleveland Indians. He remained in the majors for the next six seasons before, at age 47, returned to the Negro Leagues. His last stint in major league baseball is with the Kansas City Athletics in 1965. He was 59. -
The Babe Dies
Babe Ruth dies from nasopharyngeal carcinoma, after a 2 year battle. His body is placed on display at Yankee Stadium for two days, where over 77,000 people come to pay their respects. His funeral was held at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City while an estimated 75,00 people waited outside the church. -
Eddie Gaedel bats
Bill Veeck, the flamboyant owner of the St. Louis Browns, sends up Eddie Gaedel to the plate in the 1st inning of the 2nd game of a doubleheader against the Tigers. Gaedel, who was secretly signed by Veeck just days before, was 3'7" and weighed 65 lbs. He was walked on four straight pitches by Bob Cain and was lifter for a pinch hitter. -
The Shot
3rd basemen for the Giants, Bobby Thomson hits a three run home run off of Dodgers pithcer Ralph Branca in the bottom of the 9th to win the game and also the NL pennant. Because it was the first baseball game to be televised nationally, it became known as the "shot heard 'round the world". -
First of Many
Hank Aaron hits a home run off of Cardinals pitcher Vic Raschi. This is the first of his 755 career home runs, a record that stood for close to 30 years. -
The Catch
During game 1 of the World Series between the Giants and the Indians, Vic Wertz hits a ball 420' to straightaway center. Center fielder Willie Mays is playing shallow and has to run back on the ball. He makes what will forever be known as "the catch", making one of the most spectacular plays in baseball history, an over the shoulder catch to get Wertz out. -
Perfect Game
Don Larsen becomes the first and to this date, only pitcher to throw a perfect game in the World Series. The Yankees won the game 2-0 and went on to win the series, 4-3. -
Dodgers and Giants head west
The Dodgers play their last game at Ebbets Field and 5 days later, the Giants play their last game at the Polo Grounds. The teams move west the following year; the Dodgers to Los Angeles and the Giants to San Francisco. This marks the beginning of the westward movement in baseball, as prior to 1958, there were no teams west of Kansas City.
