1956 in baseball

Major League Baseball

• World Series: New York Yankees over Brooklyn Dodgers (4-3); Don Larsen, MVP
• All-Star Game, July 10 at Griffith Stadium: National League, 7-3

Other champions

• College World Series: Minnesota
• Japan Series: Nishitetsu Lions over Yomiuri Giants (4-2)
• Little League World Series: Lions Hondo, Roswell, New Mexico

Winter Leagues

• 1956 Caribbean Series: Elefantes de Cienfuegos
• Cuban League: Elefantes de Cienfuegos
• Dominican Republic League: Leones del Escogido
• Mexican Pacific League: Tomateros de Culiacán
• Panamanian League: Chesterfield Smokers
• Puerto Rican League: Criollos de Caguas
• Venezuelan League: Industriales de Valencia

February

• February   6 – Supporting the Wagner-Cashmore plan to build a $30-million downtown Brooklyn sports center, Brooklyn Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley promises to buy four million dollars worth of bonds.
• February 27 – The Piedmont League disbands after 37 years in operation.

March

• March 3 – In an effort to keep the New York Giants at home, Manhattan Borough president Hulan Jack makes plans for a new 110,000-seat stadium over the New York Central railroad tracks, on a 470,000-foot site stretching from 60th to 72nd streets on Manhattan's West Side. The estimated cost of $75 million for the ballpark eventually dooms the project and will be a major factor for Giants owner Horace Stoneham's decision to move the club to San Francisco in 1957.

April

• April 22 – The Philadelphia Phillies manage just three hits, but one of them is a three-run home run by Ted Kazanski, as Robin Roberts wins, 3–1, over Johnny Antonelli and the New York Giants.
• April 26 – Chico Carrasquel batted 2-for-4, including two runs, a grand slam and a career-high seven runs batted in, to guide the Cleveland Indians to a crushing 14–2 victory over the Kansas City Athletics. Early Wynn pitched a nine-strikeout, four-hit, two-run complete game to earn the victory, while Lou Kretlow allowed seven runs in four-plus innings to get the loss.

May

• May   2 – At Wrigley Field, the New York Giants defeat the Chicago Cubs, 6-5, in a 17-inning game in which 48 players see action–25 Giants and 23 Cubs. Chicago's Don Hoak sets a National League record by striking out six times in the game, which also features a record 11 intentional walks, including two each to the Giants' Willie Mays and Wes Westrum and the Cubs' Ernie Banks.
• May 12 – Carl Erskine tosses the second no-hitter of his career as the Brooklyn Dodgers blank the New York Giants, 3–0, at Ebbets Field. His first no-hitter came on June 19, 1952 against the Chicago Cubs at Ebbets Field.
• May 26 – Al Simmons died in Milwaukee, at the age of 54. A former Philadelphia Athletics outfielder as well as a three-time All-Star and two-time champion bat, Simmons posted a .334 average with 307 home runs and 1827 RBI in a 20-season major league career that included stints with six other teams besides the Athletics. Simmons was enshrined into the Hall of Fame in 1953.
• May 30 – Mickey Mantle of the New York Yankees narrowly misses hitting the first home run ever hit completely out of Yankee Stadium. With Hank Bauer and Gil McDougald on base in the fifth inning of Game One of a doubleheader against the Washington Senators, Mantle, batting left-handed against Pedro Ramos, hits a towering drive above the level of the stadium roof. However, a stiff wind cuts down the ball, which strikes the right-field facade, 18 inches (460 mm) above the level of the roof. The home run gives the Yankees a 3-1 lead; they go on to win 4-3.

June

• June 19 – In New Jersey, the city of Hoboken dedicates a plaque honoring the achievements of Alexander Cartwright in organizing early baseball games at Elysian Fields, at ceremonies marking the 100th anniversary of the first game played using modern rules.^[1]
• June 21 – Jack Harshman of the Chicago White Sox defeats Connie Johnson of the Baltimore Orioles 1-0 in a game in which both pitchers throw a one-hitter.
• June 27 – Chico Carrasquel went 5-for-6, including two doubles, two runs, and a game-ending RBI single in the 11th inning off Don Mossi, as the Cleveland Indians edged the Baltimore Orioles 12–11. Hal Brown was the winning pitcher in a ​6 ¹⁄₃-inning relief effort.

July

• July 10 – At Griffith Stadium, home of the Washington Senators, the National League topped the American League, 7-3, in the All-Star Game. Willie Mays, Stan Musial, Ted Williams, and Mickey Mantle all hit home runs.
• July 14 – At Fenway Park, Mel Parnell of the Boston Red Sox no-hits the Chicago White Sox 4-0. The no-hitter is the Red Sox' first since Howard Ehmke in 1923, the first at Fenway since the Washington Senators' Walter Johnson no-hit the Red Sox in 1920, and the first by a Red Sox left-hander since Dutch Leonard in 1918.
• July 25 – Roberto Clemente of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits the first, and so far only, walk-off inside-the park grand slam in major league history in a 9-8 win over the Chicago Cubs.

August

• August   2 – Herb Score shuts out the visiting New York Yankees‚ 4–0‚ for the Cleveland Indians seventh shutout in their last 12 games. Bobby Ávila gets the Indians on board with an inside-the-park home run in the third inning. An inning later, Preston Ward and Rocky Colavito hit back-to-back home runs and one out later Chico Carrasquel homers. The four solo homers in a shutout victory sets a major league record. Yankees starter Tom Sturdivant, who gave up the four homers, is the losing pitcher.
• August   8 – Robin Roberts wins his eighth straight game and his fourth in 10 days‚ as the visiting Philadelphia Phillies defeat the New York Giants‚ 9–3. Phillies shortstop Ted Kazanski lines an inside-the-park grand slam off Jim Hearn‚ just the fourth in club history to pace the attack.

September

• September 25 – At Ebbets Field, Sal Maglie of the Brooklyn Dodgers no-hits the Philadelphia Phillies 5-0.
• September 30 – Chicago White Sox pitcher Jim Derrington becomes the youngest pitcher in modern history to start a game. He loses to the Kansas City Athletics, 7-6, at the age of 16 years and 10 months.

October

• October   8 – New York Yankees pitcher Don Larsen pitches a perfect game in Game 5 of the World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers, in a 2-0 victory. It is only the fourth perfect game since 1900 and sixth in the history of Major League Baseball. To date it remains the only perfect game in baseball post-season history, and also the only no-hitter in the World Series.
• October   9 – The Dodgers bounce back. Brooklyn's Clem Labine comes out of the bullpen to pitch a 1-0 victory for the Dodgers in Game 6 of the World Series. Yankee Enos Slaughter misjudges Jackie Robinson's fly ball, and Jim Gilliam scores from second base; it turned out to be Robinson's last major league hit. The series is tied at 3 games apiece.
• October 10 – The New York Yankees defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers, 9-0, in Game 7 of the World Series to win their seventeenth World Championship, four games to three. Johnny Kucks goes the distance in the victory, allowing only three hits. Yogi Berra hits a pair of 2-run home runs and Bill Skowron hits a grand slam. Don Newcombe takes the loss, his fourth in Series competition. It was the last World Series game played at Brooklyn's Ebbets Field. Yankees pitcher Don Larsen is named Most Valuable Player.
• October 24 – Birdie Tebbetts of the Cincinnati Reds is named National League Manager of the Year.
• October 25 – Chicago White Sox manager Marty Marion resigns. Al López replaces him.

November

• November 27:
  • Don Newcombe, who posted a 27-7 record with 139 strikeouts and a 3.06 ERA for the National League pennant-winning Brooklyn Dodgers, becomes the first MLB Cy Young Award winner. Only one pitcher will be selected each season for this prestigious pitching award until 1967, when each league will name a winner.
  • Outfielder Charlie Peete, given a good shot at being the first black starter on the St. Louis Cardinals, is killed in a plane crash in Caracas, Venezuela. Peete, who hit .192 in 23 games for St. Louis in 1956, was returning from playing winter ball.
• November 28 – The Cleveland Indians name Kerby Farrell to replace Al López as the team manager. Farrell won the Junior World Series as the pilot of the Double-A Indianapolis Indians.

December

• December 1 – Outfielder Frank Robinson of the Cincinnati Reds is unanimously voted the National League Rookie of the Year. In the American League, Chicago White Sox shortstop Luis Aparicio is voted Rookie of the Year with 22 points, beating out outfielders Tito Francona of the Baltimore Orioles and Rocky Colavito of the Cleveland Indians.

January

• January 10 – Dan Rohn
• January 12 – Juan Bonilla
• January 15 – Don Cooper
• January 15 – Rance Mulliniks
• January 15 – Jerry Narron
• January 25 – Dale Mohorcic
• January 30 – Bill Earley

February

• February   1 – Geoff Combe
• February   2 – Manny Sarmiento
• February   4 – Chris Bando
• February   9 – Mookie Wilson
• February 12 – Brian Denman
• February 14 – Dave Dravecky
• February 15 – Ray Cosey
• February 22 – Joe Lefebvre
• February 24 – Eddie Murray
• February 25 – Kevin Hickey
• February 25 – Ed Lynch
• February 29 – Jerry Fry

March

• March   3 – Dennis Sherrill
• March 12 – Dale Murphy
• March 14 – Butch Wynegar
• March 16 – Juan Espino
• March 17 – Rick Lisi
• March 17 – Tim Lollar
• March 17 – Rod Scurry
• March 23 – Mike Darr
• March 23 – Ron Johnson
• March 24 – Garry Templeton
• March 27 – Dave Hostetler
• March 30 – Jack Lazorko

April

• April   1 – Mark Esser
• April   3 – Darrell Jackson
• April   4 – Tom Herr
• April   8 – Roger Holt
• April 11 – John Martin
• April 12 – Jose Alvarez
• April 14 – Bobby Sprowl
• April 15 – Barry Cort
• April 20 – Floyd Chiffer
• April 20 – Tim Tolman
• April 22 – Moose Haas
• April 25 – Larry Pashnick

May

• May   4 – Ubaldo Heredia
• May   4 – Ken Oberkfell
• May   5 – Ron Oester
• May   6 – Alberto Lois
• May 18 – Jim Farr
• May 19 – Luis Salazar
• May 19 – Eric Show
• May 22 – Mark Brouhard
• May 23 – Buck Showalter
• May 27 – Bud Anderson
• May 27 – Mark Clear
• May 28 – Randy Martz
• May 30 – Dana DeMuth
• May 30 – Mike LaCoss
• May 30 – Jay Loviglio

June

• June   2 – Kelvin Chapman
• June   3 – Julio Valdez
• June   4 – Terry Kennedy
• June   9 – John Fulgham
• June 10 – Brad Gulden
• June 10 – Randy Johnson
• June 11 – Joe Alvarez
• June 14 – Mike Grace
• June 15 – Lance Parrish
• June 20 – Larry Monroe
• June 21 – Rick Sutcliffe
• June 23 – Tony Johnson
• June 24 – George Vukovich
• June 29 – Pedro Guerrero

July

• July   3 – Larry Whisenton
• July   5 – Rick Lancellotti
• July   6 – Jang Hyo-jo
• July   7 – Terry Bevington
• July   8 – Terry Puhl
• July   9 – Guy Hoffman
• July 10 – Vance McHenry
• July 11 – Joey McLaughlin
• July 12 – Bryan Clark
• July 12 – Mario Soto
• July 13 – Bill Caudill
• July 17 – Pete Ladd
• July 18 – Butch Edge
• July 18 – Razor Shines
• July 22 – Scott Sanderson
• July 25 – Dave Patterson
• July 29 – Jeff Jones
• July 31 – Gordie Pladson

August

• August   2 – Derek Botelho
• August   2 – Roger LaFrançois
• August   5 – Dave Edler
• August   5 – Dave Rozema
• August   8 – Cliff Speck
• August 12 – Bobby Bonner
• August 19 – Ron Roenicke
• August 19 – Kevin Saucier
• August 20 – Joel Finch
• August 21 – John Henry Johnson
• August 22 – Mark Gilbert
• August 22 – Paul Molitor
• August 24 – Tony Bernazard
• August 24 – Neil Fiala
• August 26 – George Bjorkman
• August 27 – Rick Steirer
• August 30 – Steve Baker
• August 30 – Scott Brown
• August 30 – Roger Erickson
• August 30 – Willie Mueller

September

• September   2 – Fred Howard
• September   5 – Tom Hallion
• September   7 – Orlando Sánchez
• September 12 – Mark Thurmond
• September 15 – John Pacella
• September 17 – Thad Bosley
• September 20 – Mike Gates
• September 24 – Hubie Brooks
• September 29 – Mark Calvert

October

• October   1 – Vance Law
• October   2 – Jeff Doyle
• October   3 – Bob Kearney
• October   4 – Charlie Leibrandt
• October   6 – George Riley
• October   7 – Rudy Law
• October   8 – Jeff Lahti
• October 12 – Steve Shirley
• October 13 – Andy Beene
• October 16 – Dan Firova
• October 19 – Germán Barranca
• October 22 – Frank DiPino
• October 23 – Luis Silverio
• October 24 – Gary Serum
• October 25 – Andy McGaffigan

November

• November   1 – Gary Redus
• November   2 – Gary Hargis
• November   3 – Bob Welch
• November 11 – Jeff Byrd
• November 11 – Scott Loucks
• November 12 – Jody Davis
• November 19 – Dickie Noles
• November 25 – Dave Baker
• November 26 – Ron Meridith
• November 26 – Bob Walk
• November 29 – Rick Anderson
• November 29 – Joe Price
• November 30 – Dave Engle

December

• December   1 – Tom Filer
• December   3 – Mark Bradley
• December   4 – Bárbaro Garbey
• December   5 – Dave Hudgens
• December   5 – Bill Swaggerty
• December   7 – Ozzie Virgil
• December   8 – Alan Wirth
• December   9 – Eric Wilkins
• December 10 – Darrell Woodard
• December 12 – Steve Farr
• December 13 – Dale Berra
• December 13 – Jon Perlman
• December 16 – Rick Sofield
• December 19 – Stan Cliburn
• December 19 – Stew Cliburn
• December 19 – Tom Lawless
• December 22 – Gary Cooper
• December 22 – Dave Schmidt
• December 23 – Bert Bradley
• December 25 – Wallace Johnson
• December 25 – Charlie Lea
• December 29 – Dave Ford

January

• January   4 – John Beckwith, 55, All-Star shortstop and manager in the Negro Leagues, who spent over 20 years in baseball, ranking among the Negro Leagues' career leaders in batting average, home runs, RBI and slugging percentage.^[2]
• January   7 – Davey Claire, 58, shortstop who appeared in three games for the Detroit Tigers in 1920.
• January 10 – Algie McBride, 86, outfielder for the Chicago Colts, Cincinnati Reds, and New York Giants from 1896 to 1901.
• January 22 − Ralph Mitterling, 65, outfielder for the Philadelphia Athletics during the 1916 season.
• January 23 – Billy Evans, 71, American League umpire from 1906 to 1927, later the general manager of the Indians and Tigers.
• January 26 – Dave Howard, 66, second baseman who played with the Washington Senators in the 1912 season and for the Brooklyn Tip-Tops in 1915.
• January 31 – Buck Weaver, 65, shortstop and third baseman who played his entire career for the Chicago White Sox from 1912 to 1920, also a member of the 1917 World champion White Sox, then was one of the eight players banned from the Major Leagues for his connection to the 1919 Black Sox scandal.^[3]

February

• February   8 – Roy Hitt, 71, pitcher for the 1907 Cincinnati Reds.
• February   8 – Tom Hughes, 77, pitcher for the Chicago Orphans at the turn of the 20th century as well as one of the first World Series pitchers ever, in 1903, with the Boston Americans champion team.
• February   8 – Connie Mack, 93, whose 65 years in baseball began as a catcher with the Washington Nationals in 1886, later a manager and owner of the Philadelphia Athletics from 1901 through 1950, retiring with nine American League pennants, five World Series titles and a record 3,731 victories – a feat that is unlikely to ever be matched, being inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1937.^[4]
• February 11 – Joseph Myers, 73, pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics during the 1905 season.
• February 13 – Fred Holmes, 77, first baseman and catcher who played with the New York Highlanders in the 1904 season and for the Chicago Cubs in 1904.
• February 14 – Bill Bishop, 55, pitcher who played for the Philadelphia Athletics during the 1921 season.
• February 17 – Kip Selbach, 83, solid defensive outfielder who played for six different teams in a span of 13 seasons from 1894–1906, posting an overall batting line of .293/.377/.412 and 334 stolen bases, while leading the National League with 22 triples in 1895.^[5]
• February 19 – Ray Demmitt, 72, backup outfielder who played with five teams in part of seven seasons spanning 1909–1919.
• February 23 – Pete Loos, 77, pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics of the American League in its 1901 season.
• February 25 – Jack Lewis, 72, second baseman who played with the Boston Red Sox in 1911 and for the Pittsburgh Rebels of the outlaw Federal League from 1914 to 1915.

March

• March   1 – Ed Heusser, 46, pitcher for four teams in nine seasons between 1935 and 1948, who led the National League pitchers with a 2.38 ERA in 1944.
• March   1 – Walt Miller, 72, pitcher who appeared in three games for the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1911 season.
• March   2 – Fred Merkle, 67, slugging first baseman and part-time outfielder who was in the major leagues from 1907 through 1926, playing with the New York Giants, Brooklyn Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees, being best remembered for his famous and controversial baserunning blunder as a 19-year rookie in 1908 that likely cost the Giants the National League pennant.^[6]
• March   4 – Frank Kelliher, 56, pinch-hitter who appeared in just one game with the Washington Senators in 1919.
• March   5 – Bruce Ogrodowski, 44, backup catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals in part of two seasons from 1936–1937.
• March   6 – Joe Berger, 69, part-time infielder for the Chicago White Sox in the 1913 and 1914 seasons.
• March   7 – Shorty Desjardien, 62, pitcher for the Cleveland indians in 1916, who is regarded as one of the best all-around athletes ever produced by the University of Chicago, while playing on Western Conference championship teams in both football and baseball, and competing also in basketball and track and field tournaments.
• March 10 – Solly Hofman, 73, an above-average center fielder and one of the Deadball Era's finest utility men, who spent 14 seasons with five Major League teams between 1903 and 1916, while garnering attention as a timely hitter, his speed on the bases, and spectacular catches in outfield.^[7]
• March 14 – Lena Styles, 56, catcher who played with the Philadelphia Athletics and Cincinnati Reds over parts of five seasons from 1919–1931.
• March 20 – Ed Smith, 77, pitcher for the St. Louis Browns during the 1906 season.

April

• April   3 – Dolly Gray,
• April   3 – Clay Roe,
• April   5 – Tommy Taylor,
• April   9 – John Quinn,
• April 10 – Ginger Beaumont,
• April 10 – Bill Brady,
• April 16 – George Puccinelli,
• April 18 – Claude Davidson,
• April 18 – John Heydler,
• April 18 – Patsy O'Rourke,
• April 20 – Sam Brenegan,
• April 26 – Cliff Blankenship,

May

• May   3 – Karl Kolseth, 63, first baseman who played in 1915 for the Baltimore Terrapins of the Federal League.
• May   4 – Gus Dorner, 79, pitcher for the Boston Beaneaters, Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Naps in a span of six seasons between 1902 and 1909.
• May   5 – John Godwin, 79, infield/outfield utility man for the Boston Americans in the 1905 and 1906 seasons.
• May   6 – Harry Ostdiek, 75, backup catcher who played with the Cleveland Naps in the 1904 season and for the Boston Red Sox in 1908.
• May   7 – Tommy Atkins, 68, pitcher who played from 1909 to 1910 for the Philadelphia Athletics.
• May 10 – Jimmy Slagle, 82, outfielder who played for four National League clubs in 10 seasons from 1899–1908, winning two World Series rings with the Chicago Cubs in 1907 and 1908.
• May 22 – Harry Howell, 79, notorious spitballer who pitched with six teams from 1898 to 1910, helping the Brooklyn Superbas win the 1900 National League pennant and becoming the best pitcher of the St. Louis Browns (now Baltimore Orioles) during the Deadball Era, establishing a franchise record for career ERA (2.06) that has never been equaled.^[8]
• May 27 – Freddy Sale, 54, pitcher who appeared in just one game with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1924.
• May 26 – Al Simmons, 54, slugging Hall of Fame left fielder for seven clubs from 1924–1944, most prominently for Connie Mack and his fearsome Philadelphia Athletics of the late 1920s and early 1930s, who topped the American League with a .387 batting average, 24 home runs and 129 runs batted in and 253 hits in 1925, expanding his production in the next three seasons with averages of .341, a league-best .392, and .351, driving in 109, 108 and 107 runs, respectively, while guiding the Athletics to the American League pennant from 1929 through 1931, and World Series titles the first two of those years, ending his career with a .334 batting average, 2,927 hits, 307 home runs and 1,827 RBI, all with an unconventional batting stance that earned him the nickname 'Bucketfoot Al' because his stride took him toward third base.^[9]

June

• June   2 – Tony Parisse
• June   2 – Denny Sullivan
• June   3 – Roxy Walters
• June 15 – Scotty Ingerton
• June 19 – John Monroe
• June 22 – Ed Forsythe

July

• July   2 – Roy Wilkinson
• July   9 – Buddy Ryan
• July 10 – Joe Giard
• July 13 – Glenn Liebhardt
• July 18 – Hank Perry
• July 25 – John Kane
• July 26 – Dad Clark
• July 30 – Tommy Sewell

August

• August   5 – Paddy Siglin
• August   7 – Hughie Tate
• August 12 – Warren Miller
• August 14 – Frank Dupee
• August 24 – Art Fromme
• August 31 – Frank Watt

September

• September   4 – Pat Ragan
• September   6 – Stubby Magner
• September 10 – Eddie Brown
• September 11 – Marty Herrmann
• September 12 – Tod Sloan
• September 18 – Jim Rutherford
• September 20 – Tom Gastall
• September 22 – Jesse Tannehill
• September 24 – Walt Marbet
• September 25 – John McMakin

October

• October   4 – Jake Gettman
• October   7 – Tom Stouch
• October 13 – George Dumont
• October 22 – Frank Scheibeck
• October 22 – John Jackson
• October 26 – Red Nelson
• October 30 – Dick Midkiff
• October 31 – John Leighton

November

• November   1 – Limb McKenry
• November   3 – John Jones
• November   9 – Lem Hunter
• November 14 – Ed Hilley
• November 20 – Bub Kuhn
• November 22 – Roy Carlyle
• November 27 – Charlie Peete
• November 30 – John Shea

December

• December 12 – Bill Malarkey
• December 17 – Ona Dodd
• December 24 – Del Howard
• December 27 – Hob Hiller