Detroit
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Yr

P

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Yr

P

W

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1940

1

90

64

1943

5

78

76

1947

2

85

69

Decade

1941

4

75

79

1944

2

88

66

1948

5

78

76

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1942

5

73

81

1945

1

88

65

1949

4

87

67

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1946

2

92

62

Titles:

Top Tigers Players of the Forties

1940 AL Champs (Lost to Reds in World Series)

1945 World Champs (Beat Cubs in World Series)

Pitchers:

Hal Newhouser (54.87) - 113

BallPark:

Dizzy Trout (37.62) - 79

Briggs Stadium

Virgil Trucks (22.17) - 54

Fred Hutchinson (14.45) - 36

Team Name:

Al Benton (15.37) - 32

Tigers

Tommy Bridges (16.65) - 24

Bobo Newsom (10.72) - 22

Owner:

Stubby Overmire (3.81) - 15

Walter O. Briggs

Schoolboy Rowe (7.95) - 13

Art Houtteman (3.35) - 13

General Managers:

Hal White (7.08) - 11

Jack Zeller (1940-1945)

Johnny Gorsica (6.31) - 8

Billy Evans (1946-1949)

Catchers:

Managers:

Birdie Tebbetts (1.54) - 27

Del Baker (1940-1942)

Paul Richards (1.95) - 19

Steve O'Neil (1943-1948)

Bob Swift (0.52) - 12

Red Rolfe (1949)

First Basemen:

No Hitters:

Rudy York (21.03) - 64

None

Second Basemen:

Hall of Famers:

Eddie Mayo (7.18) - 23

Hal Newhouser

Jimmy Bloodworth (1.57) - 10

Charlie Gehringer

Charlie Gehringer (4.43) - 8

Hank Greenberg

George Kell

ShortStop:

Earl Averill

Eddie Lake (3.36) - 16

Johnny Lipon (2.76) - 14

Rookie of the Year:

None

Third Basemen:

Pinky Higgins (10.9) - 33

MVP:

George Kell (13.13) - 33

Hank Greenberg (1940)

Hal Newhouser (1944)

Outfield:

Hal Newhouser (1945)

Roy Cullenbine (14.69) - 44

Hoot Evers (9.04) - 43

Notable Events:

Dick Wakefield (13.18) - 39

Barney McCosky (9.69) - 34

1940 - the Tigers start off the decade on the wrong foot as Commissioner

Doc Cramer (1.52) - 31

Landis accused Detroit of stockpiling players illegally in the minor leagues.

Hank Greenberg (16.93) - 31

Specifically, they had working agreements with mulitple teams in two

Pat Mullin (7.75) - 30

minor leagues: Texas League (Beaumont and Ft. Worth; Evangeline

Vic Wertz (4.74) - 19

League (Alexandria and Lake Charles). Landis released 91 players in the

organization from their contracts. Three had an impact as it turned out

Notable Events:

Pitcher Johnny Sain, second baseman Benny McCoy and outfielder Roy

Cullenbine. McCoy had been traded to the A's for outfielder Wally Moses,

1941 - Hank Greenberg enlists in the Army in May. The season is lost

but that deal was voided. McCoy signed on with the A's as a free agent.

Cullenbine signed on with the Dodgers. GM Jake Zeller was responsible

1941 -The Tigers add their fourth pitching mainstay of the decade,

for the Tigers's shenanigans Altho' Tigers management (owner Briggs

Virgil Trucks. He is a twenty four year old righthander. The Tigers

and GM Zeller) were admonished by the Commissioner for their behavior,

strength thru the middle of the decade is their strong starting pitching.

it was a good sign for Tigers fans because if you're not cheating, you're

not trying, and Briggs and Zeller were certainly trying.

1942 - Charlie Gehringer retires at the age of thirty nine

1940 - Despite the minor league farm system debacle, Detroit was in good

1943 - Detroit embarks on an eight year above .500 run, giving them

shape coming into the decade. They had winning records their last six

fifteen of seventeen years above .500 from 1934 thru 1950. the steak

seasons of the Thirties including two pennants and a World Series title at

iIncludes four first place finishes and six second place finishes, not bad.

the start of the run. They had been declining a bit recently, however

dropping into fifth place in 1939 albeit with an 81-73 record.

1944 - The pitching staff, which will carry the Tigers to a pennant and

four second place finishes over the next seven years, begins to gel.

1940 - A look at Detroit's roster as they entered the decade shows three

Trout, who won twenty the year before, wins twenty seven. Newhouser,

strong young pitchers who will be the backbone of the club's success in

who won thirty four in the previous four seasons combined, wins twenty

the Forties - Nineteen year old future Hall of Fame lefthander Hal Newhouser;

nine. However, there is no hitting help and Detroit finishes second.

twenty year old righthander Fred Hutchinson and twenty five year old

righthander Dizzy Trout. None of them were big contributors to the Tigers

1945 - Detroit reacquires outfielder Roy Cullenbine from the Indians.

1940 pennant. Rudy York, a twenty six year old first baseman, is the one

He is thirty one and has three good seasons in Detroit before

young big stick that the Tigers bring into the decade. York would get old

being dealt to the Phillies and retiring.

young due to playing much of his career as a catcher, which ruined

his legs. The Tigers moved him to first base too late.

1945 - The Tigers win the pennant behind Newhouser, Trout and

Al Benton They beat the Cubs to win the World Series.

1940 - Behind the strong pitching of veterans Tommy Bridges, Bobo Newsom

and Schoolboy Rowe and the hitting of MVP Hank Greenberg, Charlie

1946 - Trucks and Hutchinson return from the war keeping the staff strong.

Gehringer, Rudy York and Barney McCoskey, the Tigers win 90 games and

the pennant by a game over the Indians and two over perennial champions,

1946 - Outfelder Hoot Evers, 26 and returning from the war, is a rookie.

the Yankees. The Tigers are beaten by the Reds in seven games in the

World Series. Detroit had gained four places and nine games in the standings

1946 - third Baseman George Kell, 24, is obtained from the A's in a

from the previous season, fueled mostly by large improvements by sluggers

deal for outfielder Barney McCoskey

Rudy York and Hank Greenberg and pitcher Schoolboy Rowe.

1947 - Vic Wertz, twenty two year old outfielder, is a rookie.