New York Giants - The War Years - WWII (1940-1949)

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1940

Decade

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Titles:

Top Giants Players of the Forties

None

Pitchers:

BallPark:

Larry Jansen (10.73) - 36

Polo Grounds

Dave Koslo (11.26) - 31

Bill Voiselle (6.57) - 28

Team Name:

Hal Schumacher (10.71) - 28

Giants

Carl Hubbell (5.87) - 26

Cliff Melton (7.81) - 25

Owner:

Bill Lohrman (2.49) - 24

Horace Stoneham

Ace Adams (7.05) - 23

Sheldon Jones (7.12) - 19

President:

Harry Feldman (2.73) - 16

None

Monte Kennedy (5.75) - 15

Van Lingle Mungo (3.11) - 11

General Manager:

Clint Hartung (0.11) - 10

Chub Feeney (1948-1949)

Catchers:

Managers:

Harry Danning (6.66) - 27

Bill Terry (1940-1941)

Ernie Lombardi (9.93) - 22

Mel Ott (1942-1948)

Walker Cooper (8.14) - 21

Leo Durocher (1948-1949)

First Basemen:

No Hitters:

Johnny Mize (28.18) - 54

None

Babe Young (9.22) - 20

Hall of Famers:

Second Basemen:

Carl Hubbell

Billy Jurges (9.37) - 21

Ernie Lombardi

Mickey Witek (7.58) - 17

Joe Medwick

Johnny Mize

ShortStop:

Mel Ott

Buddy Kerr (11.38) - 44

Bill Rigney (7.38) - 20

Rookie of the Year:

None

Third Base:

Sid Gordon (16.74) - 34

MVP

Dick Bartell (7.54) - 19

None

Outfield:

Notable Events:

Mel Ott (27.68) - 66

Willard Marshall (15.55) - 37

1940 - If anyone had any questions as to when the Giants

Bobby Thomson (10.72) - 32

dynasty was officially over, they shouldn't. It was over when owner

Whitey Lockman (9.54) - 22

Charles Stoneham died in 1936. A poster boy for why low

John Rucker (0.43) - 21

inheritance taxes are a disaster for all involved, son Horace, a dunce,

Ducky Medwick (5.01) - 15

took over the franchise and immediately began to run it into the

Phil Weintraub (6.26) - 13

ground, beginning just two years later in 1938, and culminating in

Frank Demaree (1.79) - 7

the Giants move out of New York twenty one years later.

The Forties were a horrific decade for a great franchise like the Giants

Notable Events:

who had won back to back pennants as recently as 1936-1937.

1946 - Chub Feeney, 25, Horace Stoneham's nephew, takes over

1941 - Lefthander Dave Koslo, 21, is a rookie. His career

as team president. This finally gives the Giants front office

doesn't take off until he gets back from the war in 1946

someone who knows what he's doing. Feeney had baseball savvy.

1941 - Outfielder Sid Gordon, 23, is brought up from Jersey City

1947 - Righthander Larry Jansen, 27, is brought up from San

Francisco and wins twenty one games as a rookie. Like many

1941 - Outfielder Willard Marshall, 21, is brought up from Atlanta

others, the war delayed the start of his big league career by

several years.

1942 - Bill Terry is replaced by Mel Ott as manager.

The Giants have a temporary resurgence to third place

1947 - Catcher Wes Westrum, 26, is brought up from

Minneapolis. The war delayed the start of his big league career.

1942 - Slugging first baseman Johnny Mize, 29, is picked up

from the Cardinals in a trade for $50K and three warm bodies.

1947 - The Giants set a record for most home runs by a team in a

Altho' this looked like a terrible deal by the Cards on the

season with 221. Johnny Mize, Walker Cooper, Sid Gordon and

surface, it actually was an astute one. Mize was twenty nine

Willard Marshall were the big sluggers. Despite this display of

and eligible for military service. Knowing that Mize would

power, the Giants finish fourth

probably miss several prime seasons to the war, Rickey got a

bundle of cash for him. You'll note that the Cards were a

1948 - Twenty one year old outfielder Don Mueller is brought up

powerhouse during the war because Rickey was jettisoning

from Jersey City

war eligible players and stockpiling 4F's.

1948 - Leo Durocher takes over as manager during the season.

1943 - Shortstop Buddy Kerr, 20, is brought up from Jersey City

Durocher is a breath of fresh air for a moribund franchise.

He wants to win - badly. He also wanted to win his way - fiesty

1943 - Carl Hubbell retires after the season

aggressive baseball, not sit back and wait for a home run baseball.

Durocher was a manager that actually made a difference, those

1945 - Outfielder Whitey Lockman, 18, is brought up from Jersey City

types were rare. Durocher wore out his welcome as manager in

Brooklyn, criticizing management, and was "dealt" to the Giants

1945 - Mel Ott hits career home run number 500

by Dodgers GM Branch Rickey. This was a mistake by Brooklyn

as Durocher was much better than the guys who replaced him

1945 - Righthander Sal Maglie is a twenty eight year old rookie.

there. It went backwards initially as Durocher went about

He had knocked around in the minors since 1938 and had done

dismantling a slow, plodding, power heavy team for one in his

his stint in the army. Frustrated, Maglie would jump to the

image. The team finishes in the second division both in '48 and '49.

Mexican League the following season and be blacklisted from

baseball after that for another five years

1949 - Third baseman Hank Thompson, 23, is signed as a free

agent by the Giants. He had been with the Browns who inexplicably

1946 - Seven Giants players defect to the Mexican League. New York

released him. They were an inept franchise, but that inept?

was hit harder than any other team. The players don't get back

Thompson had the unique distinction of being the first black player

into the majors, if at all, until 1950 as they are blacklisted. The

on two franchises, the Browns and the Giants

Giants players were Sal Maglie, Danny Gardella, Harry Feldman,

George Hausman, Nap Reyes, Adrian Zabala and Roy Zimmerman

1949 - Thirty year old outfielder Monte Irvin is brought up by the

Giants. His debut had been delayed by military service and

1946 - Outfielder Bobby Thomson, 21, is brought up from Jersey City

playing several years for Newark in the Negro National League.

In order to compete with Brooklyn and the Braves, Feeney and

Durocher pursue black players aggressively.