Major League Baseball season
Major League Baseball team season
The 1940 Cincinnati Reds season was the 58th season for the franchise. Cincinnati entered the season as the reigning National League champions, having been swept by the New York Yankees in the World Series the previous year. They would defeat the Detroit Tigers four games to three to take the World Series title.
Offseason
Regular season
Cincinnati won 100 games for the first time in franchise history. The team finished first in the National League with a record of 100–53, winning the pennant by 12 games over the Brooklyn Dodgers , and the best record in MLB. They went on to face the Detroit Tigers in the 1940 World Series , beating them in seven games. This was their first championship since 1919.
In August, back up catcher Willard Hershberger , depressed over what he felt was culpability for losing both games of a doubleheader, took his life. Coach Jimmie Wilson was added to the roster as the back up catcher. The Reds players would vote to send Hershberger's share of the World Series winnings to his mother [3]
Season standings
Detailed record
Month
Games
Won
Lost
Win %
April
9
6
3
.667
May
26
19
7
.731
June
27
16
11
.593
July
28
20
8
.714
August
32
16
16
.500
September
31
23
8
.742
153
100
53
.654
Games
Won
Lost
Win %
Home
76
55
21
.724
Away
77
45
32
.584
Record vs. opponents
Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
Team
BOS
BR
CHC
CIN
NYG
PHI
PIT
STL
Boston
—
9–13
8–14
9–12
7–15
15–6
9–13
8–14
Brooklyn
13–9
—
10–12
8–14–1
16–5
17–5
15–7–1
9–13–1
Chicago
14–8
12–10
—
6–16
12–10
12–10
11–11
8–14
Cincinnati
12–9
14–8–1
16–6
—
15–7
15–7
16–6
12–10–1
New York
15–7
5–16
10–12
7–15
—
12–10
12–10
11–10
Philadelphia
6–15
5–17
10–12
7–15
10–12
—
6–16
6–16
Pittsburgh
13–9
7–15–1
11–11
6–16
10–12
16–6
—
15–7–1
St. Louis
14–8
13–9–1
14–8
10–12–1
10–11
16–6
7–15–1
—
Notable transactions
Roster
1940 Cincinnati Reds
Roster
Pitchers
Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
Other batters
Manager
Coaches
Player stats
Batting
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Pitching
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
1940 World Series
Game 1
October 2, 1940, at Crosley Field in Cincinnati
Team
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Detroit (A)
0
5
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
7
10
1
Cincinnati (N)
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
2
8
3
W : Bobo Newsom (1–0) L : Paul Derringer (0–1)
HR : DET – Bruce Campbell (1)
Attendance : 31,739
Game 2
October 3, 1940, at Crosley Field in Cincinnati
Team
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Detroit (A)
2
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
3
3
1
Cincinnati (N)
0
2
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
5
9
0
W : Bucky Walters (1–0) L : Schoolboy Rowe (0–1)
HR : CIN – Jimmy Ripple (1)
Attendance : 30,640
Game 3
October 4, 1940, at Briggs Stadium in Detroit
Game 4
October 5, 1940, at Briggs Stadium in Detroit
Team
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Cincinnati (N)
2
0
1
1
0
0
0
1
0
5
11
1
Detroit (A)
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
2
5
1
W : Paul Derringer (1–1) L : Dizzy Trout (0–1)
Game 5
October 6, 1940, at Briggs Stadium in Detroit
Game 6
October 7, 1940, at Crosley Field in Cincinnati
Game 7
October 8, 1940, at Crosley Field in Cincinnati
Team
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Detroit (A)
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
7
0
Cincinnati (N)
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
x
2
7
1
W : Paul Derringer (2–1) L : Bobo Newsom (2–1)
Farm system
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Durham [5]
References
External links
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Established in 1882
Formerly the Cincinnati Red Stockings and the Cincinnati Redlegs
Based in Cincinnati, Ohio
Franchise Ballparks Culture Lore Rivalries Key personnel World Series Championships (5) National League pennants (9) AA pennants (1) Division titles (10) Minor league affiliates Media
Seasons (143)
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