The 1939 New York Yankees season was the team's 37th season. The team finished with a record of 106–45, winning their 11th pennant, finishing 17 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox . New York was managed by Joe McCarthy . The Yankees played their home games at Yankee Stadium . In the World Series , they beat the Cincinnati Reds in four games. As the Yankees had won each World Series dating back to 1936 , this marked the first time any team had won four consecutive World Series. This was the first season for the Yankee's radio gameday broadcasts.
The 1939 New York Yankees are one of only three Yankees teams (the 1927 and 1998 Yankees being the others) to ever finish the regular season with over a .700 winning percentage, lead the league in runs scored and fewest runs allowed, and go on to sweep the World Series. The 1939 Yankees are the only team to ever outscore their regular season opponents by over 400 runs (967–556).
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The Yankee duo reunited – Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth (r) on Lou Gehrig Day (July 4, 1939). Lou Gehrig's number 4 was retired by the New York Yankees in 1939. The 1939 season would be the final time Yankees fans saw the team's starting veteran first baseman Lou Gehrig in action and in the uniform of the team he played for many years, given his declining health. On June 21, the New York Yankees announced his official retirement and proclaimed July 4, 1939, "Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day " at Yankee Stadium. Between games of the Independence Day doubleheader against the Washington Senators, the poignant ceremonies were held on the diamond. In its coverage the following day, The New York Times [ 1] 1927 Yankees World Championship team , known as "Murderer's Row ", attended the ceremonies. New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia called Gehrig "the greatest prototype of good sportsmanship and citizenship" and Postmaster General James Farley concluded his speech by predicting, "For generations to come, boys who play baseball will point with pride to your record."[ 1]
Yankees manager Joe McCarthy, struggling to control his emotions, then spoke of Lou Gehrig, with whom there was a close, almost father and son-like bond. After describing Gehrig as "the finest example of a ballplayer, sportsman, and citizen that baseball has ever known", McCarthy could stand it no longer. Turning tearfully to Gehrig, the manager said, "Lou, what else can I say except that it was a sad day in the life of everybody who knew you when you came into my hotel room that day in Detroit and told me you were quitting as a ballplayer because you felt yourself a hindrance to the team. My God, man, you were never that."
The Yankees retired Gehrig's uniform number "4", making him the first player in history to be afforded that honor. Gehrig was given many gifts, commemorative plaques, and trophies. Some came from VIPs; others came from the stadium's groundskeepers and janitorial staff. Footage of the ceremonies shows Gehrig being handed various gifts, and immediately setting them down on the ground, because he no longer had the arm strength to hold them.
1939 game log: 106–45 (Home: 52–25; Away: 54–20)
April: 5–3 (Home: 3–2; Away: 2–1)
May: 24–4 (Home: 12–1; Away: 12–3)
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Stadium
Attendance
Record
9
May 2
@ Tigers
22–2
Ruffing Kennedy (0–2)Briggs Stadium 11,379
6–3
10
May 3
@ Tigers
10–6
Sundra Benton (0–1)Murphy Briggs Stadium
14,136
7–3
11
May 4
@ Indians
10–6 (10)
Murphy Feller (3–1)League Park 12,000
8–3
12
May 5
@ Indians
1–2 (11)
Milnar (1–0)Gomez League Park
9,000
8–4
13
May 6
@ Indians
5–1
Pearson Sullivan (0–1)League Park
10,000
9–4
14
May 7
@ White Sox
15–4
Ruffing Whitehead (0–2)Comiskey Park 35,000
10–4
15
May 8
@ White Sox
3–5
Smith (2–0)Ferrell Comiskey Park
6,000
10–5
16
May 9
@ White Sox
8–6
Donald Lee (3–2)Murphy Comiskey Park
7,000
11–5
17
May 10
@ Browns
7–1
Hadley Marcum (2–3)Sportsman's Park 3,782
12–5
18
May 11
@ Browns
10–8
Pearson Pyle (0–2)Murphy Sportsman's Park
3,167
13–5
19
May 14
@ Athletics
10–0
Ruffing Caster (3–3)Shibe Park 15,509
14–5
20
May 15
@ Athletics
3–0
Ferrell Ross (0–3)Murphy Shibe Park
5,000
15–5
21
May 16
Browns 7–5
Hadley Kramer (3–1)Donald Yankee Stadium 6,503
16–5
22
May 17
Browns 4–3
Pearson Kennedy (0–4)Yankee Stadium 7,576
17–5
23
May 18
Browns 8–1
Donald Mills (0–2)Yankee Stadium 6,870
18–5
24
May 19
White Sox 4–2
Ruffing Smith (2–2)Yankee Stadium 9,755
19–5
25
May 20
White Sox 5–2
Hildebrand Lee (3–4)Murphy Yankee Stadium 18,371
20–5
26
May 21
Indians 12–6
Hadley Humphries (1–3)Yankee Stadium 37,531
21–5
27
May 23
Indians 7–3
Donald Allen (0–2)Yankee Stadium 5,058
22–5
28
May 24
Tigers 1–6
Trout (1–2)Ferrell Yankee Stadium 10,875
22–6
29
May 25
Tigers 5–2
Ruffing McKain (1–1)Yankee Stadium 12,087
23–6
30
May 26
Athletics 1–0
Hildebrand Pippen (0–2)Yankee Stadium 5,139
24–6
31
May 27
Athletics 8–2
Gomez Parmelee (1–6)Yankee Stadium –
25–6
32
May 27
Athletics 11–9
Sundra Dean (1–2)Murphy Yankee Stadium 30,358
26–6
33
May 28
Athletics 9–5
Donald Nelson (2–1)Yankee Stadium 14,670
27–6
34
May 29
@ Red Sox
6–1
Hadley Bagby (3–2)Murphy Fenway Park 17,000
28–6
35
May 30
@ Red Sox
4–8
Weaver (1–0)Ruffing Fenway Park
–
28–7
36
May 30
@ Red Sox
17–9
Pearson Wilson (2–3)Murphy Fenway Park
35,000
29–7
June: 21–7 (Home: 9–3; Away: 12–4)
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Stadium
Attendance
Record
37
June 1
@ Indians
8–3
Gomez Milnar (3–1)League Park
3,500
30–7
38
June 2
@ Indians
17–5
Donald Allen (1–3)League Park
8,000
31–7
39
June 3
@ Indians
3–2
Hadley Harder (0–3)Murphy League Park
6,000
32–7
40
June 4
@ Tigers
8–4
Ruffing Trout (2–3)Murphy Briggs Stadium
44,190
33–7
41
June 5
@ Tigers
0–3
Bridges (7–1)Pearson Briggs Stadium
9,910
33–8
42
June 6
@ Tigers
2–6
Newsom (6–3)Hildebrand Briggs Stadium
11,924
33–9
43
June 7
@ White Sox
5–2
Gomez Lee (4–6)Murphy Comiskey Park
8,000
34–9
44
June 8
@ White Sox
7–2
Donald Smith (3–4)Comiskey Park
7,500
35–9
45
June 11
@ Browns
8–5
Ruffing Whitehead (0–5)Sportsman's Park
–
36–9
46
June 11
@ Browns
5–1
Hadley Mills (1–4)Sportsman's Park
7,810
37–9
47
June 14
Indians 2–4
Feller (10–2)Murphy Milnar (1)Yankee Stadium 11,301
37–10
48
June 15
Indians 1–0
Gomez Harder (1–4)Yankee Stadium 9,619
38–10
49
June 16
Indians 4–3
Donald Milnar (4–3)Russo Yankee Stadium 10,171
39–10
50
June 17
Tigers 1–0
Ruffing Newsom (7–4)Yankee Stadium 18,599
40–10
51
June 18
Tigers 5–8
Rowe (2–5)Hadley Yankee Stadium 32,679
40–11
52
June 19
Tigers 8–5
Hildebrand Trout (4–4)Yankee Stadium 6,469
41–11
53
June 20
White Sox 13–3
Pearson Knott (2–2)Yankee Stadium 5,892
42–11
54
June 21
White Sox 9–8
Sundra Brown (4–1)Murphy Yankee Stadium 10,045
43–11
55
June 22
White Sox 6–1
Donald Smith (3–5)Yankee Stadium 8,337
44–11
56
June 24
Browns 2–1
Ruffing Harris (1–2)Yankee Stadium 11,382
45–11
57
June 25
Browns 3–7
Kramer (6–6)Murphy Mills (1)Yankee Stadium –
45–12
58
June 25
Browns 11–2
Hildebrand Kennedy (4–8)Yankee Stadium 40,861
46–12
59
June 26
@ Athletics
2–3
Pippen (1–5)Hadley Shibe Park
33,074
46–13
60
June 28
@ Athletics
23–2
Pearson Nelson (5–3)Shibe Park
–
47–13
61
June 28
@ Athletics
10–0
Gomez Caster (5–8)Shibe Park
21,612
48–13
62
June 29
@ Senators
1–2 (12)
Leonard (7–2)Ruffing Griffith Stadium
–
48–14
63
June 29
@ Senators
7–0 (6)
Donald Chase (3–9)Griffith Stadium
6,500
49–14
64
June 30
@ Senators
10–2 (7)
Hildebrand Carrasquel (4–5)Griffith Stadium
6,000
50–14
July: 16–12 (Home: 6–7; Away: 10–5)
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Stadium
Attendance
Record
65
July 1
@ Red Sox
3–5
Ostermueller (4–1)Russo Fenway Park
12,000
50–15
66
July 2
@ Red Sox
3–7
Grove (8–2)Gomez Fenway Park
–
50–16
67
July 2
@ Red Sox
9–3
Hadley Auker (6–4)Fenway Park
35,000
51–16
68
July 4
Senators 2–3
Leonard (8–2)Pearson Yankee Stadium –
51–17
69
July 4
Senators 11–1
Sundra Carrasquel (4–6)Yankee Stadium 61,808
52–17
70
July 5
Senators 6–4
Donald Chase (3–10)Yankee Stadium 3,874
53–17
71
July 7
Red Sox 3–4
Dickman (2–1)Ruffing Yankee Stadium 6,588
53–18
72
July 8
Red Sox 1–3
Ostermueller (5–1)Hildebrand Yankee Stadium –
53–19
73
July 8
Red Sox 2–3
Galehouse (3–3)Russo Yankee Stadium 27,539
53–20
74
July 9
Red Sox 3–4
Dickman (3–1)Pearson Yankee Stadium –
53–21
75
July 9
Red Sox 3–5
Wilson (5–5)Hadley Heving (4)Yankee Stadium 47,652
53–22
7th All-Star Game in The Bronx, New York
76
July 13
@ Tigers
6–10
Thomas (5–1)Murphy Benton (2)Briggs Stadium
25,764
53–23
77
July 14
@ Tigers
6–3
Ruffing Rowe (2–8)Briggs Stadium
19,279
54–23
78
July 15
@ Tigers
10–7
Pearson Bridges (11–3)Murphy Briggs Stadium
31,253
55–23
79
July 16
@ Indians
5–2
Gomez Eisenstat (4–4)Cleveland Stadium –
56–23
80
July 16
@ Indians
8–3
Russo Harder (3–7)Cleveland Stadium
63,064
57–23
81
July 17
@ Indians
3–0
Hadley Feller (14–4)Cleveland Stadium
10,000
58–23
82
July 18
@ Browns
9–0
Donald Mills (2–6)Sportsman's Park
–
59–23
83
July 18
@ Browns
4–3
Hildebrand Kramer (6–9)Murphy Sportsman's Park
4,853
60–23
84
July 20
@ Browns
2–1
Ruffing Harris (2–5)Sportsman's Park
3,100
61–23
85
July 21
@ White Sox
1–4
Smith (6–5)Pearson Comiskey Park
10,000
61–24
86
July 23
@ White Sox
5–8
Lyons (10–2)Gomez Comiskey Park
–
61–25
87
July 23
@ White Sox
5–4
Hadley Brown (7–4)Murphy Comiskey Park
51,000
62–25
88
July 25
Browns 5–1
Donald Harris (2–6)Yankee Stadium 6,076
63–25
89
July 26
Browns 14–1
Ruffing Gill (1–9)Yankee Stadium 4,843
64–25
90
July 28
White Sox 2–1
Hildebrand Smith (6–6)Yankee Stadium 7,946
65–25
91
July 30
White Sox 4–3
Gomez Lyons (10–3)Murphy Yankee Stadium –
66–25
92
July 30
White Sox 1–5
Lee (9–8)Hadley Yankee Stadium 35,256
66–26
August: 21–10 (Home: 8–5; Away: 13–5)
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Stadium
Attendance
Record
93
August 1
Tigers 2–5
Trout (6–7)Ruffing McKain (3)Yankee Stadium 10,382
66–27
94
August 2
Tigers 2–7
Rowe (4–9)Donald Yankee Stadium 12,341
66–28
95
August 3
Tigers 12–3
Pearson Newsom (12–8)Yankee Stadium 9,010
67–28
96
August 4
Indians 5–4
Hildebrand Milnar (6–8)Russo Yankee Stadium 6,263
68–28
97
August 5
Indians 6–1
Ruffing Eisenstat (5–5)Yankee Stadium 13,207
69–28
98
August 6
Indians 4–5
Feller (16–6)Gomez Yankee Stadium –
69–29
99
August 6
Indians 1–7
Harder (7–7)Hadley Yankee Stadium 76,753
69–30
100
August 8
@ Senators
4–7
Krakauskas (9–11)Donald Appleton (5)Griffith Stadium
12,000
69–31
101
August 9
@ Senators
13–8
Ruffing Chase (7–14)Hildebrand Griffith Stadium
14,000
70–31
102
August 10
@ Senators
5–7
Leonard (13–4)Pearson Appleton (6)Griffith Stadium
14,000
70–32
103
August 11
@ Athletics
9–5
Gomez Potter (6–8)Hadley Shibe Park
14,116
71–32
104
August 12
@ Athletics
18–4
Sundra Joyce (3–5)Shibe Park
4,000
72–32
105
August 13
@ Athletics
9–12
Nelson (7–7)Russo Shibe Park
–
72–33
106
August 13
@ Athletics
21–0 (8)
Ruffing Pippen (2–9)Shibe Park
34,570
73–33
107
August 15
Senators 3–2 (10)
Gomez Chase (7–15)Yankee Stadium 8,049
74–33
108
August 16
Senators 4–0
Russo Leonard (13–5)Yankee Stadium 6,607
75–33
109
August 17
Senators 9–8 (10)
Murphy Appleton (3–8)Yankee Stadium 6,704
76–33
110
August 18
Athletics 5–0
Ruffing Pippen (2–10)Yankee Stadium 6,041
77–33
111
August 20
Athletics 4–5
Ross (5–11)Gomez Yankee Stadium –
77–34
112
August 20
Athletics 5–1
Sundra Nelson (8–8)Yankee Stadium 33,562
78–34
113
August 22
@ White Sox
14–5
Russo Marcum (5–7)Comiskey Park
50,000
79–34
114
August 23
@ White Sox
7–2
Donald Smith (8–8)Comiskey Park
–
80–34
115
August 23
@ White Sox
16–4
Ruffing Lee (11–9)Comiskey Park
27,000
81–34
116
August 24
@ Browns
11–5
Pearson Mills (3–9)Murphy Sportsman's Park
1,225
82–34
117
August 25
@ Browns
11–0
Sundra Kennedy (8–16)Sportsman's Park
–
83–34
118
August 25
@ Browns
8–2
Gomez Gill (1–11)Sportsman's Park
2,182
84–34
119
August 26
@ Browns
6–1
Hadley Harris (2–10)Sportsman's Park
2,967
85–34
120
August 27
@ Tigers
13–3
Ruffing Rowe (7–10)Briggs Stadium
47,966
86–34
121
August 28
@ Tigers
18–2
Russo Bridges (16–5)Briggs Stadium
14,281
87–34
122
August 29
@ Tigers
6–7
McKain (3–4)Murphy Briggs Stadium
11,397
87–35
123
August 30
@ Indians
3–4 (10)
Eisenstat (7–6)Murphy Cleveland Stadium
35,336
87–36
September: 19–9 (Home: 14–7; Away: 5–2)
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Stadium
Attendance
Record
124
September 1
@ Indians
11–8
Chandler Eisenstat (7–7)Russo Cleveland Stadium
20,000
88–36
125
September 2
@ Red Sox
7–12
Ostermueller (11–3)Ruffing Heving (7)Fenway Park
12,500
88–37
126
September 3
@ Red Sox
11–12
Auker (9–8)Murphy Heving (8)Fenway Park
–
88–38
127
September 3
@ Red Sox
5–5 (7)
Fenway Park
27,000
88–38
128
September 4
@ Athletics
7–6
Chandler Potter (7–10)Murphy Shibe Park
–
89–38
129
September 4
@ Athletics
2–0
Russo Nelson (9–10)Shibe Park
24,126
90–38
130
September 6
Red Sox 2–1
Gomez Grove (13–4)Yankee Stadium 11,715
91–38
131
September 7
Red Sox 5–2
Pearson Ostermueller (11–4)Hildebrand Yankee Stadium 9,379
92–38
132
September 8
Red Sox 4–1 (7)
Ruffing Galehouse (7–9)Yankee Stadium 8,457
93–38
133
September 9
Senators 5–2
Sundra Haynes (6–12)Yankee Stadium 7,401
94–38
134
September 10
Senators 4–3
Russo Appleton (4–10)Yankee Stadium –
95–38
135
September 10
Senators 6–2
Hadley Leonard (17–7)Murphy Yankee Stadium 12,088
96–38
136
September 12
Indians 3–4 (10)
Harder (12–8)Gomez Yankee Stadium 4,638
96–39
137
September 13
Indians 4–9
Feller (21–8)Ruffing Yankee Stadium 9,898
96–40
138
September 14
Tigers 1–6
Newsom (17–11)Donald Yankee Stadium 10,938
96–41
139
September 15
Tigers 10–3
Sundra Rowe (8–11)Yankee Stadium 10,538
97–41
140
September 16
Tigers 8–5
Russo Pippen (4–12)Yankee Stadium 10,626
98–41
141
September 17
Browns 4–8
Kramer (9–14)Ruffing Yankee Stadium –
98–42
142
September 17
Browns 1–3
Mills (4–11)Gomez Yankee Stadium 21,027
98–43
143
September 18
Browns 6–2
Hadley Wade (1–5)Yankee Stadium 1,678
99–43
144
September 19
White Sox 6–2
Hildebrand Smith (9–10)Yankee Stadium 3,608
100–43
145
September 20
White Sox 8–4
Sundra Lyons (13–6)Yankee Stadium 2,977
101–43
146
September 21
White Sox 5–2
Russo Dietrich (7–8)Yankee Stadium 2,150
102–43
147
September 23
@ Senators
7–1
Pearson Leonard (19–8)Griffith Stadium
8,000
103–43
148
September 24
@ Senators
3–2
Chandler Chase (10–19)Griffith Stadium
12,000
104–43
149
September 28
Athletics 8–4
Hildebrand McCrabb (1–2)Yankee Stadium –
105–43
150
September 28
Athletics 4–5
Caster (9–9)Hadley Yankee Stadium 4,187
105–44
151
September 30
Red Sox 5–4
Murphy Bagby (5–5)Yankee Stadium –
106–44
152
September 30
Red Sox 2–4 (7)
Wilson (11–11)Sundra Yankee Stadium 7,501
106–45
Record vs. opponents
edit
Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
Team
BOS
CWS
CLE
DET
NYY
PHA
SLB
WSH
Boston
—
8–14
11–11
10–12
11–8–1
18–4
16–6
15–7
Chicago
14–8
—
12–10
12–10
4–18
11–11
18–4
14–8–1
Cleveland
11–11
10–12
—
11–11
7–15
18–4
16–6
14–8
Detroit
12–10
10–12
11–11
—
9–13
11–11
14–8–1
14–8
New York
8–11–1
18–4
15–7
13–9
—
18–4
19–3
15–7
Philadelphia
4–18
11–11
4–18
11–11
4–18
—
13–9–1
8–12
St. Louis
6–16
4–18
6–16
8–14–1
3–19
9–13–1
—
7–15
Washington
7–15
8–14–1
8–14
8–14
7–15
12–8
15–7
—
Notable transactions
edit
1939 New York Yankees
Roster
Pitchers
Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
Manager
Coaches
Starters by position
edit
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
The book Baseball Dynasties: The Greatest Teams of All Time FiveThirtyEight team of all time (across major North American sports leagues ), based on Elo rating .[ 3]
In the MLB modern era (since 1900), the 1939 Yankees have recorded the best run differential , +411, having scored 967 runs while allowing 556.[ 4]
The Yankees, in hosting the 1939 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium, were represented by Red Ruffing, Joe DiMaggio, Joe Gordon, Bill Dickey, Lefty Gomez, Frankie Crosetti, George Selkirk and Johnny Murphy.[ 5]
Joe DiMaggio won his first of three Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards, though he only played 120 games due to injury. He batted .381 and averaged over one RBI per game.
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Augusta [ 6]
^ a b John Drebinger, "61,808 Fans Roar Tribute to Gehrig", The New York Times
^ Len Gabrielson page at Baseball Reference ^ Paine, Neil (June 14, 2017). "The Warriors Are Great, But Are They Better Than The 1939 Yankees?" . FiveThirtyEight . Retrieved September 26, 2022 . ^ "which mlb team had the best run differential season" . statmuse.com . Retrieved September 26, 2022 .^ "1939 MLB All-Star Game Roster - Major League Baseball - ESPN" . ESPN.com . Retrieved February 7, 2019 .^ Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball , 2nd and 3rd editions. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 1997 and 2007
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