1959 National League

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1959 National League
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The 1959 season of the National League was the eighty-fourth season of the league.

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Season summary[edit]

Standings[edit]

Bold indicates league champion, Italics indicates World Series champion
Rank Team G W L T WPCT GB RS (RS/G) RA (RA/G) AVG OBP SLG ERA FPCT
1 Los Angeles Dodgers 156 88 68 0 .564 -.- 705 (4.52) 670 (4.29) 0.257 0.334 0.396 3.79 0.981
2 Milwaukee Braves 157 86 70 1 .551 2.0 724 (4.61) 623 (3.97) 0.265 0.326 0.417 3.51 0.979
3 San Francisco Giants 154 83 71 0 .539 4.0 705 (4.58) 613 (3.98) 0.261 0.322 0.414 3.47 0.974
4 Pittsburgh Pirates 155 78 76 1 .506 9.0 651 (4.20) 680 (4.39) 0.263 0.320 0.384 3.90 0.973
5 Chicago Cubs 155 74 80 1 .480 13.0 673 (4.34) 688 (4.44) 0.249 0.317 0.398 4.01 0.977
5 Cincinnati Redlegs 154 74 80 0 .480 13.0 764 (4.96) 738 (4.79) 0.274 0.337 0.427 4.31 0.978
7 St. Louis Cardinals 154 71 83 0 .461 16.0 641 (4.16) 725 (4.71) 0.269 0.331 0.400 4.34 0.975
8 Philadelphia Phillies 155 64 90 1 .416 23.0 599 (3.86) 725 (4.68) 0.242 0.312 0.362 4.27 0.975

League leaders[edit]

Bold indicates league record, Italics indicate all-time record

Batting[edit]

Statistic Leader Team Number
Games Played Ernie Banks
Don Hoak
Chicago Cubs
Pittsburgh Pirates
155
At Bats Vada Pinson Cincinnati Redlegs 648
Runs Scored Vada Pinson Cincinnati Redlegs 131
Hits Hank Aaron Milwaukee Braves 223
Doubles Vada Pinson Cincinnati Redlegs 47
Triples Wally Moon
Charlie Neal
Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
11
Home Runs Eddie Mathews Milwaukee Braves 46
Total Bases Hank Aaron Milwaukee Braves 400
Runs Batted In Ernie Banks Chicago Cubs 143
Stolen Bases Willie Mays San Francisco Giants 27
Caught Stealing Wade Blasingame St. Louis Cardinals 15
Walks Jim Gilliam Los Angeles Dodgers 96
Intentional Base-on-Balls Ernie Banks Chicago Cubs 20
Hit by Pitch Frank Robinson Cincinnati Redlegs 8
Strikeouts Wally Post Philadelphia Phillies 101
Sacrifice Hits Charlie Neal Los Angeles Dodgers 21
Sacrifice Flies Johnny Temple Cincinnati Redlegs 13
Grounded into Double Plays Del Crandall Milwaukee Braves 24
Batting Average Hank Aaron Milwaukee Braves 0.355
On-Base Percentage Joe Cunningham St. Louis Cardinals 0.453
Slugging Percentage Hank Aaron Milwaukee Braves 0.636
On-Base plus Slugging Hank Aaron Milwaukee Braves 1.037
On-Base plus Slugging Plus Hank Aaron Milwaukee Braves 182

Pitching[edit]

Statistic Leader Team Number
Wins Sam Jones
Warren Spahn
Lew Burdette
San Francisco Giants
Milwaukee Braves
Milwaukee Braves
21
Losses Bob Friend Pittsburgh Pirates 19
Win-Loss Percentage Roy Face Pittsburgh Pirates 0.947
Appearances Don Elston
Bill Henry
Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
65
Games Started Lew Burdette Milwaukee Braves 39
Complete Games Warren Spahn Milwaukee Braves 21
Shutouts 7 tied with 4
Games Finished Don McMahon Milwaukee Braves 49
Saves Lindy McDaniel St. Louis Cardinals 16
Innings Pitched Warren Spahn Milwaukee Braves 292.0
Batters Faced Warren Spahn Milwaukee Braves 1203
Hits Allowed Lew Burdette Milwaukee Braves 312
Home Runs Allowed Lew Burdette Milwaukee Braves 38
Base-on-Balls Allowed Sam Jones San Francisco Giants 109
Intentional Base-on-Balls Mike McCormick
Stu Miller
San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
13
Hit Batsmen Don Drysdale Los Angeles Dodgers 18
Strikeouts Don Drysdale Los Angeles Dodgers 242
Wild Pitches Lindy McDaniel St. Louis Cardinals 10
Balks Bob Anderson Chicago Cubs 3
Runs Allowed Lew Burdette Milwaukee Braves 144
Earned Runs Allowed Lew Burdette Milwaukee Braves 131
Earned Run Average Sam Jones San Francisco Giants 2.23
Walks plus Hits
per Inning Pitched
Harvey Haddix Pittsburgh Pirates 1.061

All-Star Games[edit]

In the First All-Star Game of 1959, the National League defeated the American League, 5-4, on July 7th at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, PA. In the Second Al-Star Game played on August 3rd at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA, the American League won 5-3 over the National League. In both games, the National League team was managed by Fred Haney of the Milwaukee Braves.

Hall of Fame Game[edit]

The seventeenth annual Hall of Fame Game was played on August 4 at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, NY near the National Baseball Hall of Fame. In the game, the National League's Philadelphia Phillies lost to the Washington Senators of the American League by a score of 5 to 4.

Postseason[edit]

In the World Series, the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the American League's Chicago White Sox, 4 games to 2.

Award winners[edit]

The winner of the league's Most Valuable Player Award, given its Most Valuable Player, was Ernie Banks, a shortstop with the Chicago Cubs. In the award's voting, he had 232.5 out of a possible 308 points and 10.5 first place votes.

The winner of the league's Rookie of the Year Award, given its best rookie player, was Willie McCovey, a first baseman with the San Francisco Giants. In the award's voting, he had 24 out of a possible 24 points and all 24 first place votes.

Gold Gloves[edit]

The following players won the Gold Glove Award, given to the league's best fielders as voted upon by its managers and coaches, at their respective position.

Position Player Team
P Harvey Haddix Pittsburgh Pirates
C Del Crandall Milwaukee Braves
1B Gil Hodges Los Angeles Dodgers
2B Charlie Neal Los Angeles Dodgers
3B Roy McMillan Cincinnati Redlegs
SS Ken Boyer St. Louis Cardinals
LF Jackie Brandt San Francisco Giants
CF Willie Mays San Francisco Giants
RF Hank Aaron Milwaukee Braves

Monthly Awards[edit]

Notable events[edit]

Umpires[edit]

Further Reading[edit]