1950s All-Decade Team

The 1950s was the beginning of some legendary baseball careers. Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle, and Willie Mays all began their careers. Franchises were on the move as the Braves moved to Milwaukee, the St. Louis Browns moved to Baltimore and changed their nickname to the Orioles, the Philadelphia Athletics moved to Kansas City, and the biggest of all the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers moved to San Francisco and Los Angeles respectively. The only individual statistical milestone reached was when Stan Musial joined the 3,000 hit club.

Catcher

Yogi BerraHOF3x MVP

Age: 25-34
Years: 1950-1959
Positions: C
Teams: New York Yankees

Yogi Berra Hitting Stats
WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
47.2	1,396	5,214	848	1,499	222	33	256	997	20	19	531	263	.287	.356	.490	.846

First Base

Ted Kluszewski

Age: 25-34
Years: 1950-1959
Positions: 1B
Teams: Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox

Ted Kluszewski Hitting Stats
WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
29.4	1,272	4,565	683	1,380	220	23	239	823	16	9	408	274	.302	.361	.518	.879

Second Base

Nellie FoxHOFMVP

Age: 22-31
Years: 1950-1959
Positions: 2B
Teams: Chicago White Sox

Nellie Fox Hitting Stats
WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
40.6	1,512	6,115	902	1,837	254	82	27	534	68	65	487	138	.300	.360	.382	.742

Third Base

Eddie MathewsHOF

Age: 20-27
Years: 1952-1959
Positions: 3B
Teams: Boston / Milwaukee Braves

Eddie Mathews Hitting Stats
WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
53.5	1,177	4,346	821	1,221	181	42	299	777	36	16	726	678	.281	.383	.548	.931

Shortstop

Ernie BanksHOF2x MVP

Age: 22-28
Years: 1953-1959
Positions: SS
Teams: Chicago Cubs

Ernie Banks Hitting Stats
WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
42.3	922	3,562	582	1,051	156	48	228	661	35	34	327	433	.295	.355	.558	.913

Outfield

Ted WilliamsHOF

Age: 31-40
Years: 1950-1959
Positions: OF
Teams: Boston Red Sox

Ted Williams Hitting Stats
WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
47.5	995	3,175	660	1,068	196	15	227	729	7	3	845	292	.336	.476	.622	1.098

Outfield

Mickey MantleHOF2x MVP

Age: 19-27
Years: 1951-1959
Positions: OF
Teams: New York Yankees

Mickey Mantle Hitting Stats
WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
67.5	1,246	4,478	994	1,392	208	54	280	841	98	25	892	899	.311	.425	.569	.994

Outfield

Willie MaysHOFMVPRookie of the Year

Age: 20-28
Years: 1951-1959
Positions: OF
Teams: New York / San Francisco Giants

Willie Mays Hitting Stats
WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
58.7	1,065	4,074	777	1,291	204	79	250	709	179	53	505	435	.317	.91	.590	.981

Starting Pitcher

Whitey FordHOF

Age: 21-30
Years: 1950-1959
Positions: SP
Teams: New York Yankees

Whitey Ford Pitching Stats
WAR	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	SHO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	SO/9	WHIP
26.6	245	208	121	50	2.66	1,561.2	94	24	8	531	461	664	915	5.3	1.258

Starting Pitcher

Warren SpahnHOFCy Young

Age: 29-38
Years: 1950-1959
Positions: SP
Teams: Boston / Milwaukee Braves

Warren Spahn Pitching Stats
WAR	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	SHO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	SO/9	WHIP
57.3	389	350	202	131	2.92	2,822.2	215	33	17	1,022	915	790	1,464	4.7	1.180

Starting Pitcher

Billy Pierce

Age: 23-32
Years: 1950-1959
Positions: SP
Teams: Chicago White Sox

Billy Pierce Pitching Stats
WAR	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	SHO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	SO/9	WHIP
43.7	353	306	155	121	3.06	2,383	162	33	18	898	809	840	1,487	5.6	1.237

Robin RobertsHOF

Age: 23-32
Years: 1950-1959
Positions: SP
Teams: Philadelphia Phillies

Robin Roberts Pitching Stats
WAR	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	SHO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	SO/9	WHIP
60.4	405	370	199	149	3.32	3,011.2	237	30	19	1,229	1,110	525	1,516	4.5	1.129

Starting Pitcher

Early WynnHOFCy Young

Age: 30-39
Years: 1950-1959
Positions: SP
Teams: Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox

Early Wynn Pitching Stats
WAR	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	SHO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	SO/9	WHIP
37.1	374	339	188	119	3.28	2,562	162	33	12	1,046	934	1,028	1,544	5.4	1.267

Honorable Mention

Catcher – Roy Campanella
First Base- Gil Hodges
Second Base- Jim Gilliam
Third Base- Al Rosen
Shortstop- Pee Wee Reese
Outfield – Duke Snider
Outfield – Stan Musial
Starting Pitcher – Johnny Antonelli
Starting Pitcher – Bob Lemon

All underlying data used in this analysis is available in The Baseball Scholar Data Library.

6 responses to “1950s All-Decade Team”

Garry Harris

October 21, 2017 at 1:48 pm

Nice job on the 1950’s Best Team and Honorable Mentions.

Ted Williams and Stan Musial are on the 1940s best team. I have a slightly different opinion of Honorable mentions:
SS Harvey Kuenn
CF Richie Ashburn (with Mantle, Mays and Snider starting)

1B is not obvious. Both Hodges’ and Kluszewski’s production fell off after 1956.

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GarryHarris

January 16, 2018 at 11:01 pm

C Roy Campanella, Yogi Berra

1B Stan Musial, Gil Hodges, Ted Kluzewski
2B Nellie Fox, Red Schoendienst
3B Eddie Mathews, Eddie Yost
SS Roy McMillan, Johnny Logan, Ernie Banks, Harvey Kuenn

LF Ted Williams, Del Ennis
CF Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Duke Snider, Whitey Ashburn, Gus Bell
RF Carl Furillo, Jackie Jenson

SUB Jim Gilliam, Granny Hamner

SP Warren Spahn
SP Robin Roberts
SP Early Wynn
SP Whitey Ford
SP Billy Pierce

RP Clem Labine
RP Ellis Kinder
RP Hoyt Wilhelm
RP Fritz Dorish
RP Ray Narleski

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D Bath

July 1, 2019 at 8:40 am

1B should be Stan Musial. It’s not even close.

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Gary Dobry

January 26, 2021 at 7:12 pm

Nellie Fox played 2nd not catcher

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Matthew

July 29, 2022 at 9:10 pm

All Time 50’s Team

2B Jackie Robinson
1B Stan Musial
CF Mickey Mantle
RF Hank Aaron
LF Ted Williams
SS Ernie Banks
3B Eddie Matthews
C Yogi Berra

P Warren Spann, White Ford & Robin Roberts

Hard team to beat with that offense!! Honestly, you could put Ted Williams & Musial on the 40’s decade team also. Robinson led in WAR in 49, 51, & 52, he finished 2nd in 50 among position players, and was 4th in 53 in WAR. Mantle had the best decade of any player in the 50’s. Roy Campanella misses the last two years because of the car accident, so Berra takes it, but they were each others equal, both winning 3 MVPs in the decade (so put him in and take Nellie Foxx out who wasn’t even a catcher). Aaron plays six seasons in the decade, wins an MVP and places third place or higher in MVP votes in 4 of his 6 seasons in this decade. No DH, none is needed. For all are HoFers, therefore please take Ted Kluszewski (not a Hofer) out and put Musial at 1B.

This one fits like a puzzle, by the way they showed clips of the 55 All Star Game!! Amazing, this probably the best team offensively.

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Wayne Hallett

March 24, 2023 at 4:49 pm

Great decade for baseball and as a kid I got to see it for real!!
Ashburn has to be mentioned as not only was he the optimal lead off hitter but, I believe, fourth all time in chances by an outfielder, behind only Ty Cobb, Willie Mays and Tris Speaker!
Ashburn had 500 or more put outs in seven seasons while it’s only been accomplished once, by two other outfielders, all time!
Finally enshrined, long overdue, he could have been enshrined for his broadcasting as well!
I recommend the book “We Played the Game,” for an interesting look at what many have called The Golden Age of Badeball!”

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