The 1940’s started out with a bang with young stars like Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial, and Bob Feller giving us a glimpse at the bright future of Major League Baseball. But like the rest of the country, the decade would be one of change. World War II saw some of the games biggest stars including the four aforementioned to sacrifice parts of their careers in order to serve our country. It was also a decade that, after a fifty-year absence, would finally see a black man once again take his rightful place in the locker room along side players with whom he could more than hold his own.

Baseball welcomed a few players to exclusive milestone clubs during the 40s. Paul Waner became the seventh player to collect 3,000 career hits, Mel Ott and Jimmie Foxx joined Babe Ruth as the second and third players to hit 500 career homers and Lefty Grove became the 12th player to win his 300th career game.

• Catcher, Ernie Lombardi



• Age: 32 – 39
• Years: 1940 – 1947
• Teams: Cincinnati Reds, Boston Braves, New York Giants
• All-Star: 1940, 1942, 1943




Ernie Lombardi Batting Statistics

WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
19.2	803	2,467	244	725	84	3	90	419	3		221	120	.294	.357	.440	.797

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• First Base, Johnny Mize



• Age: 27 – 36
• Years: 1940 – 1949
• Teams: St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, New York Yankees
• All-Star: 1940, 1941, 1942, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949




Johnny Mize Batting Statistics

WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
41.2	949	3,527	655	1,071	181	37	217	744	24	0	496	259	.304	.394	.561	.954

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• Second Base, Joe Gordon



• Age: 25 – 34
• Years: 1940 – 1949
• Teams: New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians
• MVP: 1942
• All-Star: 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949




Joe Gordon Batting Statistics

WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
45.6	1,169	4,314	680	1,165	196	39	181	710	63	46	572	529	.270	.358	.459	.818

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• Third Base, Whitey Kurowski



• Age: 23 – 31
• Years: 1940 – 1949
• Teams: St. Louis Cardinals
• All-Star: 1943, 1944, 1946, 1947




Whitey Kurowski Batting Statistics

WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
24.0	916	3,229	518	925	162	32	106	529	19		369	332	.286	.366	.455	.821

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• Shortstop, Lou Boudreau



• Age: 22 – 31
• Years: 1940 – 1949
• Teams: Cleveland Indians
• MVP: 1948
• All-Star: 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1947, 1948




Lou Boudreau Batting Statistics

WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
59.9	1,425	5,268	758	1,578	339	59	62	692	47	47	706	268	.300	.385	.422	.807

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• Outfield, Ted Williams



• Age: 21 – 30
• Years: 1940 – 1949
• Teams: Boston Red Sox
• MVP: 1946,
  1949
• All-Star: 1940, 1941, 1942, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949




Ted Williams Batting Statistics

WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
65.9	1,035	3,656	951	1,303	270	45	234	893	14	12	994	312	.356	.496	.647	1.143

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• Outfield, Joe DiMaggio



• Age: 25 – 34
• Years: 1940 – 1949
• Teams: New York Yankees
• MVP: 1941,
  1947
• All-Star: 1940, 1941, 1942, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949




Joe DiMaggio Batting Statistics

WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
43.6	927	3,562	681	1,156	191	68	180	786	14	8	450	183	.325	.404	.568	.972

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• Outfield, Stan Musial



• Age: 20 – 28
• Years: 1940 – 1949
• Teams: St. Louis Cardinals
• MVP: 1943,
  1946, 1948
• All-Star: 1943, 1944, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949




Stan Musial Batting Statistics

WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
57.6	1,072	4,133	815	1,432	302	108	146	706	44		565	199	.346	.428	.578	1.005

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• Starting Pitcher, Bob Feller



• Age: 21 – 30
• Years: 1940 – 1949
• Teams: Cleveland Indians
• All-Star: 1940, 1941, 1946, 1947, 1948




Bob Feller Pitching Statistics

WAR	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	SHO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	SO/9	WHIP
38.2	266	231	137	82	2.90	1,897	155	28	16	677	611	827	1,396	6.6	1.247

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• Starting Pitcher, Harry Brecheen



• Age: 25 – 34
• Years: 1940 – 1949
• Teams: St. Louis Cardinals
• All-Star: 1947, 1948




Harry Brecheen Pitching Statistics

WAR	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	SHO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	SO/9	WHIP
32.4	216	172	105	59	2.74	1,388	101	22	12	480	422	378	666	4.3	1.167

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• Starting Pitcher, Hal Newhouser



• Age: 19 – 28
• Years: 1940 – 1949
• Teams: Detroit Tigers
• All-Star: 1942, 1943, 1944, 1946, 1947, 1948




Hal Newhouser Pitching Statistics

WAR	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	SHO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	SO/9	WHIP
54.6	377	305	170	118	2.84	2,453.1	181	31	15	927	774	1,068	1,579	5.8	1.302

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• Starting Pitcher, Dizzy Trout



• Age: 25 – 34
• Years: 1940 – 1949
• Teams: Detroit Tigers
• All-Star: 1944, 1947




Dizzy Trout Pitching Statistics

WAR	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	SHO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	SO/9	WHIP
37.4	374	239	129	119	3.01	2,026.1	132	27	22	821	678	746	930	4.1	1.328

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• Starting Pitcher, Spud Chandler



• Age: 32 – 39
• Years: 1940 – 1947
• Teams: New York Yankees
• All-Star: 1942, 1943, 1946, 1947




Spud Chandler Pitching Statistics

WAR	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	SHO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	SO/9	WHIP
18.8	165	151	85	34	2.67	1,211.2	89	22	6	425	359	387	543	4.0	1.177

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Honorable Mention

• Catcher – Walker Cooper
• First Base – Dolph Camilli
• Second Base – Eddie Stanky
• Third Base – Bob Elliott
• Shortstop – Vern Stephens
• Outfield – Ralph Kiner
• Outfield – Enos Slaughter
• Starting Pitcher – Warren Spahn
• Starting Pitcher – Bob Lemon

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Published by Dave Franks

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All-Decade Teams, The Lists
Bob Feller, Dizzy Trout, Ernie Lombardi, Hal Newhouser, Harry Brecheen, Joe DiMaggio, Joe Gordon, Johnny Mize, Lou Boudreau, Spud Chandler, Stan Musial, Ted Williams, Whitey Kurowski