1959 Boston Red Sox season

The 1959 Boston Red Sox season was the 59th season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox finished fifth in the American League (AL) with a record of 75 wins and 79 losses, 19 games behind the AL champion Chicago White Sox.

1959 Boston Red Sox
Pumpsie Green becomes the Red Sox first black player Earl Wilson becomes the Red Sox first black pitcher
Major League affiliations
American League (since 1901)
Location
Fenway Park (since 1912) Boston (since 1901)
Results
Record	75–79 (.487)
League place	5th (19 GB)
Other information
Owner(s)	Tom Yawkey
General manager(s)	Bucky Harris
Manager(s)	Pinky Higgins, Rudy York, and Billy Jurges
Local television	WHDH-TV
Local radio	WHDH-AM 850 (Curt Gowdy, Bob Murphy, Bill Crowley)
Stats	ESPN.com BB-reference
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Offseason

1958 turned out to be Jimmy Piersall's final season with the Red Sox. On December 2, 1958, Piersall was traded to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Gary Geiger and Vic Wertz.[1]

Notable transactions

• Prior to 1959 season: Mike Page was signed as an amateur free agent by the Red Sox.[2]
• March 9, 1959: Bob Smith was traded by the Red Sox to the Chicago Cubs for Chuck Tanner.[3]

Regular season

• The 1959 season was the year that the color barrier was broken for the Red Sox. On July 21, Elijah "Pumpsie" Green became the first black player to play for the Red Sox.[4] A week later, Earl Wilson became the first black pitcher to play for the team.[1]
• Ted Williams would have an off year as he batted below .300.[5]

Season standings

American League	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
Chicago White Sox	94	60	0.610	—	47–30	47–30
Cleveland Indians	89	65	0.578	5	43–34	46–31
New York Yankees	79	75	0.513	15	40–37	39–38
Detroit Tigers	76	78	0.494	18	41–36	35–42
Boston Red Sox	75	79	0.487	19	43–34	32–45
Baltimore Orioles	74	80	0.481	20	38–39	36–41
Kansas City Athletics	66	88	0.429	28	37–40	29–48
Washington Senators	63	91	0.409	31	34–43	29–48

Record vs. opponents

1959 American League Records Sources:
Team	BAL	BOS	CWS	CLE	DET	KC	NYY	WSH
Baltimore	—	8–14	11–11–1	10–12	13–9	8–14	12–10	12–10
Boston	14–8	—	8–14	8–14	11–11	11–11	13–9	10–12
Chicago	11–11–1	14–8	—	15–7	13–9	12–10	13–9–1	16–6
Cleveland	12–10	14–8	7–15	—	14–8	15–7	11–11	16–6
Detroit	9–13	11–11	9–13	8–14	—	15–7	14–8	10–12
Kansas City	14–8	11–11	10–12	7–15	7–15	—	5–17	12–10
New York	10–12	9–13	9–13–1	11–11	8–14	17–5	—	15–7
Washington	10–12	12–10	6–16	6–16	12–10	10–12	7–15	—

Notable transactions

• July 26, 1959: Bud Byerly was traded by the Red Sox to the San Francisco Giants for Billy Muffett and cash.[6]
• September 9, 1959: Chuck Tanner was sold by Red Sox to Cleveland Indians.[3]

Opening day lineup

24	Don Buddin	SS
3	Pete Runnels	2B
10	Gene Stephens	CF
6	Vic Wertz	1B
4	Jackie Jensen	RF
11	Frank Malzone	3B
37	Gary Geiger	RF
22	Sammy White	C
23	Tom Brewer	P

Roster

1959 Boston Red Sox
Roster
Pitchers 15 Frank Baumann 28 Ted Bowsfield 23 Tom Brewer 19 Jerry Casale 28 Nelson Chittum 14 Ike Delock 20 Mike Fornieles 39 Jack Harshman 39 Billy Hoeft 17 Leo Kiely 42 Herb Moford 27 Bill Monbouquette 30 Al Schroll 39 Dave Sisler 18 Frank Sullivan 26 Murray Wall 28 Ted Wills 26 Earl Wilson		Catchers  8 Pete Daley 35 Don Gile 16 Haywood Sullivan 22 Sammy White Infielders 12 Bobby Ávila 24 Don Buddin  1 Billy Consolo 25 Dick Gernert 12 Pumpsie Green 12 Ted Lepcio  1 Jim Mahoney 11 Frank Malzone  1 Herb Plews  3 Pete Runnels  6 Vic Wertz		Outfielders  7 Jim Busby 37 Gary Geiger  4 Jackie Jensen  2 Marty Keough 39 Jerry Mallett 30 Bill Renna 10 Gene Stephens  9 Ted Williams		Manager  5 Pinky Higgins 34 Rudy York 16 Billy Jurges Coaches 32 Del Baker 31 Jack Burns (Third base) 33 Dave Ferriss (Pitching) 34 Rudy York (First base & Hitting)

Player stats

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos	Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
LF	Ted Williams	103	272	69	.254	10	43

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
Gary Geiger	120	335	82	.245	11	48
Vic Wertz	94	247	68	.275	7	49
Pumpsie Green	50	172	40	.233	1	10

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
Tom Brewer	36	215.1	10	12	3.76	121
Jerry Casale	31	179.2	13	8	4.31	93

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
Frank Baumann	26	95.2	6	4	4.05	48
Earl Wilson	9	23.2	1	1	6.08	17
Ted Bowsfield	5	9	0	1	15.00	4

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	W	L	SV	ERA	SO

Awards and honors

• Jackie Jensen, Gold Glove Award (OF)
• Frank Malzone, Gold Glove Award (3B)

Farm system

Level	Team	League	Manager
AAA	Minneapolis Millers	American Association	Gene Mauch
A	Allentown Red Sox	Eastern League	Sheriff Robinson
B	Raleigh Capitals	Carolina League	Ken Deal
D	Waterloo Hawks	Midwest League	Elmer Yoter
D	Corning Cor-Sox	New York–Penn League	Len Okrie
D	Alpine Cowboys	Sophomore League	Eddie Popowski

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Minneapolis, Waterloo, Alpine[7]

See also

• List of first black Major League Baseball players by team and date

References

1. Cole, Milton; Kaplan, Jim (2009). The Boston Red Sox: An Illustrated History. North Dighton, Massachusetts: World Publications Group. p. 32. ISBN 1-57215-412-8.
2. Mike Page at Baseball-Reference
3. Chuck Tanner Trades and Transactions by Baseball Almanac
4. Cole, Milton; Kaplan, Jim (2009). The Boston Red Sox: An Illustrated History. North Dighton, Massachusetts: World Publications Group. p. 33. ISBN 1-57215-412-8.
5. Cole, Milton; Kaplan, Jim (2009). The Boston Red Sox: An Illustrated History. North Dighton, Massachusetts: World Publications Group. p. 31. ISBN 1-57215-412-8.
6. Billy Muffett at Baseball-Reference
7. Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007

External links

• 1959 Boston Red Sox team at Baseball-Reference
• 1959 Boston Red Sox season at baseball-almanac.com