1957 Leaders & Numbers
Willie Mays helped make the Giants’ New York coda a memorable one as he was the third National Leaguer to total 20 doubles, triples and home runs each. Mickey Mantle added to his fast-growing Hall-of-Fame résumé with the highest batting average ever by a switch-hitter. Over the hill was a wonderful place to be in 1957, as shown by Ted Williams (age 39), Stan Musial (36) and Warren Spahn (36). With the help of Griffith Stadium’s ever-shrinking outfield real estate, Roy Sievers became the only Senator to pace the AL in homers before the team’s move to Minnesota. No one was going to miss Ebbets Field more than Duke Snider, who launched 40 homers for the fifth straight year. As Snider’s streak ended, Ernie Banks began a similar run lasting four years. Jim Bunning reduced a lot of future frustration by winning 20 games in his first full season as a starter; he’d win 19 in four future campaigns, but never more. Don Drysdale will always be associated with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but for one solid year he gave the folks at Flatbush something to remember. The White Sox’ offense must have been coming around; the typically unsupported Billy Pierce won 20 games for the second straight year. Give thanks to a stubborn Pale Hose roster led by Minnie Minoso and Nellie Fox. Jack Sanford and Ed Bouchee finished 1-2 in NL Rookie of the Year voting, but all the Phillies got for it was an even .500 finish. After a year in the Navy, Johnny Podres returned and led the NL in ERA and shutouts. Soon to be transformed into a full-time reliever, Bobby Shantz grabbed the AL ERA title in his last year pitching enough innings to qualify.
The Ten Best National League Hitters, 1957 | ||||||||||||||||
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Name | Team | G | BA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | IB | HB | SB | CS | GD |
1. Willie Mays | New York | 152 | .333 | 585 | 112 | 195 | 26 | 20 | 35 | 97 | 61 | 14 | 1 | 38 | 19 | 14 |
2. Hank Aaron | Milwaukee | 151 | .322 | 615 | 118 | 198 | 27 | 6 | 44 | 132 | 42 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
3. Stan Musial | St. Louis | 134 | .351 | 502 | 82 | 176 | 38 | 3 | 29 | 102 | 48 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
4. Ernie Banks | Chicago | 156 | .285 | 594 | 113 | 169 | 34 | 6 | 43 | 102 | 59 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 12 |
5. Eddie Mathews | Milwaukee | 148 | .292 | 572 | 109 | 167 | 28 | 9 | 32 | 94 | 85 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
6. Gil Hodges | Brooklyn | 150 | .299 | 579 | 94 | 173 | 28 | 7 | 27 | 98 | 57 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 11 |
7. Frank Robinson | Cincinnati | 150 | .322 | 611 | 97 | 197 | 29 | 5 | 29 | 75 | 39 | 5 | 12 | 10 | 2 | 13 |
8. Duke Snider | Brooklyn | 139 | .274 | 508 | 91 | 139 | 25 | 7 | 40 | 92 | 65 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 17 |
9. Ed Bouchee | Philadelphia | 154 | .293 | 574 | 78 | 168 | 35 | 8 | 17 | 76 | 78 | 6 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 15 |
10. Wally Moon | St. Louis | 142 | .295 | 516 | 86 | 152 | 28 | 5 | 24 | 73 | 50 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 14 |
The Ten Best American League Hitters, 1957 | ||||||||||||||||
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Name | Team | G | BA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | IB | HB | SB | CS | GD |
1. Mickey Mantle | New York | 144 | .365 | 474 | 121 | 173 | 28 | 6 | 34 | 94 | 123 | 23 | 0 | 16 | 3 | 5 |
2. Ted Williams | Boston | 132 | .388 | 420 | 96 | 163 | 28 | 1 | 38 | 87 | 86 | 33 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 11 |
3. Roy Sievers | Washington | 152 | .301 | 572 | 99 | 172 | 23 | 5 | 42 | 114 | 65 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
4. Minnie Minoso | Chicago | 153 | .310 | 568 | 96 | 176 | 36 | 5 | 12 | 103 | 74 | 5 | 21 | 18 | 15 | 19 |
5. Vic Wertz | Cleveland | 144 | .282 | 515 | 84 | 145 | 21 | 0 | 28 | 105 | 72 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 9 |
6. Gene Woodling | Cleveland | 133 | .321 | 430 | 74 | 138 | 25 | 2 | 19 | 78 | 62 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 6 |
7. Nellie Fox | Chicago | 155 | .317 | 619 | 110 | 196 | 27 | 8 | 6 | 61 | 73 | 2 | 16 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
8. Jackie Jensen | Boston | 145 | .281 | 544 | 82 | 153 | 29 | 2 | 23 | 103 | 72 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 22 |
9. Al Kaline | Detroit | 149 | .295 | 577 | 83 | 170 | 29 | 4 | 23 | 90 | 36 | 7 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 10 |
10. Charlie Maxwell | Detroit | 138 | .276 | 492 | 75 | 136 | 23 | 3 | 24 | 82 | 69 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
The Ten Best National League Pitchers, 1957 |
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Name | Team | ERA | W | L | PCT | SV | G | GS | IP | TB | ER | BB | IB | WP | HB | BK | SB | CS | GD | |
1. Warren Spahn | Milwaukee | 2.69 | 21 | 11 | .656 | 3 | 39 | 35 | 271 | 353 | 81 | 74 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 24 | |
2. Bob Buhl | Milwaukee | 2.74 | 18 | 7 | .720 | 0 | 34 | 31 | 216.2 | 265 | 66 | 117 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 33 | |
3. Don Drysdale | Brooklyn | 2.69 | 17 | 9 | .654 | 0 | 34 | 29 | 221 | 301 | 66 | 58 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 19 | |
4. Johnny Podres | Brooklyn | 2.66 | 12 | 9 | .571 | 3 | 31 | 27 | 196 | 259 | 58 | 43 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 18 | |
5. Lew Burdette | Milwaukee | 3.72 | 17 | 9 | .654 | 0 | 37 | 33 | 256.2 | 382 | 106 | 51 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 30 | |
6. Bob Friend | Pittsburgh | 3.38 | 14 | 18 | .438 | 0 | 40 | 38 | 277 | 407 | 104 | 60 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 24 | |
7. Jack Sanford | Philadelphia | 3.08 | 19 | 8 | .704 | 0 | 33 | 33 | 236.2 | 303 | 81 | 92 | 2 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 3 | 13 | |
8. Larry Jackson | St. Louis | 3.47 | 15 | 9 | .625 | 1 | 41 | 22 | 210.1 | 296 | 81 | 49 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 26 | |
9. Curt Simmons | Philadelphia | 3.44 | 12 | 11 | .522 | 0 | 32 | 29 | 212 | 307 | 81 | 39 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 20 | |
10. Vern Law | Pittsburgh | 2.87 | 10 | 8 | .556 | 1 | 31 | 25 | 172.2 | 261 | 55 | 24 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 12 |
The Ten Best American League Pitchers, 1957 |
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Name | Team | ERA | W | L | PCT | SV | G | GS | IP | TB | ER | BB | IB | WP | HB | BK | SB | CS | GD | |
1. Frank Sullivan | Boston | 2.73 | 14 | 11 | .560 | 0 | 35 | 30 | 242 | 302 | 86 | 65 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 12 | |
2. Tom Sturdivant | New York | 2.54 | 16 | 6 | .727 | 0 | 28 | 28 | 201.2 | 241 | 57 | 78 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 15 | 19 | |
3. Dick Donovan | Chicago | 2.77 | 16 | 6 | .727 | 0 | 28 | 28 | 220.2 | 286 | 68 | 37 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 13 | 6 | 24 | |
4. Billy Pierce | Chicago | 3.26 | 20 | 12 | .625 | 2 | 37 | 34 | 257 | 338 | 93 | 62 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 12 | |
5. Bobby Shantz | New York | 2.45 | 11 | 5 | .688 | 5 | 30 | 21 | 173 | 232 | 47 | 39 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 22 | |
6. Connie Johnson | Baltimore | 3.20 | 14 | 11 | .560 | 0 | 35 | 30 | 242 | 302 | 86 | 65 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 12 | |
7. Jim Bunning | Detroit | 2.69 | 20 | 8 | .714 | 1 | 45 | 30 | 267.1 | 353 | 80 | 67 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 11 | |
8. Bob Turley | New York | 2.71 | 13 | 6 | .684 | 3 | 32 | 23 | 176.1 | 199 | 53 | 84 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 10 | |
9. Billy Loes | Baltimore | 3.24 | 12 | 7 | .632 | 4 | 31 | 18 | 155.1 | 201 | 56 | 34 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 17 | |
10. Ray Narleski | Cleveland | 3.09 | 11 | 5 | .688 | 16 | 46 | 15 | 154.1 | 200 | 53 | 65 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 9 |
Brown type indicates league leader.
Notes: Walks (BB) do not include intentional walks (IB). For pitchers, caught stealing (CS) also includes pickoffs.
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