1952 Boston Braves season
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox baseball team season
| name = Boston Braves
| season = 1952
| misc =
| league = National League
| ballpark = Braves Field
| city = Boston, Massachusetts
| record = {{winning percentage|64|89|record=y}}
| league_place = 7th
| owners = Louis R. Perini
| general_managers = John J. Quinn
| managers = Tommy Holmes, Charlie Grimm
| television = WNAC
WBZ-TV
(Jim Britt, Bump Hadley)
| radio = WNAC
(Jim Britt, Les Smith)
| next_season = 1953 Milwaukee Braves season
|}}
The 1952 Boston Braves season was the 82nd season of the franchise; the team went {{nowrap|{{winning percentage|64|89|record=y}}}} and was seventh in the eight-team National League, 32 games behind the pennant-winning Brooklyn Dodgers. Home attendance for the season at Braves Field was under 282,000.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=trs_AAAAIBAJ&pg=1100%2C788686 |work=Youngstown Vindicator |location=(Ohio) |agency=Associated Press |last=Hand |first=Jack |title=Transfer of Braves to Milwaukee viewed as first in series of future changes |date=March 19, 1953 |page=38}}
This was the final season for the franchise in Boston, Massachusetts, and the last home game at Braves Field was played on September 21. Several weeks prior to the 1953 season, the team moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin,{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=l3QxAAAAIBAJ&pg=6030%2C3692108 |work=Milwaukee Sentinel |last=Larson |first=Lloyd |title=Big league ball here this year! |date=March 14, 1953 |page=1, part 1}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=o2MbAAAAIBAJ&pg=6044%2C448338 |work=Pittsburgh Press |agency=United Press |title=Boston Braves go to Milwaukee |date=March 18, 1953 |page=1}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mnQxAAAAIBAJ&pg=5326%2C4842774 |work=Milwaukee Sentinel |last=Thisted |first=Red |title=We're home of the Braves! |date=March 19, 1953 |page=1, part 1}} which was the first franchise relocation in the majors in a half century. By {{mlby|1958}}, four other teams had moved. The Braves stayed for thirteen years in Milwaukee, and then went to Atlanta prior to the 1966 season.
Regular season
= Season standings =
{{1952 National League standings}}
= Record vs. opponents =
{{1952 NL Record vs. opponents|team=BOS}}
= Roster =
| class="toccolours" style="font-size: 95%;" |
| colspan="10" style="background-color: #0f437c; color: white; text-align: center;" | 1952 Boston Braves |
|---|
| colspan="10" style="background-color: #af0039; color: white; text-align: center;" | Roster |
| valign="top" | Pitchers
{{MLBplayer|24|Vern Bickford}} {{MLBplayer|33|Lew Burdette}} {{MLBplayer|16|Bob Chipman}} {{MLBplayer|29,30|Dave Cole}} {{MLBplayer|56|Gene Conley}} {{MLBplayer|20|Dick Donovan}} {{MLBplayer|30|Dick Hoover}} {{MLBplayer|22|Virgil Jester}} {{MLBplayer|32|Ernie Johnson}} {{MLBplayer|11|Sheldon Jones}} {{MLBplayer|21|Warren Spahn}} {{MLBplayer|36|Max Surkont}} {{MLBplayer|22|Bert Thiel}} {{MLBplayer|19|Jim Wilson}} | width="25px" | | valign="top" | Catchers {{MLBplayer|14|Paul Burris}} {{MLBplayer|39|Walker Cooper}} {{MLBplayer|42|Ebba St. Claire}} Infielders {{MLBplayer|40,44|Buzz Clarkson}} {{MLBplayer|37|George Crowe}} {{MLBplayer|10|Jack Cusick}} {{MLBplayer| 6|Jack Dittmer}} {{MLBplayer|12|Roy Hartsfield}} {{MLBplayer| 2|Billy Klaus}} {{MLBplayer|23|Johnny Logan}} {{MLBplayer|41|Eddie Mathews}} {{MLBplayer| 6|Billy Reed}} {{MLBplayer|13|Sibby Sisti}} {{MLBplayer| 9|Earl Torgeson}} | width="25px" | | valign="top" | Outfielders {{MLBplayer| 7|Jack Daniels}} {{MLBplayer| 4|Sid Gordon}} {{MLBplayer| 5|Sam Jethroe}} {{MLBplayer|27|Willard Marshall}} {{MLBplayer|18|Bob Thorpe}} {{MLBplayer| 8|Pete Whisenant}} | width="25px" | | valign="top" | Manager {{MLBplayer|40|Charlie Grimm}} {{MLBplayer| 1|Tommy Holmes}} Coaches {{MLBplayer|28|Johnny Cooney}} {{MLBplayer|35|Bob Keely}} {{MLBplayer|31|Bucky Walters}} |
Player stats
= Batting =
== Starters by position ==
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
| class="wikitable sortable" | |||||||
| bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | Pos
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="16%" | Player ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | G ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | AB ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | H ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | Avg. ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | HR ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | RBI | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align="center"
| C | Walker Cooper | 102 | 349 | 82 | .235 | 10 | 55 |
| align="center"
| 1B | Earl Torgeson | 122 | 382 | 88 | .230 | 5 | 34 |
| align="center"
| 2B | Jack Dittmer | 93 | 326 | 63 | .193 | 7 | 41 |
| align="center"
| SS | {{sortname|Johnny|Logan|Johnny Logan (baseball)}} | 117 | 456 | 129 | .283 | 4 | 42 |
| align="center"
| 3B | Eddie Mathews | 145 | 528 | 128 | .242 | 25 | 58 |
| align="center"
| OF | Sid Gordon | 144 | 522 | 151 | .289 | 25 | 75 |
| align="center"
| OF | Bob Thorpe | 81 | 292 | 76 | .260 | 3 | 26 |
| align="center"
| OF | Sam Jethroe | 151 | 608 | 141 | .232 | 13 | 58 |
== Other batters ==
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||||||
| bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="16%" | Player
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | G ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | AB ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | H ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | Avg. ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | HR ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | RBI | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align="center" | 90 | 245 | 52 | .212 | 4 | 24 |
| align="center" | 106 | 219 | 41 | .187 | 2 | 14 |
| align="center" | 73 | 217 | 56 | .258 | 4 | 20 |
| align="center"
| {{sortname|Paul|Burris|Paul Burris (baseball)}} | 55 | 168 | 37 | .220 | 2 | 21 |
| align="center" | 39 | 108 | 23 | .213 | 2 | 4 |
| align="center" | 38 | 107 | 28 | .262 | 0 | 4 |
| align="center" | 49 | 78 | 13 | .167 | 0 | 6 |
| align="center" | 21 | 66 | 15 | .227 | 2 | 11 |
| align="center" | 24 | 52 | 10 | .192 | 0 | 7 |
| align="center" | 15 | 52 | 13 | .250 | 0 | 0 |
| align="center" | 14 | 25 | 5 | .200 | 0 | 1 |
| align="center" | 7 | 4 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 |
= Pitching =
== Starting pitchers ==
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||||||
| bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="16%" | Player
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | G ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | IP ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | W ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | L ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | ERA ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | SO | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align="center" | 40 | 290.0 | 14 | 19 | 2.98 | 183 |
| align="center" | 33 | 234.0 | 12 | 14 | 4.23 | 104 |
| align="center" | 31 | 215.0 | 12 | 13 | 3.77 | 125 |
| align="center"
| {{sortname|Vern|Bickford}} | 26 | 161.1 | 7 | 12 | 3.74 | 62 |
| align="center" |
== Other pitchers ==
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||||||
| bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="16%" | Player
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | G ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | IP ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | W ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | L ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | ERA ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | SO | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align="center" | 29 | 92.0 | 6 | 3 | 4.11 | 45 |
| align="center" | 19 | 73.0 | 3 | 5 | 3.33 | 25 |
| align="center" | 7 | 13.0 | 0 | 2 | 5.54 | 6 |
| align="center" | 4 | 12.2 | 0 | 3 | 7.82 | 6 |
== Relief pitchers ==
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||||||
| bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="16%" | Player
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | G ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | W ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | L ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | SV ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | ERA ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | SO | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align="center"
| {{sortname|Lew|Burdette}} | 47 | 6 | 11 | 7 | 3.61 | 47 |
| align="center" | 39 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4.76 | 40 |
| align="center"
| {{sortname|Bob|Chipman}} | 29 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2.81 | 16 |
| align="center" | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.03 | 22 |
| align="center" | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7.71 | 6 |
| align="center" | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.71 | 0 |
Farm system
{{See also|Minor League Baseball}}
{{MLB Farm System
|level8=AAA|team8=Milwaukee Brewers|league8=American Association|manager8=Charlie Grimm, Red Smith
and Bucky Walters
|level9=AA |team9=Atlanta Crackers|league9=Southern Association|manager9=Dixie Walker
|level10=A|team10=Hartford Chiefs|league10=Eastern League|manager10=Del Bissonette
|level11=B|team11=Wichita Falls Spudders|league11=Big State League|manager11=Frank Mancuso
|level12=B|team12=Evansville Braves|league12=Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League|manager12=Bob Coleman
|level13=B|team13=Hagerstown Braves|league13=Interstate League|manager13=Dutch Dorman
|level14=C|team14=Ventura Braves|league14=California League|manager14=Bobby Sturgeon and Jose Perez
|level15=C|team15=Eau Claire Bears|league15=Northern League|manager15=Bill Adair
|level16=C|team16=Quebec Braves|league16=Provincial League|manager16=George McQuinn
|level17=D|team17=Welch Miners|league17=Appalachian League|manager17=Jack Crosswhite
|level18=D|team18=Danville Dans|league18=Mississippi–Ohio Valley League|manager18=Virl Minnis
|level19=D|team19=Harlan Smokies|league19=Mountain States League|manager19=Rex Carr
|level20=D|team20=Appleton Papermakers|league20=Wisconsin State League|manager20=Travis Jackson
}}
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Hagerstown, Quebec, Harlan
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BSN/1952.shtml 1952 Boston Braves season at Baseball Reference]
{{1952 MLB season by team}}
{{Atlanta Braves}}
Category:Boston Braves seasons
{{AtlantaBraves-season-stub}}
{{Boston-sport-stub}}