1954 in baseball
Champions Major League Baseball World Series: New York Giants over Cleveland Indians (4-0) All-Star Game, July 13 at Cleveland Stadium: American League, 11-9 Other champions All-American Girls Professional Baseball League: Kalamazoo Lassies College World Series: Missouri Japan Series: Chunichi Dragons over Nishitetsu Lions (4–3) Little League World Series: National, Schenectady, New York Winter Leagues 1954 Caribbean Series: Criollos de Caguas Cuban League: Alacranes del Almendares Dominican Republic League: Estrellas Orientales Mexican Pacific League: Venados de Mazatlán Panamanian League: Carta Vieja Yankees Puerto Rican League: Criollos de Caguas Venezuelan League: Pastora de Occidente Awards and honors Baseball Hall of Fame Rabbit Maranville Bill Dickey Bill Terry MLB Most Valuable Player Award Yogi Berra, New York Yankees, C Willie Mays, New York Giants, OF MLB Rookie of the Year Award Bob Grim, New York Yankees, P Wally Moon, St. Louis Cardinals, OF The Sporting News Player of the Year Award Willie Mays New York Giants The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award Bob Lemon Cleveland Indians Johnny Antonelli New York Giants The Sporting News Manager of the Year Award Leo Durocher New York Giants Statistical leaders Major League Baseball final standings American League final standings National League final standings Events January January 12 – The International League makes two franchise shifts, as the Triple-A Baltimore Orioles team is transferred to Richmond, Virginia, becoming the Richmond Virginians, while the Springfield Cubs moves to Havana, Cuba, becoming the Havana Sugar Kings. January 14 – Former New York Yankees great Joe DiMaggio marries actress Marilyn Monroe in San Francisco. January 20 – The Cleveland Indians and Washington Senators trade veteran catchers, with Joe Tipton going to Washington in exchange for Mickey Grasso. February February 18 – The Washington Senators obtained All-Star first baseman Roy Sievers from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for left fielder Gil Coan. February 19 – The Brooklyn Dodgers signed 19-year-old Roberto Clemente to a one year deal with $5,000, including a $10,000 signing bonus. The Dodgers thus beat out a number of other clubs in the Clemente sweepstakes, as they outspent their cross-river rivals New York Giants and New York Yankees, who had already intention on inking Clemente. Besides, the Dodgers also beat the Milwaukee Braves to the punch, as they offered Clemente more money to sign there. He was assigned immediately to Triple A Montreal Royals. The future Hall of Famer put up decent but not spectacular numbers for them, posting a .257/.286/.372 batting line with ten extra base hits and one stolen base in 155 plate appearances. Unfortunately for the Dodgers, Clemente would never play a game in the organization. At the end of the season, Brooklyn left him exposed to the Rule V Draft, where he was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Clemente would never play another game in the Minor Leagues. March March 13 – Milwaukee Braves outfielder Bobby Thomson breaks his ankle while sliding into a base during a spring training game. Thomson, whose pennant-winning three-run home run for the New York Giants in 1951