The 1956 Brooklyn Dodgers edged out the Milwaukee Braves to win the

National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...

title. The Dodgers again faced the New York Yankees in the

World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the Wor ...

. This time they lost the series in seven games, one of which was a perfect game by the Yankees' Don Larsen.

Offseason

* December 9, 1955: Don Hoak,

Russ Meyer Russell Albion Meyer (March 21, 1922 – September 18, 2004) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, and editor. He is known primarily for writing and directing a series of successful sexploitation films that fe ...

and Walt Moryn were traded by the Dodgers to the

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...

for Randy Jackson and Don Elston. * December 21, 1955: Jack Littrell was purchased by the Dodgers from the Kansas City Athletics. * December 30, 1955: Pete Wojey was traded by the Dodgers to the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...

for Leo Cristante and cash. * March 2, 1956: Tommy Lasorda was purchased from the Dodgers by the Kansas City Athletics

Regular season

Don Newcombe won the NL MVP award and the very first

Cy Young Award The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall ...

. He was the first pitcher to win the National League MVP and the Cy Young Award in the same season. During the season, the Dodgers played seven home games at

Roosevelt Stadium Roosevelt Stadium was a baseball stadium at Droyer's Point in Jersey City, New Jersey. It opened in April 1937 and hosted high-minor league baseball, 15 major league baseball games, plus championship boxing matches, top-name musical acts, an ...

in Jersey City, New Jersey, as part of owner

Walter O'Malley Walter Francis O'Malley (October 9, 1903 – August 9, 1979) was an American sports executive who owned the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers team in Major League Baseball from 1950 to 1979. In 1958, as owner of the Dodgers, he brought major league ...

's continued attempts to pressure Brooklyn to allow him to build a new stadium in his preferred location at Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues. The first of these games was on April 19.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Opening Day Lineup

Notable transactions

* April 16, 1956: Tim Thompson was traded by the Dodgers to the Kansas City Athletics for

Lee Wheat Leroy William Wheat (September 15, 1929 – July 29, 2008) was an American professional baseball pitcher who worked in 11 career Major League Baseball games for the 1954 Philadelphia Athletics and 1955's maiden edition of the Kansas City Athletics ...

Tom Saffell Thomas Judson Saffell (July 26, 1921 – September 10, 2012) was an American professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Athletics. Early life Saffell grew up in Etowah, Te ...

and cash. * May 14, 1956:

Billy Loes William Loes (December 13, 1929 – July 15, 2010) was an American right-handed pitcher who spent eleven seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Brooklyn Dodgers (1950, 1952–56), Baltimore Orioles (1956–59) and San Francis ...

was purchased from the Dodgers by the

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight char ...

. * May 15, 1956: Jim Hughes was purchased from the Dodgers by the

. * May 15, 1956:

Sal Maglie Salvatore Anthony Maglie (April 26, 1917 – December 28, 1992) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher and later, a scout and a pitching coach. He played from 1945 to 1958 for the New York Giants, Cleveland Indians, Brooklyn Dodgers, New Y ...

was purchased by the Dodgers from the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...

. * July 4, 1956: Ray Shearer was traded by the Dodgers to the Milwaukee Braves for Jim Frey. * July 29, 1956: Dale Mitchell was purchased by the Dodgers from the

.Dale Mitchell
at ''Baseball-Reference''

Roster

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''

Other batters

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

Pitching

Starting pitchers

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

Other pitchers

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

Relief pitchers

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

1956 World Series

Game 1

October 3, 1956, at

Ebbets Field Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball stadium in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York. It is mainly known for having been the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team of the National League (1913–1957). It was also home to five pr ...

in Brooklyn, New York

Game 2

October 5, 1956, at

in Brooklyn, New York

Game 3

October 6, 1956, at Yankee Stadium in New York City

Game 4

October 7, 1956, at Yankee Stadium in New York City

Game 5

October 8, 1956, at Yankee Stadium in New York City

Game 6

October 9, 1956, at

in Brooklyn, New York

Game 7

October 10, 1956, at

in Brooklyn, New York

Awards and honors

National League Most Valuable Player The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual Major League Baseball (MLB) award given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers' ...

** Don Newcombe *

** Don Newcombe * TSN Pitcher of the Year Award ** Don Newcombe

All-Stars

1956 Major League Baseball All-Star Game The 1956 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 23rd playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League (AL) and National League (NL), the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 1 ...

** Roy Campanella reserve **

Jim Gilliam James William "Junior" Gilliam (October 17, 1928 – October 8, 1978) was an American second baseman, third baseman, and coach in Negro league and Major League Baseball who spent his entire major league career with the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dod ...

reserve **

Clem Labine Clement Walter Labine (August 6, 1926 – March 2, 2007) was an American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) best known for his years with the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers from 1950 to 1960. As a key member of the Dodge ...

reserve ** Duke Snider reserve * TSN Major League All-Star Team ** Don Newcombe

Farm system

Notes

References

Baseball-Reference season pageBaseball Almanac season page

External links

1956 Brooklyn Dodgers uniformAcme Dodgers page

Retrosheet
{{Los Angeles Dodgers Los Angeles Dodgers seasons Brooklyn Dodgers season National League champion seasons Jackie Robinson 1956 in sports in New York City 1950s in Brooklyn Flatbush, Brooklyn