Cincinnati Wins World Championship - 1940

The Cincinnati Reds repeated as National League champions in 1940, winning 100 games. The pitching staff limited its opponents to a mere 3.05 ERA - the lowest in the majors. The team finished the regular season at 100-53, a full 12 games ahead of the pack.

PLAYER PROFILES:

Paul Derringer, Pitcher Cincinnati Reds RH - won 20 games or more four times in his long career that spanned from 1931-1945... and collected three successive 20 win seasons - 1938-1940.

One of the majors' workhorses, Paul Derringer was 25-7, with a 2.93 ERA in 1939, hurled 301 innings, completed 28-of-35 games. He surrendered just four runs in two World Series' starts, but was the losing pitcher in both games.

In the 1940 Series, Paul Derringer completed 2-of-3 starts, a 2.79 ERA in 19 1/3 innings of work, and lost the Series' Opener, then posted wins in Game 4 and Game 7, winning the later 2-1.

Bucky Walters, Cincinnati Reds Pitcher RH - a major league pitcher for 20 years, Walters was acknowledged to be the top National League pitcher from 1939-1940, leading the league in both wins and ERA in both seasons...

In 1939, Bucky Walters captured the attention of baseball fans across the country by ringing up a sensational 27-11 W/L record and posted a tiny league-leading 2.29 ERA, completing 31-of-36 starts, and allowed just 250 hits in 319 innings of work. But, he lost 2 games in the 1939 World Series when the Yankees swept Cincinnati in four straight.

In 1940, Bucky Walters again led the league in wins and ERA... 22-10, and a low 2.48 ERA, completed 29-of-36 starts, 241 hits in 305 innings. And, was the star of the 1940 World Series, winning two complete games, including a five-hit 4-0 shutout, and hit a solo homer in Game 6... as the Reds won the Series' Crown over the Tigers in seven games.

Whitey Moore, Pitcher Cincinnati Reds - debuted with the Reds in 1936 as a spot starter and reliever. His best seasons were these two pennant winning years. In '39, he went 13-12 with a fine 3.45 ERA in 187 2/3 innings and completed 9-of-24 starts. In the '39 WS, Moore pitched three hitless, relief innings. In the 1940 World Series, Whitey Moore appeared in relief in three games, allowed 8 hits, 3 runs in 8 1/3 innings, struck out 7 and walked 6.

Billy Myers, Cincinnati Reds Shortstop - a hustling shortstop, he broke into the majors with Cincinnati in 1935, hitting .267 in 117 games, stole 10 bases, lined 15 doubles, 10 triples and 5 homers.

Billy Myers anchored the Reds' infield in 1939, and certainly helped the club win the pennant for the first time in 20-years. The 'good guy' hit a solid .281 in 151 games, posted a career-high .369 on-base-pct, rapped 33 extra base hits, walked 71 times and collected 143 hits in 509 official trips to the plate. In the 1939 World Series, Myers hit .250 and drove in 2 runs. In the 1940 World Series, he hit only .130 but did drive in a pair of runs and made two sparkling defensive plays at shortstop.

Ival Goodman, Cincinnati Reds Right-fielder, Bats LH T RH - Born in Northview, Missouri, he debuted as a 26-year -old in 1935. An all-around athletic, the 5ft-11inch, 170-pounder won two NL triples titles, set a then-team record with 30 home runs in 1938, and played in two World Series.

In 1939, Ival Goodman hit a career best .323, hit a career-best 37 doubles, struck out just 32 times in 470 at bats, collected a .401 on-base-pct and drove in 84 runs. He was one of the stars in the 1940 World Series, scoring 5 runs and 5 RBIs while batting .276... 8 hits in 29 at bats.

Frank McCormick, Cincinnati Reds First Baseman - one of baseball's most popular players during the late-1930s and early '40s. He led the league in hits in his first two seasons - 1938-1938 - with 209 in each year. In 1939 he had a banner year - leading the league with 128 RBIs, while batting .332, lined 41 doubles and 18 home runs and scored 99 runs.

In 1940, Frank McCormick was voted the league's Most Valuable Player while batting .309, led the NL with 44Ds, belted 19Hr and 127 RBIs. And led the league's first baseman in fielding percentage... 'There are a lot of honors in baseball, like being in an Opening Day lineup, playing in the All-Star Game, the World Series, but getting that MVP Award is a special thing,' McCormick said. 'That's in a class by itself.'

Indeed, Frank McCormick led the Cincinnati Reds to the World Series twice in a row, 1939-1940 and hit .400 in the 1939 Series but just .214 in the '40 WS.

Bill Werber, Cincinnati Reds Third Baseman RH - a fine defensive player and one of the better leadoff hitters during the 1930, he was considered one of the fastest players in baseball.

Bill Werber was traded from the AL to Cincinnati in 1939 and hit .250 in the '39 WS with 2 RBIs... in the Series in 1940, his .370 batting led all players - 10 hits in 27 at bats, including 4 doubles and scored 5 runs. After the 1941 season in which he hit just .239 Billy Werber was traded back to the AL, played one more season and retired.

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