Johnny Mize and Warren Spahn: Baseball Stars of 1947
This page from the 1948 "Who's Who in the Major Leagues" highlights two standout players from the 1947 season: Johnny Mize and Warren Spahn. Johnny Mize, a first baseman for the New York Giants, previously played for the St. Louis Cardinals before joining the Giants in 1942. In the 1947 season, Mize excelled by leading the National League (NL) in runs scored (137), most runs batted in (138), and tying for the most home runs (51). His batting average for the season was .302, with a slugging percentage of .614. He set a new league record by scoring runs in 16 consecutive games and led NL first basemen in fielding with a .996 average. Warren Spahn, a pitcher for the Boston Braves, had a remarkable season, leading all NL pitchers in effectiveness with an ERA of 2.33. He pitched the most innings (290), achieved the most shutouts (7), and faced the most batters (1174). Spahn, alongside fellow pitcher Johnny Sain, was part of the first Braves' duo to win 20 games in a season since 1937.