Best MLB Players of 1941, Ranked by NUT
1941 seasonTed Williams (BOS) was the most productive hitter in MLB in 1941 by NUT at +11.1, and Whit Wyatt (BRO) the most productive pitcher at +3.3.
8 of 206 qualified hitters and 1 of 163 qualified pitchers graded S for the season.
Boston Red Sox (84-70) had the highest team NUT at +17.8; the best record belonged to New York Yankees (101-53), #2 by team NUT.
New York Yankees beat Brooklyn Dodgers 4–1 in the World Series, as the higher team-NUT club (+16.2 to +14.6).
Live-ball era. Clean baseballs and the spitball ban; Ruth turns the home run into the game.
World Series by team NUT
Season team NUT, regular season. The higher-NUT club won. Every World Series by NUT
Awards vs NUT
NUT's MVP pick is the league's best player by season NUT, hitters and pitchers compared by grade; its Cy Young pick is the best pitcher. Voters also weigh defense, which NUT leaves out. Rookie of the Year shows where the winner ranked among all qualified players.
Best by league
League by the player's final club. By NUT, not award voting.
Top 10 hitters and pitchers
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ted WilliamsBOS · LF | +11.1 | |
| 2 | Joe DiMaggioNYY · CF | +7.4 | |
| 3 | Charlie KellerNYY · LF | +5.6 | |
| 4 | Jeff HeathCLE · RF | +5.5 | |
| 5 | Dolph CamilliBRO · 1B | +5.1 | |
| 6 | Cecil TravisWSH · SS | +4.8 | |
| 7 | Pete ReiserBRO · CF | +4.7 | |
| 8 | Roy CullenbineSLB · LF | +4.7 | |
| 9 | Johnny MizeSTL · 1B | +4.1 | |
| 10 | Jimmie FoxxBOS · 1B | +4.1 |
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whit WyattBRO · P | +3.3 | |
| 2 | Dutch LeonardWSH · P | +2.5 | |
| 3 | Bucky WaltersCIN · P | +2.2 | |
| 4 | Johnny Vander MeerCIN · P | +2.0 | |
| 5 | Claude PasseauCHC · P | +1.5 | |
| 6 | Max LanierSTL · P | +1.4 | |
| 7 | Bob FellerCLE · P | +1.3 | |
| 8 | Curt DavisBRO · P | +1.2 | |
| 9 | Elmer RiddleCIN · P | +1.2 | |
| 10 | Paul EricksonCHC · P | +1.2 |
All 16 teams by NUT
| # | Team | W-L | Hit | Pitch | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BOS | 84-70 | +21.7 | -3.9 | +17.8 | S |
| 2 | NYY | 101-53 | +17.5 | -1.2 | +16.2 | A |
| 3 | BRO | 100-54 | +11.5 | +3.1 | +14.6 | A |
| 4 | STL | 97-56 | +7.1 | +2.8 | +9.9 | B |
| 5 | DET | 75-79 | +8.3 | -0.7 | +7.5 | B |
| 6 | SLB | 70-84 | +15.1 | -7.7 | +7.4 | B |
| 7 | CHC | 70-84 | +1.9 | +4.2 | +6.1 | C |
| 8 | PIT | 81-73 | +4.3 | -0.6 | +3.7 | C |
| 9 | WSH | 70-84 | +4.1 | -1.9 | +2.3 | C |
| 10 | NYG | 74-79 | +2.7 | -1.9 | +0.8 | C |
| 11 | CLE | 75-79 | +3.3 | -2.7 | +0.6 | C |
| 12 | PHA | 64-90 | +8.7 | -10.0 | -1.3 | D |
| 13 | CIN | 88-66 | -6.9 | +5.5 | -1.4 | D |
| 14 | CWS | 77-77 | -5.3 | -0.8 | -6.1 | F |
| 15 | BSN | 62-92 | -6.6 | -2.2 | -8.8 | F |
| 16 | PHI | 43-111 | -6.9 | -3.5 | -10.4 | F |
Negro Leagues, 1941
MLB counts the Negro Leagues as major leagues. Each league is ranked on its own, against its own averages, so a +2.0 here means what +2.0 means in the AL or NL. Seasons ran 60 to 90 games, so values run lower.
Negro American League
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ted StrongKCM · RF | +2.2 | |
| 2 | Willard BrownKCM · CF | +1.9 | |
| 3 | Joe GreeneKCM · C | +0.5 | |
| 4 | Lester LockettBBB · 3B | +0.5 | |
| 5 | Jesse WilliamsKCM · SS | +0.0 |
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hilton SmithKCM · P | +1.0 | |
| 2 | Satchel PaigeKCM · P | +0.9 | |
| 3 | Johnny MarkhamBBB | +0.4 | |
| 4 | Frank BradleyKCM | +0.3 | |
| 5 | Ford SmithKCM | +0.2 |
| # | Club | W-L | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas City Monarchs | 40-16 | +4.8 | C |
| 2 | Birmingham Black Barons | 30-20 | +0.6 | C |
| 3 | Memphis Red Sox | 28-27 | +0.1 | C |
| 4 | Jacksonville Red Caps | 14-28 | +0.0 | C |
| 5 | Atlanta Black Crackers | — | +0.0 | C |
| 6 | Toledo Crawfords | — | +0.0 | C |
| 7 | Chicago American Giants | 12-28 | -0.5 | D |
| 8 | St. Louis-New Orleans Stars | 18-23 | -0.7 | D |
Negro National League (II)
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buck LeonardHOM · 1B | +2.9 | |
| 2 | Monte IrvinNE · SS | +2.5 | |
| 3 | Bill HoskinsBEG · LF | +2.0 | |
| 4 | Tetelo VargasNYC · CF | +1.3 | |
| 5 | Jud WilsonHOM · 3B | +1.3 |
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Terris McDuffieHOM | +1.6 | |
| 2 | Bill ByrdBEG | +1.2 | |
| 3 | Jonas GainesBEG | +1.1 | |
| 4 | Dave BarnhillNYC | +1.0 | |
| 5 | Ray BrownHOM · P | +0.9 |
| # | Club | W-L | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Homestead Grays | 26-18 | +7.0 | B |
| 2 | Baltimore Elite Giants | 27-14 | +4.1 | C |
| 3 | Newark Eagles | 21-15 | +2.7 | C |
| 4 | New York Black Yankees | 12-21 | -1.2 | D |
| 5 | New York Cubans | 14-15 | -1.5 | D |
| 6 | Philadelphia Stars | 13-30 | -2.6 | D |
MLB's Negro Leagues records are incomplete, and a few games and clubs are missing. A dash means no record on file.
How the 1941 season is ranked
Season NUT is one number for production against that season's league average. 0.0 is league average; defense is left out. Players need 100 plate appearances or 25 innings to qualify. Team NUT is the sum of its qualified players. Negro Leagues seasons, which MLB counts as major league, are ranked in their own section, each league against its own averages.