Best MLB Players of 1942, Ranked by NUT
1942 seasonTed Williams (BOS) was the most productive hitter in MLB in 1942 by NUT at +10.5, and Mort Cooper (STL) the most productive pitcher at +2.9.
7 of 209 qualified hitters and 0 of 162 qualified pitchers graded S for the season.
New York Yankees (103-51) had the highest team NUT at +21.9; the best record belonged to St. Louis Cardinals (106-48), #2 by team NUT.
St. Louis Cardinals beat New York Yankees 4–1 in the World Series, as the lower team-NUT club (+17.4 to +21.9).
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 lower-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 | +10.5 | |
| 2 | Charlie KellerNYY · LF | +5.8 | |
| 3 | Mel OttNYG · RF | +5.4 | |
| 4 | Enos SlaughterSTL · RF | +5.4 | |
| 5 | Joe GordonNYY · 2B | +4.7 | |
| 6 | Johnny MizeNYG · 1B | +4.6 | |
| 7 | Joe DiMaggioNYY · CF | +4.6 | |
| 8 | Bill NicholsonCHC · RF | +4.2 | |
| 9 | Wally JudnichSLB · CF | +4.2 | |
| 10 | Les FlemingCLE · 1B | +4.2 |
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mort CooperSTL · P | +2.9 | |
| 2 | Johnny Vander MeerCIN · P | +2.7 | |
| 3 | Tiny BonhamNYY · P | +1.8 | |
| 4 | Tex HughsonBOS · P | +1.7 | |
| 5 | Larry FrenchBRO · P | +1.6 | |
| 6 | Paul DerringerCIN · P | +1.6 | |
| 7 | Bucky WaltersCIN · P | +1.6 | |
| 8 | Johnny BeazleySTL · P | +1.4 | |
| 9 | Bill LeeCHC · P | +1.3 | |
| 10 | Max LanierSTL · P | +1.3 |
All 16 teams by NUT
| # | Team | W-L | Hit | Pitch | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NYY | 103-51 | +18.9 | +3.1 | +21.9 | S |
| 2 | STL | 106-48 | +10.3 | +7.1 | +17.4 | A |
| 3 | BOS | 93-59 | +17.4 | -2.5 | +14.9 | A |
| 4 | SLB | 82-69 | +14.0 | -0.4 | +13.6 | A |
| 5 | BRO | 104-50 | +8.7 | +2.7 | +11.4 | A |
| 6 | WSH | 62-89 | +5.3 | -0.7 | +4.6 | C |
| 7 | NYG | 85-67 | +8.0 | -4.1 | +3.9 | C |
| 8 | DET | 73-81 | +1.9 | +0.5 | +2.5 | C |
| 9 | CHC | 68-86 | +4.2 | -2.3 | +1.9 | C |
| 10 | PIT | 66-81 | +0.6 | +0.1 | +0.7 | C |
| 11 | CIN | 76-76 | -5.2 | +4.8 | -0.3 | D |
| 12 | CLE | 75-79 | +0.6 | -2.3 | -1.8 | D |
| 13 | CWS | 66-82 | -1.9 | -3.7 | -5.6 | F |
| 14 | BSN | 59-89 | -3.4 | -5.2 | -8.6 | F |
| 15 | PHA | 55-99 | -4.1 | -8.1 | -12.2 | F |
| 16 | PHI | 42-109 | -10.5 | -4.1 | -14.6 | F |
Negro Leagues, 1942
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 | +2.1 | |
| 2 | Willard BrownKCM · CF | +2.1 | |
| 3 | Bonnie SerrellKCM · 2B | +1.3 | |
| 4 | Neil RobinsonMEM · CF | +1.1 | |
| 5 | Sam JethroeCIB · CF | +1.1 |
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Satchel PaigeKCM · P | +1.2 | |
| 2 | Hilton SmithKCM · P | +0.7 | |
| 3 | Johnny MarkhamBBB | +0.7 | |
| 4 | Booker McDanielKCM | +0.5 | |
| 5 | Verdell MathisMEM | +0.3 |
| # | Club | W-L | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas City Monarchs | 36-14 | +9.0 | B |
| 2 | Cincinnati Buckeyes | 42-22 | +1.9 | C |
| 3 | Memphis Red Sox | 34-27 | +1.7 | C |
| 4 | Birmingham Black Barons | 25-23 | +1.0 | C |
| 5 | Jacksonville Red Caps | 7-30 | +0.4 | C |
| 6 | Atlanta Black Crackers | — | +0.0 | C |
| 7 | Toledo Crawfords | — | +0.0 | C |
| 8 | Chicago American Giants | 8-36 | -0.9 | D |
Negro National League (II)
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Josh GibsonHOM · C | +3.1 | |
| 2 | Buzz ClarksonHOM · SS | +2.1 | |
| 3 | Lennie PearsonHOM · LF | +2.1 | |
| 4 | Willie WellsNE · SS | +1.5 | |
| 5 | Wild Bill WrightBEG · RF | +0.9 |
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leon DayHOM · P | +1.1 | |
| 2 | Max ManningNE | +0.9 | |
| 3 | Tom GloverBEG | +0.6 | |
| 4 | Jonas GainesBEG | +0.6 | |
| 5 | Johnny WrightHOM | +0.5 |
| # | Club | W-L | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Homestead Grays | 23-10 | +12.9 | A |
| 2 | Philadelphia Stars | 19-22 | +1.3 | C |
| 3 | Baltimore Elite Giants | 24-14 | +0.2 | C |
| 4 | Newark Eagles | 16-18 | -0.1 | D |
| 5 | New York Cubans | 8-14 | -0.1 | D |
| 6 | New York Black Yankees | 8-20 | -0.7 | 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 1942 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.