World Series: Brooklyn Dodgers over New York Yankees (4-3); Johnny Podres, MVP
All-Star Game, July 12 at County Stadium: National League, 6-5 (12 innings)
College World Series: Wake Forest University
Japan Series: Yomiuri Giants over Nankai Hawks (4-3)
Little League World Series: Morrisville, Pennsylvania
Winter Leagues
1955 Caribbean Series: Cangrejeros de Santurce
Cuban League: Alacranes del Almendares
Dominican Republic League: Leones del Escogido
Mexican Pacific League: Venados de Mazatlán
Panamanian League: Carta Vieja Yankees
Puerto Rican League: Cangrejeros de Santurce
Venezuelan League: Navegantes del Magallanes
Awards and honors
Most Valuable Player
American League: Yogi Berra, New York Yankees
National League: Roy Campanella, Brooklyn Dodgers
Rookie of the Year
American League: Herb Score, Cleveland Indians
National League: Bill Virdon, St. Louis Cardinals
Before the Athletics arrive in town, the Kansas City Monarchs move their base of operations to Grand Rapids, Michigan. They retain the name "Kansas City Monarchs" and continue in the Negro American League as a barnstorming team.
April 12 – After a big civic parade, the Athletics open their first season in Kansas City with a win over the Detroit Tigers, 6–2, before a crowd of 32,844.
April 14 – Elston Howard becomes the first African-American to wear the New York Yankees uniform. Howard singles in his first-at-bat, against the Boston Red Sox, as the Yankees win 8–4.
April 23: The Chicago White Sox tallied a franchise record 29 runs and 29 hits against the host Kansas City Athletics, including seven home runs, in a 29–6 ripping. Sherm Lollar was 5-for-6 with a pair of home runs and five RBI, and became the only player in the decade to get two hits in one inning twice in the same game (2nd and 6th innings). Chico Carrasquel hit 5-for-6, and Bob Nieman paced the attack with two homers and seven RBI. Walt Dropo added a homer and seven RBI, while pitcher Jack Harshman and Minnie Miñoso also homered. Carrasquel and Miñoso each scored five runs. Kansas City had homers from Vic Power and Bill Renna. Bobby Shantz was the losing pitcher.
May 12 – Sam Jones of the Chicago Cubs no-hits the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4–0, becoming the first African American to pitch a no-hitter in the Major Leagues. In the ninth inning Jones walks the bases full and then strikes out Dick Groat, Roberto Clemente and Frank Thomas in a row to preserve his victory. It is also the first no-hitter at Wrigley Field in 38 years. Only 2,918 fans are on hand to witness the double milestone.
May 13 – At Yankee Stadium, Mickey Mantle hits home runs from both sides of the plate for the first time in his major league career. The New York Yankees slugger finishes the game with three home runs – two left-handed and one right-handed, while driving in all of his team's runs in a 5–2 victory over the Detroit Tigers. Whitey Ford is the winning pitcher and Steve Gromek takes the loss.
July 12 – In the All-Star Game in Milwaukee's County Stadium, the American League takes a 5-run lead on a 3-run home run by Mickey Mantle off Robin Roberts, only to see the National League tie it. Milwaukee Braves' pitcher Gene Conley strikes out the side in the 12th inning, and Stan Musial of the St. Louis Cardinals homers off Frank Sullivan of the Red Sox to win it.
July 31 – On the anniversary of his 4-home run game, Braves' first baseman Joe Adcock has his arm broken by a pitch from the New York Giants' Jim Hearn. Adcock will miss the rest of the season.
August 20 – The Chicago White Sox rally to edge the Detroit Tigers‚ 8–7. Nellie Fox and Jim Rivera pace the attack with four hits apiece‚ while Chico Carrasquel adds a home run. George Kell drives in five runs for the White Sox. The win leaves Chicago (71-46) tied in second place with Cleveland (73-48)‚ and a game in back of New York (74-47).
September 8 – The Brooklyn Dodgers clinch the National League pennant by beating the Milwaukee Braves, 10–2, for their 8th NL title. The Dodgers also break their own Major League Baseball record for the earliest clinching, set in 1953.
September 16 – The Kansas City Athletics score seven runs in the first inning and roll to a 13–7 win over the faltering Chicago White Sox. The third place Sox lose their 10th in 17 games. Héctor López hits a three-run home run in the first to start the scoring and later in the game Joe Astroth adds another three-run homer. George Kell and Chico Carrasquel hits solo homers for Chicago. In the 8th‚ 16-year-old shortstop Alex George debuts for Kansas City‚ handling two chances in the field flawlessly and making out in his one at bat. George will go 1-for-10 in this his only Major League season.
October 3 – No more "wait till' next year" as the Brooklyn Dodgers, behind the pitching of Johnny Podres, brings its first, and only, World Championship to Brooklyn after seven previous frustrated World Series appearances in a 2-0 win over the New York Yankees. The Dodgers win the Series four game to three, and Podres is named Most Valuable Player – the first time the award is given in the World Series.
October 25 – Chicago White Sox GM Frank Lane trade SS Chico Carrasquel and CF Jim Busby to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for CF Larry Doby. The trade was made by Lane to make room for Carrasquel's fellow Venezuelan and future Hall of Famer Luis Aparicio.
November 2 – The Pittsburgh Pirates name Bobby Bragan as their new field manager, replacing Fred Haney.
November 8 – In a nine-player transaction before the 1956 season, the Washington Senators sent All-Stars Bob Porterfield and Mickey Vernon along with Johnny Schmitz and Tom Umphlett to the Boston Red Sox, in exchange for Dick Brodowski, Neil Chrisley, Tex Clevenger, Karl Olson and Minor leaguer Al Curtis.
November 12 – Fred Hutchinson replaces Harry Walker as the St. Louis Cardinals manager. With the departure of Walker, next season will be the first time in National League history without a player-manager.
November 21 – Carl Stotz, principal founding father of the Little League, sues the organization for breach of contract. The suit will be settled out of court.
November 28 – The Chicago Cubs trade pitcher Hal Jeffcoat to the Cincinnati Redlegs in exchange for catcher Hobie Landrith.
December 8 – Lenny Yochim of the Leones del Caracas became the first pitcher to throw a no-hitter in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. The 27-year-old left-hander accomplished the feat in a 3–0 victory over the Navegantes del Magallanes helped by catcher Earl Battey. Ramón Monzant was credited with the loss. Previously, the screwballer Yochim had pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates in part of two seasons.
January 1 – LaMarr Hoyt
January 1 – Bob Owchinko
January 21 – Dave Smith
January 21 – Mike Smithson
January 24 – Ted Cox
January 26 – Brian Doyle
January 26 – Joe Pettini
January 28 – Joe Beckwith
January 31 – Ted Power
February 1 – Ernie Camacho
February 4 – Gary Allenson
February 4 – Rusty Kuntz
February 5 – Mike Heath
February 7 – Dámaso García
February 7 – Charlie Puleo
February 9 – Jerry Keller
February 12 – Juan Bonilla
February 12 – Chet Lemon
March 11 – Larry Landreth
March 12 – Ruppert Jones
March 15 – Mickey Hatcher
March 18 – Dwayne Murphy
March 19 – Mike Norris
March 25 – Lee Mazzilli
April 2 – Billy Sample
April 7 – Bobby Mitchell
April 14 – Chris Welsh
April 16 – Bruce Bochy
April 16 – Rick Jones
April 17 – Tom Runnells
April 18 – Bobby Castillo
April 22 – David Clyde
April 23 – Tom Dixon
April 26 – Mike Scott
May 7 – Bob Ferris
May 12 – Ralph Botting
May 14 – Dennis Martínez
May 14 – Hosken Powell
May 16 – Jack Morris
May 16 – Tack Wilson
May 19 – Ed Whitson
May 21 – Eddie Milner
May 25 – Andrés Mora
May 27 – Ross Baumgarten
June 10 – Floyd Bannister
June 10 – Scott Ullger
June 17 – Joe Charboneau
July 3 – Matt Keough
July 7 – Len Barker
July 7 – Jerry Dybzinski
July 9 – Willie Wilson
July 21 – Mark Lemongello
July 27 – Shane Rawley
August 2 – Jim Dorsey
August 6 – Ron Davis
August 6 – Steve Nicosia
August 11 – Bryn Smith
August 18 – Bruce Benedict
August 19 – Terry Harper
August 19 – Ned Yost
August 22 – Larry Vanover
August 29 – Phil Cuzzi
August 27 – Pat Kelly
August 30 – Renie Martin
September 5 – Gil Patterson
September 16 – Robin Yount
September 18 – Don McCormack
September 13 – Mike Fischlin
September 16 – Joe Edelen
September 22 – Jeffrey Leonard
September 24 – Mike Champion
October 1 – Jeff Reardon
October 3 – Jim Joyce
October 4 – Gary Cederstrom
October 4 – Lary Sorensen
October 8 – Jerry Reed
October 9 – Alex Taveras
October 21 – Jerry Garvin
October 25 – Danny Darwin
November 2 – Greg Harris
November 2 – Bob Tufts
November 5 – Bobby Ramos
November 9 – Jeff Cox
November 10 – Jack Clark
November 15 – Fred Breining
November 15 – Randy Niemann
November 18 – Luis Pujols
November 22 – Kevin Rhomberg
November 22 – Wayne Tolleson
November 23 – Todd Cruz
November 26 – Jay Howell
December 7 – Scot Thompson
December 18 – Jim Clancy
December 18 – Bobby Clark
December 22 – Lonnie Smith
December 23 – Keith Comstock
December 30 – Keith MacWhorter
December 31 – Jim Tracy
January 13 – Bill Dinneen, 78, pitching star of the 1903 World Series who went on to have a 29-year career as an American League umpire.
February 6 – Rosey Rowswell, 71, radio sportscaster best known for being the first full-time play-by-play announcer for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
February 6 – Hank Thormahlen, 58, pitcher for the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Brooklyn Robins between 1917 and 1925.
May 4 – Fredrick Westervelt, 77, major league umpire for five years.
June 6 – Mike Kelley, 79, first baseman for the 1899 Louisville Colonels, later became a long time minor league baseball owner and manager.
June 27 – Harry Agganis, 26, Red Sox first baseman from Lynn, Massachusetts who gave up being a football star to play for the BoSox, closer to his home and mother. On June 2, he was hospitalized with pneumonia. He rejoined the Sox 10 days later, fell ill again on June 27 and was flown back to Cambridge, Ma. where he died of a pulmonary embolism.
August 26 – Sol White, 87, player, manager and executive with various Negro leagues and teams from 1887 to 1926.
September 23 – Gary Fortune, 60, pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox between 1916 and 1920.
October 9 – Howie Fox, 34, pitcher for the Reds, Phillies and Orioles from 1944 to 1954.
October 18 – George Murray, 57, pitched from 1922 to 1933 for the Yankees, Red Sox, Senators and White Sox.
October 27 – Clark Griffith, 85, Hall of Fame pitcher and manager, and owner of the Washington Senators since 1920.
November 4 – Cy Young, 88, Hall of Fame pitcher who won a record 511 games over a 22-year career and pitched three no-hitters, including a perfect game.
November 30 – John Stone, 50, outfielder for the Tigers and Senators from 1928–38, who collected seven .300 seasons, with a career-high .341 in 1936.
December 6 – Honus Wagner, 81, legendary Hall of Fame shortstop who won eight National League batting crowns and led the league in RBI, stolen bases, doubles and slugging percentage at least five times each.
December 18 – Francisco José Cróquer, 35, Venezuelan sportscaster specialized in baseball and boxing, who achieved international renown and became a household name in Latino communities after joining the Gillette Cavalcade of Sports in the late 1940s.
December 27 – Lord Byron, 83, National League umpire from 1913 to 1919.
