January 29 - Commissioner Happy Chandler fines the Yankees, Cubs and Phillies $500 each for signing high school players.
April-June[]
July-September[]
October-December[]
October 11 - In Boston's Braves Field, the Cleveland Indians nip the Boston Braves, 4-3 to take the 1948 World Series in 6 games. Rookie lefty Gene Bearden is the pitching hero in relief. (The Indians had defeated the Red Sox in a 1-game playoff to take the AL pennant and end hopes for an all-Boston World Series.)
January 30 - Herb Pennock, 53, Hall of Fame pitcher who won 240 games, third most among AL lefthanders, and had two 20-win seasons with the Yankees; general manager of the Phillies since 1943
February 14 - Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown, 71, Hall of Fame pitcher whose loss of two fingers in a childhood accident gave him remarkable movement on pitches, winning 20 games six straight years for the Cubs and posting the lowest career ERA (2.06) in NL history
April 3 - Candy Jim Taylor, 64, third baseman and manager of the Negro Leagues
July 27 - Joe Tinker, 68, Hall of Fame shortstop best remembered as part of famed Chicago Cubs infield which led team to 4 pennants between 1906 and 1910
August 16 - Babe Ruth, 53, Hall of Fame right fielder and pitcher who was the greatest star in baseball history, holding records for most home runs in a season (60) and lifetime (714), as well as most career RBI (2,217); lifetime .342 hitter also posted a 94-46 record and 2.28 ERA as a pitcher while playing for seven champions; won 1923 MVP award, at a time when AL rules prohibited winning it more than once; generally rated greatest baseball player of all-time.
October 8 - Al Orth, 76, pitcher who won 204 games with Phillies, Senators and Yankees while often batting .300
October 31 - Dick Redding, 58, star pitcher of the Negro Leagues who set numerous strikeout records and pitched several no-hitters
November 23 - Hack Wilson, 48, Hall of Fame center fielder who set NL record for home runs (56) and major league record for RBI (191) in spectacular 1930 season for the Cubs; won four home run titles