Headline Event of the Year
Baseball's Shot Heard 'Round the World gives the New York Giants the National League Pennant in the third game of a best-of-three-games tiebreaker series over the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Although the Negro American League would last until 1960, 1951 was, notably, the last season in which the Negro American League was considered major-league caliber, which was itself the last major Negro league baseball organization.
Champions
Major League Baseball
World Series: New York Yankees over New York Giants (4–2) All-Star Game, July 10 at Briggs Stadium: National League, 8–3
Other champions
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League: South Bend Blue Sox
Amateur World Series: Puerto Rico
College World Series: Oklahoma
Japan Series: Yomiuri Giants over Nankai Hawks (4–2) Little League World Series: Stamford, Connecticut Pan American Games: Cuba over USA Winter Leagues Caribbean Series: Cangrejeros de Santurce Cuban League: Leones del Habana Mexican Pacific League: Tacuarineros de Culiacán Panamanian League: Spur Cola Colonites Puerto Rican League: Cangrejeros de Santurce Venezuelan League: Navegantes del Magallanes
Awards and honors
Baseball Hall of Fame
Mel Ott
Jimmie Foxx
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
Yogi Berra, New York Yankees, C
Roy Campanella, Brooklyn Dodgers, C
MLB Rookie of the Year Award
Gil McDougald, New York Yankees, 3B
Willie Mays, New York Giants, OF
The Sporting News Player of the Year Award
Stan Musial St. Louis Cardinals
The Sporting News Manager of the Year Award
Leo Durocher New York Giants
Statistical leaders
Major league baseball final standings
American League final standings
National League final standings
Events
January
January 23 – Guido Rugo sells his interest in the Boston Braves to copartners Lou Perini and treasurer Joe Maney. January 26 – The baseball writers vote Mel Ott and Jimmie Foxx into the Hall Of Fame.
February
February 5 – California governor Earl Warren rejects the rumor that he is a candidate for the MLB Commissioner position.
March
March 10 – The St. Louis Browns reveal plans to move the club to Milwaukee because of poor attendance. March 12 – Baseball commissioner Happy Chandler loses his bid to remain in office. Chandler, who started his term as commissioner in 1945, is voted down, 9–7, in a tally of owners. He will be succeeded by Ford C. Frick. March 21 – During spring training, Pittsburgh Pirates lefty first baseman Dale Long makes his first appearance as a catcher in an exhibition game at San Diego, California, after Pirates general manager Branch Rickey decided to flaunt tradition and try him as a catcher for the foreseeable future. Pretty soon, Long joined the St. Louis Browns on waivers and went back to first base. Eventually, he would catch two games in 1958 with the Chicago Cubs, using a first baseman's mitt. March 30 – Johnny Vander Meer is released by the Chicago Cubs.
April
April 17 – At Shibe Park, the Philadelphia Athletics and the Washington Senators play the first Opening Day night game in American League history. The Senators prevailed, 6–1, behind the solid pitching of Cuban 40-year-old Connie Marrero, as his batterymate Mickey Grasso hits a three-run home run. Marrero pitches nine strong innings, allowing one earned run on seven hits and two walks while striking out six batters. Bobby Shantz is the losing pitcher.