1940 NL Stargell Award

The Cincinnati Reds won their second World Series, and first real one (the other was in 1919, when the Black Sox threw away the Series). They won the pennant easily, and first baseman Frank McCormick was awarded the MVP.
McCormick was an odd player; he was big, bigger than Hank Greenberg even (McCormick is listed at 6'4", 205 pounds). But he hit like Carney Lansford. He had a fine year at the plate, to be sure, and was also a wonderful defensive player. But his numbers were overshadowed by those of another first baseman, Big Johnny Mize, who had an absolutely monstrous year.

National League 1940

			AVG	OBA	SLU	AB	HIT	DB	TP	HR	RUN	RBI	BB	SB	OPS
1B	J MIZE	STL	314	404	636	579	182	31	13	43	111	137	82	7	1039
1B	F MCCORMICK	CIN	309	367	482	618	191	44	3	19	93	127	52	2	850
1B	D CAMILLI	BRO	287	397	529	512	147	29	13	23	92	96	89	9	926
1B	E FLETCHER	PIT	273	418	437	510	139	22	7	16	94	104	119	5	856
RF	B NICHOLSON	CHI	297	356	534	491	146	27	7	25	78	98	50	2	899
RF	M OTT	NY	289	407	457	536	155	27	3	19	89	79	100	2	864
RF	E SLAUGHTER	STL	306	370	504	516	158	25	13	17	96	73	50	8	874
LF	C ROSS	BOS	281	352	460	569	160	23	14	17	84	89	59	4	812

CF	D WALKER	BRO	308	357	435	556	171	37	8	6	75	66	42	3	793
CF	T MOORE	STL	304	356	475	537	163	33	4	17	92	64	42	18	831
3B	S HACK	CHI	317	395	439	603	191	38	6	8	101	40	75	21	834

SS	A VAUGHAN	PIT	300	393	453	594	178	40	15	7	113	95	88	12	846
SS	E MILLER	BOS	276	330	418	569	157	33	3	14	78	79	41	8	748
3B	B WERBER	CIN	277	361	416	584	162	35	5	12	105	48	68	16	777
2B	L FREY	CIN	266	361	371	563	150	23	6	8	102	54	80	22	732
CA	H DANNING	NY	300	349	454	524	157	34	4	13	65	91	35	3	803
CA	E LOMBARDI	CIN	319	382	489	376	120	22	0	14	50	74	31	0	871

        Mize and Bill Nicholson finished 1-2 in the home run race. That's a difference of 18 homers between the top two men. That's huge. Even the biggest Frank McCormick fan would have trouble justifying McCormick as the league's Most Valuable Player. Mize was a phenomenal hitter who had dominated the league ever since his great rookie year in 1936; at this time he was 27 years old, in his prime, and an unstoppable force at the plate. Three years in the war would eventually cut a huge chunk out of his career, but the original Big Cat still ranks as one of the greatest first sackers ever.
        Elbie Fletcher was an interesting player. He was a left-handed first baseman who began his career with the Boston Braves in 1934, at age 18. His first four seasons with the Braves were awful, and Elbie was traded to Pittsburgh. With the Pirates, he suddenly blossomed as a hitter. He never hit for high averages, or with much power, but he knew how to draw a walk. This was the first of three straight years that Fletcher led the NL in on-base percentage; he remained an outstanding hitter for the next four years before entering the service. When he came back in 1946, he wasn't as effective, and his career quietly ended.
        Arky Vaughan was an amazing player; this was his ninth season in the majors, and he had been an MVP candidate in almost every one of them. He made the All-Star team for the seventh straight year this season. Cubs' third sacker Stan Hack was terrific too, but didn't have much power. Harry Danning had a good year at catcher, as did Ernie Lombardi when he was in the lineup.
        I think that Mize and Vaughan were the best players in the league, and by a good margin. After that, I'm not sure. I'll give the benefit of the doubt to McCormick; though I'm not convinced he was a legitimate MVP candidate, you have to respect the big RBI total.