# 1946 International League season

The 1946 International League was a Class AAA baseball season played between April 17 and September 26. Eight teams played a 154-game schedule, with the top four teams qualifying for the post-season.
The Montreal Royals won the Governors' Cup, defeating the Syracuse Chiefs in the final round of the playoffs.

## League changes

* Prior to this season, the top level of Minor League Baseball was Double-A, which had been established in 1912. The Triple-A classification was created beginning in the 1946 season.

## Teams

1946 International League :
| Team | City | MLB Affiliate | Stadium |
| Baltimore Orioles | Baltimore, Maryland | Cleveland Indians | Municipal Stadium |
| Buffalo Bisons | Buffalo, New York | Detroit Tigers | Offermann Stadium |
| Jersey City Giants | Jersey City, New Jersey | New York Giants | Roosevelt Stadium |
| Montreal Royals | Montreal, Quebec | Brooklyn Dodgers | Delorimier Stadium |
| Newark Bears | Newark, New Jersey | New York Yankees | Ruppert Stadium |
| Rochester Red Wings | Rochester, New York | St. Louis Cardinals | Red Wing Stadium |
| Syracuse Chiefs | Syracuse, New York | Cincinnati Reds | MacArthur Stadium |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | Toronto, Ontario | Philadelphia Athletics | Maple Leaf Stadium |

## Regular season
### Summary

* The Montreal Royals finished with the best record in the regular season for the second consecutive season.
* Jackie Robinson, Roy Partlow and Johnny Wright of the Montreal Royals became the first African-American players in the minor leagues in 30 years.

### Standings

International League :
| Team | Win | Loss | % | GB |
| Montreal Royals | 100 | 54 | .649 | – |
| Syracuse Chiefs | 81 | 72 | .529 | 18.5 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 81 | 73 | .526 | 19 |
| Newark Bears | 80 | 74 | .519 | 20 |
| Buffalo Bisons | 78 | 75 | .510 | 21.5 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 71 | 82 | .464 | 28.5 |
| Rochester Red Wings | 65 | 87 | .428 | 34 |
| Jersey City Giants | 57 | 96 | .373 | 42.5 |

## League Leaders
### Batting leaders

| Stat | Player | Total |
| AVG | Jackie Robinson, Montreal Royals | .349 |
| H | Bobby Brown, Newark Bears Danny Murtaugh, Rochester Red Wings | 174 |
| R | Soup Campbell, Baltimore Orioles Jackie Robinson, Montreal Royals | 113 |
| 2B | Eddie Joost, Rochester Red Wings | 35 |
| 3B | Marv Rackley, Montreal Royals | 14 |
| HR | Howie Moss, Baltimore Orioles | 38 |
| RBI | Eddie Robinson, Baltimore Orioles | 123 |
| SB | Marv Rackley, Montreal Royals | 65 |

### Pitching leaders

| Stat | Player | Total |
| W | Steve Nagy, Montreal Royals Jim Prendergast, Syracuse Chiefs | 17 |
| L | Max Surkont, Rochester Red Wings | 17 |
| ERA | Herb Karpel, Newark Bears | 2.41 |
| CG | Bud Byerly, Rochester Red Wings | 21 |
| SHO | Joe Coleman, Toronto Maple Leafs Earl Harrist, Syracuse Chiefs | 5 |
| SO | Art Houtteman, Buffalo Bisons | 147 |
| IP | Art Houtteman, Buffalo Bisons | 226.0 |

## Playoffs

* The Montreal Royals won their first Governors' Cup, defeating the Syracuse Chiefs in five games.

### Playoff bracket

| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Governors' Cup | Governors' Cup | Governors' Cup |
| 1 | Montreal | 4 | | | |
| 4 | Newark | 2 | | | |
| 4 | Newark | 2 | 1 | Montreal | 4 |
| | | | 2 | Syracuse | 1 |
| 2 | Syracuse | 4 | 2 | Syracuse | 1 |
| 3 | Baltimore | 2 | | | |