center fielder for the Brooklyn Dodgers who led the NL in batting and four other categories in 1941 and in steals twice, but whose fearless defensive style led to numerous injuries December 10 – John F. Kieran, 89, New York sportswriter and radio and television personality who authored books on numerous subjects December 22 – Ed Gallagher, 71, pitcher for the 1932 Boston Red Sox December 28 – John Bischoff, 87, catcher for the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox in the 1920s, and one of the first foreign ballplayers to play in Cuban baseball References External links 1981 Major League Baseball season schedule at Baseball Reference 1981 MLB Standings at Baseball Reference Major League Baseball seasons