Cleveland Indians

From 1901 to the present, The Cleveland Indians have been an American League Baseball Organization. Fans nicknamed the Indians the "Tribe". The Tribe has won 2 World Championships & 5 American League Pennants. Many talented Indians included Hall of Famers Bob Feller, Nap Lajoie, Tris Speaker, Bob Lemon, Early Wynn, Earl Averill, Lou Boudreau, & Larry Doby.

Jacobs Field Era. April 4, 2001 Sellout streak comes to an end The sellout streak that began on June 12, 1995 ended on April 4. The 455 sellouts is a Major League record.

2 World Championships (1920 & 1948)
5 American League Pennants (1920, 1948, 1954, 1995, & 1997)
(1954) Most Wins 111

1920 The Tribe defeated The Dodgers 5 Games to 2!!!

1947 Cleveland Indians logo!!!

1948 The Tribe defeated The Braves 4 Games to 2!!!

Ticket stub from Game 3 of the 1948 World Series held at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland. Tribe rookie Gene Bearden defeats Boston Braves Vern Bickford, 5-0.

1997 The Tribe Clinching the Pennant!!!



1948 Uniform, Jacket & Pennant!!!



Cleveland's five games to two win in the best-of-nine games World Series against Brooklyn was punctuated by Elmer Smith's grand slam (the first in World Series history), Bagby's home run (first by a pitcher in World Series history), and Bill Wambsganss' unassisted triple play (the only unassisted triple play in World Series history), all in the fifth game, October 10, 1920 at League Park.


It's the Fall of '48 at Cleveland's Municipal Stadium. The World Series. The Indians entertaining the Boston Braves. Now that the Tribe has relocated to a brand new teepee, we can look back on 1948 and say with certainty: "Those, indeed, were the days." Players like Lou Boudreau, Joe Gordon, Ken Keltner, Lary Doby, Bob Feller and Satchel Paige. Owner Bill Veeck. A one-game playoff against the Red Sox for the American League pennant. And then the World Series. The Indians' first since 1920. Throngs of 70,306, 81,897 and 86,288 attending Games 3, 4 and 5, the last establishing a World Series record that stood until the '59 Series at the LA Coliseum. And Indian victories in Games 2, 3 and 4 setting up the Game 6 clincher at Boston's Braves Field.


Len Barker's Perfect Game Boxscore



1993 Spring Training Boating Accident took the lives of Steve Olin & Tim Crews. It happened on an off day. The Cleveland Indians didn't have another Spring Training off day until the year 2000. Steve Olin was a young closer for the Tribe. He did have a promising career ended prematurely. Tim Crews a journeyman reliever was trying to make the club as well. Bob Ojeda the other man in the crash had head lacerations, but survived and is a Pitching Coach for the Mets.


There’s no mistake about it. Cleveland was ready for a brand new ballpark. And when the Indians entertained the Mariners at Jacobs Field on Monday, April 4, 1994, a new era was officially under way. Here, with Seattle’s Rich Amaral at bat, Indians’ starter Dennis Martinez shoots for the outside corner and a called strike on the first official pitch at the fantastic new facility. The other Indians on the field are C Sandy Alomar, Jr., 1B Eddie Murray, 2B Carlos Baerga, SS Omar Vizquel, 3B Mark Lewis, LF Albert Belle, CF Kenny Lofton and RF Manny Ramirez. Larry Barnett is the home plate umpire, Greg Kosc is at first, Al Clark is at second and Dan Morrison is at third. For the record, Wayne Kirby’s pinch-hit single in the 11th inning lifted the Indians to a thrilling 4-3 victory.


Bob Feller winding up.
In 1946 after his military service, Feller's fastball was clocked at 98.6 mph, "the fastest pitcher alive". On April 30, 1946, Feller's fastball was really humming, as he pitched a no-hitter in Yankee Stadium before 37,144 stunned fans as the Indians beat the Yankees, 1-0. This duplicated his opening day feat of 1940 when he no-hit the Chicago White Sox by the same 1-0 score.


INDIANS GREATEST PLAYERS:
Larry “Nap” Lajoie
1901 Triple Crown Winner including .426 Avg. 14 Homers & 125 RBI’s
.338 Career Batting Avg.
Bob Feller
266 Wins 162 Losses 21 Saves 3.25 Career ERA
279 Complete Games 44 Shutouts
Led the A.L. in strikeouts 12 times & wins 6 times
Pictched 3 No-Hitters & 12 one-hitters
Tris Speaker
.345 Career Batting Avg. 117 Homeruns 792 Doubles 222 Triples 1529 RBI’s & 432 Stolen Bases
Earl Averill
.318 Career Batting Avg. 238 Homeruns & 1164 RBI’s
Larry Doby
.283 Career Batting Avg. 253 Homeruns & 970 RBI’s
1st A.L. Black Player
Bob Lemon
207 Wins 128 Losses 22 Saves 3.23 Career ERA
188 Complete Games 31 Shutouts
Lou Boudreau
1948 MVP, 68 Home Runs 789 RBI’s .295 career Batting Avg.
728 Wins Tops for all Indians Managers
Mel Harder
223 Wins 186 Losses 23 Saves 3.80 Career ERA
181 Complete Games 25 Shutouts
Early Wynn
300 Wins 244 Losses 15 Saves 3.54 Career ERA
290 Complete Games 49 Shutouts



My Favorite Indians Players:
Nap Lajoie
Bob Feller
Al Rosen & Bob Lemon
Earl Averill
Tris Speaker
Bill Veeck & Larry Doby
Mel Harder
Lou Boudreau
Early Wynn
Herb Score
Kenny Lofton & Mike Hargrove "Grover"
Sandy Alomar Jr.
Carlos Baerga
Omar Vizquel
Jim Thome
Eddie Murray


The Tribe's All Time Team:
Note this list can be heavily argued about. Larry Doby & Earl Averill both played CF for the Tribe 8 & 10 seasons respectively. Shoeless Joe's stats were better with the Indians than with the White Sox. For a short period of time Cleveland was known as the Nap's. Named after Nap Lajoie. How many players can say they were the reason for the team name? Doug Jones was the only closer to feature a change up as his best pitch. Bob Feller missed time due to military service. Otherwise he would have won 300+ games.
DH Andre Thornton 1977-1987
C Jim Hegan 1941-1957
1B Jim Thome 1991-2002
2B Nap Lajoie 1902-1914
SS Lou Boudreau 1938-1950
3B Al Rosen 1947-1956
LF Albert Belle 1989-1996
CF Tris Speaker 1916-1926
RF "Shoeless" Joe Jackson 1910-1915
SP1 Robert Feller 1936-1941, 1945-1956
SP2 Addie Joss 1902-1910
SP3 Stan Coveleski 1916-1924
SP4 Bob Lemon 1946-1958
RP Doug Jones 1986-1991, 1998

Tribe Tidbits:
Who were called out in the only unassisted triple play in World Series history? Brooklyn Dodgers Players -- Pete Kilduff, Otto Miller, Clarence Mitchell. The play made by Cleveland second baseman Bill Wambsganss in 1920.
Quote from Early Wynn -- "That space between the white lines-that’s my office. That's where I conduct my business."
After hitting a home run in his first major league at bat, Averill went on to forge a hall of fame career. On August 29, 1932 against the Boston Red Sox, he was walked five consecutive times!
June 14, 1954: Nine Indian batters had two or more hits against Boston during a 13-5 Cleveland victory, completing a five-game sweep at Fenway. The Tribe went 20-2 against the Red Sox in 1954!


Retired Numbers:
Bob Feller 19
Mel Harder 18
Earl Averill 3
Lou Boudreau 5
Larry Doby 14
Bob Lemon 21



"The Good Old Days"
Carl Hubbell & Bob Feller
Bob Feller signs his contract.
Bob Feller in a painting.
Larry Doby 1st A.L. Black Player
Bob Feller warming up.



Links:

Negro League Page
Penn State Page
Washington Nationals Page
Cleveland Indians Official Page

Email: dfaidleyjr@yahoo.com