Cleveland Indians 1948 World Series

The Cleveland Indians finally reached the World Series in 1948, 28 years after their first appearance in the 1920. The Indians entered the World Series only after winning a one game playoff against the Boston Red Sox. Gene Bearden a knuckle ball throwing southpaw was the hero in the playoff pitching a complete game in Fenway winning 8-3 for his 20th victory in his rookie season! (Here is a gripping description of the one game playoff.)

With three games remaining in the season the Indians held a 1 game lead over the Yankees and a 2 game lead over the Red Sox. Unfortunately the Indians dropped 2 out of 3 to the Tigers while the Red Sox swept the Yankees in their three games resulting in a season ending tie between the Indians and Red Sox with the Yankees ending up two games out. The NYTimes referred to the race as "the most exciting flag struggle in the history of the junior circuit".

The Indians had finished 1947 in 4th place, 17 games behind the Yankees although they had a respectable 80-74 won lost record. The 1948 Indians improved to 97 wins and 58 losses primarily due to stronger pitching and a big improvement in power hitting. Bob Lemon and Bearden the rookie each won 20 games and Bob Feller won 19. Lemon won 20 in his first season after being switched from a outfielder to a pitcher in '48. The biggest pitching story of the year though may have been when Bill Veeck the Indians owner signed Satchell Paige, an aging Negro League star to a contract on July 7. Paige at 42 years and 2 days was the oldest rookie ever to appear in the major leagues. Paige finished out the year pitching in front of crowds routinely exceeding 70,000 going 6-1 with a 2.48 ERA, 2 shutouts and 43 strikeouts in 71 innings pitched.

The Indians improved offense was led by shortstop Lou Boudreau's .355 batting average, 18 home runs and 106 rbis all while acting as player-manager! Joe Gordon the 33 year old second baseman hit 32 homers with 124 rbis and Kenny Keltner the third baseman had 31 homers and 119 rbis. Some production from 4, 5 and 6 on the scorecard!

Larry Doby the new centerfielder was also noteworthy because he was the first black player in the American League following Jackie Robinson in the National League. He proved to be a very fine ceterfielder and productive hitter with a .301 batting average, 14 home runs and 66 rbi in his first full season.

The Indians prevailed against the Braves winning the series in six games. The Braves featured pitching lead by Warren Spahn and Johnny Sain ("Spahn, Sain and pray for rain") Cleveland was a deeper with Lemon, Feller, Bearden and Steve Gromek. Feller the Cleveland ace lost both games despite throwing a 2 hitter in the first game, but Lemon won 2, Bearden 1 and Gromek 1 plus a save from the ever present Bearden. Satchell Paige entered as a reliever in game 5 and was thus the first black pitcher in World Series history. Game 5 also set an all time World Series attendance record in Cleveland with 86,288 in cavernous Municipal Stadium.

Notable reserves for the Indians who went on to productive Indian careers were Al Rosen, Ray Boone, Bob Kennedy and pitcher Mike Garcia. Johnny Berardino was a reserve infielder who played all four positions in 1948 but is most distinctive for being the only person ever to play in a World Series and earn a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame! Berardino attended USC and had many movie credits but earned his chops as Dr. Steve Hardy appearing on the soap General Hospital for 33 years from 1963 to 1996!

Now on to profiles of individual Indians and how they moved on after the great 1948 World Series.