1948 Cleveland Indians: Conquering Boston

1948 Cleveland Indians: Conquering Boston

1948 Cleveland Indians: Conquering Boston

The 1948 Cleveland Indians were ranked as the 9th greatest baseball team ever by Sporting News, and there are plenty of good reasons for this. On the baseball diamond the Indians proved to be the best team in Major League Baseball, standing up to any challenges that got in their way. They initially finished the 1948 regular season with a 96-58 record, tying with the Boston Red Sox for the best record in the American League.

For the regular season, shortstop Lou Boudreau, who acted as the player-manager for the Indians, won the American League Most Valuable Player award as he batted .355 with 18 home runs and 106 RBI’s off 199 hits while recording 34 doubles and 6 triples. Outfielder Dale Mitchell batted .336 with 30 doubles and 8 triples off 204 hits while also stealing 13 bases. Outfielder Larry Doby batted .301 with 14 home runs and 66 RBI’s off 132 hits while recording 23 doubles, 9 triples and 9 stolen bases. Third baseman Ken Keltner batted .297 with 31 home runs and 119 RBI’s off 166 hits while recording 24 doubles and 4 triples.

Second baseman Joe Gordon batted .280 with 32 home runs and 124 RBI’s off 154 hits while recording 21 doubles, 4 triples and 5 stolen bases. Catcher Jim Hegan belted 14 home runs while first baseman Eddie Robinson belted 16 home runs. Outfielder Thurman Tucker stole 11 bases to bolster Cleveland’s running game.

The Indians were anchored by a dominant pitching staff containing hall of fame talent. Bob Lemon went 20-14 with 147 strikeouts, posting a 2.82 ERA, 20 complete games and 10 shutouts. Bob Feller went 19-15 with 164 strikeouts, posting a 3.56 ERA, 18 complete games and 2 shutouts. Gene Bearden went 20-7 with 80 strikeouts, posting a 2.43 ERA, 15 complete games and 6 shutouts. The Indians executed a trade with the St. Louis Browns on June 15, 1948, sending pitcher Bill Kennedy and $100,000 in exchange for pitcher Sam Zoldak. Responding to the trade, Zoldak went 9-6 with 4 complete games and 1 shutout performance.

On July 7, 1948 free agent pitcher Satchel Paige was signed by the Indians, and on July 9 Paige would make history as the oldest player to make his major league debut at the age of 42 years and 2 days. Paige went 6-1 with 43 strikeouts, posting a 2.48 ERA, 3 complete games and 2 shutouts. Closer Russ Christopher recorded 17 saves along with a 2.90 ERA.

Tied with the Boston Red Sox at the top of the American League standings, the Indians would play a one-game playoff at Fenway Park in Boston on October 4 to determine which team would win the American League pennant. Lou Boudreau had 4 hits in this game, which included a home run he launched off Red Sox pitcher Denny Galehouse in the top of the 1st inning. The Red Sox came back in the bottom of the 1st inning with an RBI single by shortstop Vern Stephens. However, the Indians got on a roll in the top of the 4th inning when Ken Keltner went deep for a 3-run home run while Jim Hegan got in an RBI off a ground-out.

Lou Boudreau went deep again for a home run in the top of the 5th inning to increase Cleveland’s lead. Red Sox second baseman Bobby Doerr went deep for a 2-run home run in the bottom of the 6th inning, but Gene Bearden drove in a run for the Indians as he reached on a fly ball error. Keltner then added another run in the top of the ninth grounding into a double play. The Indians defeated the Red Sox 8-3 to win the American League pennant.

The Cleveland Indians faced the Boston Braves in the 1948 World Series, who went 91-62 to win the National League pennant. The World Series started on October 6 as Game 1 took place at Braves Field. The Braves won Game 1 by a score of 1-0, and although the Indians managed to get 4 hits on offense, Braves right fielder Tommy Holmes had an RBI single in the bottom of the 8th inning to secure the victory for his team.

In Game 2 on October 7, the Indians responded with a 4-1 win as this game featured a classic pitching match up between Bob Lemon and Warren Spahn. The Braves struck first in the bottom of the 1st inning as third baseman Bob Elliott had an RBI single. Cleveland responded in the top of the 4th inning with RBI singles by Joe Gordon and Larry Doby. Lou Boudreau added an RBI single in the top of the 5th inning while right fielder Bob Kennedy followed suit with his own RBI single in the top of the 9th inning.

The World Series shifted to Cleveland Stadium for Game 3 on October 8, and the Indians would blank the Braves 2-0. Gene Bearden pitched a fantastic game, throwing a complete game shutout while striking out 4 batters and only surrendering 5 hits. Larry Doby had an RBI off a ground-out in the bottom of the 3rd inning while Jim Hegan had an RBI single in the bottom of the 4th inning to give the Indians the only runs they needed to win Game 3.

In Game 4 on October 9, Steve Gromek pitched a complete game for the Indians, giving up 7 hits and 1 walk, but only 1 run while striking out 2 batters. Lou Boudreau had an RBI double in the bottom of the 1st inning and Larry Doby followed that up by going deep for a solo home run in the bottom of the 3rd inning. Braves left fielder Marv Rickert had 2 hits in Game 3 and he belted a home run in the top of the 7th inning, but it wouldn’t be enough as the Indians won 2-1.

In Game 5 on October 10, the Indians would be denied a chance to win the World Series in front of their home crowd as the Braves defeated them 11-5. Though Nels Potter gave up 5 runs in his 3 1/3 innings on the mound, Warren Spahn gave Potter a ton of relief as he would pitch the final 5 and 2/3 innings, giving up no hits and striking out 7 batters. Bob Elliott had a great day at the plate for the Braves, belting a 3-run home run in the top of the 1st inning and then crushing a solo home run in the top of the 3rd inning.

Dale Mitchell went deep for a solo home run in the bottom of the 1st inning while right fielder Wally Judnich had an RBI single and Jim Hegan went deep for a 3-run home run in the bottom of the 4th inning. Braves catcher Bill Salkeld belted a solo home run in the top of the 6th inning and then a flurry of RBI singles by first baseman Earl Torgeson, Marv Rickert, center fielder Mike McCormick and second baseman Eddie Stanky in the top of the 7th inning gave the Braves the victory.

Though they returned to Braves Field for Game 6, the Indians took it in stride. Lou Boudreau had an RBI double in the top of the 3rd inning, and though Mike McCormick responded with an RBI single in the bottom of the 4th inning for the Braves, the Indians remained locked in on offense. In the top of the 6th inning Joe Gordon belted a solo home run and Jim Hegan had an RBI ground-out. Eddie Robinson added an RBI single in the top of the 8th inning. Pinch hitting for the Braves, outfielder Clint Conatser scored a run on a sacrifice fly and catcher Phil Masi had an RBI double in the bottom of the 8th inning, but Gene Bearden shut the door for the last 1 2/3 innings to record the save, clinching the 1948 World Series championship for the Cleveland Indians.