On August 19, 1951, owner Bill Veeck sends three-foot, seven-inch Eddie Gaedel to bat for his St. Louis Browns. Gaedel, who had been signed by Veeck in perhaps his most famous publicity stunt, walks on four pitches from Detroit Tigers left-hander Bob Cain. Gaedel, who is removed for pinch-runner Jim Delsing, will be banned from…
After pitching for Bill Veeck in Cleveland in 1948, Satchel Paige rejoins him with the St. Louis Browns.
Luke Easter has his second consecutive two-homer day to lead the Indians to a 13 – 4 trouncing of the Senators. Easter had two yesterday in a win over New York. Al Rosen adds a single, double, and triple to back Bob Lemon’s pitching.
“Sometimes the best trades are the ones you never make” – BILL VEECK, the Indian owner’s observation about a possible deal that wasn’t made. Lou Boudreau is selected as the American League Most Valuable Player, becoming the only manager to win a World Series and be named the circuit’s MVP in the same season. The popular Indian shortstop, who had almost been dealt to the Browns earlier in the year but for the protest of the Tribe fans, prompts owner Bill Veeck to rethink the transaction.
Indian right-hander Don Black, while batting in the second inning of the Cleveland Stadium contest against St. Louis, suffers a cerebral hemorrhage and is rushed to the hospital in critical condition. The 32 year-old hurler will survive, but his major league career is over.
Ordered by Bill Veeck to pass up the All-Star Game, a well-rested Bob Feller is shelled from the mound with only one out in the 1st inning by the A’s. The A’s score first when Feller absent-mindedly goes into a wind-up with two on, and Ray Coleman and Barney McCosky pull a double steal. The Mackmen then jump on Bob Muncrief and roll to a 10 – 5 win over the American League-leading Indians. Lou Brissie wins his 4th straight. Joe Coleman will shut out the Tribe, 5 – 0, tomorrow to split the series.
On July 7, 1948 The Indians stun the baseball world by signing Satchel Paige, veteran Negro League pitcher. The move is ridiculed by some as a Bill Veeck publicity stunt, and J.G. Taylor Spink in The Sporting News editorializes, “Veeck has gone too far in his quest for publicity. To sign a hurler at Paige’s…
1948 – Former slugger Hank Greenberg, who tormented the Cleveland Indians for most of his career as a member of the Detroit Tigers, is hired as the Indians’ farm club director by Bill Veeck.
On July 3, 1947, Cleveland Indians owner Bill Veeck purchases the contract of outfielder Larry Doby from the Newark Eagles of the Negro American League. Doby will play in his first game two days later, becoming the first African-American player in American League history. @ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IGp1c3QgY2xpY2sgdGhlIHRhZ3MhICAiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsImxpbmtfdG9fdGVybV9wYWdlIjoib24iLCJzZXBhcmF0b3IiOiIgfCAiLCJjYXRlZ29yeV90eXBlIjoicG9zdF90YWcifX0=@
For the first time, the Cleveland Indians will play all their games at Cleveland Stadium. The Indians abandon League Park, where most weekday games have been played since Cleveland Stadium opened. New Cleveland owner Bill Veeck installs an inner fence to cut power alleys from 435 to 365 feet at Municipal Stadium.
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