Future Indians manager Ossie Vitt is born in San Francisco, California.
Vitt played ten seasons in the Majors with the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox. After several seasons playing in the minors, he became a manager, eventually getting an opportunity at the helm of the Cleveland team in 1938.
He led the Indians to three consecutive winning seasons, but was not liked in the dugout. He had a reputation for belittling his players with sarcasm or pointing out their mistakes.
In 1940, the players became irritated enough that they approached then-owner Alva Bradley and advised him that Vitt could not lead the talented Indians group to a pennant. Bradley did not make a move and the press eventually got wind of the meeting, helping the Indians earn the moniker of “Cry-Babies”. Vitt was fired at the end of the season, with the team finishing one game behind the first place Detroit Tigers, and returned to minor leagues, managing for two more seasons.
Future Indians manager Ossie Vitt is born in San Francisco, California.
Vitt played ten seasons in the Majors with the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox. After several seasons playing in the minors, he became a manager, eventually getting an opportunity at the helm of the Cleveland team in 1938. He led the Indians to three consecutive winning seasons, but was not liked in the dugout. He had a reputation for belittling his players with sarcasm or pointing out their mistakes.
In 1940, the players became irritated enough that they approached then-owner Alva Bradley and advised him that Vitt could not lead the talented Indians group to a pennant. Bradley did not make a move and the press eventually got wind of the meeting, helping the Indians earn the moniker of “Cry-Babies”. Vitt was fired at the end of the season, with the team finishing one game behind the first place Detroit Tigers, and returned to minor leagues, managing for two more seasons.
Also on this date in Tribe history:
1910: Gabe Paul is born. After becoming GM of the expansion Houston Colt 45’s team, he left the club before they even played a game when he took the same position with the Indians on April 27, 1961. He held the role until 1973 and was also a part owner, president, and treasurer for the franchise at periods during that span.
1944: Charlie Manuel is born in Northfolk, West Virginia. He spent parts of three different decades as an Indians manager and coach at both the Major and minor league levels.
1965: Future Indians reliever Kevin Wickander is born in Fort Dodge, Iowa. He will spend parts of four seasons in an Indians uniform (1989-1990, 1992-1993) after being selected by the club in the second round of the 1986 draft. He would be dealt to the Cincinnati Reds in 1993 for a player to be named later.
2015: Former Indians general manager Hank Peters passes away at the age of 90. The World War II veteran worked as the farm director, scouting director, and an assistant general manager with the Indians in the 1960s and early 1970s. He was later a successful GM for the Baltimore Orioles for ten seasons before returning as the Indians GM, holding the position from 1988 to 1991 and helping to mold the successful Tribe teams of the 1990s.
