The Cleveland Indians name 24-year-old shortstop Lou Boudreau manager of the club.

President Alva Bradley selected Boudreau, who was given a two-year contract. He replaced former skipper Roger Peckinpaugh, who was leaving the dugout to become the team’s vice president and general manager, replacing C.C. Slapnicka.

Boudreau had been rumored to be the choice of Bradley weeks earlier, but the team president considered other options due to Boudreau’s inexperience and age. The “Boy Manager” became the youngest to hold such a position, bumping Joe Cronin of Washington from that claim.

Bradley said of the hire, “The more I inspected the qualifications of various other candidates the more convinced I became that we couldn’t afford not to take advantage of Lou Boudreau’s natural gift for leadership. I don’t know of another man of whom I could be so certain that he would be thoroughly respected by players, press, and public. Lou is smart, he’s a great ball player, a fine young man, a fighter, and a leader.”

In his first press conference, held at League Park, Boudreau made clear his expectations for his time at the helm.

“I want ball players who will eat, drink, and sleep baseball,” he said, “and if I find we’ve got some of the other kind I’ll get rid of them.”