Today in Tribe History: January 19, 1937

In a very Cleveland-centric Hall of Fame vote, three former members of the American League franchise are elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America as part of the second class selected. Read More

League, City Plunged into Mourning after Chapman’s Death

This story was originally published on December 26, 2014, as part of a series of stories by Did The Tribe Win Last Night’s Vince Guerrieri on the Indians’ 1920 season. You can find this original story and more categorized on the site under 1920: Tragedy and Triumph. – BT

Tris Speaker didn’t sleep a wink the night Ray Chapman died. He stayed up in his room, along with Jack Graney and Steve O’Neill, hoping for the best but fearing the worst. Their worst fears were confirmed when Raymond Johnson Chapman died at 4:40 a.m., August 17, 1920.

The team visited the mortuary that day for a viewing. Graney and O’Neill passed out. Chapman’s teammates wept as they recollected his playing skill and his sunny disposition.

“It is not the baseball player I mourn,” Speaker said. “It is the pal, the truest pal man ever had.”

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Tragedy Struck Tribe with Chapman Beaning

This weekend marked the anniversary of a tragic event thankfully never replicated on a Major League field. This story of the death of Ray Chapman was originally published on December 23, 2014, as part of a series of stories by Did The Tribe Win Last Night’s Vince Guerrieri about the Indians’ 1920 season. You can find this original story and more categorized on the site under 1920: Tragedy and Triumph. – BT

After a four-game sweep by the Yankees at League Park, the Indians had watched their lead in the American League dwindle from four and a half games down to just half a game. A loss to the St. Louis Browns put the Indians half a game back of the Yankees, who were demonstrating that they didn’t need speed when they had power. The Indians were able to put an end to the five-game skid with a shutout by Bob Clark, the pitcher from Newport, Pennsylvania*, who had thrown batting practice and came on in relief in the exhibition in July against the Reds. It was Clark’s first – and only – major league win. Read More

Today in Tribe History: January 19, 1937

In a very Cleveland-centric Hall of Fame vote, three former members of the American League franchise are elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America as part of the second class selected. Read More

Today in Tribe History: January 19, 1937

In a very Cleveland-centric Hall of Fame vote, three former members of the American League franchise are elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America as part of the second class selected. Read More

Today in Tribe History: January 19, 1937

In a very Cleveland-centric Hall of Fame vote, three former members of the American League franchise are elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America as part of the second class elected. Read More

Today in Tribe History: January 19, 1937

In a very Cleveland-centric Hall of Fame vote, three former members of the American League franchise are elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America as part of the second election. Read More

Today in Tribe History: October 12, 1920

After trailing 2-1 in their best-of-nine series with the Brooklyn Dodgers (Robins), the Cleveland Indians win their fourth straight game and clinch the 1920 World Series with a 3-0 victory at Dunn Field in Cleveland. Read More

Common Bonds Link Indians and Red Sox Organizations

In 116 years of shared history, there were bound to be a few common threads between the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox organizations. Those links extend far beyond a handful of players and coaches who make up each respective dugout this season while the two face off in the American League Division Series in their fifth playoff matchup all-time.

The most visible overlap between the two franchises may start from the managerial positions. Indians manager Terry Francona spent a portion of his playing career with the Indians before guiding the Red Sox to their first World Series title in 2004 to end an 86-year championship drought. Across the diamond, Red Sox manager John Farrell spent the majority of his playing days as a member of the Indians, including time as Francona’s teammate during the 1988 season. Read More

Heroes of 1920 on Hand to See Tribe Take Game Three

October 9, 1948

It was the first World Series game that triple play man Bill Wambsganss had seen since his Cleveland Indians defeated the Brooklyn Robins in Game Seven in 1920. The grand slam man, Elmer Smith, had seen a few since, however.

“This is the first series I’ve seen since our 1920 victory,” Wamby shared. “Elmer, of course, played in two other series’ with the New York Yankees.” Read More

Indians’ Sale of Gandil Ended up Having Far-Reaching Repercussions

As the Indians started spring training in 1917, there seemed to be a feeling of adjustment.

The previous season had been littered with moves, from a new owner, Jim Dunn, to the acquisition of center fielder Tris Speaker from the Red Sox. The Indians had gone 77-77, a 20-game improvement from the previous season, and the feeling was that the pieces were in place for a run at the pennant.

But the Indians made one significant change in spring training in 1917 that had repercussions not for them, but throughout Major League Baseball. Read More

Today in Tribe History: January 19, 1937

In a very Cleveland-centric Hall of Fame vote, three former members of the American League franchise are elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America as part of the second election.

Needed 151 … Read More