T he date was October 3 1948 The site was Cleveland Municipal Stadium The mood was dreary The Indians had just lost their last game of the regu lar season against the Detroit Tigers A win would have earned them their first Ameri can League AL pennant in 28 years The defeat forced a one game playoff the next day in Boston against the Red Sox for the AL title Cleveland short stop manager Lou Boudreau had to decide who would pitch in that crucial game He could have selected Bob Feller Feller was one of the most accomplished right-hand ers in baseball history Or he could have chosen future Hall of Famer Bob Lemon But instead he picked knuckleballer Gene Bearden One might think that the players were shocked But they trusted Boudreau He had not let them down all season Boudreau instructed his players to keep the choice a Rookie Gene Bearden middle fellow pitcher Bob Lemon left and catcher Rookie Gene Bearden middle fellow pitcher Bob Lemon left and catcher Jim Hegan celebrate after the Indians won the 1948 World Series Jim Hegan celebrate after the Indians won the 1948 World Series t TITLE TRIUMPH 5
GREAT PROMOTER Many owners of sports teams prefer to stay out of the spotlight Bill Veeck was not one of them Veeck took charge of the Indians in 1946 He got off on the wrong foot when he attempted to trade popular player manager Lou Boudreau to the St Louis Browns The protests were so loud that Veeck called off the deal Veeck's creativity and the Indians fine play resulted in 2 6 million fans filling up Municipal Stadium in 1948 But Veeck became known more for his wild stunts and promo tions than anything else In 1949 it became obvious that the Indians would not repeat as AL champions Veeck called for a burial of the pennant flag In 1951 Veeck became owner of the Browns He signed 3-foot-7 65-pound Eddie Gaedel and sent him to the plate against Detroit Stunned Tigers pitcher Bob Cain walked him The AL voided Gaedel's contract the next day 6 CLEVELAND INDIANS They soon secret He did not want his rookie left-hander mobbed by reporters before the impor tant game But when Bearden was finally announced as the starter fans and media mem bers scratched their heads Why would Boudreau stick Bearden on the mound After all he had two of the best pitchers in baseball available found out Bearden hurled a gem He yielded just five hits and one earned run in nine innings He did this against a strong Red Sox lineup in hitter-friendly Fenway Park In addition there had been a strong wind blowing out toward left field Boudreau hit two homers for the Indians Ken Keltner added a three-run blast Cleve land emerged with an 8 3 win When Bearden realized what he had accomplished he was stunned
Teammates carry pitcher Gene Bearden off the field after the Indians 8 3 victory over the Red Sox gave them the 1948 AL pennant I didn’t even know what inning it was I thought it was the eighth inning until the fel lows what a bunch carried me off the field on their shoul ders he exclaimed after the game The Indians were not done making Boston fans miserable Sterling Hurling Sterling Hurling Sterling Hurling Sterling Hurling The Indians pitching was brilliant t The Indians pitching was brilliant The Indians pitching was brilliant throughout the 1948 season But throughout the 1948 season But throughout the 1948 season But it certainly was never better than it certainly was never better than it certainly was never better than it certainly was never better than it was during one seven-ga e it was during one seven-game it was during one seven-game stretch in mid-August Cleveland stretch in mid-August Cleveland stretch in mid-August Cleveland stretch in mid-August Cleveland surrendered just four total runs and surrendered just four total runs and surrendered just four total runs and pitched four consecutive shutouts pitched four consecutive shutouts pitched four consecutive shutouts pitched four consecutive shutouts during that period The Indians won during that period The Indians won during that period The Indians won all seven games to run their winning all seven games to run their winning all seven games to run their winning streak to eigh streak to eight streak to eight p g TITLE TRIUMPH 7
