The 1949 season was the 49th season in the history of the Cleveland Indians. The club entered the season as the defending World Champions. On March 5, 1949, Indians minority owner Bob Hope donned a Cleveland Indians uniform and posed with manager Lou Boudreau and vice president Hank Greenberg as the World Series champions opened spring training camp in Tucson, Arizona.
Offseason November 15, 1948: 1948 minor league draft Bob Chakales was drafted by the Indians from the Philadelphia Phillies.Bob Chakales at Baseball Reference Grant Dunlap was drafted from the Indians by the New York Yankees.Grant Dunlap at Baseball Reference December 14, 1948: Ed Klieman, Joe Haynes, and Eddie Robinson were traded by the Indians to the Washington Senators for Mickey Vernon and Early Wynn.Mickey Vernon at Baseball Reference Prior to 1949 season: Brooks Lawrence was signed as an amateur free agent by the Indians.Brooks Lawrence at Baseball Reference
Regular season Following their 1948 World Series championship, the 1949 Indians season proved to be a disappointment. Despite having the best overall pitching and fielding statistics in either the American or National Leagues, the Indians finished a distant third place behind the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. A team roster that boasted eight future members of the Baseball Hall of Fame (Lou Boudreau, Larry Doby, Bob Feller, Joe Gordon, Bob Lemon, Satchel Paige, Minnie Miñoso, and Early Wynn) could not deliver a second consecutive championship to Cleveland. During the season, Indians fan Charlie Lupica spent 117 days on a flagpole, waiting for the Indians to regain first place. They never did, and he gave up his pursuit when the Indians were mathematically eliminated on September 25.
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Notable transactions April 28, 1949: Grant Dunlap was returned to the Indians by the New York Yankees.
Opening Day Lineup +Opening Day Starters # Name Position34 Dale Mitchell LF37 Larry Doby CF5 Lou Boudreau SS4 Joe Gordon 2B3 Mickey Vernon 1B6 Ken Keltner 3B33 Bob Kennedy RF10 Jim Hegan C19 Bob Feller P 1949 Opening Day Lineup at Baseball-Reference
Roster 1949 Cleveland Indians Roster Pitchers Catchers
Infielders Outfielders
Other batters Manager
Coaches (Pitching) (Third base)
Player stats = Indicates team leader = Indicates league leader Batting
Starters by position Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in Pos Player G AB H Avg. HR RBICJim Hegan152468105.224855 1B 153 584 170 .291 18 832B Joe Gordon148533136.2512084 SS 134 475 135 .284 4 603BKen Keltner8024657.232830OFDale Mitchell149640203.317356OFLarry Doby147547153.2802485OFBob Kennedy121424117.276957
Other batters Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in Player G AB H Avg. HR RBIRay Boone8625865.252426Thurman Tucker8019748.244014Johnny Berardino5011623.198013Allie Clark357413.17619Luke Easter214510.22202Al Rosen23447.15905Mike Tresh38378.21601Hal Peck33299.31009Minnie Miñoso9163.18811Hank Edwards5154.26711Bobby Ávila31143.21403Milt Nielsen391.11100Herman Reich121.50000Fred Marsh100.---00
Pitching
Starting pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Player G IP W L ERA SOBob Lemon37279.222102.99138Bob Feller36211.015143.75108Early Wynn26164.21174.1562Gene Bearden32127.0885.1041
Other pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Player G IP W L ERA SO Steve Gromek 40 92.0463.3322Sam Zoldak2753.0124.2511
Relief pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Player G W L SV ERA SOAl Benton4096102.1241Mike Garcia4114522.3694Satchel Paige314753.0454Frank Papish251013.1923
Awards and honors Dale Mitchell, American League leader, triples (23)Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures, 2008 Edition, p. 98, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York, Team ERA of 3.36 lowest in MLB for 1949 Team fielding percentage of .983 highest in MLB for 1949 All Star Game
Larry Doby, Outfielder, reserve
Joe Gordon, Second baseman, reserve
Jim Hegan, Catcher, reserve
Bob Lemon, Pitcher, reserve
Dale Mitchell, Outfielder, reserve
Farm system
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: StroudsburgJohnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007
Notes
References 1949 Cleveland Indians at Baseball Reference 1949 Cleveland Indians at Baseball Almanac