1949 Cleveland Indians season


The 1949 Cleveland Indians season was the 49th in franchise history. 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

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 seven future members of the Baseball Hall of Fame 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

Player stats

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
PosPlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
CJim Hegan152468105.224855
1B153584170.2911883
2BJoe Gordon148533136.2512084
SS134475135.284460
3BKen Keltner8024657.232830
OFDale Mitchell149640203.317356
OFLarry Doby147547153.2802485
OFBob Kennedy121424117.276957

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
PlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
Ray Boone8625865.252426
Thurman Tucker8019748.244014
Johnny Berardino5011623.198013
Allie Clark357413.17619
Luke Easter214510.22202
Al Rosen23447.15905
Mike Tresh38378.21601
Hal Peck33299.31009
Minnie Miñoso9163.18811
Hank Edwards5154.26711
Bobby Ávila31143.21403
Milt Nielsen391.11100
Herman Reich121.50000
Fred Marsh100.00000

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASO
Bob Lemon37279.222102.99138
Bob Feller36211.015143.75108
Early Wynn26164.21174.1562
Gene Bearden32127.0885.1041

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASO
Steve Gromek4092.0463.3322
Sam Zoldak2753124.2511

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGWLSVERASO
Al Benton4096102.1241
Mike Garcia4114522.3694
Satchel Paige314753.0454
Frank Papish251013.1923

Awards and honors

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: Stroudsburg