1920 Cleveland Indians: Legitimate Success

1920 Cleveland Indians: Legitimate Success

Major League Baseball was trying to rebound from the Black Sox Scandal that had shook up the sport and made some fans lose their trust in the game, and though the actions of 8 Chicago White Sox players still hovered over the game like a dark cloud, the 1920 regular season went on as scheduled.

Thankfully, there was no controversy to speak of concerning the Cleveland Indians, who went 98-56 in 1920, finishing 2 games ahead of the Chicago White Sox and 3 games ahead of the New York Yankees to win the American League pennant. The Indians went 51-27 at their home ballpark Dunn Field, which was more commonly known as League Park, and went 47-29 on the road.

Towards the end of the regular season, the aftermath of the Black Sox Scandal had finally hit the White Sox hard as their star players would be suspended for the last 3 games of the season. Before the suspensions, the Indians and the White Sox were in a virtual tie in the standings. The Yankees were on the verge of breaking out as a long-lasting power in baseball after they had acquired pitcher and outfielder Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox in a trade after the 1918 season.

Cleveland’s starting rotation was arguably the best in baseball as Jim Bagby went 31-12 with 73 strikeouts and posted a 2.89 ERA, 30 complete games and 3 shutouts. Stan Coveleski went 24-14 with 133 strikeouts and posted a 2.49 ERA, 26 complete games, 3 shutouts and 2 saves. Roy Caldwell went 20-10 with 80 strikeouts and posted a 3.86 ERA, 20 complete games and 1 shutout. Guy Morton went 8-6 with 72 strikeouts and posted 6 complete games, 1 shutout and 3 saves. Relief pitcher Dick Niehaus had 2 saves while George Uhle and Elmer Myers both had 1 save.

Though they were not known for crushing the baseball for home runs, the Indians had an effective offense that could get on base, get around the bases and then score. Outfielder Tris Speaker batted .388 with 8 home runs and 107 RBI’s off 214 hits, 50 doubles, 11 triples and 10 stolen bases. Catcher Steve O’Neill batted .321 with 157 hits and 39 doubles. Outfielder Charlie Jamieson batted .319 with 118 hits, 17 doubles and 7 triples.

Outfielder Elmer Smith batted .316 with 12 home runs and 103 RBI’s off 144 hits, 37 doubles and 10 triples. Third baseman Larry Gardner batted .310 with 118 RBI’s off 185 hits, 31 doubles and 11 triples. Shortstop Ray Chapman batted .303 with 132 hits, 27 doubles, 8 triples and 13 stolen bases. First baseman Doc Johnston batted .292 with 156 hits, 24 doubles, 10 triples and 13 stolen bases. Second baseman Bill Wambsganss had 138 hits, 16 doubles, 11 triples and 9 stolen bases.

The Indians would have a 7-game winning streak which began with a 14-0 win against the Philadelphia Athletics on September 15, and ended with a 12-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on September 21.

The Cleveland Indians would face the Brooklyn Dodgers, who also went by the name of Robins, in 1920 World Series, and though Brooklyn put the pressure on in the early games, Cleveland wrapped the series up beautifully. In Game 1 on October 5 at Ebbets Field the Indians won 3-1. Stan Coveleski pitched a complete game, giving up 5 hits and 1 run while recording 3 strikeouts. In the top of the 2^nd inning, first baseman George Burns had an RBI single, and Steve O’Neill followed with an RBI double.  O’Neill came back in the top of the 4^th with another RBI double. Brooklyn first baseman Ed Konetchy had an RBI groundout in the bottom of the 7^th, but that wouldn’t be enough to turn the tides.

The Dodgers responded in Game 2 on October 6 with a 3-0 shutout victory. Brooklyn starting pitcher Burleigh Grimes pitched a complete game, giving up 7 hits and 4 walks while recording 2 strikeouts. In the bottom of the 1^st inning, Dodgers left fielder Zack Wheat had an RBI single, and then right fielder Tommy Griffith had an RBI double in the bottom of the 3^rd inning. Griffith came back in the bottom of the 5^th to get an RBI single. The Dodgers would win again in Game 3 on October 9 by the score of 2-1. Another Dodgers starter pitched a complete game as Sherry Smith gave up 3 hits, 2 walks and 1 run while recording 2 strikeouts. Zack Wheat again had an RBI single in the bottom of the 1^st inning, and center fielder Hi Myers would follow with his own RBI single. Though Tris Speaker got the Indians on the board with an RBI double in the top of the 4^th, they couldn’t get their bats going.

Returning to Dunn Field for Game 4 on October 9, the Indians tied the series at 2 games apiece with a 5-1 victory. Stan Coveleski pitched another complete game, giving up 5 hits, 1 walk and 1 run while recording 4 strikeouts. Elmer Smith had an RBI single in the bottom of the 1^st inning, and Larry Gardner followed with a sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the 3^rd George Burns had a 2-run single, and though Tommy Griffith put Brooklyn on the board with an RBI double in the top of the 4^th, the Indians pulled away with a Bill Wambsganss infield RBI single in the bottom of the 6^th.

The Indians then won Game 5 on October 10 by the score of 8-1, but Game 5 would be historic as it would feature the only unassisted triple play in World Series history. Second baseman Bill Wambsganss caught a line drive that was hit by pitcher Clarence Mitchell, stepped on second base to put out Brooklyn second baseman Pete Kilduff, and then tagged out catcher Otto Miller, who was coming from first base.

Jim Bagby pitched a complete game, giving up 13 hits and 1 run while recording 3 strikeouts. In the bottom of the 1^st inning, Elmer Smith hit the first grand slam home run in World Series history, and in the bottom of the 4^th, Jim Bagby hit a 3-run home run in what would be the first World Series home run hit by a pitcher. Larry Gardner added an RBI single in the bottom of the 5^th.

The Indians would claim a 1-0 shutout victory in Game 6 on October 11 behind the complete game performance by Duster Mails, who gave up 3 hits and 2 walks and recorded 4 strikeouts. The only run Cleveland needed was an RBI double by George Burns in the bottom of the 6^th inning.

Needing to win 5 games in a 9-game World Series to be crowned the champions of baseball, the Indians did just that, shutting out the Dodgers 3-0 in Game 7 on October 12. Stan Coveleski pitched his third complete game of the series, giving up 5 hits and recording 1 strikeout. With Steve O’Neill up to bat in the bottom of the 4^th inning, Doc Johnston stole second base, which allowed Larry Gardner to score off a throwing error. Tris Speaker had an RBI triple in the bottom of the 5^th and then Charlie Jamieson had an RBI double in the bottom of the 7^th to end the scoring. The 1920 World Series title would be one of two championships the Indians franchise would win, with the 1948 World Series title being the other.