 The Cleveland Indians are a Major League Baseball team based in Cleveland , Ohio . Formerly called the Blues, the Bronchos, and the Naps, the club's current name was suggested by a fan in 1914 to honor Louis Sockalexis. Cleveland 's AL team experienced its first winning season in 1902, with a 69-67 record good enough for 5th Place . The Indians won their first World Series in 1920, won again in 1954 but have yet to win another championship, after losing in 7 games to the Florida Marlins in the 1997 World Series. Yankees to capture their first ever AL Pennant with a 98-56 record in the year 1920, the World Series was a best 5 out of 9 affair and the Indians faced the Brooklyn Dodgers in the same year. In 1925 Tris speaker (Indian player- manager) collected 3000h career hit at League Park, he ended his career with 3,516 hits and was a part of the second group selected for the Hall of Fame in 1937. The Tribe, as the Indians are affectionately referred to by Clevelanders, fielded a competitive team through the late 1940s and early 1950s, featuring pitching stars Bob Feller, Early Wynn, Bob Lemon, and Mike Garcia.
They appeared in the World Series in 1948 and 1954 (when they won 111 games in a 154-game season), and were in regular contention for the pennant with the dominant New York Yankees. In 1955, Rookie Pitcher Herb Score bursts upon the American League scene, leading the league in strikeouts with 245, establishing a rookie record that stood nearly 30 years, while winning the Rookie of the Year award. The Team founded themselves in 2nd Place with a 93-61 record. The Indians were not considered a good franchise during most of the period of time between championships, with an especially weak period in the ‘60s and ‘70s, but for the second half of the ‘90s they were perennial contenders in the American League Central. Gaylord Perry won the CY Young in 1972. During the 1990s Cleveland won five consecutive division titles (1995-1999). The Indians captured the AL pennant and advanced to the World Series in 1995 and 1997. Cleveland repeated as division cham pions in 1996 but lost in the playoffs. In 1997 Cleveland again topped the division.
The team was led by catcher Sandy Alomar, Jr., shortstop Omar Vizquel, and outfielders David Justice and Manny Ramirez. In the World Series, the Indians lost in seven games to the Florida Marlins. In 2000, the Indians got off to a mediocre start, going 44-42 at the break. The team soon scored 46-30 the rest of the way to finish 90-72. In the season 2001 the team performed quite well as the achieved the score of 91-71. Cleveland again won the Central Division in 1998 and 1999, but failed both years to reach the World Series. The Cleveland Indians have won six times American League Central Division Championship in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2001. They have won five American League Pennants in 1920, 1948, 1954, 1995, and 1997. Herb Score (1955), Chris Chambliss (1971), Joe Charboneau (1980), Sandy Alomar Jr (1990) won the Rookie Of Year awards in the respective years. |
