Honoring Indians Hall of Famers on Induction Day

It occurred to me while reading Cliff Corcoran's article on the best 25 man roster of all time: the Indians really lack a major class of Hall of Famers. The only player on his list to even play for Cleveland was Hoyt Wilhelm, who spent 2 season with the Tribe in the '50s. According to the Baseball Hall of Fame the Cleveland Indians only produced 12 players for the Hall of Fame (at least as their primary team). Of these 12, only six were elected by the BBWAA, and only one player made it first ballot. However, today of all days offers a terrific opportunity to remember Tribe greats past, and present.

The Early Veterans

Nap Lajoie, Tris Speaker, Elmer Flick, Stan Coveleski, Addie Joss, Joey Sewell, Earl Averill

This group comprises half of the Tribe's current Hall of Fame contingent, and two core players of our first World Series club. Despite two stalwarts of the Deadball Era, most of these players gained induction via the Veterans Committee decades after their playing careers ended.

Elmer Flick was a local boy from Bedford, OH who came to Cleveland in 1902 from Phildaelphia. In his prime he hit for high batting averages and some speed. He led the league in hitting in 1905, batting .308 (low for the period), while stealing 35 bases. He also led the league in steals twice in 1904 and 1906. While Flick was an offensive force in his day, he is best known for a declined trade offer with Detroit when the Tigers offered Cleveland Ty Cobb for Elmer Flick straight up in 1906. In the end the Naps declined to deal their star, and held onto Flick for his decline years, while Elmer produced again in 1907 he plummeted in 1908 and was out of baseball after 1910. Elmer gained induction from the Veterans Committee in 1963 at the age of 95.

Addie Joss is perhaps the queerest player in the Baseball Hall of Fame, as he actually failed to reach 10 seasons played due to a bout of meningitis which claimed his life. Joss was a pitching phenom with a career ERA of just 1.89, and a lifetime WHIP of 0.968. Despite only pitching 9 seasons, he logged over 2,000 IP, Joss's death led to the first All-Star Game in 1911 to benefit his family. Due to the unusual nature of his career, Joss did not gain induction into the Hall of Fame until 1978.

Nap Lajoie provided the name for the team from 1903 to 1914. A five time batting champion (including one controversial year over Ty Cobb), and six times led the AL in bWAR. Lajoie stems from an era where middle infielders not only led the league defensively, but also offensively. Lajoie, along with Eddie Collins, Rogers Hornsby and Honus Wager, hail from a days-gone-by time where runs were scarce and batting average reigned supreme. Lajoie gained induction in 1937, directly proceeding the fabled 1936 which included: Babe Ruth, Christy Mathewson, Walter Johnson, Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner.

Tris Speaker led the Cleveland Indians as a player manager to our first World Series in 1920 after leading Boston in 1912 and 1915. During his tenure Tris was famed for excellent defense and offense while also managing for several years. During his managerial tenure he was famed for introducing the platoon system for the Indians. Speaker holds the Major League record for both doubles and outfield assists. Speaker left Cleveland after 1926 under game fixing allegations, and retired as one of a few players with a .300/.400//500 stat line for a career. Speaker also gained induction to the Hall of Fame in the Class of 1937.

Stan Coveleski was the relatively unheralded ace of the 1920 Cleveland Indians. He led AL pitchers in bWAR in 1920, and threw 3 complete games (including a shutout), collecting three wins to lead the Indians to the World Series win over the Robins. In his brilliant, if relatively short, career Coveleski showed a prowess for completing games, finishing 223 of the 385 games he started. Never an amazing strikeout pitcher (only three times in the top 10 in his career, never higher than 3rd), Coveleksi actually holds the distinction of recording the fewest strikeouts of any pitcher in the Hall of Fame. Coveleski twice led the league in ERA: 1920 and 1925. Coveleski was inducted via the Veteran's Committee in 1969.

Joe Sewell joined the Tribe during the 1920 campaign in September to replace Ray Chapman, who died from a Carl Mays beanball. Despite technical rules barring players from joining the World Series roster following September, the commissioner gave the Indians an exception following Chapman's death. Sewell went on to play excellent offense for the Indians over 11 seasons, best known for his unparalleled contact ability and high batting averages. Sewell owns baseball's lowest strikeout percentage, a record which, at this time, appears untouchable. Sewell would go on to win a second World Series with the Yankees in 1932 as their regular shortstop. The Veteran's Committee selected Sewell in 1977.

Earl Averill hails from Washington state, and is known as the Earl of Snohomish, a small town. Averill played during the high batting average 1930s, and led competitive, but unsuccessful, Indians clubs during the great Yankee dynasty of the 1930s. Averill is arguably best known for complaining that the Hall of Fame took its good time to induct him to the Hall of Fame, and during his induction speech in 1975 stated: "I could have gotten in sooner, but its sure better late than never"

The Golden Years

Bob Feller, Bob Lemon, Early Wynn, Lou Boudreau, Larry Doby

This group arguably comprises the most famous part of our Hall of Fame contingent. Most of these player were inducted by the BBWAA (with the cruel exception of Larry Doby), and all played a role in either our 1948 Championship or our 1954 record setting club.

Bob Feller known as Rapid Robert, and the Heater from Van Meter, is known as the rookie phenom and the fastest pitcher of his day. He regularly led the league in strikeouts, innings pitched, complete games, and wins in his prime. From 1939-1941 Feller dominated the AL leading the league in strikeouts, wins, innings pitched, and strikeout rate. On December 8, 1941 Feller enlisted in the Navy following the disaster at Pearl Harbor and served with distinction aboard the USS Alabama. Feller's service is notable as he chose to fight (similar to Ted Williams) instead of playing baseball for the military team. Feller reached the rank of Chief Petty Officer, the only elected Hall of Famer in any sport to do so, and earned eight battle stars before returning to the Indians for 1945 for nine games. Bob then picked up where he left off again leading the league in innings, strikeouts and wins in 1946. A noticeably declined Feller led the Indians to the pennant in 1948. Feller took two losses in the 1948 World Series, despite a brilliant Game 1 against Johnny Sain. Feller served with the Indians until 1956, and was part of the record breaking club in 1954. Feller was elected first ballot to the Hall of Fame alongside Jackie Robinson in 1960.

Bob Lemon missed several years to start his career serving in World War Two, and returned to Cleveland as a utility player in 1946. For two years Lemon struggled, before converting to pitching full time in 1948. The move paid dividends as Lemon led the league in complete games and shutouts, before winning twice in the World Series to give Cleveland its second ring. Lemon entered his prime, taking over the mantle Feller surrendered, leading the Indians until 1955 when he began his decline. Despite an excellent effort, Lemon could not lead the Indians to a second ring in 1954 against Willie Mays' Giants. Lemon would go on to manage the Yankees to a World Series in 1978, 30 years after his win as a player. Lemon was inducted 12th ballot to the Hall of Fame in 1976.

Lou Boudreau or the boy manager was a defensive and offensive phenom shortstop for the Indians. Boudreau is famous for shifting against Ted Williams (occasionally called the Boudreau Shift) to combat Ted's tendency to pull the ball. Although certainly not the pioneer of the technique, Lou popularized it in the '30s and '40s. Boudreau's magna opus season was 1948, when he won the MVP, and led the league in bWAR and defensive WAR. Boudreau was elected ninth ballot in 1977.

Early Wynn was known as an intimidating presence on the mound, and a crusty reputation. Wynn started his career in Washington before heading to Cleveland in 1949, where he pitched the majority of his career. Wynn led the league in ERA in 1950 and wins in 1954 in a distinguished career in Cleveland, forming part of the Big Four rotation Cleveland boasted in our pennant winning season. Wynn went on to Chicago where he won the Cy Young, largely due to his 22 wins in 1959. Wynn would return to Cleveland in 1963 to record his 300th win (his only win that season) making him the only Cleveland pitcher to do so. Wynn took the longest of any 300 win pitcher to gain induction to the Hall of Fame, doing so on his fourth ballot in 1972.

Larry Doby is best known for breaking the AL color barrier soon after Robinson did so in the NL. Despite Robinson's fame: Larry Doby suffered in the far more racist league, without as much recognition. Like Robinson, Doby was a phenomenal player, displaying great power and grace as an outfielder. Doby twice led the league in homeruns, and missed out of the MVP in 1952. Due to missing time in the Negro Leagues, Doby was overlooked by the BBWAA and had to wait for the Veteran's Committee to elect him in 1998, a grievous oversight.

Future Hall of Famer

Jim Thome debuted in Cleveland as a young third baseman in 1991. Despite prodigious power, Thome struggled to stick MLB side until 1994. Thome's combination of patience and power allowed him to reach mythic offensive heights during his career, pulverizing fastballs while walking enough to reach base over 40% of the time. Thome was an integral part of both the '95 and '97 Pennant winning teams as both a third and first baseman. Thome's best season came in 2002 when he led the league in homers, batted over .300 and walked 122 times; he lost the MVP to Miguel Tejada. Thome went on to become a power hitting DH for Chicago, with stints in Philadelphia (under his mentor Charlie Manuel), Los Angeles, Minnesota and Baltimore. He returned to Cleveland in 2011 for the stretch run, in a failed effort to reach the post season. Thome is eligible for induction in 2018.