1954 Cleveland Indians season

The 1954 Cleveland Indians advanced to the World Series for the first time in six years. It was the team's third American League championship in franchise history. The Indians lost the World Series in four games to the New York Giants, after which the Indians would not return to the Fall Classic until 1995.

Offseason

February 19, 1954: Bill Upton and Lee Wheat were traded by the Indians to the Philadelphia Athletics for Dave Philley.^[1]

Regular season

Season standings

American League	W	L	Pct.	GB
Cleveland Indians	111	43	.721	--
New York Yankees	103	51	.669	8
Chicago White Sox	94	60	.610	17
Boston Red Sox	69	85	.448	42
Detroit Tigers	68	86	.442	43
Washington Senators	66	88	.429	45
Baltimore Orioles	54	100	.351	57
Philadelphia Athletics	51	103	.331	60

Notable transactions

April 12, 1954: Hal Newhouser was signed as a free agent by the Indians.^[2]
June 1, 1954: Bob Chakales was traded by the Indians to the Baltimore Orioles for Vic Wertz.^[3]

Roster

1954 Cleveland Indians

Roster

Pitchers

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Other batters

33 Jim Dyck
9 Luke Easter

Manager

10 Al Lopez

Coaches

44 Tony Cuccinello (Assistant)
43 Mel Harder (Pitching)
42 Red Kress (Assistant)
40 Bill Lobe (Assistant)

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

Pos	Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
C	Hegan, JimJim Hegan	139	423	99	.234	11	40
1B	Wertz, VicVic Wertz	94	295	81	.275	14	48
2B	Ávila, BobbyBobby Ávila	143	555	189	.341	15	67
3B	Rosen, AlAl Rosen	137	466	140	.300	24	102
SS	Strickland, GeorgeGeorge Strickland	112	361	77	.213	6	37
LF	Smith, AlAl Smith	131	481	135	.281	11	50
CF	Doby, LarryLarry Doby	153	577	157	.272	32	126
RF	Philley, DaveDave Philley	133	452	102	.226	12	60

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	RBI
Westlake, WallyWally Westlake	85	240	63	.263	11	42
Regalado, RudyRudy Regalado	65	180	45	.250	2	24
Glynn, BillBill Glynn	111	171	43	.251	5	18
Dente, SamSam Dente	68	169	45	.266	1	19
Majeski, HankHank Majeski	57	121	34	.281	3	17
Pope, DaveDave Pope	60	102	30	.294	4	13
Naragon, HalHal Naragon	46	101	24	.238	0	12
Mitchell, DaleDale Mitchell	53	60	17	.283	1	6
Grasso, MickeyMickey Grasso	4	6	2	.333	1	1
Easter, LukeLuke Easter	6	6	1	.167	0	0
Nelson, RockyRocky Nelson	4	4	0	.000	0	0
Ginsberg, JoeJoe Ginsberg	3	2	1	.500	0	1
Dyck, JimJim Dyck	2	1	1	1.000	0	1
Kennedy, BobBob Kennedy	1	0	0	----	0	0

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	SO
Wynn, EarlyEarly Wynn	40	270.2	23	11	2.73	155
Garcia, MikeMike Garcia	45	258.2	19	8	2.64	129
Lemon, BobBob Lemon	36	258.1	23	7	2.72	110
Houtteman, ArtArt Houtteman	32	188	15	7	3.35	68
Feller, BobBob Feller	19	140	13	3	3.09	59

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	W	L	SV	ERA	SO
Narleski, RayRay Narleski	42	3	3	13	2.22	52
Mossi, DonDon Mossi	40	6	1	7	1.94	55
Newhouser, HalHal Newhouser	26	7	2	7	2.51	25
Hooper, BobBob Hooper	17	0	0	2	2.72	12
Hoskins, DaveDave Hoskins	14	0	1	0	3.04	9
Chakales, BobBob Chakales	3	2	0	0	0.87	3
Santiago, JoséJosé Santiago	1	0	0	0	0.00	1
Tomanek, DickDick Tomanek	1	0	0	0	5.40	0

1954 World Series

Main article: 1954 World Series

This was the first time the Cleveland Indians were swept in a World Series. The only highlight for the Indians was that they kept the Yankees from winning their sixth straight series. The last time the Yankees had not won the series or pennant beforehand was 1948, when, again, the Indians kept them out (although that year, they won the Series). It was also the only World Series from 1949 to 1958 which did not feature the Yankees.

Game 1

September 29, 1954 at the Polo Grounds in New York

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H	E
Cleveland (A)	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	8	0
New York (N)	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	5	9	3
W: Marv Grissom (1-0) L: Bob Lemon (0-1)
HR: NYG – Dusty Rhodes (1)

Game 2

September 30, 1954 at the Polo Grounds in New York

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cleveland (A)	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	8	0
New York (N)	0	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	x	3	4	0
W: Johnny Antonelli (1-0) L: Early Wynn (0-1)
HR: CLE – Al Smith (1) NYG – Dusty Rhodes (2)

Game 3

October 1, 1954 at Cleveland Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York (N)	1	0	3	0	1	1	0	0	0	6	10	1
Cleveland (A)	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	2	4	2
W: Rubén Gómez (1-0) L: Mike Garcia (0-1) S: Hoyt Wilhelm (1)
HR: CLE – Vic Wertz (1)

Game 4

October 2, 1954 at Cleveland Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York (N)	0	2	1	0	4	0	0	0	0	7	10	3
Cleveland (A)	0	0	0	0	3	0	1	0	0	4	6	2
W: Don Liddle (1-0) L: Bob Lemon (0-2) S: Johnny Antonelli (1)
HR: CLE – Hank Majeski (1)

Composite Box

1954 World Series (4-0): New York Giants (N.L.) over Cleveland Indians (A.L.)

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H	E
New York Giants	1	2	6	0	7	1	1	0	0	3	21	33	7
Cleveland Indians	3	0	0	0	3	0	2	1	0	0	9	26	4
Total Attendance: 251,507 Average Attendance: 62,877
Winning Player's Share: – $11,118 Losing Player's Share – $6,713

Award winners

All-Star Game

Al Rosen, first baseman, starter
Bobby Ávila, second baseman, starter
Larry Doby, reserve
Mike Garcia, reserve
Bob Lemon, reserve

Farm system

Level	Team	League	Manager
AAA	Indianapolis Indians	American Association	Kerby Farrell
A	Reading Indians	Eastern League	Pinky May
B	Keokuk Kernels	Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League	Jo-Jo White
B	Spartanburg Peaches	Tri-State League	Jimmy Bloodworth
C	Fargo-Moorhead Twins	Northern League	Phil Seghi
C	Sherbrooke Indians	Provincial League	Mark Wylie
D	Jacksonville Beach Sea Birds	Florida State League	Spud Chandler
D	Tifton Indians	Georgia-Florida League	Ed Hartness
D	Pauls Valley Raiders	Sooner State League	Lloyd Pearson and Bennie Warren

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Fargo-Moorhead^[4]

The 1954 Indianapolis Indians featured Herb Score and Rocky Colavito. Colavito hit 38 home runs and accumulated 116 RBIs.^[5]

Notes

References

1954 Cleveland Indians team page at Baseball Reference
1954 Cleveland Indians team page at www.baseball-almanac.com
1954 World Series page at Baseball Reference

External links

1954 Cleveland Indians at BaseballLibrary.com

Preceded by New York Yankees 1953	American League Champions 1954	Succeeded by New York Yankees 1955

v t e 1954 MLB season by team

American League	Baltimore Boston Chicago Cleveland Detroit New York Philadelphia Washington

National League	Brooklyn Chicago Cincinnati Milwaukee New York Philadelphia Pittsburgh St. Louis

1954 All-Star Game 1954 World Series

Cleveland Indians

Formerly the Grand Rapids Rustlers, Cleveland Lake Shores, Cleveland Bluebirds, and Cleveland Naps
Based in Cleveland, Ohio

Franchise

Ballparks

League Park
Cleveland Municipal Stadium
Progressive Field
Spring Training: Henley Field
Terry Park Ballfield
Clearwater Athletic Field
Hi Corbett Field
Chain of Lakes Park
Goodyear Ballpark

Culture and lore

Rivalries

Cincinnati Reds

Key personnel

Owner: Larry Dolan
President: Mark Shapiro
General Manager: Chris Antonetti
Manager: Terry Francona

Postseason appearances (11)

1920
1948
1954
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2001
2007
2013

Division championships (7)

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2001

2007

American League pennants (5)

1920

1948

1954

1995

1997

World Series championships (2)

1920

1948

Retired numbers

Hall of fame members

Minor league affiliations

AAA: Columbus Clippers

AA: Akron RubberDucks

A: Carolina Mudcats

Lake County Captains

Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Rookie: Arizona League Indians

Dominican Summer League Indians

Media

TV: SportsTime Ohio

WKYC

Announcers: Matt Underwood

Rick Manning

Radio: WTAM

WMMS

Radio Network

Announcers: Tom Hamilton

Jim Rosenhaus

Seasons (113)

1900s–10s	1900 · 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919

1920s–30s	1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939

1940s–50s	1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959

1960s–70s	1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979

1980s–90s	1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

2000s–10s	2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

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1954 Cleveland Indians season