Between 1928 and 1940 he played on nine city championship teams in Cleveland Class A competition. During ten of those seasons he was the star shortstop for Fisher Foods which won four National Amateur Federation championships. He captained the team during much of that period. Finished his career with a lifetime batting average of .340 and a one-season high of .420.
The dominant pitcher in Cleveland amateur baseball in the era between 1915 and 1924, he gained his greatest fame in pitching the White Auto team to the World Amateur Championship in 1915. In seven games in the championship series he allowed just two runs. Crowds estimated between 40,000 and 100,000 watched the series games played at Cleveland’s Brookside Park.
Born in Cleveland and developed on the Cleveland sandlots, he became one of the Cleveland Indians’ best hitters of the 1930s. Most outstanding season came in 1935 when he led the American League in hits (216), doubles (47) and triples (20). Lifetime batting average was solid .307. Teamed with Earl Averill and Twitchy Dick Porter to give Indians one of their all-time best outfields.
A native son of Cleveland he enjoyed a 17-year major league pitching career during which he started 368 games and completed 23. Between 1919 and 1928 he won 20 or more games three times with the Indians. Enjoyed his greatest season in 1926, posting a fine 27-11 record and pitching an almost incredible 32 complete games in 36 starts. Ended his major league career with an even 200 victories.
Elected to Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1963. Began his 13-year major league career as an outfielder with Philadelphia in 1898. Came to Cleveland in 1902 and played with Cleveland until he retired in 1910. Completed a lifetime batting average of .315 and was so highly regarded that Cleveland refused to trade him for Ty Cobb when the Detroit Tigers proposed such a deal in 1908.
Catcher for American League Champion Philadelphia Athletics in 1910-11. Played for the Cleveland Spiders in the American League in 1901 and returned to team in 1912 when it was known as the Naps. Became manager of Milwaukee team in 1917. Born in Cleveland, he was still making the city his home in 1977 at the age of 97.
Outstanding catcher during a career which spanned the era from 1911 to 1932. Played for Cleveland, Boston an St. Louis, later serving as coach and then manager of the Indians. Caught all seven games of the 1920 World Series for the World Championship Cleveland team, hitting .333. Hit a season career high of .322 the following season, also with the Indians.
Elected to Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1962. Considered one of the greatest righthanded pitchers of all time. Joined Cleveland Indians in 1936 at age 17 and struck out 17 batters in one game that season. In 1938 he set a major league record with 18 strikeouts in a game. Went on to break virtually every modern strikeout mark, pitching three no-hitters and 12 one-hitters while winning 266 games.