A quiet, dignified gentleman who came to the Cleveland Indians in a 1976 trade with Montreal for pitcher Jackie Brown, Andre “Thunder” Thornton played for ten memorable seasons with the Tribe. During that time, the slugging first basemen/designated hitter connected for 214 home runs, just 12 short of Earl Averill’s record. A knee operation which forced him to miss the entire 1980 season undoubtedly cost him the mark. When he retired, he ranked eighth on the Indians career rbi list and tenth in total bases and slugging percentage. His single season total of 109 bases on balls was the second highest in club history at the time. Those figures helped earn him selections to the American League All-Star Team in 1982 and 1984. He was selected the Indians Man of the Year in 1978 and shared the honor in 1982 with teammate Toby Harrah. He has made Cleveland his home since his retirement in 1986.
Norbert “Nobby” Lewandowski could have served as the poster boy for Cleveland’s lauded amateur baseball program in the mid-20th century. He began competing in the program’s Class F league as an elementary school student in Cleveland’s Slavic Village and worked his way up to the Plain Dealer-sponsored AAA league. Along the way, using the skills he developed on the sandlots, he earned four baseball letters at Benedictine High, which in turn earned him Kent State University’s first baseball scholarship and four more letters there. He pitched in the Pittsburgh Pirates farm system from 1960-1962, then returned to the sandlots in 1963 to start for perennial league champion Wenham Truckers until 1970. During that time he was called “the most dominant pitcher in Ohio amateur baseball during the 1960’s era” by a Plain Dealer sportswriter.
Sandlot ball has long been a special love for Chuck Rozanski, and in 1991 the Cleveland Baseball Foundation recognized him for more than a quarter century on the sandlots. One of his charges, Brush’s Steve Stone, went on to pitch for the Baltimore Orieles and Chicago White Sox and won the Cy Young Award in 1980. Thirty-seven Rozanski-coached players have signed Major League contracts. When not coaching, Chuck scouts for the Cincinnati Reds.
After a stellar athletic career at Parma High School and Notre Dame, Ron Mottl put his energies into public service and support for many sports programs that have benefitted untold numbers of youngsters. He was elected into the Parma Sports Hall of Fame and the baseball field on the Cuyahoga Community College West Campus bears his name. Ron continues to have a significant influence on the Greater Cleveland sports scene.
As a rookie with the Cleveland Indians, Herb Score struck out 245 batters, which stood as a record for 29 years. As a result, he won the American League Rookie of the Year honor. In 1956 he struck out 263 in 249 innings, posting a 20-9 mark with a 2.53 ERA. He was selected to the American League All-Star Team in 1955 and 1956. Herb served as the radio voice of the Indians for more than 30 years.
George Newman compiled an sterling record of 126 wins against just 40 losses in 11 seasons as a pitcher in Cleveland Class A amateur competition between 1952 and 1964. He built a 20-2 record in 1956, becoming only the third pitcher in Class A history to win 20 games. George once pitched an incredible 59 consecutive complete games. He was twice named All-Mid-American Conference pitcher at Western Reserve University (1951-54).
An All-American collegiate basketball player, Frank Baumholtz’s exceptional talent allowed him to play both professional basketball and baseball at the same time. He starred for the Cleveland Rebels and the Youngstown Bears in the pro basketball league that was the forerunner of the NBA as well as playing baseball for ten years in the National League with the Reds, Cubs and Phillies. His lifetime batting average was .291.
Spent 10 seasons in the baseball major leagues with the Twins, Pilots, Brewers and Indians. Was the American League’s All-Star third baseman in 1962 and was an important factor in the Twins pennant drive in 1965. Lifetime batting average .272.
An outstanding glove man, he played first base for the famed Fisher Foods team in the Muny Class A League in the 1930s and early 40s. He consistently batted over .350. At 6-4, one of the tallest men in amateur baseball in his day, he was considered one of the best fielding baseman in the game.
A stellar amateur baseball pitcher from 1926 through 1932, he capped a fine career while starring at the University of Michigan. During a university tour of Japan, he won 13 games in 14 starts. In 1932 he pitched in the amateur game at the Municipal Stadium which drew 60,000 spectators. A decision to begin work toward his life’s profession in law precluded accepting professional contracts for the Indians, Red Sox and Cardinals.