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Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Let’s Go Tribe: From the Archives: September 25, 1954 Scorecard

ROMA - America’s Favorite Wine...In the dripless bottle!

Several months ago, I received an unexpected treasure trove of Indians history. My grandmother’s cousin had passed away at her home in Texas, and my aunt, while going through some of her possessions, came across some Indians memorabilia. Remembering that I was a huge Indians fan, she saved it and sent it up to me.

This relative, whom I never met, grew up in Painesville, and judging by what she left behind, was also a huge Indians fan (it must run in the family). The centerpiece of her Indians collection was a scrapbook detailing the 1948 World Champions, complete with souvenir programs and lots of newspaper clippings.

Also included was a separate score card. At the time, this was set aside in favor of the scrapbook. Only later did I look at it closely, and realize why the score card was saved.

Repoz Posted: January 28, 2009 at 02:23 PM | 13 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: history, indians, memorabilia

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1. TerpNats Posted: January 28, 2009 at 02:47 PM (#3062161)

Ah, Sept. 25, 1954...the first girl I had a crush on was born that day. (I'm nearly 11 months younger.)

Interesting to see that fewer than 9,000 fans were at Municipal Stadium that day, the next-to-last day of the season. I suppose many of those who stayed home were saving their money for the World Series the following weekend. Today, a team on the verge of breaking a league record for victories -- moreover, a record held by the fabled 1927 Yankees -- would sell out even Municipal Stadium. These are different times.

2. hardrain Posted: January 28, 2009 at 02:49 PM (#3062162)

He did a lousy job of keeping score.

3. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: January 28, 2009 at 03:27 PM (#3062198)

a few things struck me--the starting lineups were preprinted onto the cards--I sure as hell don't remember MY scorecards at municipal being like that--you notice, he had to cross out "Wertz" and pencil in "Glynn"--musta been a last minute scratch

(Bill Glynn--never heard of him)

also: Gold Bond Beer? Leisy's light beer?

No Carling Black Label? No POC?

this isn't Cleveland

4. Jolly Old St. Neck Wound, Moral Idiot

Posted: January 28, 2009 at 03:30 PM (#3062202)

Interesting to see that fewer than 9,000 fans were at Municipal Stadium that day, the next-to-last day of the season. I suppose many of those who stayed home were saving their money for the World Series the following weekend. Today, a team on the verge of breaking a league record for victories -- moreover, a record held by the fabled 1927 Yankees -- would sell out even Municipal Stadium.

Hell, the Indians drew under 10,000 fans about 25% of the time that year. And the night before that game in question, when they lost in their first try for that 111th win, they only drew 3,788.

But what DID sell out Municipal Stadium just two weeks earlier was a Sunday doubleheader sweep against the Yankees that was the unofficial pennant clincher, since it put them 8 1/2 games ahead with just two weeks to play. The attendance that day was 86,563, and I'm pretty sure that to this day it remains the biggest regular season crowd ever. The Yankees accounted for 32% of the Indians' attendance that year.

5. Jolly Old St. Neck Wound, Moral Idiot

Posted: January 28, 2009 at 03:36 PM (#3062208)

a few things struck me--the starting lineups were preprinted onto the cards

That was nearly always the case up through the mid-50's, and then the practice seemed to disappear almost overnight. I've even seen a couple of examples of scorecards where the starting pitcher's name was printed, though that was a very rare occurrence.

6. tribefan Posted: January 28, 2009 at 03:46 PM (#3062220)

1954 was a good year for Municipal Stadium, the All Star game was played there, the WS against the Giants (even though they got swept) and the NFL championship game (Browns v Lions, Browns won 56-10).

7. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: January 28, 2009 at 04:05 PM (#3062243)

I'm not familiar with the zeros in scorekeeping. I assume that means an out?

8. jwb Posted: January 28, 2009 at 04:23 PM (#3062270)

So the Tigers only had 15 active players and the Indians 19?

9. Jolly Old St. Neck Wound, Moral Idiot

Posted: January 28, 2009 at 04:30 PM (#3062273)

1954 was a good year for Municipal Stadium, the All Star game was played there, the WS against the Giants (even though they got swept) and the NFL championship game (Browns v Lions, Browns won 56-10).

Funny, but the week before that title game, the Browns and Lions had played a regular season makeup game, also in Cleveland, that had been postponed due to the World Series. The Lions won in a snowstorm 14 to 10, and up through that game they had beaten the Browns every time they'd played them, including the 1952 and 1953 championship games. And then in a 1957 title game rematch in Detroit the Lions won by 59 to 14.

10. Slinger Francisco Barrios (Dr. Memory) Posted: January 28, 2009 at 08:18 PM (#3062590)

I'm not familiar with the zeros in scorekeeping. I assume that means an out?

I'm guessing they're not so much zeros as they are ohs.

11. AndrewJ Posted: January 28, 2009 at 08:44 PM (#3062627)

And dig that Capital Airlines ad offering non-stop flights between Cleveland and... Chicago.

Ain't technology grand?

12. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: January 28, 2009 at 09:03 PM (#3062649)

And dig that Capital Airlines ad offering non-stop flights between Cleveland and... Chicago.

Ain't technology grand?

where did they usta hafta stop at, Toledo?

13. Lord Finesse Posted: January 28, 2009 at 09:20 PM (#3062669)

I'm guessing they're not so much zeros as they are ohs.

Oodles and oodles of O's, you know
You get em from a sister, you get em from a bro

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Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Let’s Go Tribe: From the Archives: September 25, 1954 Scorecard

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