1959 Cleveland Indians season
Encyclopedia
The 1959
Cleveland Indians
season was the 59th in franchise history. The Indians finished in second place in the American League
with a record of 89 wins and 65 losses, five games behind the AL Champion Chicago White Sox
.
Rocky Colavito
hit four home runs in one game against the Baltimore Orioles
.
1959 Major League Baseball season
-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player**Nellie Fox, Chicago White Sox **Ernie Banks, Chicago Cubs *Cy Young Award**Early Wynn, Chicago White Sox *Rookie of the Year**Bob Allison, Washington Senators...
Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
season was the 59th in franchise history. The Indians finished in second place in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
with a record of 89 wins and 65 losses, five games behind the AL Champion Chicago White Sox
1959 Chicago White Sox season
The Chicago White Sox season was the team's 59th season in the major leagues, and its 60th season overall. They finished with a record 94-60, good enough to win the American League championship, five games ahead of the second place Cleveland Indians...
.
Offseason
- October 27, 1958: Jay PorterJay PorterJ. W. "Jay" Porter is a former Major League Baseball player who played for the St. Louis Browns , Detroit Tigers , Cleveland Indians , Washington Senators , and St. Louis Cardinals . Porter played in 229 major league games, 91 as a catcher, 62 as an outfielder, 16 as a first baseman, and 3 at...
was traded by the Indians to the Washington SenatorsMinnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
for Ossie ÁlvarezOssie AlvarezOswaldo Álvarez González was a Cuban professional baseball player. He played two seasons in Major League Baseball, 1958 and 1959, for the Washington Senators and Detroit Tigers....
. - November 20, 1958: Don MossiDon MossiDonald Louis Mossi, , was an American major league pitcher from 1954 to 1965. He was a left-handed control pitcher whose strikeout-to-walk ratio was regularly amongst the league leaders . He retired with a career earned run average of 3.43, 101 wins, and 50 saves.- Biography :Mossi was born in St...
, Ray NarleskiRay NarleskiRaymond Edmond Narleski is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with the Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers . He batted and threw right-handed...
, and Ossie ÁlvarezOssie AlvarezOswaldo Álvarez González was a Cuban professional baseball player. He played two seasons in Major League Baseball, 1958 and 1959, for the Washington Senators and Detroit Tigers....
were traded by the Indians to the Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
for Billy MartinBilly MartinAlfred Manuel "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times...
and Al CicotteAl CicotteAlva Warren Cicotte , , nicknamed "Bozo," was a Major League Baseball player....
. - December 2, 1958: Vic WertzVic WertzVictor Woodrow Wertz was a Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder. He had a seventeen year career from 1947 to 1963. He was signed as a free agent by the Detroit Tigers in 1942 and played for the Tigers, St...
and Gary GeigerGary GeigerGary Merle Geiger was a major league outfielder for the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, and Houston Astros from . He was born in Sand Ridge, Illinois. His offseason home while a major leaguer was Murphysboro, Illinois. His wife Lyn's parents were St...
were traded by the Indians to the Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
for Jimmy PiersallJimmy PiersallJames Anthony Piersall is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball. Between 1950 and 1967, he played for the Boston Red Sox , Cleveland Indians , Washington Senators , New York Mets , and Los Angeles/California Angels .While he had a fairly good professional career as a center...
. - January 23, 1959: Earl Averill, Jr.Earl Averill, Jr.Earl Douglas Averill, Jr. , is a former professional baseball player who played catcher in the Major Leagues from 1956-1963. He played for the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, and Cleveland Indians.-External links:...
and Morrie MartinMorrie MartinMorris Webster Martin was a former left-handed Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched in the major leagues from 1949–1959, appearing in 250 games for several different teams....
were traded by the Indians to the Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
for Jim BolgerJim Bolger (baseball)James Cyril Bolger is an American former professional baseball outfielder. Although Bolger played for the Reds, Indians, and Athletics, Bolger had over two-thirds of his major league playing time with the Chicago Cubs. In 1957 Bolger achieved his career-high batting average of .275, in 273 at...
and John BriggsJohn Briggs (baseball)Jonathan Tift Briggs is a retired American professional baseball player, a former pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for five seasons for the Chicago Cubs from 1956 to 1958, the Cleveland Indians from 1959 to 1960, and the Kansas City Athletics in 1960...
.
Regular season
On June 10, right fielderRight fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
Rocky Colavito
Rocky Colavito
Rocco Domenico "Rocky" Colavito, Jr. is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball best known for his years with the Cleveland Indians. He wore a #6, #7 or #21 jersey during his MLB career...
hit four home runs in one game against the Baltimore Orioles
1959 Baltimore Orioles season
The 1959 Baltimore Orioles season was the franchise's sixth season in Baltimore, Maryland, and its 59th overall. It resulted with the Orioles finishing sixth in the American League with a record of 74 wins and 80 losses, 22 games behind the AL champion Chicago White Sox.- Offseason :* October 2,...
.
Notable transactions
- April 11, 1959: Mickey VernonMickey VernonJames Barton "Mickey" Vernon was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Washington Senators for the majority of his career, as well as four other teams: the Cleveland Indians , Boston Red Sox , Milwaukee Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates...
was traded by the Indians to the Milwaukee BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
for Humberto RobinsonHumberto RobinsonHumberto Valentino Robinson was a middle relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Milwaukee Braves , Cleveland Indians and Philadelphia Phillies . Listed at 6' 1", 155 lb., Robinson batted and threw right-handed...
. - May 4, 1959: Randy Jackson was traded by the Indians to the Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
for Bob Smith. - June 6, 1959: Jim Bolger and cash were traded by the Indians to the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
for Willie JonesWillie Jones (baseball)Willie Edward Jones , nicknamed "Puddin' Head", was a Major League Baseball third baseman who played for the Philadelphia Phillies , Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds...
. - September 9, 1959: Chuck TannerChuck TannerCharles William "Chuck" Tanner was a left fielder and manager in Major League Baseball. He was known for his unwavering confidence and infectious optimism. He managed the Pittsburgh Pirates to a World Series championship in 1979...
was purchased by the Indians from the Boston Red Sox.
Roster
| 1959 Cleveland Indians | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers | Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders Other batters |
Manager Coaches |
||||||
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 73 | 242 | 63 | .260 | 9 | 24 | |
| CF | 100 | 317 | 78 | .246 | 4 | 30 | |
| RF | 154 | 588 | 151 | .257 | 42 | 111 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 7 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | 234 | 16 | 11 | 4.04 | 136 | |
Other 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | 165.1 | 10 | 7 | 4.14 | 85 | |
| 24 | 77.2 | 0 | 1 | 5.22 | 17 | |
| 29 | 72 | 3 | 6 | 4.00 | 49 | |
| 15 | 76 | 5 | 3 | 3.20 | 45 | |
| 12 | 29.1 | 0 | 1 | 5.22 | 17 | |
| 4 | 12.2 | 0 | 1 | 5.22 | 17 | |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1.80 | 9 | |
| 26 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5.32 | 23 | |
| 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4.15 | 6 |