Acquiring the Cleveland Indians 1948 World Championship Team

A companion piece to my 1920 research ….

In this dreary season, why not look back upon a better, gentler time; Cleveland’s last championship baseball team. The following is one man’s best guess as to how that team was acquired.

Prior to 1936 season - SP Bob Feller signed as an amateur free agent from the Van Meter High School, Iowa

Prior to 1937 season - 3B Ken Keltner acquired in a working agreement from the Milwaukee Brewers (American Association-AA Cle affiliate)

Prior to 1938 season - SS Lou Boudreau signed as an amateur free agent from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Prior to 1938 season - C Jim Hegan signed as an amateur free agent from the Lynn, Massachusetts

Prior to 1938 season - SP Bob Lemon signed as an amateur free agent from the Woodrow Wilson High School, Long Beach, California

Prior to 1938 season - 2B Ray Mack signed as an amateur free agent from the Case Western Reserve University

Prior to 1939 season - OF Hank Edwards signed as an amateur free agent from the Elmwood Place, Ohio

Prior to 1939 season - SP Allie Reynolds signed as an amateur free agent from the Oklahoma State University

Prior to 1939 season - RP Steve Gromek signed as an amateur free agent from the St. Ladislaus High School, Hamtramck, Michigan

Prior to 1939 season - SP Red Embree signed as an amateur free agent from the El Monte, California

Prior to 1940 season - RP Ed Klieman acquired in unknown transaction from Cincinnati Reds (NL)

March 1940 - RP Bryan Stephens signed as free agent from the Henderson Oilers (East Texas League-C Det affiliate)

Prior to 1941 season - OF Pat Seerey signed as an amateur free agent from the Wilburton, Oklahoma

Prior to 1941 season - C Joe Tipton signed as an amateur free agent from the McCaysville, Georgia

Prior to 1941 season - C Ralph Weigel signed as free agent from the Lima Pandas (Ohio State League-D)

Prior to 1941 season - OF Joe Frazier signed as an amateur free agent from the Liberty, North Carolina

Prior to 1942 season - 1B Eddie Robinson purchased from Baltimore Orioles (International-AA Cle affiliate)

Prior to 1942 season - 3B Al Rosen signed as an amateur free agent from the University of Florida

Prior to 1942 season - SS Ray Boone signed as an amateur free agent from the Hoover High School, San Diego, California

Prior to 1942 season - RP Ernest Groth signed as an amateur free agent from the Beaver Falls Pennsylvania

Prior to 1942 season - RP Mike Garcia signed as an amateur free agent from the Visalia High School, Visalia, California

Prior to 1943 season - C Sherm Lollar signed as free agent from Pittsburgh State University

Prior to 1945 season - OF Dick Kokos signed as free agent from Chicago, Illinois

October 2, 1945 - SP Don Black purchased from Philadelphia Athletics (AL)

Prior to 1942 season - LF Dale Mitchell signed as an amateur free agent from the University of Oklahoma

Prior to 1942 season - C Ray Murray signed as a free agent from the Tarboro Orioles (Coastal Plain League-D)

July 2, 1946 - RP Les Webber claimed on waivers from Brooklyn Dodgers (NL)

October 11, 1946 - SP Allie Reynolds traded to New York Yankees (AL) for 2B Joe Gordon

November 1, 1946 - RP Lyman Linde selected in Rule 5 draft from Chicago White Sox (AL)

December 6, 1946 - 2B Ray Mack and C Sherm Lollar traded to New York Yankees (AL) for OF Hal Peck, SP Gene Bearden and RP Al Gettel

March 2, 1947 - OF Catfish Metkovich purchased from Boston Red Sox (AL)

July 2, 1947 - RF Larry Doby signed as a free agent from the Newark Eagles (Negro League)

November 11, 1947 - RP Bill Kennedy selected in Rule 5 draft from Boston Red Sox (AL)

November 20, 1947 - OF Joe Frazier, RP Bryan Stephens and OF Dick Kokos traded to St Louis Browns (AL) for OF/1B Wally Judnich and RP Bob Muncrief

December 9, 1947 - OF Catfish Metkovich traded to St Louis Browns (AL) for IF Johnny Berardino

December 11, 1947 - SP Red Embree traded to New York Yankees (AL) for OF Allie Clark

January 1, 1948 - C Ralph Weigel traded to Chicago White Sox (AL) for CF Thurman Tucker

April 3, 1948 - CL Russ Christopher purchased from Philadelphia Athletics (AL)

April 12, 1948 - RP Butch Wensloff purchased from New York Yankees (AL)

June 2, 1948 - RP Al Gettel and OF Pat Seerey traded to Chicago White Sox (AL) for OF Bob Kennedy

June 15, 1948 - RP Bill Kennedy traded to St Louis Browns (AL) for SP Sam Zoldak

July 7, 1948 - RP Satchel Paige signed as a free agent from the Kansas City Monarchs (Negro League)

Many thanks must be given to all the data at Baseball Reference. Loads of good info located on that site. BRef has a few transactions that are noted as purchases from minor league affiliates, however, I think most of them were amateur free agent signings, and the “purchase” was them being added to the 40/25 man roster. But I left the transaction as a purchase since that is how BRef has them defined.

The amateur free agent signings are also guesses (tried to find high schools/colleges for most of them), but none of those players ever appeared in a minor league game before debuting with the Indians.