Acquiring the Cleveland Indians 1920 World Championship Team

by talonk on Sep 15, 2009 3:33 PM EDT

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

Sept 1, 1907 - LF Jack Graney selected in Rule 5 draft from Wilkes-Barre Barons (New York State League-B)

Prior to 1909 season - OF Bris Lord signed as minor league free agent from New Orleans Pelicans (Southern Association-A)

July 23, 1910 - OF Bris Lord traded to Philadelphia Athletics (AL) for IF Morrie Rath and PTBNL (CF Shoeless Joe Jackson sent on 7/30/1910)

June 30, 1911 - SS Ray Chapman purchased from Davenport Prodigals (Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League-B)

Aug 20, 1911 - C Steve O’Neill purchased from Philadelphia Athletics (AL)

Feb 1913 - RF Elmer Smith purchased from Duluth White Sox (Northern League-C)

Sept 1913 - C Josh Billings signed as minor league free agent from Quincy Gems (Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League-B)

June 1914 - SP Guy Morton signed as minor league free agent from Waterbury Contenders (Eastern Association-B)

June 1914 - RP Sad Sam Pond Jones signed as minor league free agent from Portsmouth Cobblers (Ohio State League-D) [Note: Sam also played for Cleveland Bearcats (American Association-AA) in 1914]

Aug 1914 - 2B Bill Wambsganss signed as minor league free agent from Cedar Rapids Rabbits (Central Association-D)

Prior to 1915 season - minor leaguer 3B Fred Thomas assigned to New Orleans Pelicans (Southern Association-A)

Early 1915 - LF Joe Evans signed as an amateur free agent from the University of Mississippi

July 22, 1915 - SP Jim Bagby Sr purchased from New Orleans Pelicans (Southern Association-A)

Aug 21, 1915 - CF Joe Jackson traded to Chicago White Sox (AL) for CF Braggo Roth and P Ed Klepfer

Nov 27, 1915 - SP Stan Covelski acquired from Portland Beavers (Pacific Coast League-AA) in unknown transaction

April 12, 1916 - RP Sad Sam Pond Jones and 3B Fred Thomas traded to Boston Red Sox (AL) for CF Tris Speaker

Mid 1916 - 2B Joe Leonard signed as minor league free agent from Columbus Senators (American Association-AA)

Aug 18, 1916 - RF Elmer Smith and 2B Joe Leonard traded to Washington Senators (AL) for RP Joe Boehling and OF Danny Moeller [Note: Boehling did not play in 1918-1919]

Feb 24, 1917 - RF Smoky Joe Wood purchased from Boston Red Sox (AL)

June 13, 1917 - RF Elmer Smith purchased from Washington Senators (AL)

Sep 20, 1917 - SS Harry Lunte selected in Rule 5 draft from Mobile Sea Gulls (Southern Association-A)

June 1, 1918 - C Pinch Thomas purchased from Philadelphia Athletics (AL)

Mid 1918 - 1B Doc Johnston signed as minor league free agent from Milwaukee Brewers (American Association-AA)

Prior to 1919 season - RP George Uhle signed as amateur free agent from Cleveland, OH

Prior to 1919 season - RP Dick Niehaus signed as minor league free agent from St Paul Saints (American Association-AA)

Feb 11, 1919 - C Josh Billings traded to St Louis Browns (AL) for C-1B Les Nunamaker

Mar 1, 1919 - CF Braggo Roth traded to Philadelphia Athletics (AL) for LF Charlie Jamieson, 3B Larry Gardner and RP Elmer Myers

Aug 19, 1919 - SP Ray Caldwell signed as free agent from Boston Red Sox (AL)

Aug 1919 - RP Tony Faeth signed as minor league free agent from Milwaukee Brewers (American Association-AA)

May 1920 - RP Bob Clark signed as amateur league free agent from Susquhanna University in Selinsgrove, PA

May 1920 - RP Tim Murchison signed as minor league free agent from New Orleans Pelicans (Southern Association-A)

May 29, 1920 - 1B George Burns purchased from Philadelphia Athletics (AL)

Mid 1920 - SP Duster Mails signed as minor league free agent from Sacramento Senators (Pacific Coast League-AA)

Aug 1920 - RP George Ellison as amateur league free agent from the University of Californis

Sep 6, 1920 - SS Joe Sewell purchased from New Orleans Pelicans (Southern Association-A)

Much thanks must be given to all the data at Baseball Reference. Loads of good info in there. More than likely, the players noted as minor league free agent signings were actually purchases instead. However, since no record of the transaction has been noted, BRef does not note them as such. The amateur free agent signings are also guesses, but none of those players ever appeared in a minor league game before debuting with the Naps/Indians.

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Comments

This is awesome.

What’s the deal with the transactions listed as Rule 5? How did that work back then?

by still ill on Sep 16, 2009 2:49 AM EDT reply actions

The Rule 5 that exists today began in 1965 is most likely not the same that existed back in the early 1900s. I have no actual idea how the Rule 5 worked back then, but that is the transaction that is listed on BRef, so I went with it.

by talonk on Sep 16, 2009 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions

I’ll have to look through some of the books I have on that era to see how exactly that worked.

by Ryan on Sep 16, 2009 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions

According to this, it essentially worked the same as it did now, with the only difference being that the minor league teams were independent, at least in name.

by Ryan on Sep 16, 2009 5:59 PM EDT up reply actions