Indians by the Numbers — #1

by emd2k3 on Mar 29, 2011 4:54 PM EDT

The Number One Number One.

Bobby Avila was the first Mexican to enjoy success in the Major Leagues. Avila was a ten-year mainstay on one of the most dominant Indians runs in history. In 1952, he led the AL in triples. In 1954, Avila won the batting title with a .341 batting average, despite playing half of the season with a broken thumb. In all, Avila doesn’t crack the top ten in most team career categories, but the three-time All-Star remains an indelible memory of the great teams of the 40s and 50s.

A contemporary of other Indians greats like Bob Feller, Earl Averill, Bob Lemon, Larry Doby, and Al Rosen, Avila played with some of the best Cleveland has ever seen.

Avila would later enjoy success as the President of the Mexican League.

A Brief History

Jackie "Rabbit" Tavener became the first player to don #1 for the Cleveland Indians in 1929. Born in Celina, Ohio, Tavener was a former Detroit Tiger who finished his brief major league career in his only season with the Tribe. An OPS+ of 51 tends to lead to retirement.

Just as Tavener was winding down his career, Dick "Twitches" Porter began his. Porter was a good-average outfielder who also saw time at second base. Porter took uniform #3 in ’29, then switched to #1 a year later, in which he batted .350 and OPS-ed a hearty .918. Porter then wore #2 until his departure for the Boston Red Sox in 1934. By 1935, Porter was out of professional baseball.

Lyn Lary led the league (whew.) in 1937 with 741 plate appearances while wearing #1 for Cleveland.

Roy Cullenbine hit a combined .284/.395/.423 with #1 on his back from 1943-1945.

Billy Martin (yes, that one) donned his ubiquitous eins for one season with the Tribe before having that number retired after several managerial stints with the New York Yankees.

Jose Cardenal wore #1 after a six year hiatus for the number.

Tommy Hinzo claimed #1, not once, but twice as an Indian. First in 1987, and again in 1989 after spending 1988 in Colorado Springs with a sweet.598 OPS. Tommy’s awesome -68 OPS+ (21 PA) in ’89 sealed his fate as a major leaguer.

Tony Fernandez provided post-season thrills in 1995 at the age of 35 with a #1 on his back and a Chief Wahoo on his cap. Tony batted .357 in the ALCS, and provided the series-winning home run in the 11th inning of Game 6.

Number One with a Beard.

Longtime LGT poster boy Casey Blake grabbed the mantle of uniform #1 in 2003, and with the undying love and devotion of manager Eric Wedge, held down the hot corner until his trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2008.

The barbigerous Blake brought grit back to the Tribe by posting a .266/.337/.451 line over six seasons. Not bad for a career minor leaguer.

The One Year One-ders

Jackie Tavener, Del Unser, Mark Lewis, Tony Fernandez, Glenallen Hill, Sam Horn, Ken Berry, Billy Martin, Dick Porter, Jimmie Wasdel, Johnny Temple, and Jerry Kindall all wore uniform #1 for only one season.

The All-Time List

Jackie Tavener (1929)

Dick Porter (1930)

Johnny Burnett (1931-1934)

Lyn Lary (1937-1938)

Milt Galatzer (1935-1936)

Oscar Grimes (1939-1942)

Roy Cullenbine (1943-1945)

Don Ross (1945-1946)

Jimmie Wasdell (1947)

Bobby Avila (1949-1958)

Billy Martin (1959)

Mike De La Hoz (1960-1961)

Johnny Temple (1960)

Jerry Kindall (1962)

Jose Cardenal (1968-1969)

Del Unser (1972)

Ken Berry (1975)

Johnny Grubb (1977-1978)

Tommy Hinzo (1987, 1989)

Glenallen Hill (1992)

Sam Horn (1993)

Tony Fernandez (1997)

Wil Cordero (1999-2000)

Mark Lewis (2001)

Casey Blake (2003-2008)

Luis Valbuena (2009-current)

Lest you think I’ve forgotten the exploits of past Indians who have chosen to wear either 0 or 00, I haven’t. It was just too difficult to choose between the amazing collective accomplishments of Paul Dade, Rick White, and Junior Ortiz for a standalone piece. Dade posted OPS percentages of .689, .660, and .697 before he departed for the sunny skies of San Diego and uniform number 21. Dade also briefly wore 31 for the Tribe. Dade is by default the best player in Indians history to have worn the goose eggs.

Up Next: Like many Germans, we’ll be taking a closer look at Number Two.

Poll

Who is the second best number one in Cleveland Indians History?

Tony Fernandez

7 votes

Casey Blake

34 votes

Roy Cullenbine

2 votes

Glenallen Hill

5 votes

Wil Cordero

1 votes

49 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 29 comments | 6 recs |

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Comments

Thanks for posting this; it was a nice read, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.

by Ryan on Mar 29, 2011 11:12 PM EDT reply actions

I have that card. ’56 Topps, one of my favorite sets.

Thanks for the list of players wearing number 1. I can’t believe that most who wore the number had short careers with the Tribe.

If you believe it's just a game, you're also probably wondering why Santa keeps skipping your house every year.

by LeftyCatcher on Mar 29, 2011 11:36 PM EDT reply actions

Going with Blake is easy. Thanks, Ned.

"I want to be playing at the end of October or the end of September -- not just at the beginning of April." —Grady

by westbrook on Mar 30, 2011 1:49 AM EDT reply actions

You don’t care for Cullenbine’s 142 OPS+ as a Tribesman?

by YoDaddyWags on Mar 30, 2011 7:47 AM EDT up reply actions

Johnny Grubb (whom I left out of the poll) wasn’t awful, but showed no power. He had better years in Texas.

by emd2k3 on Mar 30, 2011 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions

16 homers, 452 slugging and a 133 OPS+ in the equivalent of about one season. Nothing to scoff at.

by YoDaddyWags on Mar 30, 2011 7:12 PM EDT up reply actions

War years.

If you believe it's just a game, you're also probably wondering why Santa keeps skipping your house every year.

by LeftyCatcher on Mar 30, 2011 5:07 PM EDT up reply actions

No, he was a pretty good player. Once Cullenbine figured it out, in 1941, he put up an OPS of 857 and an OPS+ of 140 for the rest of his career, through 1947. It helped that he drew a ton of walks. I’m not saying Blake isn’t the right choice, I’m just saying it’s not an easy one.

by YoDaddyWags on Mar 30, 2011 7:24 PM EDT up reply actions

While with the Tribe, Cullenbine was an 817 OPS (142 OPS+) in 1288 PA. While that covers 3 seasons, the 3rd season was only 24 PA. Blake on the other hand was a 787 OPS (108 OPS+) in 3358 PA, around 5.75 seasons.

I had to go with Blake based on the longevity.

by talonk on Mar 30, 2011 7:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Also, we never flipped Cullenbine for Carlos Santana.

The persuasion is not inherent in the lobster.

by Joel D on Mar 30, 2011 10:25 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs

Also, using WAR, Cullenbine was 7.6 while Blake totalled 12.8. Cullenbine has the better per year average, but I still have to go with Casey based on longevity.

by talonk on Mar 30, 2011 7:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Another four years and you can induct Blake into the Hall of Average.

by Jay on Mar 31, 2011 12:19 AM EDT up reply actions

“Twitches” may be one of the all-time great player nicknames.

"Magic would be getting productivity out of Crowe or Valbuena. I’ll admit we could use a little luck, but that’s not the same thing." - Jay

On Twitter at @grantgw - sports and Cleveland and Columbus stuff

by woodsmeister on Mar 30, 2011 11:08 AM EDT reply actions

Also known as “Wiggles.” Hard to pick which to go with, though.

by emd2k3 on Mar 30, 2011 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Not included in this series will be managers or coaches.

by emd2k3 on Mar 30, 2011 2:09 PM EDT reply actions

What about player/managers ?

I'm emotional about my glove...

by JimmyAB on Mar 30, 2011 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions

There goes my idea for my next set of posts … want my excel spreadsheet emd2k3?

Good work though, I can research, but not write eloquently enough.

by talonk on Mar 30, 2011 3:53 PM EDT reply actions

Nonsense. You write just fine.

by Jay on Mar 30, 2011 4:15 PM EDT up reply actions

I’d be willing to split duty on these since it’s quite a task.

by emd2k3 on Mar 30, 2011 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions

email me and we’ll come up with a gameplan

by talonk on Mar 30, 2011 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Reviewing my data, you only missed one #1, George Hendrick in 1976 (He also wore #21 that season).

To complete the 00 data, Dade wore #00 1976-1978.

To complete the 0 data, Ortiz wore #0 in 1972-1973, while Rick White wore #0 in 2004.

There, we are all caught up.

by talonk on Mar 30, 2011 5:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Captain Easy, one of the all-time great Indians.

by odradek on Mar 30, 2011 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions

And Grubb came over for Hendrick. B-ref thinks Grubb also wore both 1 and 21 for the Tribe.

by YoDaddyWags on Mar 30, 2011 7:16 PM EDT up reply actions

BRef is where I pulled all my data from.

by talonk on Mar 30, 2011 7:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Oritz wore 0 in 1992-1993.

by emd2k3 on Mar 30, 2011 8:11 PM EDT up reply actions

stupid typo on my part … you are correct!

by talonk on Mar 31, 2011 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions

0 was the perfect number for Rick White.

"Magic would be getting productivity out of Crowe or Valbuena. I’ll admit we could use a little luck, but that’s not the same thing." - Jay

On Twitter at @grantgw - sports and Cleveland and Columbus stuff

by woodsmeister on Mar 30, 2011 8:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Other #1 fun facts, the uniform #1 has been worn 58 times by 27 different players covering 56 seasons of a possible 83 seasons since 1929. Only twice was #1 shared in a season, 1945 and 1960.

Neither the 58 times or 27 players is in the top 30 for Indian uniform numbers.

Note: this does not include 2011 yet. Nobody on the 25 has #1. Valbuena is still #1 on the 40-man roster, but until he plays a game, I cannot add him to the totals.

by talonk on Mar 30, 2011 5:54 PM EDT reply actions