Cleveland Indians facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cleveland Indians |
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 2024 Cleveland Indians season |
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| Major league affiliations | |||
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| Current uniform | |||
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| Major league titles | |||
| World Series titles (2) |
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| AL Pennants (6) |
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| Central Division titles (8) |
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| Wild card berths (1) | 2013 | ||
| Front office | |||
| Principal owner(s) | Larry Dolan Paul Dolan (controlling owner/Chairman/CEO) Matt Dolan (part owner) |
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| President of baseball operations | Chris Antonetti | ||
| General manager | Mike Chernoff | ||
| Manager | Terry Francona | ||
The Cleveland Indians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. The Indians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since 1994, they have played at Progressive Field and are the defending American League champions. The team's spring training facility is at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Arizona.
Since their establishment as a major league franchise in 1901, the Indians have won two World Series championships: in 1920 and 1948, along with eight Central Division titles and six American League pennants.
The Indians' current World Series championship drought is the longest active drought, and through 2016 is the fifth-longest in baseball history.
The name "Indians" originated from a request by club owner Charles Somers to baseball writers to choose a new name to replace "Cleveland Naps" following the departure of Nap Lajoie after the 1914 season. The name referenced the nickname "Indians" that was applied to the Cleveland Spiders baseball club during the time when Louis Sockalexis, a Native American, played in Cleveland.
Common nicknames for the Indians include the "Tribe" and the "Wahoos", the latter being a reference to their logo, Chief Wahoo. Also, the team's mascot is named "Slider."
At the end of the 2019 season, they had a regular season franchise record of 9,477–9,037 (.512). From August 24 to September 14, 2017, the Indians won 22 consecutive games, the longest winning streak in American League history.
Contents
Uniforms
The Indians' home uniform is white with midnight blue piping around each sleeve. Across the front of the jersey in script font is the word "Indians" in red with a midnight blue outline. The jersey has the Chief Wahoo logo on the left sleeve. The home cap is midnight blue with a red bill and features the Chief Wahoo logo on the front. Beginning with the 2016 season, the Indians returned to their 1994–2002 practice of wearing red shirts, belts, and socks with their home uniforms, having worn navy with the home uniform from 2003–2015.
The road uniform is gray, with "Cleveland" in navy blue block letters trimmed in red is across the front of the jersey, midnight blue piping around the sleeves, and the Chief Wahoo logo located on the left sleeve. The road cap is midnight blue with a red block "C" on the front. The Indians wear midnight blue shirts, belts, and socks with their away uniforms.
The alternate third jersey is midnight blue with white piping around each sleeve. Script "Indians" is located across the front of the jersey in the same fashion as the home uniform (red lettering with a white outline); the Chief Wahoo logo is on the left sleeve. When the blue jerseys are worn on the road, the team complements them with an alternate road cap that is also midnight blue with the Chief Wahoo logo on the front. New for the 2017 season, when the blue jerseys are worn at home, either the regular home cap with the Chief Wahoo logo or a red cap with a midnight blue block "C" may be used.
For all games, the team uses a midnight blue batting helmet with a red block "C" on the front.
Fan support and traditions
The Drummer
John Adams, known by baseball fans as "The Drummer", has played a bass drum at nearly every home game since 1973. He is the only fan for whom the team has dedicated a bobble head day. Adams originally paid for his tickets (one for himself, and one for his drum), but recently the Indians have paid for his seats in honor of the contributions he has made to the ballpark atmosphere. He has been featured and interviewed on national TV shows and newspaper articles.
Sellout streak
Between June 12, 1995 and April 4, 2001, the Indians sold out 455 consecutive home games, drawing a total of 19,324,248 fans to Jacobs Field. The demand for tickets was so great that all 81 home games were sold out before Opening Day on at least three separate occasions. The sellout streak set a Major League Baseball record.
Signature songs
The Indians play "Hang On Sloopy" by The McCoys during the middle of the 8th inning, bringing with it the Ohio State Buckeyes' tradition of the fans chanting "O-H-I-O" during the chorus. They also play "Cleveland Rocks" at the end of the game for Indians wins.
Cleveland Indians in popular culture
The Indians over the years have been featured in numerous movies and television shows. Examples include:
- The Kid From Cleveland – a 1949 film featuring then owner Bill Veeck and numerous players from the team (coming off winning the 1948 World Series).
- Major League – a 1989 film centered around a fictionalized version of the team
- Major League II – a 1994 sequel to the original from five years earlier
- In an episode from the 1968 animated series Go Go Gophers titled "The Cleveland Indians", Indian characters Ruffled Feathers and Running Board not only accused the team of not being real Indians and not wearing any feathers, but also called them fakes.
- In the children's book "Danny Dunn, Time Traveler", when they are sitting around with Benjamin Franklin and explaining their presence in 1763, Danny's role model, a professor, is unable to name any Indian tribe as the one they claimed had captured them. The professor named the only Indian "tribe" he could think of: the Cleveland Indians.
Statues
Indians players who have had statues made in their honor in front of Progressive Field include:
- Bob Feller (Indians all-time leader in wins and strikeouts by a pitcher, 1948 World Series Champion, eight-time All-Star) – since 1994
- Jim Thome (Indians all-time leader in home runs and walks by a hitter, three-time All-Star with the Indians) – since 2014
- Larry Doby (First black player in the American League, 1948 World Series Champion, seven-time All-Star) – since 2015
- Frank Robinson (Became first black manager in MLB history when he served as player/manager for the Indians from 1975-1977) – since 2017
- Lou Boudreau (1948 AL MVP, 1948 World Series Champion as player/manager, eight-time All-Star) – since 2017
Images for kids
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The team is named after the eight Guardians of Traffic statues displayed on the Hope Memorial Bridge next to their home field.
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Cy Young on a 1911 baseball card
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Nap Lajoie, who won the 1903 American League Batting Championship with the Indians, was the team's namesake from 1903 to 1915, and is an MLB Hall of Famer.
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1909 Cleveland Naps
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Tris Speaker on a 1933 baseball card
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Bob Feller; winner of the A.L. pitching Triple Crown in 1940, member of the 1948 World Series Championship team, the Indians all-time leader in wins and strikeouts, and an MLB Hall of Famer.
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Logo from 1946 to 1950
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Lou Boudreau, 1948 American League MVP
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Al Rosen, 1953 Most Valuable Player.
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Herb Score – who was the 1955 American League Rookie of the Year, a two-time A.L. All-Star, and after his playing career went on to be the longest-tenured announcer in club history, serving 34 seasons (1964–1997) as a member of the Indians broadcast team.
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In 1975, Frank Robinson became the first African-American manager in MLB history
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Slider, the team mascot since 1990
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Progressive Field in 2008
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Kenny Lofton in 1996
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Mark Shapiro – Indians GM from 2001 to 2010, President from 2010 to 2015, and two-time Sporting News Executive of the Year.
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CC Sabathia won the 2007 AL Cy Young Award with the Indians.
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Sabathia's teammate Cliff Lee won the AL Cy Young Award in 2008.
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Mike Chernoff, who has served as Indians/Guardians' general manager since 2015.
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Manager Terry Francona, who in his tenure with the Indians/Guardians is a two-time AL Manager of the Year (2013, 2016), led the team to the 2016 AL Championship, and is the all-time franchise leader in wins by a manager.
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Corey Kluber, who is a two-time AL Cy Young Award winner with the Indians (2014, 2017).
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Shane Bieber, who won the 2020 AL Cy Young Award, giving the team five winners in 14 seasons.
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The Ohio Cup trophy
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Guardians wordmark logo, featured on the team's home uniforms
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Cleveland in "diamond C" font is featured on the team's road uniforms
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Guardians TV announcer Matt Underwood (seated, center) and longtime lead radio announcer Tom Hamilton (right)
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Earl Averill
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Mel Harder
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Joe Sewell
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See also
In Spanish: Cleveland Guardians para niños
