Cleveland Indians - The Turn of the Century (1901-1909)  
   
 
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        Yr P W L   Yr P W L   Yr P W L               1900  
        1901 7 55 82   1904 4 86 65   1907 4 85 67               Decade  
        1902 5 69 67   1905 5 76 78   1908 2 90 64               Click  
        1903 3 77 83   1906 3 89 64   1909 6 71 82               on Logo  
                                                     
                                                       
   
  Titles: None Top Indians Players of the first decade of the Century  
     
  BallPark: League Park Pitchers:  
    Addie Joss (44.11) -   104  
  Team Name: Spiders (Pre 1901) Earl Moore (15.18) -   53  
  Blues (1901) Bob Rhoads (12.53) -   49  
  Bronchos (1902) Bill Bernhard (11.81) -   48  
  Naps (1903-1909) Otto Hess (5.29) -   21  
    Glenn Liebhardt (5.48) -   21  
  Owner:  Red Donahue (4.67) -   16  
  Charles W. Somers  Heinie Berger (5.83) -   15  
    Cy Young (3.52) -   15  
  General Managers:    
  Ernest S. Barnard Catchers:  
    Harry Bemis (10.51) -   22  
  Managers: Nig Clarke (8.89) -   15  
  Jimmy McAleer (1901) Bob Wood (3.9) -   10  
  Bill Armour (1902-1904)    
  Bill Bradley (1905) First Basemen:  
  Nap Lajoie (1905-1909) George Stovall (10.48) -   29  
  Deacon McGuire (1909)    
    Second Basemen:  
  No Hitters: Nap Lajoie (56.81) -   97  
  Bob Rhoads (1908)    
  Addie Joss (1908 Perfect Game) ShortStop:  
    Terry Turner (21.83) -   30  
  Hall of Famers:    
  Elmer Flick Third Base:  
  Addie Joss   Bill Bradley (35.85) -   63  
  Nap Lajoie      
  Cy Young Outfield:  
    Elmer Flick (31.03) -   72  
  Notable Events: Harry Bay (11.39) -   43  
  Bill Hinchman (5.68) -   24  
  1901 - The Cleveland Blues are created as part of the newly Charlie Hickman (10.54) -   24  
  formed American League. League president Ban Johnson, who had put Joe Birmingham (2.18) -   23  
  the American League together as a new major league, determined that Jack McCarthy (3.99) -   14  
  the league needed a franchise in Cleveland. Ban had been president Ollie Pickering (3.84) -   11  
   of the Western League and, with modifications, turned it into the     
  American League in 1901.  Cleveland did not have a major Notable Events:  
  league team since the old National League Spiders disbanded in 1898    
  1903 - RHP Bob Rhoads, 23, is picked up after being released by the Cards.  
   1901 - Charles W. Somers is the owner of Cleveland franchise. It was Wth Rhoads, Cleveland now has the nucleus that will make them a solid, but   
   moved from Grand Rapids, Michigan of the Western League not quite good enough to be a contending team, for the rest of the decade. With  
    Joss, Rhoads, Bernhard and Moore on the mound, infielders Lajoie and Bradley  
  1901 - Cleveland gets off to a pretty weak start in the American League  and outfielders Flick and Bay, Cleveland averages 82 wins thru the end of   
  finishing seventh with only fifty five wins. There are only two players on  the decade.   
   the roster who have much of a future with Cleveland. They are two twenty     
  three year olds, third baseman Bill Bradley and pitcher Earl Moore. 1903 - The team nickname becomes the Naps after star Nap Lajoie  
       
   1902 - The team is renamed the Bronchos.This name gains no traction  1904 - Shortstop Terry Turner, 23, is picked up after being waived by the Pirates  
  and dies.    
    1905 - Nap Lajoie becomes player/manager  
   1902 - The Bronchos get Hall of Famers, second baseman Nap Lajoie    
   and outfielder Elmer Flick, and ace pitcher Bill Bernhard from the A's. 1906 - Twenty one year old outfielder Joe Birmingham is signed out of Notre Dame  
   These three were in limbo in Philadelphia due to a lawsuit by the Phillies    
   when the trio jumped to the A's in 1901. Connie Mack shipped them to 1908 - Cleveland loses the pennant by half a game when Detroit does  
   Cleveland in gratitude for Charles Somers bankrolling his A's operation not have to make up a rainout that, with a loss, would have forced a tie.   
   in Philly. With these three, Cleveland becomes competitive. One caveat The rule is changed after the season to force a replay if it affects the  
   was that the three were not legally allowed to play in Philadelphia due pennant race. The Naps had been steadily inching forward all decade adding  
    to a court injunction and would miss the A's games when the Bronchos a piece here or there to their nucleus. The 1908 season would be the high  
   played in Philly. water mark for this group.  
       
  1902 - Outfielder Harry Bay, 24, is picked up by the Bronchos after 1909 - Addie Joss develops a sore arm and his record falls to 14-13. His   
   being released by Cincinnati.  drop off is the main reason for Cleveland's decline in 1909 as they drop nineteen  
    games in the standings. In addition, the team is aging.  
  1902 - Hall of Fame pitcher Addie Joss, 22, comes up as a rookie. He     
  was obtained from nearby Toledo of the Western Association.