The 1954 Cleveland Indians advanced to the World Series for the first time in six years. It was the team's third American League championship in franchise history. The Indians' 111–43 record is the all-time record for winning percentage by an American League team (.721), as this was before 162 games were played in a season.

For more than 60 years, Cleveland had been the only team in Major League Baseball to have compiled two different 11-game winning streaks within the same season, until the Toronto Blue Jays were able to accomplish the rare feat during the 2015 regular season.

However, their great regular-season record would not be enough to win the World Series, as the Indians got swept in four games by the New York Giants, after which the Indians would not return to the Fall Classic or any postseason play of any kind until 1995.

Offseason February 19, 1954: Bill Upton and Lee Wheat were traded by the Indians to the Philadelphia Athletics for Dave Philley.Dave Philley page at Baseball Reference

Regular season

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Notable transactions April 12, 1954: Hal Newhouser was signed as a free agent by the Indians.Hal Newhouser page at Baseball-Reference June 1, 1954: Bob Chakales was traded by the Indians to the Baltimore Orioles for Vic Wertz.Bob Chakales page at Baseball-Reference

Roster 1954 Cleveland Indians Roster Pitchers Catchers

Infielders Outfielders

Other batters Manager

Coaches (Third base) (Pitching) (First base) (Bullpen)

Player stats = Indicates team leader = Indicates league leader

Batting

Starters by position Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in Pos Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI C 139 423 99 .234 11 40 1B 94 295 81 .275 14 48 2B 143 555 189 .341 15 67 3B 137 466 140 .300 24 102 SS 112 361 77 .213 6 37 LF 131 481 135 .281 11 50 CF 153 577 157 .272 32 126 RF 133 452 102 .226 12 60

Other batters Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI 85 240 63 .263 11 42 65 180 45 .250 2 24 111 171 43 .251 5 18 68 169 45 .266 1 19 57 121 34 .281 3 17 60 102 30 .294 4 13 46 101 24 .238 0 12 53 60 17 .283 1 6 4 6 2 .333 1 1 6 6 1 .167 0 0 4 4 0 .000 0 0 3 2 1 .500 0 1 2 1 1 1.000 0 1 1 0 0 ---- 0 0

Pitching

Starting pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Player G IP W L ERA SO 40 270.2 23 11 2.73 155 45 258.2 19 8 2.64 129 36 258.1 23 7 2.72 110 32 188.0 15 7 3.35 68 19 140.0 13 3 3.09 59

Relief pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Player G W L SV ERA SO 42 3 3 13 2.22 52 40 6 1 7 1.94 55 26 7 2 7 2.51 25 17 0 0 2 2.72 12 14 0 1 0 3.04 9 3 2 0 0 0.87 3 1 0 0 0 0.00 1 1 0 0 0 5.40 0

1954 World Series

This was the first time (and only to date) that the Cleveland Indians were swept in a World Series. The only highlight for the Indians was that they kept the Yankees from winning their sixth straight series. The last time the Yankees had not won the series or pennant beforehand was 1948, when, again, the Indians kept them out (although that year, they won the Series). It was also the only World Series from 1949 to 1958 which did not feature the Yankees.

Game 1 September 29, 1954, at the Polo Grounds in New York Team12345678910RHECleveland (A)2000000000280New York (N)0020000003593W: Marv Grissom (1–0)   L: Bob Lemon (0–1)HR: NYG – Dusty Rhodes (1)

Game 2 September 30, 1954, at the Polo Grounds in New York Team123456789RHECleveland (A)100000000180New York (N)00002010x340W: Johnny Antonelli (1–0)   L: Early Wynn (0–1)HR: CLE – Al Smith (1)    NYG – Dusty Rhodes (2)

Game 3 October 1, 1954, at Cleveland Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio Team123456789RHENew York (N)1030110006101Cleveland (A)000000110242W: Rubén Gómez (1–0)  L: Mike Garcia (0–1)   S: Hoyt Wilhelm (1)HR: CLE – Vic Wertz (1)

Game 4 October 2, 1954, at Cleveland Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio Team123456789RHENew York (N)0210400007103Cleveland (A)000030100462W: Don Liddle (1–0)  L: Bob Lemon (0–2)   S: Johnny Antonelli (1)HR: CLE – Hank Majeski (1)

Composite Box 1954 World Series (4–0): New York Giants (N.L.) over Cleveland Indians (A.L.) Team12345678910RHENew York Giants126071100321337Cleveland Indians30003021009264Total Attendance: 251,507   Average Attendance: 62,877Winning Player's Share: – $11,118   Losing Player's Share – $6,713

Award winners

All-Star Game Al Rosen, first baseman, starter Bobby Ávila, second baseman, starter Larry Doby, reserve Mike Garcia, reserve Bob Lemon, reserve

Farm system

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Fargo-MoorheadJohnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007

The 1954 Indianapolis Indians featured Herb Score and Rocky Colavito. Colavito hit 38 home runs and accumulated 116 RBIs.Roger Maris: Baseball's Reluctant Hero, p.68, Tom Clavin and Danny Peary, Touchstone Books, Published by Simon & Schuster, New York, 2010,

Notes

References 1954 Cleveland Indians team page at Baseball Reference 1954 Cleveland Indians team page at www.baseball-almanac.com 1954 World Series page at Baseball Reference

External links 1954 Cleveland Indians at BaseballLibrary.com