Bad Boys, Bad Times
BAD BOYS, BAD TIMES
The Cleveland Indians and Baseball in the Prewar Years, 1937–1941
Scott H. Longert
Ohio University Press
Athens
Ohio University Press, Athens, Ohio 45701
© 2019 by Scott H. Longert
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Longert, Scott, author.
Title: Bad boys, bad times : the Cleveland Indians and baseball in the prewar years, 1937-1941 / Scott H. Longert.
Description: Athens : Ohio University Press, [2019] | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018056334| ISBN 9780821423790 (hc : alk. paper) | ISBN 9780821423806 (pb : alk. paper) | ISBN 9780821446799 (pdf)
Subjects: LCSH: Cleveland Indians (Baseball team)--History--20th century.
Classification: LCC GV875.C7 .L67 2019 | DDC 796.357/640977132--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018056334
CONTENTS
Chapter 1: A Troublesome Off-Season
Chapter 3: Broadway and a Moose
Chapter 9: Feller Reaches the Top
Chapter 10: The New Guys Arrive
Chapter 11: Feller in the Record Books
Chapter 12: The Players Revolt
Chapter 13: The Pennant Race Is On
Chapter 14: Uncle Sam Wants You
Chapter 16: Another Player-Manager
Appendix: Cleveland Indians, 1937–41
ILLUSTRATIONS
Alva Bradley with league presidents
Bob Feller
Bob Feller
Ladies Day, 1937
Ken Keltner
Lyn Lary
Johnny Allen sweatshirt
Crowd at Municipal Stadium, 1938
Frankie Pytlak and Hank Helf
Spring training, 1939
Judy Garland
Cy Slapnicka and Rollie Hemsley
Rollie Hemsley
The Fellers
Lou Boudreau and Ray Mack
Oscar Vitt
Fans at League Park
Cleveland Indians team photo, 1940
Managers examine new batting helmet
Bob Feller and teammates after opening day no-hitter, 1940
Chapter 1
A TROUBLESOME OFF-SEASON
For Indians boss Alva Bradley, the 1937 regular season could not have arrived soon enough. The fall and winter months had been filled with controversy and debate, mostly detrimental to his ball club. Bradley, who had bought the team in late 1927, had seen more ups and downs in recent days than in his entire previous tenure. Now that opening day had just about arrived, he hoped for at least a few months of smooth sailing.
The first round of turmoil began in late September of 1936. Rumors floated around the American League that the Indians might have illegally signed pitcher Bob Feller. Still a high school student, the seventeen-year-old phenom had pitched sparingly throughout the season, but in the latter part had managed to break the American League strikeout record. Feller and his incredible fastball had brought comparisons to the great Walter Johnson and all the other speed ball kings. The Cleveland front office daydreamed of the pennants the youngster from Van Meter, Iowa, would surely bring.
The dream turned into a nightmare when, on September 23, Ed McAuley of the Cleveland News broke the unpleasant story. The Indians beat reporter had uncovered evidence that Feller had signed directly with Cleveland and not a minor league club. The Major League rules of 1936 stated that teams could not sign a player straight out of high school. The rule read, “Major League clubs shall sign as free agents only college players and players who have previously contracted, or accepted terms, or had service, with any Minor or Major League clubs.” This rule was introduced