World Series ’48

The 1948 World Series gave fans an unusual showdown—neither of the contestants had seen the Fall Classic for a generation. The Cleveland Indians had last won the American League pennant in 1920. The Boston Braves had not been atop the National League since 1914. Both teams featured excellent pitching. Boston’s aces were Warren Spahn and Johnny Sain. Cleveland had stalwarts of the mound Bob Feller and Bob Lemon, and surprise knuckleball phenom Gene Bearden. Despite being prohibitive favorites, Cleveland battled through six hard-fought games for the championship. This book recounts every at-bat of the 1948 Series, along with key moments of the regular season, including the antics of colorful Indians’ owner Bill Veeck and a near fatality on the diamond.

John G. Robertson is a private tutor and sports historian who lives in Cambridge, Ontario. He is the author of numerous books on baseball, hockey and boxing history.
Carl T. Madden lives in Welland, Ontario and is the author of multiple books on the history of sports.

John G. Robertson and Carl T. Madden
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 258
Bibliographic Info: 24 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2023
pISBN: 978-1-4766-8990-6
eISBN: 978-1-4766-4783-8
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments vi
Introduction 1
1. Returning to Prominence: The Resurrection of the Boston Braves 5
2. The 1948 Cleveland Indians: Baseball’s Biggest Drawing Card 20
3. Down to the Wire: The 1948 American League Pennant Race 35
4. Game #155: A ­One-Game Playoff Decides the American League Pennant 48
5. Esoterica: A Collection of Happenings from the 1948 Baseball Season 60
6. Anticipation: Braves vs. Indians 70
7. Game One Scuttlebutt: Question Marks 78
8. World Series Game One: Picked Off? No, Ticked Off! 81
9. Game Two Scuttlebutt: Pressure Now on Cleveland 102
10. World Series Game Two: Cleveland Gets Some ­Lemon-Aid 104
11. Game Three Scuttlebutt: Bearden’s Boast, Puzzled Paige, and Bickford Under Pressure 121
12. World Series Game Three: Bearden Blanks the Braves 123
13. Game Four Scuttlebutt: Boudreau Cautious, Gromek Disrespected, Absent Offense 137
14. World Series Game Four: Doby’s Homer Does It 139
15. Game Five Scuttlebutt: Boudreau Still Cautious, Rickert Gets No Share 151
16. World Series Game Five: Brave Resistance 154
17. Game Six Scuttlebutt: Feller’s Second Failure, Veeck Eying Chisox, Railroad Woes 169
18. World Series Game Six: Indian Summer Concludes 171
19. Why Cleveland Won 186
20. Postscripts 189
21. The Decline and Relocation of the Boston Braves 194
22. Whatever Became Of… 203
23. Has Anyone Seen the 1948 World Series Pennant Recently? 231
24. 1948 World Series Composite Statistics 233
Chapter Notes 237
Bibliography 245
Index 247