The Cleveland Indians began play in 1901 and have been proud to boast some of MLB betting most legendary names on it’s rosters though the years.
1920 was a star crossed baseball betting odds season as Indian shortstop Ray Chapman died one day after being beaned, this becoming the only player in big league history to die from an on the field incident. The Tribe was able to overcome the tragedy with its first world title, defeating Brooklyn in seven baseball betting odds games.
Throughout the 1940’s and early 50’s MLB betting seasons Cleveland fielded a perennial contender with such names as Bob Feller, Early Wynn, Bob Lemon and Mike Garcia. Lou Boudreau’s bat led the way to a 1948 World Series title and the 1954 team won an incredible 111 games in a 154-game baseball betting odds season, but it all went to waste in a baseball betting odds World Series defeat at the hands of the New York Giants. Fittingly, this would be Cleveland’s last World Series appearance for 43-years. Herb Score set a rookie record for strikeouts by a pitcher the following baseball betting odds season but that would prove to be one of the few bright spots for Cleveland as they slipped into a long period of mediocrity.
During the 1960’s and 70’s baseball betting odds seasons in particular, Cleveland was considered one of baseball’s weak links both on the field and at the gate. Playing at cavernous 80,000 seats Municipal Stadium, small crowds would be dwarfed by empty seats. The franchise had to settle for whatever individual awards it could obtain and Gaylord Perry’s 1972 Cy Young Award was the pinnacle achievement for the Tribe during this empty baseball betting odds era.
Baseball would enjoy a tremendous rebirth in Cleveland, however, with the opening of Jacobs Field in 1994, as an era of post-season play and record crowds was about to begin. Playing an abbreviated 1995 baseball betting odds schedule the Indians won a whopping 100 out of 144 games, winning their division by an eye-popping 30 game spread! Unfortunately, the Tribe lost to Atlanta in the Fall Classic, though hope sprung eternal in Cleveland.
The Indians lost a heartbreaking 7-game World Series to a rented Florida Marlin roster in 1997 but remained a strong contender through 2001 baseball betting odds season before owner Jim Dolan cried poverty, despite 8-straight years of sellout crowds, and began dismantling the team in 2002 MLB betting season, which ended a golden era.