1940 Cleveland Indians season


The 1940 Cleveland Indians season was a season in American major league baseball. The team finished second in the American League with a record of 89–65, one game behind the Detroit Tigers. Had the Indians finished ahead of the Tigers, The Indians would have played their cross state National League rivals, the National League Champion Cincinnati Reds, in the World Series. The World Series would have been the only all Ohio World series. The season is infamous for ten Indian players confronting owner Alva Bradley and demanding the removal of manager Ossie Vitt, saying the man's behavior was harming the team. When the news broke, the public sided with Vitt and the Indians were dismissed as "crybabies." The movement has since been named the "Crybaby Mutiny."

Regular season

Record vs. opponents

Notable transactions

Player stats

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
PosPlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
CRollie Hemsley119416111.267442
1BHal Trosky140522154.2952593
2BRay Mack146530150.2831269
SSLou Boudreau155627185.2959101
3BKen Keltner149543138.2541577
OFBeau Bell120444124.279458
OF143548157.286450
OFRoy Weatherly135578175.3031259

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
PlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
Jeff Heath10035678.2191450
Frankie Pytlak6214921.141016
Rusty Peters307117.23907
Soup Campbell356214.22602
Odell Hale485011.22006
Oscar Grimes11130.00000
Hank Helf110.00000

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASO
43320.127112.61261
Al Milnar37242.118103.2799
Mel Harder31186.112114.0676
31183.01573.4446
Johnny Allen32138.2983.4462

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASO
Mike Naymick1330.0125.1015
Willis Hudlin423.2214.948
Nate Andrews612.0016.003
Dixie Howell35.0001.802
Ken Jungels23.1002.701
Cal Dorsett11.0009.000

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGWLSVERASO
403734.9557
Harry Eisenstat271443.1427
Johnny Humphries190218.2917
Bill Zuber171105.6312

Awards and Honors

, Shortstop
Bob Feller, Pitcher
Rollie Hemsley, Catcher
Ken Keltner, Third baseman
Ray Mack, Second baseman
Al Milnar, Pitcher

Farm system

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Cedar Rapids