He was an actor, known for The Kid from Cleveland (1949), The Way It Was (1974) and The Eyes Have It (1948). In 1946 Veeck headed a syndicate that bought the franchise of the American League (AL) Cleveland Indians, who had not won a pennant since 1920. Doby was signed by the Indians by owner and team president Bill Veeck in July, 11 weeks after Jackie Robinson appeared with the Brooklyn Dodgers in the National League. Paul Saints co-owner and . “But we can guarantee the fan will have fun. Little did. The group had more than a dozen investors, [32] most notably celebrity Bob Hope , who grew up in Cleveland, and former Tigers slugger, Hank Greenberg . The New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians each finish with over $2. A Hinsdale mansion sold for $7. Veeck, in his long, storied career as the owner of (in chronological order) the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Browns. After stints owning the Cleveland Indians and the minor-league Milwaukee Brewers, Bill Veeck led a group that purchased the perennial cellar-dwelling St. The article, authored by David Jordan, Larry Gerlach, and John Rossi, challenged legendary baseball executive Bill Veeck’s claim that in 1943 he had attempted to buy the Philadelphia Phillies with plans to stock the team with Negro League stars, only to be thwarted by the machinations of Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis and. November 21, 1949 - Bill Veeck sells Indians for $22 million September 23, 1949 - Indian owner Bill Veeck holds funeral services to bury 1948 pennant May 27, 1949 - Indians start 12-17, owner Bill Veeck arranges a "Second Opening Day" November 1, 1946 - Cleveland Indians owner Bill Veeck's right foot is amputated June 21, 1946 - Bill Veeck. Retrieved on. He broadcast the. Fans loved Max Patkin, “The Clown Prince of Baseball,” doing his antics as third base coach. Though he had only been at the helm since 1946, in the 4 short years he had moved the team permanently from League Park to Cleveland Municipal stadium, ensured that all 154 of the team’s games would be broadcast on the radio, brought the team its first world series since 1920, and. Bill Veeck appeared in Cleveland in 1946, having purchased the franchise from Alva Bradley. During his tenure, he sponsored more African American players than any other major league executive. The Eagles were sold after the 1948 season and folded after two years in Houston and one in New Orleans. Baseball's showman didn't disappoint. (1914-1986) is legendary in many ways-baseball impresario and innovator, independent spirit, champion of civil rights in a time of great change. Veeck signed four of the first 11 black players in the major leagues and. In 1946 Veeck headed a syndicate that bought the franchise of the American League (AL) Cleveland Indians who had not won a pennant since 1920. Never missing an opportunity to draw attention, when it was clear the 1949 Indians would not repeat as champions, Veeck literally buried the 1948 championship flag. The JOLLY SET was an informal name for an informal group that constituted a Cleveland version of cafe society in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Dec. The company used to design patches worn by Cleveland police and fire departments. Louis Browns 5-1. 6 Nuh-uh. The logo, created by 17-year-old Walter Goldbach in 1946, wasn't intended for use by the Indians but was adopted by owner Bill Veeck. Veeck loved it and it. Paul Saints owner and president Mike Veeck, will be celebrated next month in Charleston, South Carolina. " The $300,000 130. In 1947, Veeck was the owner of the minor league Milwaukee Brewers and the team trained in Ocala, Florida. ↓. " Mike Veeck said his father, former Indians owner Bill Veeck, would've abandoned the "Chief Wahoo" logo as soon as there was outcry. In 1960 Veeck unveiled the exploding scoreboard and drew 1,644,460 for a club record that still stands. By the time he was 32 years old, he led the syndicate that purchased the Cleveland Indians for $2. June 22, 1946: Veeck buys the Cleveland Indians. OBITUARY. In 1947, the Cleveland Indians began taking up preseason residence 120 miles southeast of Phoenix in Tucson, the winter home of the club’s new owner, Bill Veeck. Ill health led him to sell two years later, only to gain. Ferrell went 21-10, 25-13, 22-12 and 23-13 in that stretch. Bill Veeck had sold the team, Ken Keltner had been released, stars like Boudreau and Joe Gordon would play their last season in an Indians uniform, but with newcomers like Rosen, Boone, Avila and. List of Cleveland Guardians managers;The 1947 Cleveland Indians season was the 47th in franchise history. 9, 1914 in Chicago, was the son of Cubs. 54 million. , bought the house for $1. by signing Larry Doby to play for the Cleveland Indians in 1947 and four years later famously had a 3-foot. Andy McKenna is on Veeck's right. He signed LARRY DOBY † as the first African American player in the American league in 1947 as well as legendary Negro League pitcher LEROY “SATCHEL” PAIGE †. 1949 Bill Veeck sells MLB Cleveland Indians for $22 million, to fund his divorce settlement. Rebecca Veeck. , was president of the Chicago Cubs from 1919-33. When Veeck was forced to sell the Indians due to a divorce settlement, new owner Ellis Ryan retained Greenberg, promoting him to general manager. Baseball Biographies (Books) 4. In 1935 he married his first wife. Meanwhile, Cleveland Guardians owner Bill Veeck was trying hard to integrate the majors. During his ownership, he made extensive repairs, including a new roof, and had preservation easements. He signed LARRY DOBY as the first African American player in the American league in 1947 as well as legendary Negro League pitcher LEROY "SATCHEL" PAIGE in. While growing up, Bill Veeck attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. " Dolan agreed Thursday to buy the Cleveland Indians for $320 million from Richard Jacobs, who as the team's owner. Veeck is president and part owner of the St. Bill Veeck, Ed Linn. 4. Veeck’s father, Bill, owned, at various times, the Cleveland Indians, St. Chicago clinched the pennant in Cleveland on September 22. 57 ERA, and be selected. Johnston, an investment banker, was named chairman of the board. The Veeck family started in baseball nearly a century ago when Veeck’s grandfather was president of the Chicago Cubs. Bill Veeck has just purchased the Cleveland Indians in June, 1946. Over 29. It’s a familiar story: After flaming out spectacularly in the Major Leagues, a once-promising baseball talent returns to the Minors and stages a comeback. His Hinsdale house has been saved by buyers who plan to renovate it. It never occurred to me I'd be Bill Veeck. “That’s called integrity,” Doby Jr. In 1946, an ownership group fronted by Veeck purchased the lackluster Cleveland Indians. The late Bill Veeck once sent 3-foot-7 Eddie Gaedel to the plate as a St. He. 1945: Veeck claims that he arrived in Milwaukee with just $11 in his pockets, but he left with a fair amount more: This year, Bill sells his stake in the Brewers, making a $275,000 profit. The 45-year-old Veeck was coming home. His father, Bill Jr. June 10, 1961. The Cleveland Indians had not won a pennant since 1920, and had seldom been in. When Bill Veeck purchased the Cleveland Indians in 1946, he aspired to turn around a team mired in mediocre standings and attendance. C. November 1, 2016 / 1:22 PM EDT / CBS NEWS. For Veeck to pay Manley and the Eagles $15,000 for Doby (plus another $5,000 once Doby spent 30 days with Cleveland) was a significant show of respect for. Photo: Wikimedia Commons Veeck grew up in baseball, and, like his skydivers, he had misfires as well as successes. In post-World War 11 Cleveland, Walter Goldbach, just graduating high school, drew a picture of a smiling yellow-skinned Indian with a crooked nose, red feather and ponytail. On this day in 1948, the Cleveland Indians inked the star to his first major league contract. They bought the team, Comiskey Park, and $2 million of team debt. Her grandfather, Bill Veeck, owned the Cleveland Indians, St. On July 12, 1979, Mike Veeck, son of former Cleveland Indians owner Bill Veeck and a budding promoter in his own right, was working in the front office for the Chicago White Sox. Bill Veeck, who owned the White Sox twice (1959-1961 and 1976-1981) and got his start in the Cubs front office, was one of the baseball's greatest innovators. A new scoreboard was installed, old bleachers were ripped out and new ones went up. In 1947, Bill Veeck, the owner of the team hired JF Novak Company to create a logo for Cleavland. As owner and team president of the Indians in 1947, Veeck signed Larry Doby, thus beginning the integration of the. He once sent a dwarf to the plate as a. Louis Browns. Joe Wood refused to sign at the new terms, and instead went home and sat out the entire 1916 season. At 32, he was the youngest. After returning from the war, Veeck purchased the sad sack Cleveland Indians in June 1946. In many ways, you were set up to fail. Hall of Fame owner Bill Veeck said Paige threw four of his five pitches directly over a cigarette when he auditioned for the Cleveland Indians. November 21, 1949 - Bill Veeck sells Indians for $22 million September 23, 1949 - Indian owner Bill Veeck holds funeral services to bury 1948 pennant May 27, 1949 - Indians start 12-17, owner Bill Veeck arranges a "Second Opening Day" November 1, 1946 - Cleveland Indians owner Bill Veeck's right foot is amputatedBill Veeck spent the balance of his life challenging and bringing change to the business of baseball. G. One owner, Hall of Famer Bill Veeck, did his best to pay tribute to the fans and put them center stage. 48 3 New from $11. As the owner of the Cleveland franchise, Veeck’s Indians became the first American league team to. 24 A comparative example here is the Newark Eagles of the Negro National League who were assessed at $1. A self-proclaimed "hustler," Bill Veeck, Jr. Bill Veeck, owner of the Cleveland Indians in the 1940s and later the Chicago White Sox, stated it plainly in his memoir: “Look, we play the Star Spangled Banner before every game. 1948 - The Cleveland Indians won the American League pennant for the first time in 28 years, and went on to beat the Boston Braves in the World Series. Arizona has been home to major-league spring training since the immediate aftermath of World War II. With that as the backdrop, Veeck, on June 22, 1946, got an investor group comprised mainly of Chicago bankers – but also included comedian Bob Hope – to buy the Indians for $1. 1949-11-21 Bill Veeck sells MLB Cleveland Indians for $22 million, to fund his divorce settlement. —died June 18, 2003, Montclair, N. In his biography. Bill Veeck, 71, owner of three major league teams and self-described baseball hustler, died of a heart attack yesterday at Illinois Masonic Medical. Ranked by the Sporting News as the ninth-best team in baseball history, the ’48 Indians were a colorful group of guys, led by the always colorful Bill Veeck, the future Hall of Famer who was running his first team. ESPN. was a former sports writer who built the Chicago Cubs into pennant winners in the early 1930s. The Indians won the pennant again in 1954, amassing a record 111 victories, including a pennant triumph over the Yankees on 12 Sept. According to Paul Dickson's biography, "Bill Veeck: Baseball's Greatest Maverick,'' theThe fans responded as the team set an all-time record by drawing 2. Mike Veeck. Veeck owned the Cleveland Indians from 1946-49, the St. 99) and a 3-pack ($24. Louis Browns from 1951-53 and the Chicago White Sox twice, from 1959. May 22, 2022, in New York. Klein was a farm director, scouting director, and general manager in Major. With that as the backdrop, Veeck, on June 22, 1946, got an investor group comprised mainly of Chicago bankers – but also included comedian Bob Hope – to buy the Indians for $1. When Bill Veeck purchased the Cleveland Indians in 1946, he aspired to turn around a team mired in mediocre standings and attendance. Upon his passing on June 18, 2003, President George W. 6 million. Louis Browns, Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, and the then-minor league Milwaukee Brewers. “Everything was great,” Mike says now of his. William Louis "Bill" Veeck, Jr. 7 million fans bought tickets to major league ballgames in 1975, the third-highest attendance figure in history, and the season had been capped by an electrifying seven-game World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the Cincinnati Reds—memorably highlighted by Carlton Fisk. Its. 1949 - With financial problems, Veeck was forced to sell the Indians team. The documentary is mainly comprised of interviews with family, friends, and colleagues of Veeck, along with narration over still photos, period interviews,. Paul Dickson has written the first full biography of this towering figure, in the process rewriting many aspects of his life and bringing alive the history of America's. More than 20 newspapers are creating stories. He installed that in 1960 during his first stint as the Sox’ owner. November 21, 1949 - Bill Veeck sells Indians for $22 million September 23, 1949 - Indian owner Bill Veeck holds funeral services to bury 1948 pennant May 27, 1949 - Indians start 12-17, owner Bill Veeck arranges a "Second Opening Day" November 1, 1946 - Cleveland Indians owner Bill Veeck's right foot is amputatedOn returning, he bought the Cleveland Indians in 1946 the first of four midwestern teams he would own, preceding the hapless St. Master promoter Bill Veeck brought movable fences to Cleveland Municipal Stadium. 6 million. "The Saint of Second Chances," a new documentary now streaming on Netflix, tells just such a tale. Taylor Spink referred to as “a stiff workout — or a talk with Bill Veeck,” the new Cleveland owner summed up his philosophy: “Baseball has to be promoted, it has to be sold. Veeck, the former Indians owner, tried to buy the Senators in 1967, and he planned to install Elston Howard as the sport’s first Black manager. He was given until February 22 to make a deal to sell the Cardinals. Event: Bill Veeck sells Indians for $22 million Bill Veeck History: August 22, 1980 - Bill Veeck agrees to sell Chicago White Sox to Eddie DeBartolo Sr for $20,000,000, AL owners block the sale December 16, 1975 - Bill Veeck buys 80% of White Sox from John Allyn June 12, 1961 - An ailing Bill Veeck sells his interest in White Sox to Arthur Allyn On June 22, 1946, Veeck’s journey to Cooperstown began in earnest when his syndicate purchased the Cleveland Indians. The team who signed him, the Cleveland Indians, owned and operated by all-around weirdo Bill Veeck, reached the Series in 1948 behind good years from fellow Negro League veteran Larry Doby, Joe. Bill Veeck, front row, center, officially signs over the sale of the Chicago White Sox to Jerry Reinsdorf, right, on Feb. Born is named tournament Most Outstanding PlayerLegendary Bill Veeck was as colorful as they came. 6. 2 million. 2 million to a syndicate headed by Ellis Ryan and Hank Greenberg. Nov 22; November in Sport. Bill Veeck, who owned the Indians when the team last won the World Series, in 1948, first promoted the Wahoo logo. The 27-year-old American League Cy Young Award winner, who finished with a 20-5 record with a 2. Veeck Sells Cleveland Indians. (/ˈvɛk/; February 9, 1914 – January 2, 1986), also known as "Sport Shirt Bill", was an American Major League Baseball franchise owner and promoter. His classic autobiography, written with the talented sportswriter Ed Linn, is an uproarious book packed with information about the history of baseball and tales of. Veeck pushed a record 2. It was exactly what it sounds like: the Indians gave unhappy people who rooted for a bad team unlimited quantities of nearly-free alcohol and it turned. Veeck has been called many things by many people, but one thing he has never been called is dull. 1945: Veeck claims that he arrived in Milwaukee with just $11 in his pockets, but he left with a fair amount more: This year, Bill sells his stake in the Brewers, making a $275,000 profit. You had Bill Veeck, who was a forward-looking promotional genius who had bought the Cleveland Indians in 1946, and he very much looked to the Negro Leagues as a way of infusing talent into that team. In 1960, Bill Veeck, then the owner of the White Sox, unveiled one of his signature innovations -- Comiskey Park’s “exploding” scoreboard. Women showed up for Orchid Night. 99). 56 ERA last season, earned $4. Joseph Anthony Klein III (August 22, 1942 – August 23, 2017) was an American professional baseball executive. 235 million; the price tag includes the four-room coach-house apartment where Veeck and his first. Louis Browns on July 3, 1951. 1 Letters to the Editor, Cleveland Press, September 9, 1948: 18. He immediately began to work his promotional skills on the team. Veeck Sr. baseball-happy family. PAUL, Minn. AP. Louis Browns, and the Chicago White Sox. As baseball historian Daniel Okrent wrote, "Robinson had a two year drum. Doby, Lawrence "Larry" Eugene (13 December 1923-18 June 2003) was the second African American player in Major League Baseball, the first in the American League. That same year Bill Veeck Jr. Bill Veeck History: August 22, 1980 - Bill Veeck agrees to sell Chicago White Sox to Eddie. (1914-1986) is legendary in many ways-baseball. A veteran of four major-league front offices, Veeck is the son of the legendary Bill Veeck, who owned the St. According to the Tribune, AL owners met with Veeck on December 3 in Cleveland, shortly before the winter meetings were to begin in Florida, to scrutinize the offer of approximately $8 million. 23 Ibid. A native of Camden, South Carolina, and three-sport all-state athlete. X Share. Former Major League Baseball owner Bill Veeck won the 1948 World Series with the Cleveland Indians, signed the American League’s first black player (South Carolina’s Larry Doby), used 3-foot-7. (He used to run the St. 23, 2016. The last time the Cleveland Indians won the World Series in 1948, Harry Truman was in the White House. In St. He had a deep, compelling voice that writer Dave Kindred said “came as a train in the night. The man on this week's cover is Bill Veeck, whose new book, The Hustler's Handbook, begins on page 87. September 22, 2023 Facebook Share. Veeck then hired Larry Doby, who, as a result, became the first African American ever to play in the AL. Players taking the field in SHORTS. Nap Lajoie, member of Baseball’s Hall of Fame, ended his career in 1916 with a BA of . He sold the team the following year due to poor health, but he bought it back in 1976 in order to save the Sox from leaving. Then we have the legendary game between the Texas Rangers and the Cleveland Indians that took place June 4, 1974 where beer was a mere dime as. He was best known for his flamboyant publicity stunts, and the innovations he brought to the league during his ownership of the Cleveland. VEECK, WILLIAM (BILL) L. The CLEVELAND GUARDIANS (formerly the Cleveland Indians) baseball team, a charter member of the American League, founded in 1901, was originally named the Blues, then the Broncos, and from 1903-11 was known as the Naps, in honor of player-manager NAPOLEON LAJOIE. Meanwhile, back in the stands, Veeck’s promos raised attendance from a half million to a record 2. He went on to eventually own the Cleveland Indians in 1947 and produce the city's first pennant and World Series championship since 1920 while establishing a major league attendance record of 2. The Cactus League became a reality in 1947, when Horace Stoneham’s New York Giants and Bill Veeck’s Cleveland Indians took up residence in Phoenix and Tucson, respectively. Paul Saints. Bill Veeck tried to buy the Baltimore Orioles in 1974 but failed due to troubles with the IRS. (IPA: [vɛk], rhymes with "wreck"; February 9, 1914 – January 2, 1986), also known as "Sport Shirt Bill," was a native of Chicago, Illinois, and franchise owner and promoter in Major League Baseball. Gaedel walked on four pitches.