Downtown in Cleveland in Cuyahoga County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

1954 American League Champions

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 19, 2021

1. 1954 American League Champions Marker

Inscription. The tribe managed to accumulate 111 wins (franchise record) in 1954. Finishing eight games ahead of the Yankees, the Indians were set to play the Giants of New York. The Indians featured three future Hall of Fame pitchers (Feller, Lemon, and Wynn) and 1953 AL MVP Al Rosen, but momentum shifted early away from the tribe when Giants center fielder Willie Mays made perhaps the most famous catch in baseball history to rob Vic Wertz of extra bases. Despite coming up short in the World Series, 4-0, the 1954 club was one of the best in franchise history.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Sports. A significant historical year for this entry is 1954.

Location. 41° 29.834′ N, 81° 41.066′ W. Marker is in Cleveland, Ohio, in Cuyahoga County. It is in Downtown. It can be reached from the intersection of East 9th Street and Larry Doby Way, on the left when traveling north. Marker is located at the Cleveland Indians Progressive Field north entrance, in front of Gate C-2. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2401 Ontario Street, Cleveland OH 44115, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Ohio’s Lake Erie Shore

and in the Western Reserve.

It is also in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: First Division Title Since 1954 (here, next to this marker); Bob Feller (here, next to this marker); All-Star MVP (here, next to this marker); Lou Boudreau (here, next to this marker);

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Robert William Andrew Feller (here, next to this marker); Inaugural Game (here, next to this marker); 1995 American League Champions (here, next to this marker); Frank Robinson (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cleveland.

Also see . . .
1. 1954 Cleveland Indians Season (Wikipedia). It was the team's third American League championship in franchise history. The Indians' 111–43 record is the all-time record for winning percentage by an American League team (.721), as this was before 162 games were played in a season. For more than 60 years, Cleveland was the only team in Major League Baseball to have compiled two different 11-game winning streaks within the same season, until the Toronto Blue Jays were able to accomplish the rare feat during the 2015 regular season. (Submitted on September 21, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. 1954 World Series. Game 1 was held at the Polo Grounds and the fans in attendance witnessed what is considered by many to be the greatest defensive play in World Series history. With the opener tied at 2-2 (in the eighth) and two

Marker detail: 1954 American League Champions image. Click for full size.

2. Marker detail: 1954 American League Champions

Cleveland runners on base, Willie Mays made a spinning, over-the-shoulder catch (of a 460-foot smash from Vic Wertz) in deep centerfield and fired a bullet to the infield that held the runners from tagging up and scoring. (Submitted on September 21, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 19, 2021

3. 1954 American League Champions Marker

Progressive Field Gate C-2 in background.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 4, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 21, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 261 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 21, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.