Frank Robison – From The Middle Blog

[custom_countdown width=”125px”] The History of the Cleveland Guardians: From the Blues to the Guardians The Cleveland Guardians are one of Major League Baseball’s oldest franchises. The organization that is now known as the Guardians began American League play in 1901, making Cleveland one of the original American League cities. Over more than 125 years, the franchise has been known by several names, including the Cleveland Blues, Cleveland Bronchos, Cleveland Naps, Cleveland Indians and Cleveland Guardians. The team has won six American League pennants and two World Series championships. The Guardians’ history includes legendary players such as Cy Young, Nap Lajoie, Tris Speaker, Bob Feller, Lou Boudreau, Larry Doby, Frank Robinson, Jim Thome and CC Sabathia. It is also a franchise with a fascinating history of ballparks, ownership changes, blockbuster trades and players who became stars after leaving Cleveland. The Beginning: Cleveland Baseball Before the Guardians Cleveland had Major League baseball before the current franchise. The Cleveland Blues played in the National League beginning in 1879. Later, Cleveland became home to the Cleveland Spiders, who played in the National League from 1887 through 1899. The Spiders produced several future Hall of Famers, including Cy Young, Jesse Burkett, Buck Ewing, Bobby Wallace, John Clarkson and George Davis. However, the Spiders disappeared after the disastrous 1899 season. The Spiders finished that season 20-134, still one of the worst records in professional sports history. Owner Frank Robison also owned the St. Louis Browns and transferred Cleveland’s best players to St. Louis, leaving Cleveland with a depleted roster. The Spiders were dropped from the National League after the season. The modern Cleveland franchise began in the American League in 1901. The Cleveland Blues and Bronchos The new American League Cleveland franchise initially went through several nicknames. The team was called the Cleveland Blues in 1901 and later became known as the Bronchos. In 1903, the team acquired one of baseball’s greatest early stars, Nap Lajoie, and soon became known as the Cleveland Naps. Lajoie was more than just a star player. He became the face of the franchise and one of the greatest hitters of the dead-ball era. The Cleveland Naps Nap Lajoie was one of baseball’s first true superstars. He won batting titles, accumulated thousands of hits and became so closely associated with Cleveland that the club eventually adopted the name Naps in his honor. The team also developed one of the game’s great pitchers during this period: Addie Joss. Joss threw a 74-pitch perfect game for Cleveland at League Park on October 2, 1908. His career ended tragically when he died of tubercular meningitis in 1911. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1978. The 1920 World Championship The franchise’s first World Series championship came in 1920. The team was led by players including: Tris Speaker, Stan Coveleski, Joe Sewell, Ray Chapman, Jim Bagby Sr. Cleveland defeated the Brooklyn Robins in the World Series. The 1920 championship was especially significant because it came during a tragic period for the franchise. Shortstop Ray Chapman was killed after being struck in the head by a pitch during the season. The team rallied and eventually won the World Series. Tris Speaker had become a Cleveland star after the team acquired him from Boston in 1916. He remained with Cleveland for 11 seasons and became one of the greatest players in franchise history. From Naps to Indians After the 1914 season, the team dropped the Naps nickname and became known as the Cleveland Indians. The Indians name remained for more than a century. In 2021, the organization officially changed its name to the Cleveland Guardians. The new name came from the six Art Deco Guardians of Traffic statues on Cleveland’s Hope Memorial Bridge. The name change created a new chapter while preserving the statistical and historical records of the same franchise. Every Home Ballpark The Guardians have played their home games in only four primary Major League ballparks since the franchise began in 1901. Ballpark Years Location League Park 1901-1931 East 66th Street and Lexington Avenue Cleveland Stadium 1932-1993 Lake Erie waterfront Jacobs Field 1994-2007 Downtown Cleveland Progressive Field 2008-present* Downtown Cleveland *The stadium was renamed Progressive Field in 2008 after originally being known as Jacobs Field. The Guardians’ official history lists League Park as the home from 1890-1931, although the current American League franchise began playing there in 1901. Cleveland Stadium then served as the club’s home from 1932 through 1993. Jacobs Field opened in 1994, and the stadium became Progressive Field in 2008. League Park League Park was one of baseball’s historic early parks. The original wooden structure was replaced by a concrete-and-steel facility in 1910. It held approximately 21,000 fans and remained Cleveland’s home until 1931. Cleveland Stadium Cleveland Stadium opened in 1932 and became the team’s home for 62 seasons. It hosted five World Series and four All-Star Games. It was also the setting for several historic Cleveland pitching performances, including Len Barker’s perfect game in 1981. Jacobs Field The opening of Jacobs Field in 1994 helped transform Cleveland baseball. The downtown ballpark replaced Cleveland Stadium and became one of the symbols of the franchise’s remarkable resurgence during the 1990s. Progressive Field The ballpark remains the Guardians’ home today. Located in downtown Cleveland, Progressive Field sits beside Rocket Mortgage Field House and has become one of the most recognizable landmarks in the city. All Guardians Owners The Cleveland organization has had a remarkably long list of owners and controlling ownership groups. The Guardians’ official ownership history lists the following: Owner / Ownership Years Charles W. Somers 1900-1916 Jim Dunn 1916-1922 Estate of Jim Dunn 1922-1927 Alva Bradley 1927-1946 Bill Veeck 1946-1949 Ellis Ryan 1949-1952 Myron H. Wilson 1953-1956 William R. Daley 1956-1962 Gabe Paul 1963-1966 Vernon Stouffer 1967-1972 Nick Mileti 1972-1976 Ted Bonda 1977-1978 F.J. “Steve” O’Neill 1978-1983 Estate of F.J. “Steve” O’Neill 1983-1986 Richard E. Jacobs 1986-2000 Larry Dolan and family trusts 2000-present The Dolan family purchased the franchise in 2000 and remains the ownership… Continue reading The History of the Cleveland Guardians:

St. Louis Cardinals: A Complete History of One of Baseball’s Greatest Franchises Few franchises in professional sports can match the history of the St. Louis Cardinals. The organization traces its professional roots to 1882, joined the National League in 1892, adopted the Cardinals name in 1900, and has built one of baseball’s most successful traditions. The Cardinals have won 11 World Series championships, 19 National League pennants and more than 10,000 regular-season games. Through 2026, the franchise has made 32 postseason appearances. The organization also has an extraordinary connection to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, with 56 former players, managers and executives having Cardinals ties recognized in Cooperstown. The story of the Cardinals is much more than a list of championships. It includes innovative owners, legendary players, unusual ballparks, dramatic trades, devastating trades, great managers and some of the most memorable moments in World Series history. The Beginning: From Brown Stockings to Cardinals The professional history of the franchise begins in 1882, when the St. Louis Brown Stockings became one of the original members of the American Association. The club was originally associated with Chris von der Ahe, a German-born businessman who became one of the most colorful owners in early professional baseball. The franchise went through several names: St. Louis Brown Stockings — 1882 St. Louis Browns — 1883-1898 St. Louis Perfectos — 1899 St. Louis Cardinals — 1900-present The nickname “Cardinals” developed in the late 1890s. The club was wearing red-trimmed uniforms when a woman reportedly described the shade of red as “cardinal.” Sportswriter Willie McHale picked up the description, and it eventually became the team’s official identity. The club joined the National League in 1892, beginning the continuous National League history that continues today. The Owners Who Shaped the Cardinals Chris von der Ahe, 1881-1898 Chris von der Ahe was the first major owner in the franchise’s history. He helped make St. Louis baseball a significant attraction and was also responsible for developing Sportsman’s Park. Von der Ahe was an unusual character by modern standards. He was an immigrant businessman who became wealthy through the beer business and viewed baseball as part of a larger entertainment operation. His ownership era established professional baseball in St. Louis. Frank and Stanley Robison, 1898-1911 The Robison brothers acquired the club near the end of the 19th century. They changed the club’s nickname from Browns to Perfectos for the 1899 season. The experiment lasted only one year. In 1900, the club officially became the St. Louis Cardinals. Helene Hathaway Britton, 1911-1917 After Frank Robison died, ownership passed to his daughter, Helene Hathaway Britton. She became one of the earliest women to own a major professional baseball club. The team struggled during much of this period, however, and Britton eventually sold her interest. Sam Breadon and Branch Rickey The most important ownership period in early Cardinals history began with Sam Breadon. Breadon became majority owner in 1920 and teamed with Branch Rickey, one of the most important executives in baseball history. This partnership changed the Cardinals forever. Rickey developed the Cardinals’ farm system, while Breadon provided the financial backing. The Cardinals began developing their own players rather than depending primarily on buying established stars. The result was extraordinary. From 1920 through 1947, the Cardinals won nine National League pennants and six World Series championships. The Cardinals’ farm system became the model that eventually transformed professional baseball. Fred Saigh and Robert Hannegan, 1947-1949 After Breadon sold the club, ownership passed briefly to Robert Hannegan and Fred Saigh. Hannegan’s ownership was short-lived. Saigh eventually became the controlling owner. Fred Saigh, 1949-1953 Saigh ran into serious legal and financial problems and eventually was forced to sell the Cardinals. That opened the door for the most influential corporate ownership period in Cardinals history. Anheuser-Busch and August A. “Gussie” Busch Jr., 1953-1989 August A. Busch Jr., president of Anheuser-Busch, purchased the Cardinals in 1953. The brewery’s ownership lasted more than four decades. During this period the Cardinals won World Series championships in: 1964 1967 1982 They also won National League pennants in 1968, 1985 and 1987. August A. Busch III, 1989-1996 Busch III continued the family’s ownership after his father. In 1995, Anheuser-Busch announced that the Cardinals would be sold. William O. DeWitt Jr., 1996-present The current ownership group, led by Bill DeWitt Jr., purchased the Cardinals from Anheuser-Busch. Since the DeWitt group took control, the Cardinals have won World Series championships in 2006 and 2011 and have remained one of the National League’s most successful organizations. Every Home Ballpark Used by the Cardinals The Cardinals have played in several different parks during their long history. Sportsman’s Park — 1880-1891 The original Sportsman’s Park was one of the early homes of the franchise. Chris von der Ahe expanded Grand Avenue Park and renamed it Sportsman’s Park. The park opened in its expanded form in 1881. Union Park — 1892-1897 When the franchise entered the National League, it moved to Union Park. League Park — 1898 The club played one season at League Park. Robison Field — 1899-1920 The club moved into a new facility at Natural Bridge and Vandeventer. It eventually became known as Robison Field, honoring the Robison brothers. The Cardinals remained there until 1920. Sportsman’s Park — 1920-1952 In 1920, Branch Rickey and Sam Breadon sold the Cardinals’ ballpark and moved the team into the home of the St. Louis Browns. This was the second major Cardinals era at Sportsman’s Park. The Cardinals won World Series championships there in: 1926 1931 1934 1942 1944 1946 Busch Stadium / Sportsman’s Park — 1953-1966 After Anheuser-Busch purchased the Cardinals, the company also acquired Sportsman’s Park. The facility was renamed Busch Stadium. Busch Memorial Stadium — 1966-2005 The Cardinals moved downtown in 1966. Busch Stadium II became home to the Cardinals for four decades and hosted six World Series: 1967 1968 1982 1985 1987 2004 The Cardinals won championships there in 1967 and 1982. Busch Stadium III — 2006-present The current Busch Stadium opened in 2006.… Continue reading St. Louis Cardinals: A Complete History