1948 World Series

vs. 1948 World Series (4-2) Cleveland Indians (97-58, AL) vs. Boston Braves (91-62,NL) BR 1948 World Series Summary

The 1948 World Series matched the Cleveland Indians against the Boston Braves. The Braves had won the National League pennant for the first time since the "Miracle Braves" team of 1914. The Indians spoiled a chance for the only all-Boston World Series by winning a one-game playoff against the Boston Red Sox. Though superstar pitcher Bob Feller failed to win either of his two starts, the Indians won the Series in six games to capture their second championship and their first since 1920.

Records: Cleveland Indians (W: 97, L: 58, Pct: .626, GA: - †) - Boston Braves (W: 91, L: 62, Pct: .595, GA: 6 ½)

† Won a one-game playoff over the Boston Red Sox, October 4th (8-3)

Managers: Lou Boudreau (Cleveland), Billy Southworth (Boston)

Umpires: George Barr (NL), Bill Summers (AL), Bill Stewart (NL), Bill Grieve (AL), Babe Pinelli (NL: outfield only), Joe Paparella (AL: outfield only)

Television: NBC (Red Barber announcing)

Summary

AL Cleveland Indians (4) vs. NL Boston Braves (2)

Game	Score	Date	Attendance
1	Boston 1, Cleveland 0	October 6	40,135
2	Cleveland 4, Boston 1	October 7	39,633
3	Cleveland 2, Boston 0	October 8	70,306
4	Cleveland 2, Boston 1	October 9	81,897
5	Boston 11, Cleveland 5	October 10	86,288
6	Cleveland 4, Boston 3	October 11	40,103

Highlights of Game 6

Top 5 Plays

• by WPA (Win Probability Added)

Game	Team	Batter	Pitcher	Score	Inning	Runners on Base	Outs	WPA	Play
1	Braves	Tommy Holmes	Bob Feller	tied 0-0	b8	12-	2	0.28	Single to LF (Ground Ball); P. Masi Scores; S. Sisti to 3B/Adv on throw to Hm; T. Holmes to 2B/Adv on throw to Hm
5	Indians	Jim Hegan	Nels Potter	down 4-2	b4	1-3	1	0.27	Home Run (Fly Ball to Deep LF); K. Keltner Scores; W. Judnich Scores
5	Braves	Bob Elliott	Bob Feller	tied 0-0	t1	12-	1	0.21	Home Run (Fly Ball to Deep RF); T. Holmes Scores; A. Dark Scores
5	Braves	Marv Rickert	Ed Klieman	ahead 6-5	t7	12-	1	0.19	Single to CF (Ground Ball thru SS-2B); E. Torgeson Scores; B. Elliott Scores/Adv on E8 (throw to 3B)/No RBI; M. Rickert to 3B
6	Braves	Phil Masi	Gene Bearden	down 4-2	b4	1-3	2	0.17	Double to LF (Fly Ball); E. Torgeson Scores; B. Elliott to 3B

Composite Box

1948 World Series (4-2): Cleveland Indians (A.L.) over Boston Braves (N.L.)

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cleveland Indians	2	0	3	7	1	2	0	1	1	17	38	3
Boston Braves	4	0	1	1	0	1	7	3	0	17	43	6
Total Attendance: 358,362   Average Attendance: 59,727
Winning Player’s Share: – $6,772.07   Losing Player’s Share – $4,570.73

Game 1 @ Braves Field

Wed, Oct 6th - Boston, MA

Braves: 1, Indians: 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Indians	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
Braves	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	-	1	2	2
WP: Johnny Sain (1-0), LP: Bob Feller (0-1)

• Attendance: 40,135

Game 2 @ Braves Field

Thu, Oct 7th - Boston, MA

Indians: 4, Braves: 1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Indians	0	0	0	2	1	0	0	0	1	4	8	1
Braves	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	8	3
WP: Bob Lemon (1-0), LP: Warren Spahn (0-1)

• Attendance: 39,633

Game 3 @ Cleveland Stadium

Fri, Oct 8th - Cleveland, OH

Indians: 2, Braves: 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Braves	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	1
Indians	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	-	2	5	0
WP: Gene Bearden (1-0), LP: Vern Bickford (0-1)

• Attendance: 70,306

Game 4 @ Cleveland Stadium

Sat, Oct 9th - Cleveland, OH

Indians: 2, Braves: 1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Braves	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	7	0
Indians	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	-	2	5	0
WP: Steve Gromek (1-0), LP: Johnny Sain (1-1)

• Attendance: 81,897

Game 5 @ Cleveland Stadium

Sun, Oct 10th - Cleveland, OH

Braves: 11, Indians: 5

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Braves	3	0	1	0	0	1	6	0	0	11	12	0
Indians	1	0	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	5	6	2
WP: Warren Spahn (1-1), LP: Bob Feller (0-2)

• Attendance: 86,288

Game 6 @ Braves Field

Mon, Oct 11th - Boston, MA

Indians: 4, Braves: 3

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Indians	0	0	1	0	0	2	0	1	0	4	10	0
Braves	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	3	9	0
WP: Bob Lemon (2-0), LP: Bill Voiselle (0-1), SV: Gene Bearden (1)

• Attendance: 40,103

Trivia

• On October 9, 1948, a new World Series single-game attendance record was set during Game 4 when 81,897 fans packed Cleveland Stadium. One day later that record was broken during Game 5 courtesy of 86,288 fans.

• 42-year-old Negro Leagues star Satchel Paige appeared in Game 5 for the Indians, becoming the first black pitcher to take the mound in World Series history. In the 1947 World Series, Brooklyn Dodger pitcher Dan Bankhead appeared as a pinch-runner in the 6th inning of Game 6, eventually scoring on a Pee Wee Reese single!

• The Indians and Braves each scored 17 runs in the Series. It was the only Series in which both teams totaled the same number of runs scored.

External links

• 1948 World Series at WorldSeries.com (MLB.com)
• 1948 World Series at Baseball-Almanac.com
• 1948 World Series box scores and play-by-play at Retrosheet.org
• Baseball's Best: 1948 World Series
• 1948 World Series: Highlight Reel and Mel Allen's Complete Call of Game 5 The Southpaw

Further Reading

• Luke Epplin: Our Team: The Epic Story of Four Men and the World Series That Changed Baseball, Flatiron Books, New York, NY, 2021. ISBN 9781250313799
• Lew Freedman: A Summer to Remember: Bill Veeck, Lou Boudreau, Bob Feller, and the 1948 Cleveland Indians, Sports Publishing LLC, New York, NY, 2014. ISBN 978-1613216477
• Bill Nowlin, ed.: Spahn, Sain and Teddy Ballgame: Boston's (almost) Perfect Baseball Summer of 1948, Rounder Books, Burlington, MA, 2008.
• John G. Robertson and Carl T. Madden: World Series ’48: The Cleveland Indians and Boston Braves in Six Games, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2023. ISBN 978-1-4766-8990-6

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Indians over Braves (4-2)