The 5 greatest teams in Cleveland baseball history
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The 1954 Cleveland Indians. Photo: Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images
The Cleveland Guardians may only have two World Series Championships in baseball history, but the franchise has boasted several legendary teams.
- In honor of this year's squad looking to make a postseason run, we're counting down the best teams in Guardians franchise history.
How it works: We ranked the teams based on single seasons.
- Winning a championship was a top factor, but we factored in having Hall of Fame players and beating stellar competition.
No. 5: 1920
The 1920 Indians, led by an all-time great in Speaker, captured the franchise's first World Series just before the Yankees dynasty led by Babe Ruth took over the American League.
By the numbers: Speaker led the team to a 98-56 record, finishing two games ahead of the Chicago White Sox to win the AL Pennant.
- The cornerstone of the squad was its starting rotation, led by Jim Bagby, Ray Caldwell and future Hall of Famer Stan Coveleski, who combined to win 75 games.
Between the lines: Tragedy struck on Aug. 16, when shortstop Ray Chapman was hit in the head by a pitch and died hours later. He's buried in Lake View Cemetery.
State of play: Cleveland took on the Brooklyn Robins (now the Dodgers) in a best-of-nine World Series.
- The Indians won in seven games.
No. 4: 2016
The 2016 Indians' run to the World Series is one of the greatest stretches in Cleveland sports history, even if things ultimately ended in disappointment.
The intrigue: Cleveland opened the 2016 season with 20-1 odds to win the World Series after finishing third in the Central Division the previous year.
- After a rough start to the season, going 10-11 in April, Cleveland caught fire and captured its first division title since 2007 under AL Manager of the Year Terry Francona.
State of play: The addition of reliever Andrew Miller solidified the bullpen, helping Cleveland cruise through the playoffs to a World Series match-up with the Chicago Cubs.
- An incredible game-tying home run by Rajai Davis late in the decisive Game 7 wasn't enough in one of the greatest World Series games of all time.
- Chicago won in 10 innings to capture its first championship since 1908.
No. 3: 1948
The 1948 Indians boasted six future Hall of Famers, including Bob Feller, Satchel Paige and Larry Doby.
- The team went 97-58, with player-manager Lou Boudreau becoming the first shortstop in American League (AL) history to win the MVP Award.
By the numbers: Pitching led the way. Starters Feller, Bob Lemon and Gene Bearden combined to win 59 games.
- Doby, in his first full season after breaking the color barrier in the AL, hit .301 while facing racial abuse from opposing players and fans.
Between the lines: Cleveland also signed Negro League legend Paige that July, making him the first Black pitcher in AL history.
State of play: The Indians won a one-game playoff against the Boston Red Sox to advance to the World Series against another Boston team, the Braves.
- Cleveland won, four games to two, behind its solid pitching.
Yes, but: The franchise hasn't won the World Series since, marking the longest active title drought.
No. 2: 1995
The 1995 Indians were the first team in AL history to win 100 games in a season that featured fewer than 150 games.
Flashback: The season started late by 18 games due to the 1994 strike.
- Cleveland had not made the playoffs since 1954.
The intrigue: The '95 Indians roster was loaded, with six players making that year's American League (AL) All-Star team.
- Left fielder Albert Belle finished second in AL MVP voting to Boston's Mo Vaughn.
- Reliever José Mesa led the league in saves, while Kenny Lofton and Omar Vizquel received Gold Glove Awards for their defense.
State of play: The Indians won the Central Division by 30 games and dominated in the playoffs on the way to a World Series showdown with the Atlanta Braves.
- Yes, but: A juggernaut of a lineup could not overcome a Braves pitching staff that featured three future Hall of Famers, losing the series four games to two.
No. 1: 1954
In 1954, the American League belonged to the Indians — which won 111 games, the fourth most in Major League Baseball history.
- The team was led by Hall of Fame manager Al López and five Hall of Fame players in Larry Doby, Bob Feller, Bob Lemon, Hal Newhouser and Early Wynn.
State of play: Cleveland compiled two different win streaks of 11 games on its way to a World Series matchup with the Willie Mays-led New York Giants.
- Game 1 featured Mays' famous over-the-shoulder catch at the Polo Grounds in New York City, which set the tone for the series.
- The Giants swept the Indians in four games.
The bottom line: Cleveland won its most games in franchise history and kept the Yankees from winning a sixth straight World Series.
- Even the greatest Indians team of all time couldn't overcome a Giants squad led by one of the greatest players of ever.