Fansided

Ranking every World Series winners in history

By Staff

UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 05: Brooklyn Dodgers president Walter O'Malley and his manager, Walter Alston, exchange hugs and grins after bringing Brooklyn its first World Series championship in history. Flock did it the hard way, winning the final game in Yankee Stadium. (Photo by NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 05: Brooklyn Dodgers president Walter O'Malley and his manager, Walter Alston, exchange hugs and grins after bringing Brooklyn its first World Series championship in history. Flock did it the hard way, winning the final game in Yankee Stadium. (Photo by NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images) /
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BOSTON – OCTOBER 11, 1948. The Cleveland Indians celebrate their World Series win over the Braves in Boston on October 11, 1948. (L-R) are coach Bill McKechnie, owner Bill Veeck, and manager Lou Boudreau (Photo by Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics, Getty Images)
BOSTON – OCTOBER 11, 1948. The Cleveland Indians celebrate their World Series win over the Braves in Boston on October 11, 1948. (L-R) are coach Bill McKechnie, owner Bill Veeck, and manager Lou Boudreau (Photo by Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics, Getty Images) /

28. 1948 Cleveland Indians

97-58, AL Champions, Won World Series 4-2 Over Boston

The 1948 Cleveland Indians fielded the most powerful lineup in the American League (155 home runs) and led all of baseball with a .282 team batting average to the way to just the second AL pennant in franchise history. With a record of 97-58, Cleveland won one of the toughest pennant races in baseball history by defeating the Boston Red Sox in a one-game playoff. The Indians also finished the regular season with a 2.5-game lead over third place New York.

AL MVP and future Hall of Fame shortstop Lou Boudreau hit .355/.453/.534 with 18 home runs, 106 RBI and 109 runs scored, and was the centerpiece of one of the best hitting infields in baseball history. Second baseman Joe Gordon (32 HR, 124 RBI, 96 R) and third baseman Ken Keltner (31 HR, 119 RBI, 91 R) also received MVP votes, as did Hall of Fame outfielder Larry Doby (.301/.384/.490, 14 HR, 66 RBI).

Hall of Fame starters Bob Lemon (20-14, 2.82 ERA) and Bob Feller (19-15, 3.56) were the stars of the AL’s best pitching staff, which led the league in ERA (3.22), shutouts (23), saves (30), and allowed the fewest hits as well (1,246).

Lemon won two games in the World Series, including the Game 6 clincher, to capture the second (and most recent) World Championship in franchise history.

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