Who would you pick as "Mr Indian"

SLAGuy

Active member
If the Indians were to have a former player that was the face of the franchise like Ernie Banks is for the Cubs, who do you think it would be?
 
 
Bob Feller could be "Mr. Indian" just on the basis of his tremendous stats, but he brought so much more to the Indians' franchise, Major League Baseball, and the USA as a country.
He was a hero to all. Giving up his prime years (he was 3rd in MVP voting in 1939, 2nd in 1940, 3rd in 1941) in 1942, 1943, and 1944 -- he sacrificed all of them to serve all of his countrymen in WWII.
This man stands heads and shoulders above everyone else. What a great American hero who was always proud to be a Cleveland Indian.
 
Bob Feller. He stayed in the Cleveland area after he retired and was always involved with the team. He was always involved with the teams fantasy camps well into his 70's.
 
Bob Feller could be "Mr. Indian" just on the basis of his tremendous stats, but he brought so much more to the Indians' franchise, Major League Baseball, and the USA as a country.
He was a hero to all. Giving up his prime years (he was 3rd in MVP voting in 1939, 2nd in 1940, 3rd in 1941) in 1942, 1943, and 1944 -- he sacrificed all of them to serve all of his countrymen in WWII.
This man stands heads and shoulders above everyone else. What a great American hero who was always proud to be a Cleveland Indian.

The attitudes of guys like Feller and Ted Williams were pretty amazing. The best of the best, but Americans first and foremost. Great men.

I always wanted to be in a room and see/hear Feller if Muhammed Ali walked in or even showed up on the TV screen. His contempt for those of his own generation that did not enlist after Pearl Harbor was nearly as palpable as was his respect for those who served. I never heard any discussion re Viet Nam from Feller.
 
Would be pretty hard to come up with a new Mr. Indian. Free agency has all but wrecked that.
 
Would be pretty hard to come up with a new Mr. Indian. Free agency has all but wrecked that.

Francisco Lindor grins just like Chief Wahoo much of the time. He'd make a fine Mr Indian...


If they want another WS appearance while he's still here, they will need to sign about 3 more quality players.
 
No one remembers Napoleon "Nap" Lajoie, but the franchise was once named after him (and sadly, to me, at least: may be again one day soon) and he is a HOF 2nd baseman who can be argued to be the greatest 2nd baseman to ever play the game. He is the Tribe's all time leader in hits and I believe trails only Joe Jackson for the lead in lifetime BA. (Maybe Tris Speaker too, another good candidate to be the face of the franchise. ) Both HOF-ers and both can be argued to be the all-time best at their respective positions. (Speaker's case rests heavily on his amazing defensive skills and ability, but he was a HOF-er with the bat as well.)

I doubt either would get picked because none of today's fans remember them, while with Feller some fans even today can recall him. I met him once and on a totally separate occasion got an autographed ball from him, (from my Dad) that he signed in the 1951 season.
 
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