A short history on Lou Boudreau
Jun. 14th, 2008 10:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hestergrayWhen I read about the history of the Cleveland Indians, my favorite player is Lou Boudreau. He made his major league debut in 1938 at the age of 21, although he wasn't a full-time starter until 1940. At the end of the 1941 season, when he was 24, he was appointed the player manager of the Indians. He played and managed at the same time. No one does that anymore, but I guess it happened sometimes back then.
Lou was a great hitter and fielder, winning the batting title in 1944 and making several all-star appearances. But the major highlight came in 1948 when the Indians won the World Series. (They haven't won it since then.) Lou was still the player manager and he was named the American League MVP that year.
After that, he didn't have much success as a player. He had a couple more managing jobs for other teams, but those weren't very successful either. Eventually, he became a color commentator on the radio for the Chicago Cubs, from 1958-1987.
Lou was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970 and the Cleveland Indians retired his number 5 that same year. He died in 2001.
Lou was a great hitter and fielder, winning the batting title in 1944 and making several all-star appearances. But the major highlight came in 1948 when the Indians won the World Series. (They haven't won it since then.) Lou was still the player manager and he was named the American League MVP that year.
After that, he didn't have much success as a player. He had a couple more managing jobs for other teams, but those weren't very successful either. Eventually, he became a color commentator on the radio for the Chicago Cubs, from 1958-1987.
Lou was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970 and the Cleveland Indians retired his number 5 that same year. He died in 2001.
