Books and articles about Gene Bearden

The knuckleballer was a rookie sensation in 1948 when he went 20-7 and led the AL with a 2.43 ERA. His 20th win was the Indians' pennant-deciding playoff versus Boston. In the WS, he had a win and a save without giving up a run. He never again approached his rookie record; he winked at training rules, suffered a lingering thigh injury in 1949, and batters learned to lay off his nasty knuckler. (JCA)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » December 20, 1946: With the trade for Al Lopez, the Indians send young catcher Sherm Lollar and 2B Ray Mack to the Yankees for minor league P Gene Bearden, P Al Gettel, and OF Hal Peck. Peck never played for New York after they acquired him in June. Lollar will play just 33 games in two years, while Mack is swapped after one game. Bearden, as a rookie knuckleballer in 1948, will win 20 games and the lead the American League in ERA. » May 8, 1948: At Griffith Stadium, Larry Doby pounds a 408-foot homer to CF, which hits the loudspeakers 35 high, to help the Indians top the Senators, 6–1. Larry's ball bounces back onto the field and was initially declared in play. The 8th-inning three-run homer is the longest home run in the Stadium since Babe Ruth's shot in 1922, and is the first of Doby's four career inside-the-park homers. World War two veteran Gene Bearden makes his first start, allowing just three Nat hits. He walks four in the 9th inning to allow the lone run, as Washington finally scores after three straight shutouts. » May 31, 1948: The Indians drub the Browns, 8–3, then lose 6–0, to stay in 2nd place behind the A's. In the opener, Lou Boudreau hits a grand slam and Jim Hegan homers in the 5-run 6th inning. Gene Bearden is the winner. In the nitecap, Cliff Fannin allows just four hits to win. » August 12, 1948: In the 2nd game of a twin bill, after losing 8–4, the Indians wallop the Browns 26–3, coming within one run of the American League record for the most runs scored in a game. A record fourteen players have hits for the Indians in the game. Hal Peck leads with four hits and four runs. Pitcher Gene Bearden, who also has four hits and four runs, is staked to 9-run lead before taking the mound. All 14 Indians who have an at bat get a hit. Bob Feller pitches the last two innings. » August 17, 1948: Indians' rookie Gene Bearden shuts out the Browns, 8–0, to improve his record to 12–3. » August 20, 1948: The Indians draw record 78,382 for the largest crowd to attend a night game. The Indians go on to beat the Chicago White Sox, 1–0, at Memorial Stadium as Satchel Paige blanks the opposition on three hits for the 4th consecutive shutout by Cleveland hurlers. Bill Wight is the hard-luck loser. Besides Paige, Gene Bearden, Sam Zoldak, and Bob Lemon fired shutouts. » August 28, 1948: The Yanks stroll into 2nd-place by edging the Indians, 3–2. Ahead 2–1, Sam Zoldak wilts in the 98 degree weather and Gene Bearden replaces him in the 9th. DiMaggio is hit, and two wild throws brings in Ed Klieman, who finishes the walk to Berra. A Brown sac bunt, and an intentional pass to Rizzuto loads the bases. Mapes walks to force a run and a grounder brings home the winner. » October 4, 1948: In a one-game playoff for the AL pennant at Fenway Park, the Cleveland Indians beat the Boston Red Sox 8-3 behind rookie knuckleballer Gene Bearden, who wins his 20th game. Player-manager Lou Boudreau gets 4 hits, including 2 HRs. Red Sox manager Joe McCarthy ignores his rotation pitchers to go with journeyman Denny Galehouse (8-7). With the score 1-1 in the 4th, Ken Keltner hits a 3-run HR over the LF fence. » October 8, 1948: Indian Gene Bearden faces only 30 batters as he turns in a 5-hit, 2-0 win before 70,000 at Cleveland. » August 3, 1950: The Pirates sell Hank Borowy to the Tigers, and the Indians waive Gene Bearden to the Senators. » August 10, 1950: In the second game of a twinbill, Washington pitcher Gene Bearden bats eighth with batterymate Len Okie in the ninth spot. Bearden picks up a hit but loses the game, 4–3, to Boston's Walt Masterson. Masterson swipes a base, the first stolen base by a Red Sox pitcher this year. » February 14, 1952: The Browns pick up 1B Dick Kryhoski and pitchers Gene Bearden and Bob Cain from Detroit. The Tigers receive C Matt Batts, OF Cliff Mapes, P Dick Littlefield, and 1B Ben Taylor.