Bad Boys, Bad Times by Longert Scott H.;

Author:Longert, Scott H.; [Longert, Scott H.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ohio University Press
Published: 2019-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

FELLER IN THE RECORD BOOKS

The 1939 off-season had almost zilch happening until days before the annual meetings. At the end of November Alva Bradley announced he was severing relations with New Orleans, their long-time partner and the site of their spring training camp for the last twelve years. Cleveland had sustained an association with the Pelicans going back to the days of Charlie Somers, the original owner of the Indians franchise. Somers, a capable baseball executive, had the foresight to purchase several minor league clubs before it was in fashion. He signed players then sent them to his farm teams, where he could keep a close eye on their development. In 1915 Somers, hemorrhaging from severe financial problems, had no recourse other than to permit his bankers to sell the ball club. He did not leave baseball completely, retaining his ownership of New Orleans until his death in 1934. Over the years, the Indians bought dozens of players from New Orleans and placed them on their big league roster.

Though the team did not train at the Pelicans facilities until 1928, they usually stopped in New Orleans, playing exhibition games before heading north toward Cleveland. Bradley had a friendly relationship with Governor Huey Long, which eventually led to the Indians making their spring home in New Orleans. Long was a consummate dealmaker, offering Bradley and several of his shareholders the honorary rank of colonel in the Louisiana militia. In addition, Long agreed with a plan giving Alva and Chuck Bradley concessions for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, in which the brothers had a significant financial interest. The trains, carrying freight and passengers, did business in and around New Orleans and parts west. In return, the governor acquired shares of stock in the Cleveland franchise, which he held until his assassination in September of 1935.

Without Governor Long around to smooth over relations, glitches occurred between the Indians front office and that of the Pelicans. The conflict came to a head in the spring of 1939, when Boudreau and Mack were shifted to Buffalo. The Pelicans had a dismal season and blamed the Indians for their troubles. They were quite annoyed that the two highly regarded prospects were leading the Bisons to a pennant the shortstop and second baseman promised to them had been little help. The second baseman, Jim Shilling, went with the Indians when the season started, while the shortstop Frank Scalzi had been declared a free agent and left New Orleans for the New York Giants.

Bradley and Slapnicka did not want to hear the escalating complaints. Without their friend Huey Long to iron out any difficulties, they could not find a compelling reason to stay put. Soon the decision was made to end their entire relationship with the Pelicans and the city of New Orleans. Cy Slapnicka immediately went south to visit Miami and Fort Myers, Florida, to select one of those locations for the 1940 spring training camp. Within a short time Fort Myers got the nod to be the winter headquarters of the Cleveland Indians.

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