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Napoléon “Nap” Lajoie
Napoléon “Nap” Lajoie also known as Larry Lajoie and nicknamed “The Frenchman”, was an American professional baseball second baseman and player-manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Philadelphia Athletics (twice), and Cleveland Naps between 1896 and 1916. He managed the Naps from 1905 through 1909.
History of the Naps
The Cleveland Naps were a Major League Baseball team that played in the American League from 1903 to 1914. The team was initially known as the Cleveland Blues but changed its name to honor their star player and manager, Napoleon Lajoie, who had become one of baseball’s first superstars. Under his leadership, the Naps enjoyed considerable success during their 11-year tenure in MLB.
In 1905, they won their first pennant with an impressive 93–58 record and solidified themselves as a powerhouse in the AL for years. They would win two more pennants over the next six seasons before finally falling short of another championship run when they finished second place behind Boston Red Sox in the 1911 season despite posting an identical 92–62 record with them at the season's end.
Lajoie continued managing until 1914 but could not help lead his beloved Naps back into contention after 1912 due mainly to financial constraints brought about by ownership changes within the organization, which led many vital players being traded away or released outright, leaving the roster severely depleted, leading up to 1913 campaign resulting poor performance on the field which saw the club finish dead last place league standings both that year well following one prior disbanding shortly after that thus ending the era of Napoleonic greatness Cleveland baseball history books forever!
Established
1901
City
Cleveland
League History
2000 – Present / Major League Baseball
1901 – 1999 / American League
Team History
2022 - Present / Cleveland Guardians
1915 – 2021 / Cleveland Indians
1903 – 1914 / Cleveland Naps
1901 – 1902 / Cleveland Blues
Nickname
Naps – For any die-hard Cleveland sports fan, the origin of their beloved team's nickname has been a source of debate and discussion for years. The Cleveland Naps were one of Major League Baseball’s original eight teams when it was founded in 1876, and they have held onto their unique name ever since. But where did this unusual moniker come from?
The answer lies with one man: Napoleon “Nap” Lajoie. He was an American baseball player who played for the Philadelphia Phillies before joining the Naps in 1902 as both a player and manager – making him one of only two MLB players to hold such dual roles at once (the other being Hall-of-Famer Rogers Hornsby). His exceptional skills on the field earned him recognition throughout his career, but it wasn't until he joined up with Cleveland that his nickname began to stick around. It quickly became popular among fans due to its alliterative appeal; what could be better than cheering on your favorite team alongside someone known as "Nap"?
It didn't take long before Nap's popularity spread beyond just Clevelanders. Soon enough, people across America started referring to them as ‘the Naps,' which eventually led ownership deciding officially adopt 'Naps' into their official title in 1914 when they changed from being called 'Cleveland.' Since then, many generations have known nothing but this quirky yet endearing nickname!
So next time you hear someone mention "the Naps," remember where it came from – legendary ballplayer Napoleon Lajoie himself!
Championship
World Series 0
1948, 1920
Stadium
2008 – Present / Progressive Field
1994 – 2007 / Jacobs Field
1934 – 1993 / Cleveland Stadium
1900 – 1946 / League Park
1912 – 1934 / Dunn Field
Owner
1999 – Present / Larry Dolan
1986 – 1999 / Richard Jacobs
1978 – 1983 / Steve O’Neill
1972 – 1978 / Ted Bonda
1972 – 1975 / Nick Mileti
1966 – 1972 / Vernon Stouffer
1962 – 1966 / Gabe Paul
1956 – 1962 / William R. Daley
1952 – 1956 / Myron H. Wilson
1949 – 1952 / Ellis Ryan
1946 – 1949 / Bill Veeck
1927 – 1946 / Alva Bradley
1916 – 1922 / Jim Dunn
1901 – 1916 / Charles Somers
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
Retired Number
3 / Earl Averill
5 / Lou Boudreau
14 / Larry Doby
18 / Mel Harder
19 / Bob Feller
20 / Frank Robinson
21 / Bob Lemon
25 / Jim Thome
42 / Jackie Robinson
455 / Indians Fans
*Blue is this team’s history