Napoleon Lajoie arrived in Cleveland on June 4 and was an immediate hit, drawing 10,000 fans to League Park. Soon afterward, he was named team captain, and in 1903 the team was renamed the Cleveland Napoleons (soon shortened to Naps) after a newspaper conducted a write-in contest.

Established
1901

City
Cleveland

League History
2000 – Present / Major League Baseball
1901 – 1999 / American League

Team History
1915 – Present / Cleveland Indians
1903 – 1914 / Cleveland Naps
1901 – 1902 / Cleveland Blues

Nickname
Naps – Napoleon “Nap” Lajoie was named team captain, and in 1903 the team was renamed the Cleveland Naps after a newspaper conducted a write-in contest.

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

Retired Number
3 Earl Averill
5 Lou Boudreau
14 Larry Doby
18 Mel Harder
19 Bob Feller
20 Frank Robinson
21 Bob Lemon
42 Jackie Robinson
455 Indians Fans

Mascot
1990 – Present / Slider

*Blue is this team’s history