All-Time Indians: Jim Bagby, Sr

Jim Bagby was an integral part of the first Cleveland Indians championship team in 1920. He was the number two starter behind Stan Coveleski for most of his career with the Tribe, but he certainly stuck out. In 1920 he set the Indians record for most wins in a single season with 31 in 38 starts. This record will almost certainly never be broken. That same season he threw 339.2 innings, good enough to rank among the top ten most innings thrown in a single season. His 38 starts are also in the top ten for most starts. He also lead the league that year in wins, winning percent, complete games (30), and innings pitched (339.2). Over his career, his 131 complete games are tenth all time as an Indian, another record that will almost certainly not be surpassed as no Indians pitcher has had more than 35 career complete games since the 1980’s.

In that first championship, Bagby started two games, throwing 15 innings. One of those games was a complete game and he only gave up a total of three runs overall. His impressive career postseason ERA of 1.80 remains among the top five all time. The twenty hits he allowed in that series are a record he probably would not want to hold as the most hits ever given up in a single postseason series. 

Another claim to fame for the elder Bagby is that his son played for the team as well from 1941 to 1945 and played on two all-star teams. They join the many father/son duos to play in Major League Baseball and are one of the best to play for the Indians. Jim Bagby, Sr has been inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame. He died in 1954.