The Seattle Mariners have yet to achieve their goal of playing in the World Series, but former Spokane Indians players have been making their mark in the Fall Classic for over a hundred years.
Here’s our “Dazzling Dozen” list showcasing remarkable World Series achievements by players and managers from the Indians. The years each individual spent in Spokane are noted in parentheses.
1. Stan Coveleski (1913-14)
This Hall of Famer delivered one of the most extraordinary performances in World Series history in 1920. Coveleski matched the record for three wins in a single World Series, accomplishing this feat by throwing complete games with just five hits across all three outings within eight days. Interestingly, he was among the few pitchers still allowed to throw spitballs after 1919.
2. Duke Snider (1965 manager)
Long after his last World Series appearance in 1959, Snider stands as the only player to hit over three home runs in multiple World Series. The Hall of Fame center fielder slammed four homers in seven games during both 1953 and 1955. While the Brooklyn Dodgers fell to the New York Yankees in ’53, they finally overcame their rivals two years later. Snider maintained a batting average over .300 in four of his six World Series.
3. Jack Billingham (1965-67)
Billingham holds the second-best career earned run average among World Series qualifiers at 0.36, surpassed only by Madison Bumgarner (0.25). He pitched in three World Series for the Cincinnati Reds during the 1970s, including an exceptional 1972 where he allowed no earned runs in 13 2/3 innings.
4. Bruce Bochy (1989 manager)
Bochy, who began his managerial career in Spokane, boasts four World Series championships, tying him for fourth among managers. He led the San Francisco Giants to titles in 2010, 2012, and 2014, as well as the Texas Rangers in 2023, and ranks eighth for the most World Series games won with 16.
5. Sandy Alomar Jr. (1984)
The all-star catcher for Cleveland recorded 10 RBIs in the 1997 World Series against Florida, putting him tied for the fourth most in history. He had an impressive batting average of .367, accompanied by two home runs and a double.
6. Larry Sherry (1958)
After a challenging season in 1958, Sherry transitioned to the bullpen and earned World Series MVP honors in 1959. He contributed to all four victories by the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Chicago White Sox, finishing with a 0.71 ERA over 12 2/3 innings.
