Liscio: Chasing the Indians’ missing 1948 pennant
From SABR member Stephanie Liscio at ESPN.com on March 4, 2013:
The last time the Cleveland Indians won the World Series in 1948, Harry Truman was in the White House. Current manager Terry Francona was not born yet, and would not be for another 11 years. The fabric pennant the Indians received to commemorate their championship 65 years ago would be eligible for retirement this year. That is, if anyone happened to know its whereabouts — the pennant has been missing for 64 years.
When historical items go missing, it’s often a case of something slipping quietly into oblivion. One day you know its location, and the next it’s just gone. Sometimes it turns up in a dusty box in a basement, or resurfaces when someone decides to clean their attic. The 1948 pennant went into hiding in the most public way possible; perhaps that’s why its disappearance seems so vexing for people who searched for it during the past six decades.
The story starts with Bill Veeck, the colorful owner known for his promotional stunts and attention-grabbing antics.
Read the full article here: http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/33444/chasing-the-indians-missing-1948-pennant
Originally published: March 4, 2013. Last Updated: March 4, 2013.