All-Time Indians: Bill Knickerbocker

Out of High School in California, Bill Knickerbocker played just two seasons in AA with the Toledo Mudhens before being signed by the Indians in 1933 and being immediately thrust into the action at short stop. He wouldn’t have a long career, but it was a good one as he quickly became a solid force for the Indians up the middle.

In that first season, Knickerbocker began as the starting short stop, but after batting .114 in April, he lost much of his playing time to Johnny Burnett who was the starting short stop the year before. After a slightly better May, he regained the full time role for both June and July before Bill Cissell took some of his playing time late in the year. After his poor start, he raised his line to .226/.255/.326 with 21 extra base hits and 32 RBI in 80 games.

The next year and the two after that, he would continue in that role. With Odell Hale on one side or the other (Hale played 137 games at second in 1934 and 297 at third between 1935 and 1936), the pair provided a solid offensive duo in the infield. With Hal Trosky at first, Earl Averill in center and Joe Vosmik in left, this would end up being one of the most powerful lineups in Indians history. Knickerbocker had started at second in the order in 1933, but ultimately became the number eight hitter and while he started there in 1934, he quickly moved back into the two spot when he batted over .400 in the month of April.

This 1934 squad won ten more games than they had the year before and scored 160 more runs than in the previous season. Knickerbocker was one of the biggest differences as he batted .317/.347/.408 with 32 doubles, 82 runs scored and 67 RBI in 146 games. This would arguably be the best season of his career and for his efforts he garnered two MVP vote points, good enough for 19th in the American League. Ahead of him finish his teammates Trosky (7th), Mel Harder (16) and Averill (17) with the Tigers’ Mickey Cochrane taking home the trophy.

The following season, 1935, Knickerbocker and the Tribe both took a step back, but the short stop still put together a solid season. He still batted near .300 (.298) and improved upon his previous season with a new career high of 34 doubles in 14 less games. He also matched his career high of five triples and knocked in 55, scoring 77. He missed all of April and most of May that season, but once he returned to the lineup, he was boosted into the lead-off spot for much of the year.

The 1936 season would be his last with the Indians, but a year nearly as good as his sophomore season. Again he batted lead-off for much of the season, although he was moved to 8th in the second half of the year. Continuing to be much more productive than the average middle infielder, Knickerbocker played in all 155 games and knocked in 73, scoring 81. In addition to his career best in RBI, he set a new high in home runs (8), doubles (35) and walks (56). His walk to strike out ratio was an aspect that was a slight problem in his rookie campaign (more in lack of walks than excessive strike outs), but every year after he improved it until the point where he struck out just 30 times in 1936. Never a good base stealer, one interesting note from 1936 is that he lead the league in times caught stealing with 14, only being safe five times.

Over his four year Indians career, Knickerbocker averaged 29 doubles per season and wound up batting .293/.333/.387. That average is fourth best among Indians short stops with at least 750 at bats and his other numbers stack up nicely as well. While he didn’t have the longevity of Lou Boudreau, Omar Vizquel or Terry Turner, he still ranks among the leaders in almost every cumulative stat and should be considered one of the best hitting short stops in Indians history.

Just prior to the 1937 season, Knickerbocker was traded to the St. Louis Browns along with Vosmik for Moose Solters, Lyn Lary and Ivy Andrews. None would have a huge impact on their new team outside of Vosmik and Knickerbocker would have a particularly quick down fall. He played just one year (121 games) in St. Louis before being traded again to the Yankees, where he played just 97 games across three seasons.

He would play two more partial seasons, with the White Sox in 1938 and the Athletics in 1939 before leaving the Major Leagues, then after one season with the AA Hollywood Stars in 1940, he retired from baseball completely at the age of 31. Knickerbocker never regained his form from the first four years in Cleveland as he batted just .251/.316/.356 in 394 games across his last six seasons. The Indians were lucky to catch this star when it was at it’s brightest. Bill Knickerbocker died just 20 years after retiring at the age of 51.