Factory Of Sadness
FanSided

Cleveland Indians all-time mustache team

By Nick Dudukovich

1990: AN UNIDENTIFIED CHICAGO WHITE SOX RUNNER SLIDES INTO SECOND BASE AS CLEVELAND INDIANS INFIELDER FELIX FERMIN TURNS A DOUBLE PLAY DURING THE INDIANS GAME AT INDIANS PARK IN CLEVELAND, OHIO. MANDATORY CREDIT: RICK STEWART/ALLSPORT
1990: AN UNIDENTIFIED CHICAGO WHITE SOX RUNNER SLIDES INTO SECOND BASE AS CLEVELAND INDIANS INFIELDER FELIX FERMIN TURNS A DOUBLE PLAY DURING THE INDIANS GAME AT INDIANS PARK IN CLEVELAND, OHIO. MANDATORY CREDIT: RICK STEWART/ALLSPORT /
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5 Mar 1998: Pitcher Dennis Eckersley of the Boston Red Sox in action during a spring training game against the Cleveland Indians at the Chain of Lakes Park in Winter Haven, Florida. The Red Sox defeated the Indians 10-9. Mandatory Credit: Craig Melvin /
5 Mar 1998: Pitcher Dennis Eckersley of the Boston Red Sox in action during a spring training game against the Cleveland Indians at the Chain of Lakes Park in Winter Haven, Florida. The Red Sox defeated the Indians 10-9. Mandatory Credit: Craig Melvin / /

Dennis Eckersley, Starting Pitcher

One of the most iconic mustaches in the game of baseball got it’s start right here on the north shore.

Eck was a third round pick in 1972, and of course, the Indians squandered their future by trading him too early.

Eck busrt onto the scene in 1975, going 13-6 with a 2.60 ERA. In 1977, he was an All-Star, but after the season, the Tribe traded him to the Red Sox  for Ted Cox, Bo Diaz, Mike Paxton and Rick Wise.

Apparently, the story goes that Eckersley’s wife at the time had become close to Rick Manning. The Indians needed to trade someone, before the you-know-what hit the fan.

Terry Pluto interviewed former GM Gabe Paul, who made the trade, for his book, The Curse of Rocky Colavito.

"“I clearly remember that we knew what was going between Rick and Eckersley’s wife,” said Paul. “We had to trade someone before the whole thing blew up in our faces. Manning had the bad back, and his trade value was down. Besides, I really thought he’d be one of the great stars. Boston wanted Eckersley badly, so we made the deal. It turned out that Eckersley became the star. He always was a great performer and he never let his troubles affect his pitching.”"

For the Red Sox, Eckersly went on to win 20 games in each of his next two seasons.

Cleveland Indians baseball from 1960-1993. The worst 33-year span in the history of game. Yeah!

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