Overview of the Collection
Western Reserve Historical Society
Weisman, Max (Lefty)
Max (Lefty) Weisman Papers and Photographs
0.30 linear feet (1 container and 1 oversize folder)
Max (Lefty) Weisman was born in 1895 in Austria, moving to Boston, and then to Cleveland, Ohio. He began work as a trainer for the Cleveland Indians in 1921 and was with the team until his death in 1949. The collection consists of autographs, awards, a contract, newspaper clippings, pennants, 65 black and white individual and group portraits, a program, and season passes.
MS 5417
The records are in English
closed stacks1922-1984
Biography of Max (Lefty) WeismanMax (Lefty) Weisman (1895-1949), born in 1895 in Austria, grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, and became a trainer for the Cleveland Indians. He started as the assistant trainer to Percy Smallwood and became head trainer after Smallwood's retirement in 1921. He remained head trainer with the team until his death in 1949.
Through his training he maintained several close relationships with the players. It is believed that he named his son, Jed, after three outfielders: Joe Vosnik, Earl Averill, and Dick Porter. In 1946, there was a "Lefty Weisman Day" to celebrate his twenty-five years as a trainer for the Cleveland Indians. Weisman appeared as himself in the 1949 film,
A Kid from Cleveland, which starred George Brent and Russ Tamblyn. The film also featured Cleveland Indians players. Weisman left behind his wife Sally (1905-1994) and his sons Fred (d. 2017) and Jed. More than two thousand people attended his funeral service at Mt. Sinai Cemetery.Scope and ContentThe Max (Lefty) Weisman Papers and Photographs, 1922-1984 and undated, consists of autographs, awards, a contract, newspaper clippings, pennants, 65 black and white individual and group portraits, a program, and season passes.
Those with an interest in the history of baseball, the history of baseball in Cleveland, and the history of professional trainers will find the collection of interest. Researchers interested more specifically in Lefty Weisman will also find this collection of note. The material is also valuable for those interested in the involvement of Jews in American professional sports in the early to mid twentieth century. The collection includes autographs from notable Cleveland Indians baseball players and individual and group portraits of Weisman and well known players from the 1930s and 1940s.
Statement of ArrangementThe collection is arranged alphabetically by document type and then chronologically.
Processing InformationProcessed by Emily Garforth and Norm Singer in 2018.
Restrictions on AccessNone.
Preferred Citation[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 5417 Max (Lefty) Weisman Papers and Photographs, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
Acquisition InformationGift of Fred and Jed Weisman in 2005.
Indexing TermsThe following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Subjects:Baseball -- Ohio -- ClevelandCleveland Indians (Baseball team)Weisman, Max (Lefty)Detailed Description of The CollectionMax (Lefty) Weisman Papers and Photographs1922-1984 undated11Autographs194612Awards, Jed Weisman, Cleveland Heights High School (original material removed to Oversize Folder 1)1947-1951 undated13Contract, Lefty Weisman193714Newspaper clippings, Lefty Weisman1926-1952 undated15Pennants, three framed items, including pennants of American League teams, pennants of National League teams, and one with image of Chief Wahoo and Cleveland Indians American League Championsca. 1930s 194816Portraits, group, team photographs1922-1947 undated17Portraits, group, Lefty Weisman with playersca. 1930s-194818Portrait, group, John Peckinpaugh, Gay Harder, Jed Weisman, Mrs. Peckinpaugh, Indians Spring Training, Ft. Myers, Florida194119Portrait, group, Joe Vosnik, Jed Weisman, Tris Speaker, Bar Mitzvah of Jed Weisman1946110Portraits, individual, signed, including, among others, Earl Averill, Lou Boudreau, Larry Doby, Harry Eisenstat, Joe Gordon, Hank Greenberg, Ken Keltner, Mel Harder, Rollie Hemsley, Steve O'Neill, Roger Peckinpaugh, and Hal Trosky (original material removed to Oversized Folder 1)ca. 1930s-1950s undated111Portraits, individual, Lefty Weisman, including Lefty Weisman Night (original material removed to Oversize Folder 1)1939-1946112Portraits, individual, unsigned, Ty Cobb, Steve O'Neill, and unidentifiedUndated113Program, honoring Steve O'Neill1936114Season passes, for Cleveland Indians, for Mrs. Max Weisman, including one for Fred Weisman1926-1972 1979-1984