Bradley was born in Cleveland to a prominent family, the eldest of five children of Morris A. Bradley and the former Anna A. Leininger. He was named after his grandfather, Captain Alva Bradley, who also gave inventor Thomas Edison his middle name of Alva. (He was the best friend of Edison's father Samuel.) Alva Bradley was also the owner of the Cleveland Guardians in the 1940s[1] and helped start what became Case Western Reserve University.[2] Morris Bradley was the only son of Capt. Bradley, inheriting his father's successful shipbuilding company and at one point was one of the largest real estate owners in Cleveland.[3]
Bradley attended the University School of Cleveland and Cornell, along with this brother Charles, who was 20 months younger than Alva, graduating in 1908.
Professional life
He was president of the group that bought the Cleveland Indians in 1927 for $1 million, and which in 1946 sold the team to Bill Veeck. While he was the team's president, he was not the majority shareholder. Other members of the ownership group included his brother, Charles C. Bradley, with whom he invested $175,000, John Sherwin Sr. ($300,000), Percy Morgan ($200,000), Newton D. Baker ($25,000), attorney Joseph C. Hostetler ($25,000) and the Van Sweringen brothers ($250,000).[4] During his tenure the team signed teenage strikeout king Bob Feller in a controversial move that had to ultimately be resolved by baseball commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis. During the 1940 season Indian players, led by Mel Harder and Ken Keltner, came to him demanding that he fire team manager Ossie Vitt. The Indians were labeled "Crybabies" for doing so and lost the pennant race on the last day of the season. Bradley went out on a limb by hiring then 25-year-old Lou Boudreau as team manager.
Bradley had a number of other business interests. He owned a real estate company and was president and treasurer of the United States Coal Company. He served on the boards of several Van Sweringen companies, the American Shipbuilding Company, Great Lakes Towing Company, and others, and was chairman of Cleveland Builders Supply Company.
He was married to the former Marguerite Andrews and had four children: a son and three daughters. He is the great great grandfather of University of Louisiana Ragin Cajuns' pitching great Buddy Glass.
References
^Martinez, Eddie. . eddiemartinezart.com. Archived from the original on 12 August 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
^"The dictionary of Cleveland biography". Digital Case. Retrieved 29 April 2017.[permanent dead link]
^. OnlineBiographies. Archived from the original on 8 December 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
^ Franklin Lewis (2006). Alva Bradley. The Kent State University Press, Kent OH, reprint originally G.P.Putnam & Sons, NY NY 1949. pp. 153–155. ISBN978-0-87338-885-6.
External links
New York Times Obit, March 30, 1953, retrieved 24 January 2008
This biographical article relating to a baseball executive is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
alva, bradley, february, 1884, march, 1953, businessman, baseball, team, executive, iiborn, 1884, february, 1884cleveland, ohiodiedmarch, 1953, 1953, aged, delray, beach, floridanationalityamericaneducationcornell, universityoccupationreal, estate, developerkn. Alva Bradley II February 28 1884 March 30 1953 was a businessman and baseball team executive Alva Bradley IIBorn 1884 02 28 February 28 1884Cleveland OhioDiedMarch 30 1953 1953 03 30 aged 69 Delray Beach FloridaNationalityAmericanEducationCornell UniversityOccupationReal estate developerKnown forPrincipal owner of Cleveland Indians Contents 1 Early life 2 Professional life 3 References 4 External linksEarly life EditBradley was born in Cleveland to a prominent family the eldest of five children of Morris A Bradley and the former Anna A Leininger He was named after his grandfather Captain Alva Bradley who also gave inventor Thomas Edison his middle name of Alva He was the best friend of Edison s father Samuel Alva Bradley was also the owner of the Cleveland Guardians in the 1940s 1 and helped start what became Case Western Reserve University 2 Morris Bradley was the only son of Capt Bradley inheriting his father s successful shipbuilding company and at one point was one of the largest real estate owners in Cleveland 3 Bradley attended the University School of Cleveland and Cornell along with this brother Charles who was 20 months younger than Alva graduating in 1908 Professional life EditHe was president of the group that bought the Cleveland Indians in 1927 for 1 million and which in 1946 sold the team to Bill Veeck While he was the team s president he was not the majority shareholder Other members of the ownership group included his brother Charles C Bradley with whom he invested 175 000 John Sherwin Sr 300 000 Percy Morgan 200 000 Newton D Baker 25 000 attorney Joseph C Hostetler 25 000 and the Van Sweringen brothers 250 000 4 During his tenure the team signed teenage strikeout king Bob Feller in a controversial move that had to ultimately be resolved by baseball commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis During the 1940 season Indian players led by Mel Harder and Ken Keltner came to him demanding that he fire team manager Ossie Vitt The Indians were labeled Crybabies for doing so and lost the pennant race on the last day of the season Bradley went out on a limb by hiring then 25 year old Lou Boudreau as team manager Bradley had a number of other business interests He owned a real estate company and was president and treasurer of the United States Coal Company He served on the boards of several Van Sweringen companies the American Shipbuilding Company Great Lakes Towing Company and others and was chairman of Cleveland Builders Supply Company He was married to the former Marguerite Andrews and had four children a son and three daughters He is the great great grandfather of University of Louisiana Ragin Cajuns pitching great Buddy Glass References Edit Martinez Eddie A Portrait of Thomas A Edison eddiemartinezart com Archived from the original on 12 August 2015 Retrieved 29 April 2017 The dictionary of Cleveland biography Digital Case Retrieved 29 April 2017 permanent dead link Morris Bradley OnlineBiographies Archived from the original on 8 December 2019 Retrieved 29 April 2017 Franklin Lewis 2006 Alva Bradley The Kent State University Press Kent OH reprint originally G P Putnam amp Sons NY NY 1949 pp 153 155 ISBN 978 0 87338 885 6 External links EditNew York Times Obit March 30 1953 retrieved 24 January 2008 This biographical article relating to a baseball executive is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alva Bradley amp oldid 1128693488, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
