Melvin Leroy Harder (October 15, 1909 – October 20, 2002), nicknamed "Chief", was an American right-handed starting pitcher, coach and manager in Major League Baseball, who played his entire career with the Cleveland Indians. He spent 36 seasons overall with the Indians, as a player from 1928 to 1947 and as one of the game's most highly regarded pitching coaches from 1948 to 1963. He set franchise records for wins (223), games started (433) and innings pitched (3426) which were later broken by Bob Feller, and still holds the club record of 582 career games pitched; he was among the American League's career leaders in wins (9th), games (8th) and starts (10th) when he retired. He was also an excellent fielder, leading AL pitchers in putouts four times, then a record. Career Harder was born in Beemer, Nebraska, and graduated from Tech High School in North Omaha, Nebraska. He broke in with the Indians as a relief pitcher in . His pitching style revolved around his fine curveball, a hard fastball and excellent control. He joined the starting rotation in 1930, and posted a record of 39–37 from 1930 to 1932; on July 31, , he pitched the first game ever at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. In he finished second in the AL with an earned run average of 2.95, trailing teammate Monte Pearson (2.33); under modern rules (one inning pitched per games played by team), enacted in 1951, Harder would have been credited with the league lead, as Pearson only pitched 135 innings. In he finished with 20 wins, led the league with six shutouts, and was again second in ERA (2.61) to Lefty Gómez. In he was second to Wes Ferrell in wins (22) and innings (287), and was fifth in the AL with a 3.29 ERA. After developing a sore elbow and bursitis in his shoulder, he won at least 15 games each season from 1936 to 1939; he led AL pitchers in putouts in 1932, 1933, 1935 and . Harder was one of the most successful All-Stars of the 1930s, appearing in all four games from 1934 to 1937, and setting a record with 13 consecutive innings without an earned run. He won the 1934 All-Star game after relieving Red Ruffing with none out and two men on in the fifth inning, with an 8–6 lead; one run scored on a double steal, but Harder allowed only