October 14, 2024…..So here we are. Game 1 of the American League Championship Series. Guardians VS Yankees tonight! I couldn’t be happier for this much needed distraction from a devisive upcoming election that is dominating conversations. It’s way more fun when everyone in our city is rooting for the same team (even if it’s just for a couple of weeks).
In 1973 when I was 10, I became obsessed with baseball. Not sure why. The Indians hadn’t had a winning season in decades. But I knew every Cleveland Indian player’s position, number and stats. My parents would routinely let a couple of us kids take the RTA Blue Line Rapid to The Terminal Tower by ourselves. We’d walk a few blocks north to Cleveland Municipal Stadium and for most of the games we were one of maybe 3,000 fans in the cavernous 72,000 seat stadium. It echoed. Steel beams blocked many views. It was cold, even on a sunny summer day. But man I loved it. Loved it so much I sent letters to the PD’s Sports Editor to ask him questions about baseball and he’d actually handwrite letters back to me!
When I didn’t have much babysitting money, I’d have to get a $1 bleacher ticket. But that locked you out of the rest of the stadium (bleacher jail we called it), so whenever I could I’d splurge on a General Admission ticket (I think they were $3.50?). But being in GA seats meant that by the end of the 3rd inning we could inch our way down to almost the front row. No one cared! And you had a 50/50 shot at getting a foul ball hit into your section because there were only 2-3 people running to get it!
If you are new to Cleveland (like the candidates EA works with daily to woo and onboard to our town) here are a few things to know about diehard Guardians fans and our team:
- John Adams is like our Guardian Angel….he banged his giant bass drum in the bleachers for decades to keep the spirit alive and that was a challenge in the 1970’s and 80’s at old Municipal Stadium – but he inspired the fans to bang the wooden seats of the chairs on either side of them to keep time with his drumming; He died in 2023, but we can make it happen for him this year!
- Hearing our radio announcer, Tom Hamilton, say “And we are under way at the corner of Carnegie & Ontario” to start each game is heaven (those streets are the intersection where the stadium is located in downtown CLE)
- and….hearing Hammy call a home run sends shivers down our spines; UPDATE: because I was lucky enough to be at Game 3 on Thurs 10/17 AND was sitting in the left field bleachers where it was bedlam after these two home runs won us the game
- Many people still call Progressive Field “the Jake” as that was its original name when the stadium opened in 1994 (Jacobs Field, named for former Indians owner Dick Jacobs)
- The Guardians name was inspired by the Guardians of Transportation, those imposing stone pillars that grace each end of the Hope Memorial Bridge adjacent to the stadium; they were carved by Italian stone masons almost a century ago (some still bitch about the name change from the Indians to the Guardians, ignore them, most of us love it as much as we love our team)
- Learn the words to Hang On Sloopy – by the McCoys – we made it our state’s official rock song in the 1980’s and it’s typically played in the 8th inning of each game
- Slider is our mascot and while none of us know what exactly this creature is, we know it’s a goofball and we love him/her/it
- PIck your favorite to cheer for when ketchup, onion and mustard race during the 5th inning. I always go for Onion, love her cute purse
- The RIght Field District is a standing room only section that is the rowdiest part of the ballpark – it’s like a frat party and happy hour rolled into one – inexpensive, no seats, it’s like hanging out at your favorite bar AND watching a game
- The best food at the stadium is closest to the E. 9th Street entrance and stretches to almost the Ontario Street entrance where many local restaurants and food purveyors add offerings above and beyond the typical hotdogs & Cracker Jacks staples; you can find chicken tikka masala, gourmet tacos, woodfired pizza, coffee/gelato bar and more
- No matter who you, are where you come from, or who you love, the Dolan family makes you feel welcomed and included at the stadium; Paul Dolan routinely just walks around the stadium to see how his fans are doing….can you imagine any other team owner/president doing this?
Back in the 1970’s I’d always arrive 2 hours before the game to watch the players warm up and get one of the balls they would routinely toss into the stands.
And I’d hang around after the game for an hour to get autographs and talk to the players…no perimeter fencing, no security guards, we had full access, almost as much access as the press did. We asked the players questions, they hung around and talked to us!
I got Buddy Bell’s autograph so many times he didn’t have to ask how to spell my name (my first pre-teen crush). DIdn’t he have really nice handwriting? I mean he could have had a side gig addressing wedding invitations if he had wanted one!
It was cool to be able to talk to the players as they tossed the ball around during batting practice and many of them would come over to the railing and sign an autograph or talk baseball.
Did I mention how few fans there were in the 1970’s? One day we got there before most of the Indians staff and so we jumped onto the field and sat in the dugout. Can you imagine doing that today? Not a single security guard chased us out. They were just glad a few fans showed up that day!
And while I miss those $1 admission prices, I do NOT miss how cold that old stadium was. I do not miss the watery 3.2 beer the served. I do not miss that we lost most games. So it’s a new day…..let’s Go Guardians!!! We need to wipe up the Yankees and go to the World Series! I vote the LA Dodgers!
Here are a few more EA Staffers proudly flying the Guardians flag this week……
Enjoy these precious days of fall baseball where co-workers will be talking about last night’s pitching and not who stole whose yard sign. And for that we say THANK YOU GUARDIANS!
Executive Arrangements is happy to be one of Cleveland’s biggest cheerleaders. When we are not rooting for our home teams, we are out on the road more than 125 days a year, seeing our city thru the eyes of a job candidate or new hire who is contemplating a relocation to Cleveland/Akron and seeing it for the first time. We know and love our town, but it’s always amazing to see their first reaction after years of hearing negativity. If your organization’s recruiting could use a little October magic, call the team at EA to help you land amazing talent from all over the globe….216.231.9311.