Cleveland Sports: a Forty Something Fan's Recollections

Its been a cold snowy winter in Northeast Ohio. To warm things up, I've been going through my memories of growing up with Cleveland sports. To the best of my knowledge all of these recollections, most of which are from the seventies, are accurate; but sometimes a middle-aged guy's memory isn't one hundred percent correct.

I recall:

Watching Leroy Kelly's and Greg Pruitt's speed and moves at running back which continued the tradition of great running backs for the Browns. It was fun to watch defensive players try to grab Pruitt's tear away jerseys (before they were banned).

Mike Hargrove's marathon adjustment routine before each pitch. He was a human rain delay.

Pete Franklin's nighttime sports talk show ending with the playing of Jimmy Durante's "Goodnight, Goodnight, Goodnight" (time for toodle-oo).

Sitting for two hours or so at the old stadium seeing lots of rain and snow fall, but not a single pitch thrown. The game was then called due to weather.

At most Indians games there were lots of empty seats. Kids would slam the movable seat bottoms and the noise would echo in the cavernous stadium.

Bingo Smith's long-range jump shot. Joe Tait's call "BINGO!".

Gib Shanley's Quarterback Club show, which I think was on Channel Five on Wednesday nights, although I'm not sure. Loved to see the highlights from that Sunday's previous game. It was shown with accompanying music that made you want to go out and tackle somebody.

Fans yelling "BOOG, BOOG...." when first baseman Boog Powell came to the plate.

Pete Franklin arguing with the Swami and Mr. Know it All.

The first time, at seven years old, I saw a game at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. The trip through the rusty landscape of Cleveland's Westside culminated in walking out the stadium tunnel and seeing the greenest grass I had ever seen.

Gib Shanley's and then Nev Chandler's skilled play-by-play of Browns games.

Joe Tait and Bruce Drennan's Channel 43 TV broadcasts of Indian's games. Drennan's gravelly voice saying "the ducks are on the pond". Tait and Drennan would often tell stories of the great road-game town restaurant they dined at.

John Lowenstein: Mr. Consistency.

No, I wasn't at the ten-cent beer night game, but I remember the way people talked about it for days.

Turkey Jones and Jerry Sherk and their intimidating defensive line play.

Frank Robinson's opening day pinch-hit homerun.

Super Joe Charboneau's American League Rookie of the Year award, and the Go Joe Charboneau song.

I hope these brought back memories for a few of you other "wait 'til next year" people. Hmmm, someday....