So, umm, hey.

What do you know - we're only 7 years apart!

I'm Joe, 28 years old, was a Latin major and a business minor (I know - weird combination - I had thought about becoming a priest, but changed my mind,) I proofread, edit, and revise ebooks, Word documents, etc. and also am learning more about Internet marketing, with plans to build my own online business in the near future.  I've lived in Cleveland all my life.

My favorite Indian - Omar Vizquel - his personality, his improving offense, his great defense, his willingness to do what it took to win.  I'll always remember him as one of the Indians that made the '90s great.  

I remember how sad he was after the 1997 WS meltdown - he couldn't even show up to the parade like he did after 1995, saying that "he gave everything he had for that series and needed time to get away and recover from the loss."

afh4 - still think we couldn't work in the booth together, LOL!  Nice to know you better. :-)

Have always been a sports freak with two over riding passions, one being Manchester United and the other the Cleveland Indians. I have no idea how or when I started following the Indians, hopefully it wasn't due to watching Charlie Sheen running out to pitch. In 1993 on my way back home to NZ I purchased a 1954 Indians replica shirt which I still have, so know I followed them at that stage.

Living in NZ there was next to no coverage of baseball apart from looking at the Tribe scores in the newspaper, so fast forward to the age of internet and the ability to follow your team whilst living down under. Started following the Tribe games on the ESPN website in 2003 and have done so ever since, plus sitting through SportsCenter to watch a 20 second clip of highlights, started following this site late last season and only recently got the courage to post amongst you knowledgeable fans. Other than the internet we get ESPN coverage of Sunday Night Baseball, Monday and the Thursday ESPN games, so it is always fingers crossed that the Tribe are scheduled to play in one of these games, seen them 3 times this season to date. Fantastic, OK the Angels game sucked.

Favourite player, probably Jim Thome and over the past 3 seasons I have always rooted for Casey Blake, might not be the worlds best, but always seems to give 110% everynight.

My dreams for the future? I can sign up for STO whilst living in NZ, our broadband gets faster (and cheaper) and I can get the MLBTV deal and my number one dream to one day go to the Jake and watch my Indians play. Oh, and Casy Blake hits a walk off home run to win the World Series!!!

Keep up the posts, I greatly enjoy the banter and the baseball education they contain for me. My wife thinks I'm mad sitting down watching a computer screen graphic, getting excited or upset (she just doesn't understand about Aaron Boone). Apologies in advance for any "down under" rubbish I might post in the future. Please bear with me.

My name is Ellen and I'm a forty-something out of work musician making a good living as a legal paraprofessional. I went to my first Tribe game sometime ion the late 50's. Alvin Dark was manager. I have been hooked ever since and have the emotional scars to prove it.

Good luck finding a job.

Great to hear a bit more about you all.

I'm Luis, 25 born and bred in London, England.  I started following the tribe in 2000 when I met my fiancee (who's from Ashtabula County) in Toronto and we caught an Indians game at the Skydome.

Thankfully, when we visit her family I get to catch a game, so I've been to the Jake about once a year since 2002.  Since around then I've become gradually more obsessed as I've actually managed to understand the game...took a few months.  This site has helped fuel it even more, so much so that my fiancee is now bored by baseball because I never shut up about it and she was quite interested in it when I met her.

Try the catch the games as much as possible, but its not easy with the time difference, so day games are my best friend; thankfully i have MLBTV so I can see how they're all doing.

I'm a law major and trying desperately to get a legal job, but hopefully one day I'll be coming to live in the states and close to the tribe with a family of my own.

I'm also football mad and for Sean's sake I will confess that I am an Arsenal fan to the core (was once heckled by an American  Man Utd fan sitting on his porch in the deepest depths of Madison, Indiana when wearing an Arsenal shirt...weird!!).

My favourite indian was initially Robbie Alomar, for the simple fact (like a kid) that he hit a homer in that game at the Skydome after having jeered by the Blue Jay fans for the whole game.  Unfortunately he was gone before I really knew the sport, so since then it's been little O because of the real love he seemed to have for the game.  From the current crop i would go with Pronk; I loved being in on the secret that he was such an underrated hitter and has a cool nickname....God I hated hearing Joe Morgan and John MIllar butcher that story!!

I'm 30, born on the East side of Cleveland but grew up on the West side, St. Ignatius class of '93.

I can't remember a time when I didn't live and die with the Tribe. My best Indians experience was probably going down to Winter Haven in '03 and meeting Shapiro.

My favorite Indian, past OR present, is and always will be the powerful and handsome CC Sabathia.

My favorite Indian? Andre Thornton.

This site helps keep me sane (or is it insane).  Like TribeFanInLondon, the time differance is a pain in the arse, but I did go ahead and get the MLBRadio.  I can't tell you the number of games I've fallen asleep to (around 3-4am local time).

As for favorite players - I first fell in love with the Tribe in the 80's when my dad would take me down to the Ol' Stadium.  I always liked Brook Jacoby.  During the 90's I loved watching Manny hit, Omar and Roberto field, and Thome's HR's.  Of the current crop it's tough since I haven't seen any of them play live.  From the sounds of it though, I like the hustle from Sizemore.

I started following the Indians in the late 80s, the Brook Jacoby/Julio Franco/Joe Carter teams. I also went to a lot of Canton/Akron Indians games, and watched Joey Belle and Charles Nagy climb the ladder to Cleveland. I enjoyed pounding on the aluminum (yes, aluminum) bleachers at Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium, and I loved the flow of the game. Most of the rest of family are Browns fans first, but the Indians were always my favorite team.

Favorite Indian? That's a tough call. Some of favorites growing up were Doug Jones, Greg Swindell, Sandy Alomar, and Kenny Lofton.

Nice to meet everyone.

All Chicago-based Tribe fans - didn't know there was so many of you.  Think you guys could put a hex or jinx on the White Sox?  :-)

Again, nice to meet all of you and keep coming back - there should be some interesting stuff to talk about, even if the Indians are out of the playoff race.

Lots of favorites: Alvis, Fosse, Manning, Super Joe, Thornton, Barker, Jacoby, Nagy and Hafner. Don Hood was a special favorite (not sure why) and you can't leave Feller off any Indians list.

1997 makes me sick to this day. Jacobs Field is a thing of beauty.

I too live in Chicago, in Lincoln Square - right by the Davis Theatre if you know where that's at.  I used to live at Southport and Addison, so I guess I'm a member of the LGT Lakeview Alumni Society.

Sounds like we have got enough Chicagoins to have a LGT Pizza Feed...I'd be up for watching a game sometime/somewhere if anybody else would.

I haven't lived in Ohio since junior high school, but all my extended family is still there (Akron area).  My father and aunts and uncles are all Indians fan.  (My brother is a Twins fan.  I still love him.)  I've been to more games in the mistake than I have in the Jake.  Actually, I've seen the Indians play more times in Coors than in Jacobs Field.

I started following in the Snyder days as well, but there are no players I ever liked as well as Thome and Ramirez.

I still have a jersey with players name on it: Russell Branyan.  I stopped buying them after that, figured I was bad luck.

One of my favorite memories was going to a game at Municipal Stadium with my Dad September 2, 1990 (I was 11).  The Airshow was going on and we got seats on the 1B side so we could watch most of the planes while watching the game.  Dave Stieb no-hit the Indians that day, which, although the Indians lost, was amazing to watch.  Alex Cole had an almost hit in the 8th inning to break up the no-no.  Also, they were giving away free mini-boxes of frosted flakes that day, which was great for an 11-year old.

I'm Josh ; I'm a new poster here, but regularly read the posts because they offer some baseball insight, minus much of the teeth gnashing and wailing that accompanies the other Indians forums.

I'm a lifelong Cleveland fan, growing up in Lakewood. My pops used to take me to ballgames in the 80's and early 90's as a young kid, he worked security at old Municipal. Currently live in Connecticut, where i'm in the US Navy teaching IT Security classes at the submarine base in Groton.
I feel for the guy trying to convince his wife to be a indians fan over the reds ; im trying to convicne my wife to be an indians fan over a yankee fan. (there is little worse than that) Im having an easier time convincing her to be a cavs fan, because they appear to be headed in a better direction, and that playoff series was one for the ages.

My favorite Indians player has to be Cory Snyder or Joe Carter ; I went to the stadium for "picture day" I got a picture with all the old inidans, and they were all very friendly and accomodating. It was great.

Currently living in WestPark and am in sales (among other hats that I tend to wear).

Favorite all-time Indians - Tabler (met him at Little Indians Fan Club Events) and Jacoby (met him once at Tony LaRiche Chevrolet).

Favorite current Indians - Wickman (member of Wickmans' Warriors, with the T-Shirt to prove it) and the Crooked Cap (so unappreciated locally).

I was in college during the '95 and '97 Series and STILL think that this current incarnation of the Tribe will take us back there.  Maybe not in 2006, but not too far off.

After graduation from college in 92, my future wife and I moved to Cleveland from western PA.  It was the place where I got a job, and she worked for one of the big accounting firms downtown.  We didn't know anyone, so we just had fun exploring.  She would always have me meet her downtown for a game in the old stadium (since tickets were easy to get).  We became hooked and bought season tickets when the Jake opened the following year.  We moved to Lancaster in 1997, but our friends kept our tickets for a couple of years after that.

My best memory was in 95 when they came back from the 10-1 defecit against David Cone.  Sorrento hits the HR in the bottom of the 9th.  The stadium and the streets were just electric.

The Wife always liked Omar and Sorrento.  I was a Belle fan, because that guy was a scary good hiter.  

One of my first memories (of anything at all, not just baseball) is Frank Robinson hitting that HR in his first game as the manager of the Indians.

Favorite Indian?  Andre Thornton and Charles Nagy are right up there, but I think it's got to be Carlos Baerga - the young Baerga who played with passion and was in Cleveland when the long-dead corpse that was the Tribe I had known my entire life was revitalized.  And then the bastards went out on strike. 1994 would have been the season of my dreams.  I'm still a big fan, but I've never completely recovered from that strike.

I don't know if I have a favorite player.  The childhood attachments are to Rick Manning and Andre Thornton.  Robbie Alomar probably gave me more enjoyment per-game than any other Indian I can think of.  I think of Manny the way a lot of folks here talk about Belle -- the enjoyment of a perfect machine.  I am a great admirer of Omar Vizquel as a player, in particular the way he pushed himself to improve and find new ways contribute well into his 30's.  And I'll always have some fondness for Matt Williams, in part because he seemed like such an infallible vacuum that one season, but mostly just because he pulled off the hidden-ball trick.  I have soft spots for the great unheralded Eric Plunk, and Paul Shuey, and Chad Ogea, and El Presidente of course.

Of late, I have a special enjoyment of Peralta and Martinez and Betancourt, the first players I followed closely through the minors, who have fulfilled the promise they showed then, in spades.  I know that they still feel new to a lot of folks, but I've been following them for almost six years already.  It's different.

Great moments:  It's going to be hard to top seeing the Indians tie the 1997 Division Series in Game Four, and then win it in Game Five, in person with my Dad and one of my brothers.  Screaming our heads off, with all the players and fans wearing the Thome high-socks.  Wow.  We ran through the streets around the Jake high-fiving everyone.  I remember talking to an older fan about the significance of the win -- what most of the younger fans didn't understand was that it wasn't just that we won, it was that we beat the stinkin' Yankees -- smiting a mortal enemy dating back to the great teams of the 40's and 50's.  And that was what made it really great.  You should have seen the satisfaction on this guy's face.

Another great memory is in Yankee Stadium, July 19, 2003 -- "Ryan Ludwick?  Who the hell is Ryan Ludwick?"  I met one of my brothers for the game along with my girlfriend of ten months or so who had never lived west of Philadelphia.  My brother asked her if she knew the names of any of the players, and she fairly quickly rattled off a dozen names while my brother stood there in shock.  Keep in mind, in July 2003, many lifelong Indians fans could not have named a dozen current players.  We were married by the next Opening Day.  True story -- and yeah, I know some of you guys are starting to get choked up right now.  It's okay, I won't tell anyone.

It's nice to meet everyone, including the new ones who are coming out to post.  Keep it up. :-)

Kos - I know that crying feeling over the 1997 WS; I was in college at the time and my mother called me a few days after that WS ended.  It was just before my 20th birthday.  

We both started crying over that loss.  To be honest, it didn't really hit us until a few days later.  I happened to visit my parents that weekend and watched the game with them (didn't get back to college until late that night, early the next morning.)

When Renteria got that base hit, Nagy just missed getting it, and the ball went between Vizquel and Fernandez, I just sat on the couch in a daze, just in disbelief over it.  The emotion didn't come out for two more days.

Darn Mesa!  

And he has the audacity to throw at Omar for him speaking the truth?!  Jose Mesa might be my least favorite Indian for his throwing episodes at Omar.  He was good in 1995-1996; I probably could have even gotten over him blowing the 1997 WS if he hadn't tried to hurt Omar in the past few years, but trying to intentionally hurt Omar, no, he has to be my least favorite Indian of all time.  Blowing the WS just adds more "bad icing" to that cake.  

Just my 5 cents. :-)

I remember the days when the Tribe's outfield consisted of guys like Charlie Spikes, George Hendrick, Jim Norris, Johnny Grubb, John Lowenstein, etc.  I'd say my first solid memories of being a Tribe fan was when Frank Robinson was named player/manager.  Duffy and Kuiper were great defensive players but they combined to be THE lightest hitting tandem of any infield.

Great memories for me are those of listening to Tribe games on the radio and Joe Tait saying "It's a BEAUTIFUL night for baseball !"  That was followed up by Herb Score saying, "Hi again everybody."  Bruce Drennan was the funniest guy to watch as he wore some ridiculous outfits and his famous line, "the Tribe has ducks on the pond!"  You could tell that Tait was more than annoyed by Drennan's antics but it made for entertaining TV watching as the team was pretty bad.

Favorite players from my early years were Buddy Bell, Dennis Eckersley, Mike Hargrove, and Gaylord Perry.

Hargrove's routine at the plate was just so interesting to me.  How anyone could repeat all those motions over and over again was just beyond my comprehension.  Gaylord used to touch every part of his cap and jersey sometimes before delivering the ball.  He was very entertaining.  

I was once at a game up in the old stadium when a guy yelled really loud at Manning as he was running from the dugout to the outfield, "hey Manning, how's Eckersley's wife ?"  

Favorite current player is Grady Sizemore because the guy seems to give full effort at all times.

SpringTrainingFan--my memories are of Joe Tait on a Sunday afternoon "It's a BEAUTIFUL day for baseball not a cloud in the sky..."

Best Tribe memory was listening to Game 6 of the ALCS in 1995 when they took down the Big Unit to go on to the World Series...I was in a dismal (Communist-inspired) 1-room apartment flat on the outskirts of Prague after a long night with some Czech locals, and kept my unsuspecting hostess up until all hours of the night as I went positively apoplectic listening to the radio (no, wasn't a girlfriend, so don't get on my back for keeping her up listening to the Indians...for Crissakes let's keep it civilized.)

Favourite players (by decade): Thornton and Toby Harrah (don't ask me why); Jacoby and Joe Carter; Nagy, Sandy and Manny; now C.C., Pronk and Grady.

Always go to the Jake whenever I'm back in the US.

Favorite tribe player of all time was Julio Franco.

Favorite Cleveland sports moment was provided by a ping pong ball. Yes, where we would be without LeBron.

Rachel, 25, living in Cincinnati for the past two years (and I'm going to the game tonight).  I moved down here because that's where the job offer was, but before that I was living in North Royalton.  I'm an engineer for GE Aviation.

Favorite all-time player is Omar, ever since I saw him rock out (and sing) to "Crazy Train" at some charity event.  

Nice to know there are female Indians fans who come here too.  :-)  Come back and post anytime.

Have fun at the game tonight as well.

How come I'm not surprised I would get a reaction out of you, Jay?  :-)  I was expecting that, LOL!

Seriously, nothing wrong with welcoming anybody to this forum - I do it for everybody, not just the ladies.  At least I'm consistent, LOL! :-)

Thommy - thanks!  You make sure you put in a good word for me to Wal-Mart, LOL! :-)

Jay - I know; essentially, I baited you into doing that; as I said, I knew you would come back with something.  I was just waiting for your reply to see what you came up with, LOL! :-)

My favorite player is probably Kenny Lofton, circa 1994-1996. I also have a particular fondness for Manny, still.    

I'm Dean, soon to be 39, and a Cleveland born fan. Moved to Los Angeles when I was 10, and currently reside in San Jose, CA. Am a safety engineer and do some ISO auditing as well.

Married, 10 month old daughter, Skylar (just bought two outfits at the Teamshop).

Fav player as a kid, stick bat Duane Kuiper. (I liked Manning and Jim Kern too)
Fav all time player - Thome
Fav current player - Hafner and Sizemore

Fav moment, being at the Jake for Game 5 of the 95 series (my Mom won a lottery ticket giveaway - she works for BP/SOhio) to see Hershiser and Maddux square off and to see Thome's bomb to dead center.

Heheh!

I live in Amherst, Ohio and have been an Indian Fan forever.  I cover alot of Indians stuff on my Blog at www.thesportsguru.com, and recently became the Denver Bronco blogger here on SBNation.  I am 32 years old, married with a daughter and one on the way.

My favorite Indian of all time?  I really dig Alvaro Espinoza and Wayne Kirby, but if I had to pick a current Indian I'd go with Pronk.  Love the way the dude plays the game.  

Here's to next year!!

I've been a Tribe fan forever, at least long enough to remember how happy I was to get a Tony Bernazard in my pack of Topps. Cory Snyder was my favorite Indian for the longest time though the statehead in me still can't believe he hit 33 HR with a .273 OBP in 1987. Ouch.

Now? It's hard to say. Probably Hafner, not only because he's awesome (obviously), but because he's hilarious in interviews.

Tribe fan since the mid-70s (started paying attention with all the hype about Frank Robinson).  So I've been around long enough to remember the dark days and appreciate just what a miracle those mid-90s seasons were.

Currently a real estate analyst.

Can't really say who my favorite Indians player is, but I do remember the days of sitting in the right field general admissions seats at cavernous old Cleveland Stadium and chanting "Juliooooooooooo" back in the day.

Definitely grew up loving Sandy Alomar Jr. Current favorite player is harder to say.  I like almost all of the core guys, but I guess I'll go with Victor and/or Jhonny.  I also like Grady, but to protect my masculinity I won't call him my favorite player.  I'll just say that I really respect him as a player.

I really enjoy this site a ton; I like the different perspectives and opinions that people have about the team, organization, and players.  I also like that we're winning!

My favorite player was Thome, but I've since reverted back to Grover.  One game stands out, with Chicago and Fisk behind the plate where Grover had a 30 minute at bat.  I wish I knew what was going on because you knew they were really play games with one another.

My favorite on the current team is Westbrook or Hafner.  When Hafner was with Texas he came to Cleveland and went 3 for 5 or something like that in a game, and I said to someone I was watching the game with, 'boy, wish we had him'...

I grew up a Reds fan in a family of Cubs fans (my dad moved to Cincinnati in 1989, so... yeah. That worked out well for me), and then had a big falling out with baseball when I was about 11 during the strike season. I was just so disgusted I gave up on baseball for... well, about forever. So my knowledge of baseball history is... spotty at best.

Then, in 2005, I started becoming good online friends with this girl who loved the A's, and her baseball addiction was contagious, so I said I'd try baseball again. The Indians' games were on the radio as I drove home from my night class that summer. I started off rooting against them, but uh. They stole my heart.

I do not have a favorite. Or... that's a lie. I have a favorite, but it changes every other day because I'm pretty much crazy about half the current team. I did officially declare Fernando Cabrera my baseball boyfriend back before the 2006 season, but, well. That didn't work out very well, so now I am quiet about my specific loves. I'm possibly kind of superstitious even though I know it's dumb and illogical.

I grew up in the southwest Cleveland suburbs, studied accounting at Marquette in Milwaukee, and just finished my first year of law school at the University of Toledo. Don't worry: I have undertaken these academic pursuits in full knowledge of the number of jokes to which I will be making myself a punchline.

My favorite Indians has got to be Sandy Alomar. My dad met him through work at a charity function, and Sandy called him on his car phone later that week just to shoot some bull. I mean, he was a good player and everything anyway, but that's pretty awesome.

Call me Bricker or simply Brick (the 's' is just my first initial which I was in the habit of using for website usernames).  I'm 30, from Canton, OH originally, went to school at Cincinnati for Architecture, Now live and work downtown Chicago, love run on sentences.  

Favorite Indian is a moving target for me.  It tends to change as the team changes as I'm one of those 'Indians first, players second' kind of fans.  I root for who's out there now which is why I don't miss a Manny or a Thome even if they were my favorite at a certain point in time.  They're not Indians now, so I could care less.  That said. Gotta be Grady now.  Jhonny and Raffy Betnacourt tied for second.

Favorite Indian would have to be C.C.  That will probably have to change to Victor in '09.

My name is David and I am fast approaching my 47th birthday.  I am either unemployed or retired, depending on how I feel each day, and divide my time between Millersburg, OH and touring the West in a 1992 Honda Civic wagon.  I grew up as a Tribe fan, which was a disheartening experience, so I adopted the then-California Angels as a co-favorite team and spent most of my energy rooting for them.  (To this day I have no idea why I chose the Angels, and I can no longer stand them.)  I was also a Browns fan, but those days are long gone; I no longer pay attention to the NFL at all (and never paid attention to the NBA.)  My other sports passion is NCAA Division 3 basketball; I'm a far more ubiquitous presence in the D3Hoops.com chat rooms than I am here, and have become a self-appointed guru on the men's and women's Top 25.  Since Indians baseball and D3 Hoops neatly dovetail in March and October, these twin passions keep me busy most of the time.

My favorite Indians player in my lifetime is probably Sam McDowell; I was too young to care about his many vices.  I was a fan of Ray Fosse, too, and still enjoy his broadcast work.

I'm 24 and currently live in Cincinnati, where I go to law school.  I'm also a Browns, Indians and Buckeye fan, along with a Dayton Flyer basketball fan... I graduated from University of Dayton.  Originally, I'm from Sandusky.

Favorite Indian? I can break it down by era like this:
late 80's early 90's (my first tribe memories)- Joe Carter, Sandy Alomar Jr.
Era of champions (1994-2001)- Manny, probably my favorite player ever; Sandy; Omar Vizquel
The Revolution (I don't know what to call this era yet... 2002-2007)- C.C. Sabathia; Victor Martinez.

Since I wrote this I have turned 22 and then 23, worked at the Art Institute, left to be a paralegal, quit, and become a middle school teacher in Lincoln Park.

My performance career progresses on at a steady clip. If you can figure out my real name you can see me play on the regular at the iO theatre in Wrigleyville.

I've been an Indians fan since I was 7, even though I'm born and raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa (and have now called Iowa City an erstwhile home for the last 3+ years).

The reason: My favorite Indian, Kenny Lofton. At my first baseball game, Cleveland at Milwaukee, oh so long ago, I feel for Kenny's speed and athleticism. So, reacquiring him this last July meant something just a little bit more for me.

I've listened to the Indians on the internet for the last 8 or 9 years or so, and can clearly remember the old Indians.com website (before MLB streamlined them all).

After we traded Kenny the first time, Manny became my new favorite (even after we got K-Love back in the offseason). To this day, his last at bat as an Indian - home run off David Wells - sticks in my mind as a great Indians moment.

In 2001, I remember screaming at the TV when Robbie Alomar grounded into a double play on the first pitch in the 8th (?) inning in game 5.

So, while I was a fan before '02, the last 5 years have truly cemented my loyalty to the Tribe (and by extension the Browns and Cavs, though I've always had a love/hate relationship with LeBron).

From 01-04, I worked for the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Angels Low-A affiliate), and had gotten the opportunity to see a number of great prospects: Mauer, Fielder, Weeks, Barfield, Kotchman, Mathis, McPherson, Ervin (then Johan) Santana, Kendrick, etc, etc. This is also during my days of religiously reading Baseball America, so I had a pretty good idea who I should be watching.

One stuck out in my mind: an outfielder for the Clinton Lumberkings, Grady Sizemore. (Though I also developed a liking for his then-teammate, Jason Bay.)

When we acquired him, I quickly jumped on his bandwagon, telling friends that he was going to be a future star. I guess I was right on that one. I loved Shapiro's '02 - I guess for a then-17 year old, the adventure of breaking everything apart and starting anew was appealing. And yes, I did once think Billy Traber and Brian Tallet would be the 1-2 of a future Indians rotation.

I rarely miss a game. I've stuck with Hammy for almost a decade now, and have grown to love him. '05, honestly, was one of the greatest seasons I can remember - I absolutely loved that team, and honestly wore my Indians jersey a month straight (September). The collapse was painful to say the least.

'06, well, I really don't have anything to say. I liked Garko a lot, and thought Sowers was the next big thing.

This year, and finding LGT, have been awesome. I used to subscribe to the Cleveland Sports Mailing List, a group that as I spent more and more time here I found far too negative. (Some may remember Bob Collins coming here and posting a diary about Brandon Phillips - that was right about the time I left). So it has definitely taken some conditioning to wean myself off of unnecessary moping.

Oh, and Eric Wedge is a lot better manager than he used to be. I've rambled enough. Go Tribe.

I'm 38 (though I keep typing and thinking "37") and a baseball fan since 1995. I work at the coolest record shop in the Cleveland area and I've been cohabitating with member "smtp" (a St. Louis expatriate) cats since 2000.

I clearly remember the 1997 postseason as one of the greatest highs and worst lows I've ever been through as a sports fan. To squeak into October, beat the bloody Yankees and then deal some payback to Baltimore and reach the Series was absolutely incredible and the excitement back then was probably even more intense than it was in 1995.

Then came Game 7: my easy vote for the most crushing defeat in the history of Cleveland professional sports. To go from such giddy, raw emotional heights at the top of the ninth inning and slowly, inexorably gaze into the abyss over the following hour and change was kinda like having a stake slowly pounded through your heart. A dozen or so friends, co-workers and I took in the game at a completely mobbed BW-3's in Mentor that miserable  Sunday night, and it was absolute pandemonium in there as Mesa walked to the mound to (theoretically) shut down the Marlins offense one last time. Champagne cups were passed around, people high-fived and hugged as every out was recorded ... and with one strike to go before winning it all, the game was tied. An hour or so after that, the game was lost. BW-3's slowly emptied, hardly anyone speaking. The next day, life went on.

I needed to take some time away after 1997 before I could let this team back into my heart again. I'd watch a few games here and there (Indians or otherwise, regular or postseason) simply out of love for the game, but I didn't let myself get that involved again until this past year. We started attending games again in the spring of 2006, and it blossomed into seeing more games at The Jake in one season than I have in my entire life up to this point from June onwawrds. If seeing C.C. throw a complete game was the start of the obsession, then the July 3 game (Fausto v. Tampa Bay) was what got me back into this game full-time, especially Raffy-L's brilliant dispatching of 3 consecutive batters with the bases loaded (no to mention Grady's subsequent grand slam). When we saw that absolutely electrifying triple play at the Twins game, the idea that this just might be The Year really started to take hold in my mind, which made last Sunday's clincher game such a huge, joyous rush to see. It'll be difficult to top a day at the park like that one, but I can think of a couple of ways it could happen. :)

My all-time fave Tribe player would have to be Omar Vizquel. Great player and great person, and I miss him terribly to this day. He was truly the heart and soul of the team I flipped over in the 90s. Luckily, he has some fine replacements with the current group. :)

OK, this has gone on long enough. I love these guys and I want them to win it all, for themselves and for the city. We'll be headed down to Game 5, if it happens, to cheer the boys on one last time before we get priced right out of the postseason equation. Bring on the bloody Yankees. Right here, right now.

I'm a morning news anchor and political reporter for the ABC affiliate here.  My wife and I moved here when she got a job in the Monroe County crime lab as a forensic chemist.

Born and raised in Cleveland.  Sports memories baptized by my being at the Browns / Jets playoff win, then watching in misery as Elway destroyed us.  Then emulating the weird batting stance of a guy with a curly blond mullet (Pat Tabler).  Then being at the game where Jordan made the shot.  And finally feeling like someone dipped me in gasoline and lit me on fire when we got Joe Tabled.

And yet, I so dearly love Cleveland sports and that will never change.

My wife has converted and is fully on board.

I was only able to attend one game this season: the clincher, for which we took my 5 and 4-year old nephews.  I can already see that they have a memory -- perhaps their first lasting sports memory -- that will be truly special to all of us for a lifetime.

This site rocks.  I have so much respect for the posters here, and I'm trying to fit in.

Pumped for Thursday.

My grandfather and my uncle gave me my love for the Tribe.   Every year they would pull me out of school and take me to the home opener at Muni.  I could quote stats by 5th grade.  At the time, my favorite player was Alex Cole.  

In college I became even more infatuated with the Tribe, ironically when I was covering the Cavaliers.  I was working for a website in covering the Cavs and walking out of there, looking at the Jake was enough to get me really yearning for baseball.  As it happened, that coincided with Grady Sizemore playing at Akron.  Just watching him play, there was something different about him.  He's my favorite Indian now, although Asdrubal is catching up to him.  

I am planning to attend Game 2 on Friday with my father and it will be our first experience with postseason baseball.  I look forward to seeing many of you there.

My favorite Indian in the first incarnation was Manny Ramirez.  Now I'd have to say Victor Martinez, with Hafner, CC, Sizemore and Blake all sharing second.  More than any individual, I LOVE the current team.

Grew up on the beach in Euclid on 202nd St ... moved away in 1959, during the pennant race with the White Sox ... to Chicago! My mother took me to a game in September before the race was decided, and she told me she was never so scared in her life as to be with her crazy son cheering wildly for the Tribe, in the middle of a bunch of ugly, nasty White Sox fans. (As if there are any other kind ...)

Favorite player: John Romano
Current favorite player: Paul Byrd (OK. I admit it. I'm very weird.)

Best Memory: Mudcat Grant pitching a 2-hit shutout in a Friday night game against the Yanks. Berra got both hits. God, I hate the Yankees. Only 2 things really matter to me in baseball:

1. That the Indians win.
   
2. That I get to see George Steinbrenner cry.

Memory #2: Romano fouling off about 17 pitches (I don't think that's an exaggeration) one night in the 11th inning, then bashing a homerun to win the game.

Memory #3: Sandy Alomar's game-tying homerun against Rivera & the Yanks in the ALDS.

Memory #4: Alomar's homerun & MVP in the first All-Star game at Jacobs Field.

Go Tribe!

I was steeped in Cleveland sports culture since birth courtesy of my older brother.  I was at Game 1 in 1994.  I sold souvenirs at Jacobs Field from 1998 to 2002 in what was both the best and worst summer job of all time.  That experience kind of changed my idea of favorite players.  While I fondly remember players like Junior Naboa and Rich Yett, I can't say I've really had a favorite player since Jeff Manto.  Seriously.

I was there for Westbrook's perfect/non-perfect game and Billy Traber's one hitting the Yankees.  I was also working for the "Troy O'Leary Experience" and the "largest comeback of all time."

I've really enjoyed lurking and occasionally posting here this season.  Even though I don't always get into the conversation, I truly appreciate that it's there.

I grew up in Canton and went to High School at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson.  From there, I met my wife at Emory University in Atlanta and followed her back to New Jersey where I attended law  school.  I now practice law here.  (Maybe someday, with enough practice, I'll get it right.)

When I was young, my grandparents were living outside Pittsburgh, and their friend was the mother of the Pirates Assistant Treasurer.  Needless to say, we got great seats at Three Rivers Stadium.  That combined with the great Pirates teams (and the woeful Indians teams) of the 1970's made me more of a Pittsburgh fan.

It was after I was away from the area, and looking for a connection to my home that the Indians became a passion for me.  I followed them from a far as well as possible in the days before the internet and cable TV coverage.  

Needless to say, the 1997 World Series was a killer for me.  It hit me as hard as Red Right 88, the Drive, or the Fumble.  The Colon trade hit me hard too.  I realized that 'my team' was not going to win any championships any time soon.  But I vowed to myself that I would stay true to them in those lean years, just so, when they got to be good, I could say that I was a fan when...

Thankfully, the rebuilding has gone exceptionally well, and the team is contending again.

I am married and have 3 boys.  My wife grew up like a typical NYC metro area resident without strong feelings for either local team, but she still supports them (when they are winning) and suffers with my love of the Tribe.  

My oldest son is 13.  He LOVES playing baseball.  He's a pitcher  and has a nasty 4 seam fastball that actually moves and a change up that fools me when I catch for him. Unfortunately, growing up in  this area during the Yankee dynasty of the 1990's has made him more of a Yankee fan than an Indians fan.

My middle son is 10.  He loves playing baseball and wants to do everything his big brother does. That being said, he's much more of an Indians fan than anything else.  He was upset when I told him we wouldn't be getting the Extra Innings package on Cablevision this season because he liked watching the Indians games with me.

My third son is 7.  I'm working hard to bring him into the fold.

My favorite Indians were Thome and Visquel.  I wore my Thome sweatshirt regularly in the 90's.  When he left, I wore it to fix the car, got it covered in grease and oil and dumped it in the trash.  I wouldn't necessarily boo him if I saw him play, but I don't love him anymore.

Today, I like the usual suspects, Pronk, Grady and CC, but I think I feel the strongest for Fausto.  I watched what he went through last season, during THAT week, and seeing him come back from that to become the player he is today is truly inspiring.

I know I've said too much, but thanks to Jay for reviving this thread.

Like many, I've been a Tribe - and Cleveland sports - fan from birth thanks to my dad (he grew up in Burton and tells stories about shagging practice FGs during Browns training camps at Hiram in the 50s).  

I had Len Barker and Rick Manning autographed baseballs on my dresser growing up.  I learned to read by pouring over Tribe box scores and game recaps in the local paper.  I dressed up as Cory Snyder for Halloween after the '89 season (misguided as I was).  I nearly came to blows defending Albert Belle during the '94 season when my friends were calling him `Joey' from the outfield bleachers at Tiger Stadium - even though I was more partial to Carlos Baerga.  I still have copies of the Plain Dealer's '95 and '97 WS coverage. I hope to add 2007 to that list.

It's been repeated over and over, but Thursday seriously can't get here soon enough.  This postseason should be especially fun thanks to all the folks contributing to this site.  Let's stick it to the Yanks.

I've got a few Indians I admire - I was a big fan of Jim Perry's - yeah that's right, Gaylord's older brother.   He was especially tough against the Yankees in '59 (yeah even my pre-adolescent self hated the Yankees) giving up only 2 runs in 18 innings.  

As to my favorite baseball moment, again I've got a few - the first game I ever saw at Muni with my dad, then a Yankees/Indians double header when Toby hit a bases loaded triple in front of about 79,000 screaming maniacs, the first game at the Jake, the first World Series game in Cleveland after 41 years - those were all good.  But my favorite Indians memory is not all about baseball or all about the Tribe.  A friend of mine's co-worker is Javier Lopez's sister, Janice.  A long story short, I ended up going to the first WS game in Cleveland with Javier Lopez's sister and mother along with my brother.  Javie wanted to get something for lunch - preferably something Puerto Rican - before the first WS game, so I suggested Lozada's on W25th.  We went around noon and before we left, Sandy and Roberto and their father and brother joined us along with Julian Tavarez, Rafael Belliard, Tony Perez and Cito Gastone.  I was in heaven - the players conversed in Spanish and Javi's mom would translate for me.  I got to hear the guys laugh and joke about all the other players - it was great.  Those guys were just a bunch of over-grown kids hanging out together before the biggest sporting event in Cleveland in at least three decades.

But the best part about LGT is listening to you guys talk Indians baseball - it's like we all belong to the brotherhood of Indians fans - some of the greatest guys I know.

Anyhow, i moved to Cleveland a while back and now i attend The Ohio State University. I grew up a huge Jim Thome fan. I used to wear the high socks and do the crotch grab in Little League, though i never could bat left-handed. Needless to say, this didn't endear my mom to big Jimmy.

Because of this aforementioned affection for Thome (i'll never boo him, although it hurts a little deep inside every time i see him in that White Sox uniform), i have to love Garko now. Gutz and Grady are right up there too. I also used to love Ken Hill (not really sure why), Dennis Martinez, Orel, Shuey, Assenmacher, Sorrento, and Herb Perry.

I love this site and i'm thankful to all you guys that contribute. I'm learning a lot more about baseball than John Kruk could ever teach me. Sorry Ghost, you're in for a dissapointment.

Graduated from The Ohio State University for bachelors and masters programs (in Psychology and Counseling Ed respectfully). Now live in Lakewood and work as a outpatient therapist. I've got tix for Friday's game....and don't have to work that day (a perk of making your own work schedule) so suffice to say I'm going to be fully set to kick some Yankee ass.

Favorite Indian of my youth were Greg Swindell followed by Chuck Nagy, and most recently CC.

I think I first wandered into LGT during last season.  LGT is definitely the most knowledgeable and friendliest Tribe community I've found online, so thanks to all the posters (plus Ryan and Jay) for making it so enjoyable.

My favorite Indians are Omar Vizquel and Victor Martinez.

My favorite players growing up were Cory Snyder, because he always signed autographs, and Mel Hall, because he has the slowest HR tort I've ever seen. I loved Pat Corrales, mostly because of his hilarious karate kick.  I hated Rich Yett, but loved yelling "Not Yett" when he would come into a game.  I hated Jay Bell because I still don't know what to do with my 50 rookie cards of his I obtained in advance of his HOF Indian career.  Later on Thome became my favorite Indian of all time.

Favorite moments include Len Barker's perfect game, Alomar's HR off Rivera and Manny's crazy HR off of Eckersly.  Something died in me in 1997 and again in 2005, but I've recovered and I'm ready for the postseason.

My name is Mario, a 22 yo 2nd year med student at UWO from sunny London, Ontario, Canada. London is of course 2 hours driving distance from both Detroit and Toronto, making it a bit of a mix when it comes to baseball fanbases. You're pretty much safe to assume that anyone under the age of 40 is a Jays fan. Over 40 is almost a 50-50 split.

So why the Tribe? Well, channel 20 in London growing up was the famous WUAB, so I grew up watching more Indians games than Jays games. My Indianness solidified during the '92 and '93 Blue Jays championship seasons where I developed a certain identity by rebelling against everyone else in this country that was jumping on their bandwagon. We even had a frigging Blue Jays Day at school where everyone was told to wear their Jays gear. Screw that, said a 7-year-old Italian pest, I'm wearing my Wahoo gear.

And since then being an Indians fan up here has been my little niche. Sure I'm a Leafs fan too, and love the team, but if the Leafs win the Stanley Cup 50%+ of my friends will share in the joy. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy celebrating with friends, but when Canada won the 2002 hockey gold medal I had my taste of that. In my opinion it's far more fun to be the only guy here who gets to taste success. And if I want to be around other people enjoying the success, I come right here to LGT.

My name is Phil. I'm 23, born and raised in Cleveland (Collinwood, to be exact) befor moving to the dreary 'Burbs of Willowick where my parents still reside.

I recently moved to DC and after a month or so of shuffling around, I've settled down in Brookland (NE DC) for at least the next year. I'm down here trying to put my political science degree (CWRU '07) to workbut to no avail thus far. I'm temping at a downtown lawfirm and I hate it. I fill most of my days by constantly refreshing LGT and reading all of your brilliant and insightful comments.

I know my way around a diamond, but I never played past age 16. And I'm clearly not as knowledgable as you guys, but I'd like to think I can hold my own in a baseball debate with most other "fans."

Suffice it to say that LGT is my number one destination on the internets. It's the only place capable of consistent (sorry Jay) intelligent discourse, and the only site I've ever felt comfortable enough to meet people from (and they have all been fine, upstanding folks thus far).

So here's a year late "hello" from a guy who's super giddy that this thread has been resurrected in a context far different than it was originally meant to be.

Earliest Indians memory would be attending one of the games late in the 10-game winning streak they pulled off sometime in the early 80s.  Seeing Municipal Stadium pretty much full for a baseball game was awesome.  Darkest memory is driving back to Ohio from Florida during Game 7 in '97.  Had just skipped a week of MBA classes to do my first Ironman, was sore as hell, and had to listen to that horrible end on a crackly radio.  Then all I could do was turn off the radio and stare off into the darkness, thinking about what could have been.

Favorite Indians have included Bo Diaz, Julio Franco, Omar and K-Love.  Favorite current players are Hafner, Westbrook and Asdrubal rising rapidly.
 

well, i’ve been around for over a year, but my name’s Rob, I work for an independent financial planning firm, graduated from the U of Dayton, went to high school with CU Adam, and i think my first comment here was whining about Mike Rouse. I prefer to inject my own humor while learning tons from the rest of you.

I have a horrifically boring bio, but I just got back from the Bier Market and GLBC in Ohio City so I’ll take a crack at this:

Joey (registered Joey at old SBN – post format change, Joey had been registered by someone else so I went for a “phonetic” joeee which just came out wrong) – go to school at Northwestern (y’all know this because I’m a huge NU homer) in northside Chi. Study mechanical engineering and creative writing.

I was raised Tribe through-and-through. One of my great-uncles is a former Cleveland sports-writer for the University Press or Catholic Bulletin, something like that. I didn’t have a TV for many years growing up – so me and brother (jhon) listened to games on the radio in our room: listening to games every night branded me a devotee for life. It’s possible that I could get a lot more done if I didn’t have to listen/watch/gamethread every game the Tribe plays. Nahhhh.

Coming back to Cleveland on breaks, it’s funny how many faded Tribe bumper-stickers I see or people wearing 90s era Tribe jackets. I wonder how many Tribe fans were made out of the 95-99 runs. I certainly was not one of them (or was I?): my favorite Tribesman of all time has got to be Manny, as much of a jerk that he was. It killed me to see him go more than I’ve ever felt burned by an athlete. In about 7 months, post-WS win, it will certainly be Grady.

Looks like I’ve not yet done the intro thing. Here goes …

The name’s Aksel (pronounced like Axl Rose) raised in Oberlin amongst a family of Cubs fans. I’ve been a die-hard Tribe fan for as long as I can remember and thank my father for encouraging me to support the hometown team, despite their futility during my youth (born in 1973). The joy of the 1995 celebrations still gives me goose bumps – the division clinching celebration and the pennant celebration left me speechless and teary eyed.

I now live mostly in Seattle, though my research (archaeology/anthropology) affords me the luxury of travel. I’m now in Istanbul, where I spend about 3 months a year, traveling to sites in the Middle East and Europe, where I consult as a dating expert (no, not romantic dating, but luminescence dating, kinda like radiocarbon). The beauty of LGT is that it has allowed me to follow the Indians – very closely – from wherever I find myself. I cherish my memories of the Bug Game, for example, but my memories are tinged with the early morning call to prayer of Istanbul, during Ramazan.

I guess I’m the first of the official noobs to go here.

My name’s Tom, and I’m 25 and originally from Erie, PA. I went to Duke and managed to never meet Andrew in four years, although I think we have some mutual friends. (Andrew—did you see John Hope Franklin died Wednesday?) I’m in New York wrapping up law school now, and will be spending the summer studying for the Bar. I’ve got a job lined up here that begins in December, so I’ll probably be moving back to Erie for a few months to save dough during the fall… but other than that little blip, looks like I’ll be a stranger in a strange land for a good long land.

Like so many others my age, my fandom was sealed in the late ‘90s—’94 especially, which is when my Dad started watching the Indians again regularly. (He used to marvel that the rookie right fielder graduated high school in NY and couldn’t speak English.) Baerga’s my all time favorite Indian; I wore 9 in Little League long after he’d been turned into better players. Today, it’s Victor, who pretty much epitomizes what this team stands for, and was the second prospect whose career I followed through the minors, CC being the first.

Long time lurker, first post. This certainly isn’t the first time I’ve talked baseball with Jay, though, having known him and his brothers since about the 5th grade. I love this site and have learned a ton from it over the past few years, particularly about prospects. Thanks Jay and Ryan.

Anyhow, name is Chris, 41, grew up in Akron, but moved South in ‘94 and currently live in Birmingham, AL. I work for Delta Dental. Two kids — 7 & 2 — daughter is already a huge Indians fan. Son is a lefty and is being groomed for relief work. Wife is a Braves bandwaggoner from the ’90’s but I forgave her for that long ago.

I’ve followed the Tribe since the mid-’70s days of Charlie Spikes, Larvell Blanks and Tom Buskey. Of course, as soon as I moved, they got good. Oh well. Thank goodness for the Internet and more recently, MLB.tv and the Extra Innings package.

Favorite players — first favorite would have to be Buddy Bell, later Cory Snyder, then Jim Thome, who, despite the way he left is still my all time favorite member of the Tribe.

Most memorable games attended —

— My first Tribe game — Sunday double header with my Dad against the Brewers in ’78 (???). Tribe split and there was a steal of home by the Brewers in game 2.

— A drunk fest with about a dozen college friends against the Rangers in ’89 (???) where we heckled Ruben Sierra. We sat in our $3 GA seats and Ruben was laughing at us by the end of the game.

— The Albert/Joey Belle throwing the ball at the fan game. Attended with 3 of Jay’s brothers. All 5,000 fans booed Belle unmercifully every time he came to bat after the incident.

— Games 1@ 2 of the ’95 WS in Atlanta.

Anyhow, glad Andrew put this back up as I now know a little more about some of the people on here.

I’m Ryan. Apparently somebody already had that user name, so….yeah.

I’m 27, grew up all over due to being an army brat, and didn’t live in the Cleveland area until after high school. But I spent a lot of time around there visiting family when I was younger, so that’s how I got into the Indians (and Cavs and Browns). Like joeee and jhon, I come from Cleveland sportswriter stock – my great-grandfather was sports editor for the PD from 1946 to 1964.

I went to school at the University of Richmond and now live in DC doing marketing research stuff.

I’ve only been a serious fan for the past couple of years — finding LGT during the 07 playoffs has aided this tremendously.

Fav Indian growing up: Thome.

I’m Colin… I’m 27, and am currently finishing my Ph.D. in cognitive psychology at the University of Arizona in Tucson. I study learning in infants, especially of language, and attempt to develop mathematical models of how the statistical patterns in babies’ environments contribute to their knowledge of grammar. But it’s more fun just to say I torture babies for a living.

I was born and raised in Bethlehem, PA, but I inherited the Indians from my dad, who’s from Lakewood. My earliest baseball memories consist of going to Phillies games at the Vet on Cub Scout trips, and watching the World Series on TV with my best friend in elementary school, but baseball didn’t really become a major part of my life until I started getting to know the Tribe. Like many others, it was when my dad started to follow them again with the Jacobs Field Renaissance in ’94 that I got hooked.

My favorite players from those ’90s teams were Manny, Omar, and Nagy (yeah, I had one for offense, defense and pitching). I remember thinking Sandy was pretty great, too — that game when he had 5 doubles was pretty exciting.

The advent of satellite TV and the ability to watch and listen to any game on the internet really took my fandom to a new level — I’ve never lived anywhere where I could get Tribe games on local media, so being able to follow them day-to-day really raises the investment. As much as I loved those 90s teams, I feel a much stronger connection to the teams in the last few years. Westbrook might be my favorite current Indian, joined recently by Fausto and Asdrubal. (My parents went to the Asdrubal Cabrera Bobblehead give-away game last season, and brought the bobble to me in AZ when they came to visit. My fiancée and I were joking last night about naming our first child “Asdrubobble”.) But in general, I share Brick’s philosophy — I root completely for whoever is in a Tribe uni at the time.

I only discovered LGT last season — I had no idea it existed before. It’s really increased my depth of knowledge and appreciation of the game. I look forward to game threading many more games with you guys this season. But not today, cuz the Tribe is in Tucson and I’ll be there with them.

Can’t believe I’m not in there anywhere.

My name is Adam, I joined back in September of ‘05, right after I moved from Lakeview in Chicago to Colorado for law school. I moved down to Colorado Springs in August after graduation and the Bar to work as a Public Defender. I grew up in Parma Heights, and am a Tribe fan because of the countless games at Muni and less-than-countless but still plentiful games at the Jake later. As Rolub mentions above, went to St. I’s with him, and a year behind Adam (APV), and met up with dgcambridge and Denvertribefan last year when the Tribe got swept at Coors, and with that small sample size of 3 (didn’t really know APV), am sure that everyone at LGT is a great guy.

Favorite Indians are through the major eras of my following the Tribe are Brook Jacoby, Omar Vizquel, and Jhonny Peralta.
Least favorite of any era are John Rocker, Jeff Kent, and David Dellucci.

Alright, I really don’t like the whole my-bio-is-online thing, but here’s something:

my name is Greg, and i’m a college student.

My favorite Indian of all-time might be Sizemore, and the username is somewhere in the top 4 with Manny and Alomar.

I’m pretty sure I found LGT via something Jay or Ryan contributed to ESPN.com (sellouts) about Grady.

howdy, y’all, my name is matt and i’ve been lurking around here for years.
i rarely comment, but that’s usually because the rest of you cover so much ground.
this is by far the best place for indians insight and analysis
and speculation
and bad jokes
that i’ve found, and i enjoy it greatly.

favorite current indian is jhonny, followed by jake.
rarely if ever miss a game — and i follow ’em on radio.
i live in “ohio city,” so when i get to a game live, i walk on down
over the lorain-carnegie bridge. takes about half an hour, usually.

so… LGT, thanks! for all this reading, etc.

Interesting thread.

My real name is Jack and I am originally from Norwalk, Ohio. I graduated from Wittenberg University in Springfield, OH last spring, and currently I’m finishing up my first year at Washington & Lee University School of Law in Lex (Vegas) ington, Virginia. I’m 23, so as you can probably guess from my age, my formative memories of the Tribe occurred in the mid- to late-90s. My favorite player during the ‘95 run was Baerga. . . I guess Manny would have to be my favorite post-Baerga, pre-rebuild player, and right now I’m partial to Jhonny, Vic, Cliff, and Grady, in that order (Choo is working his way up.)

Looking back on those years in the mid-90s, it’s hard to believe how Tribe-crazy all of northern Ohio was. My roommate at W&L is originally from Cleveland, and we both reminisce about this—posters around my age are sure to remember how you were supposed to dress up with your Indians gear on your school’s “Tribe Day” (which seemed to happen every week), and how everybody, I mean EVERYBODY, had a favorite player and a ton of Indians apparel for those occasions. Like pretty much every other kid my age, I could imitate the batting stance of every one of our starting nine (right down to the Jim Thome crotch-grab) and every time I had to field a routine grounder, I still insisted on barehanding it, Omar-style. Some of my best memories are going up to the Jake with my dad—it was a huge deal to me to go to the Brook Park park and ride and take the RTA into Tower City to go to games. I mean, my 11 year old mind was officially blown when I found out that not only could you ride a train into Cleveland, but it would go underneath a huge skyscraper with a big shopping mall inside of it. So yeah, like most posters here, I have an awful lot of fond memories tied up with this team.

Hey, all. My name is Jim Barber and I’ve been a fan of the Indians from around 5 years old. I’m in love with the game of baseball in general and would rather watch a ballgame than do almost anything else ( within reason… mostly). I’ve been following LGT since around mid-season 1997. I joined up at the end of that year around playoffs and commented during a few games but after that just poked around. I’ve since rejoined (obviously) and have enjoyed reading and looking at all the great stuff that is contributed here. The level of intelligence and enthusiasm here for our team is unmatched and I can not think of a better “home” if you are a Cleveland Indians fan.

I’m a native Clevelander but after college (Cleveland Institute of Art) in 1996 I spent some time in a small village in the south of France. Following the ‘97 Tribe via The International Herald Tribune (which came every other day…maybe.) was torturous; I couldn’t bear to look at the results of game 7 and didn’t find out what had happened until I picked up a year end review SI at the airport in late December before returning to the states. I was practically devastated.

I’ve lived in New York City since 1998 and followed the Indians with continued passion, rarely missing any games when they are in NY and travelling back home to catch opening days or series and whatever else I can squeeze in. I’ll be there with my girlfriend (native New Yorker, Yankees fan) for 2 or 3 of this season’s opening series and look forward to seeing them in NY to open up the new Yankees stadium.

I work for an art gallery in Manhattan, handling exhibition design, installation, fabrication, and a little to a lot of a variety of other responsibilities. I’m an artist myself (as time allows) and make stuff that primarily decorates the walls of my apartment.

If there are any NY City LGT members who are interested in getting together at some point to take in a game, I think that could be a fun event (or potentially horrible…).

My name is Eric Townsend. I am 22 and work at a private christian school as a cook. I also coach the schools softball team (I would of prefered to coach baseball but was not offered the job.) Our first game is Monday. I am a volunteer Youth Leader at my Church. I also occasionly speak to schools about the danger of drug use. I will be speaking at my old high school next week. I have been clean off drugs for 2 years in June, although it does not always seem like it. I admit I am quick to get angered, and will try my best to get along with everyone on here. I am excited to participate to LetsGoTribe. I am also very impressed with the site. I am a member of lots of other Indians forums, and none compare to this one.

I have 12 tattoos including Chief Wahoo on my neck, which is my advatar. I live in Delaware, so I am often asked why am I an Indians fan? When I was very little, maybe 6 or 7 Camden Yards in Baltimore opened for its first season (1992?) Our Church took a trip there to one of the first (maybe the first, can’t remember) home opener there. It was against the Indians. My dad was a huge O’s fan and this was my first baseball game. I had my little Orioles hat on and was rooting for them. But fait had a different plan.

I met Albert Belle during batting practice. He signed my ball and chatted with me for a couple minutes. He has been my favorite player since then. He also had a big hit during the game, I can’t remember if it was a home run or maybe a game winning base hit. But he came up big and the Indians won. I belive the score may have been 2-0. Charles Nagy pitched a flirted with a no hitter.

Since that day I was an Albert Belle and Cleveland Indians fan. When Belle left following the ‘96 season I was heartbroken and found myself awkerdly rooting for both the Sox and Tribe. When he signed with the O’s in ‘99 I felt things had came full circle and was an O’s fan first, Tribe fan second. When he was forced to retire, I went back to my roots and became a Tribe fan; however it really wasn’t the same. In 2001 I started wearing my Tribe gear again, but I never fully got behind them.

I continued to root for the Indians during the horrid years of 2002-2004 but baseball wasn’t the same. I would only catch a few games a year and was more focused on the stats of my fantasy team than what was going on with the Indians. Then before the 2005 season, I can’t remember if anyone even thought we would be any good, I realized how much I missed baseball and figured even if the Indians lose 100 games the next 10 years they are my team and I am going to be loyal to them. The first half of ’05 was hard to swallow but after the All-Star break my love for baseball, and the Indians was stronger than ever. I ordered the MLBTV baseball package and watched almost every game of the 2005 season. After that season, getting to know Grady, Pronk, Victor, Jhonny, CC, Jake, Belliard, Lee, ect. I was more than in love. I got the Chief Wahoo tattoo after the Sox won the ’05 WS.

I am probably the only Indians fan in the World that likes the Brandon Phillips trade. I don’t think his attitude would be good for the team, and he is overrated. I also think there should be a law that, if the Indians win the World Series with Mark DeRosa as their starting 3B (he was basically traded for BP) than nobody can ever bitch about Phillips again. What stings to me is giving up Guthrie.

I have very high hopes for the ‘09 season. I think we are a very balanced team and will win the Central. I think that we will get at least league average results from our starting pitchers. It might not be a great 1-5 but we have lots of depth. I think three of Pavano, Lewis, Reyes, Jackson, Huff, Westbrook when he comes back, ect. will give us a decent rotation going with Lee and Carmona. Our biggest challenge will be the Twins. I am also good friends with Kevin Slowey, who I think could win the AL Cy Young. He’s that good.

Favorite Indians of all-time: Belle is always first. Lofton is always second. Currently Grady, Pronk, Victor and Fausto are tied as my favorites. Game 7 of the 2007 ALCS was the worst day of my life. It stings a lot more than 95 and 97 for some reason. We should of won that series and we would of no doubt in my mind won the World Series against Colorado.

All and all the Cleveland Indians are only behind my family and God as the most important thing in my life. I will watch close to all 162 games this year like I have since ‘05. I hope I havn’t gotten off on too bad of a foot here with you guys and hope to chat it up with you in what should be a fun season of baseball.

Hi, I’m Dave. I’m currently a Chemical Engineering student at UAkron, originally from Ashtabula.

My first memory was my first game at the Jake with my parents and two younger brothers. Another great baseball memory of mine was going to the day before the All Star Game festivities at the Jake with my Dad.

Since I grew up with the great teams of the late 90’s, it didn’t take much prodding from Dad to make me a Tribe fan. My favorite player back then was Manny, his was Thome.

When Dad was diagnosed with cancer about a year ago, it was the worst news I had ever gotten in my life. He had grown up and lived with a lot of terrible Indians, Cavs, and Browns teams, but was still the biggest Cleveland sports fan I knew. He made me the person I am today. He was born a few months after the Browns won their last NFL championship, so he never saw one of the teams he loved win a championship.

He died on Feburary 15th.

I remember the feeling we all had after Game 7 of the ’07 ALCS, I (kinda) remember Game 7 of the ’97 WS. Those were nothing compared to losing Dad.

On a lighter note, I’m pretty excited for this season. The offense is solid, the bullpen is as good on paper as any I remember (plus it’s an odd numbered year), and I think we’re one or two starters having breakout years away from winning a weak division. I’m also really excited to be within about a 15 minute walk of Canal Park and some of the great prospects we have in Akron. The last day of the school year coincides with a fireworks night at Canal Park, so if anyone else it going to the game on May 8th, I’ll be one of the drunk college kids celebrating there.

I expect everyone above to be banned for the subject line usage. Old SBN formats are no excuse.

I’m 23 and local. I’ve been thinking about sacking up and changing my username to “Nick” for quite a while now but I keep dragging my feet. I work in the radio industry but not on air. Radio is kind of boring. I’ve already worked for one of the local sports stations and now I work for the other. If you think your coworkers don’t know anything about the Indians…

My Dad introduced me to the Tribe with help from my aunts, my uncles, my grandparents, my older sister… Come to think of it, I’ve grown up pretty lucky. I’ve known since I could walk to hate the Yankees. I was very proud to hand my Dad a copy of Moneyball and Baseball Between the Numbers a few years ago. Last weekend I spent an hour explaining the concept of UZR to him. And he gets it. Or at least he tries.

I like beer. I like wine. I like (in order) baseball, football, basketball, college football, and college basketball. My bracket is doing pretty well, thank you. And hey, while we’re at it, I love my fantasy team. I like indie music and I’m fully aware that doesn’t really mean anything. The last movies I saw were Rachel Getting Married and I Love You, Man. The last book I read was A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. Haven’t finished it.

In the next couple of months I’ll probably end up getting a script “I” tattoo. I have no idea when or more importantly where. But my dad said if I do, he’ll go and get a Cheif Wahoo.

Am I allow to post here?

I’m not a true Tribe fan and I only drop by occasionally…

My name is Brian and I live near Clarion, PA. I’ve been an Indians fan for 40 years, I’ve been among the Cheap Seat Elite and at the ballpark formerly known as the Jake. I drive over 90 minutes just to eat dinner with total strangers at the Indians caravan each January. I’ve lived in PA, MD, OH, WV, and VA and my Tribe love has never waned. My statement on being an Indians fan is that I’ve lived and died with the Tribe…mostly died. My wife has instructions to bury me in my Indians jersey. Of all the players I’ve seen come and go my favorites are Andre Thornton and Jim Thome. As for the current roster, I’m climbing on the Shin Soo Choo bandwagon.

Hi, I’m George. I’m 22, and I’m a law student at Emory. I did my undergrad at Washington & Lee.

I was born in Cleveland, although I didn’t actually live there for some time. But my folks eventually came to their senses, and I did most of my growing up on the East Side.

I’ve been an Indians fan for as long as I can remember—even before I moved back to town as a kid. Baerga, Hill, and Skinner; these were the guys whose 1991 Topps cards might as well have been religious icons to me. I’d have a difficult time summarizing how interwoven the team was with my childhood.

I’ve been hanging around LGT sporadically since ’06; I do more posting when my workload allows for more procrastination. I like it here.

Secretly, I don’t hate Slider all that much.

Wow, can’t believe its been two and a half years from that initial thread. I did post above, but man how things have changed since that intial post.

First off, I will have to brag just a little. I joined the site a few months prior to the Crisp/Marte deal. So am one of the old-timers I guess (old user id I think was #133). I don’t post as much as I did in the past. Many of the regulars of the last 2+ years have taken a good handle with their expertise/feedback, so I will only chime in from time to time.

Unfortunately, with the expansion of the site, I have stopped reading gamethreads; I just don’t have that kind of time anymore.

Anyways, just to update my present whereabouts/happenstances …..

Am now living in Vancouver, WA (still doing the same type of work). My little one, isn’t so little anymore, she’ll be 4 this summer. And she’ll have a little brother or sister sometime this fall (probably November).

So I guess I need to jump in, then. My name is Fred Ochsenhirt (the ochs is pronounced like Ox, so there you go). I’m 40, so even though I feel old, I’ve never seen a Series winner, either. I was born in Tallmadge and went to a lot of games at Muni with my Dad. I miss twinight doubleheaders. We moved to Kansas when I was in high school, and I started college at KU. Then Dad got transferred back to Akron, and I finished as a Zip. After college, it was law school at William & Mary. Then we started traveling, and I’ve lived in Harrisburg, PA; Washington, DC; Louisville, KY; St. Louis; Lawrence, KS again and finally live in Richmond, VA. I’m a government lawyer, so feel free to ask me about electricity regulation and transmission system engineering (anyone?).

I’ve remained a Tribe fan through all that, although this summer will be my first live home game since before the Jake. I still identify with the Tribe’s Inept Period – Andre Thornton, Joe Charboneau, crafty knuckleballer Tom Candiotti. My son, on the other hand, is lucky. He’s a Tribe fan, too, and thinks they’ve always had OFs like Grady and pitchers like Sabathia, Carmona and Lee.

Never ask a lawyer to be concise.

Greg, 42, Portland area, healthcare CFO, converted Indians fan (wife is a native Clevelander)… I became a full fledged Tribe fan when the Mariners decided to lobby against a Major League Baseball Team in Portland (which is 180 miles south of Seattle).

Our son is 12 weeks old and we’re raising him to be an Indians fan… it helps that my parents just retired in Goodyear, her parents live in Hinckley, her uncle has season tickets at Jacobs Field (no we’re not calling it the Prog), and we have XM + MLB.TV.

Favorite Indian? I don’t know. I just read The Curse of Rocky Colavito, and I’d have to say that Andre Thornton sounds like a pretty fascinating person. Out of the current bunch, I’d have to say Asdrubal Cabrera because I enjoy watching good defense, plus he has the pooka shells like one of my childhood heroes, Mychal Thompson.

I also thought I commented here the last time it was up but I guess not, so here goes: I grew up in Norwalk and graduated from St. Paul HS in 1997. From there I went to Youngstown State and got my bachelor’s in math then to Ohio State for my master’s in education. I currently live in Columbus and teach at a small, rural high school north of the city. My wife, who also went to YSU (although I didn’t know her at the time), is a science teacher and also a huge Tribe fan. I’m very happy that the Indians’ AAA affiliate has moved to Columbus so I can atttend games all summer and watch some future Tribe players.

I’ve been a huge Cleveland and OSU sports fan my whole life. My dad took me to my first Indians game when I was 6 and I was hooked. My entire sports childhood involved watching great teams always come close to winning but lose in heartbreaking fashion, like every sports fan in Ohio who followed the Indians, Browns, Cavs, and Buckeyes, and I will never forget the thrill of 2002, my first year at OSU, when one of my teams finally won a championship. I cannot wait for Cleveland to finally win a title and end over 40 years of misery (and I think it has an pretty good chance of happening this year with the Cavs — and hopefully the Indians, too).

I can’t remember when I joined this site but my profile says it was August ‘06 (my ID was originally Brutus Buckeye). I know I didn’t start posting regularly until the ‘07 season, and by the playoffs of that year I was on here every day (I also got the chance to go to my first ever playoff Indians game, which was awesome). I was distraught by the loss to Boston but looking forward to a great offseason. That was cut short in November of that year when I was invoved in a serious car accident on the way home from school. I spent the next five months in various hospitals and rehab centers so I missed Opening Day at the Jake for the first time in years (but I did get my physical therapist to take me to a room with a TV so I could watch the game while doing my therapy). I’ve gone through at least 12 surgeries since then, and have a couple more coming up in the next few months, but I’m doing pretty good considering the extent of my injuries. When I saw pictures of my car after the accident, I realized how lucky I was just to be alive. Now I consider every day to be a blessing and and thankful for how much I can do now. I’m still doing therapy twice a week to improve my walking and my range of motion in my arms and legs. But I’m so glad to be back here on LGT reading all the fantastic stuff on this site and giving my small contributions.

Hello! I think I’m the first Jake which is..I guess..exciting!

Anyways I think I’ve been reading religiously/posting sparingly for longer than most here, since way before SBN. I’m only 21, so I don’t properly remember the full history of LGT, but back in the day when ESPN messages boards were big (for me, at least, maybe I was 15) and then they started getting all messed up, I started looking for somewhere else to talk tribe and I found LGT. Ryan will be able to correct me if I’m wrong, but I think there used to be another web address and I am 90% sure that Jay wasn’t yet one of the Bosses of the site. Either way, it’s been a pleasure to follow this through the years and, while I haven’t always had the chance to post regularly, I’ve always read and am completely sincerely blown away with how well you guys have done with this thing.

Like I said, I’m 21 and I just graduated from College in Waltham, MA in Economics. Since I have the semester off, I’ve been backpacking through South America for the past two months and am now in Buenos Aires for the next month or so before heading home. This summer I’ll be relocating to NY to start a consulting job for a big, well-known accounting firm. I was born in Youngstown – and, to the rage of nearly everyone here, am also a Steelers fan – and have always loved the tribe but more or less grew up in Florida.

Favorite Indian? It has always been Omar. I played SS growing up and was always more into defense than offense..I always loved watching him play and was definitely sad to see him go!

Not sure if I’ve seen stuff about this, but do guys here organize NYC Indians game LGT outings? If so, I’d certainly be interested to join one..I guess we’ll be in touch on that.

As always, go tribe, and take care everyone.

My name is Doug and I’m 22. I’ve been a lurker on the site for a couple of years now, and have tried to start making some more comments lately. I’m getting the extra innings package this year so I will finally be able to actually watch the Tribe on a daily basis instead of follow Gamecasts, so that should help.

I’m currently a senior at Auburn University graduating in December. I’m an English major and an aspiring sports writer, but I honestly have no clue what I’ll be doing a year from now. I was born in Cleveland, but moved out to Orange County, California as an infant. I can attribute my status as a die hard fan to my father, a lifelong Indians fan from Upper Sandusky, and graduate of Mount Union in Alliance. I’ve been a Tribe fan (as well as Browns and Cavs) for as long as I can remember, which made me the target of plenty of jeering growing up in California, then moving to St. Louis, and now going to school in Braves country. But hey, I love my Cleveland sports and nothing’s going to change that. I’m extremely glad I found this site, everyone that writes and contributes here is awesome and I appreciate all of the knowledge and information I accumulate visiting this site every day.

My favorite Indian will forever be Kenny Lofton.

Name’s Kevin, I’m 30. I only post occasionally because, by the time there’s something that I would say, someone else has already posted it. As such, I’m typically reduced to really bad jokes that only I get, or modified movie quotes.

Anyway, raised as a west-side Clevelander, went to Ohio U for Communications, then moved back to Cleveland. Bounced back and forth from east side to west side, now reside on the East side. I work in IT, mostly doing network configuration and installation, so I’ve had the opportunity to visit several ballparks after work was done. As an aside, after graduating college, I drove cross-country to see 7 different ballparks. So that was fun.

Favorite Tribe games I’ve attended: Opening Day the past 3 years, Midgie Invasion, Baerga’s 2-homers from both sides of the plate in the same inning game, catching a foul ball off Hafner’s bat (and I can never remember what game that was).

Fav players: Charles Nagy, Orel, Omar, Victor, Droobs. Omar was just so much fun to watch. Orel was just so business-like and his demeanor was fantastic. Nagy just went out and quietly gave everything to this city and I will always appreciate him for that. Vic is so high-energy it’s contagious, and I think Droobs will come into his own and be a quiet leader on this team for years to come.

At least eighteen lawyers post on LGT. (Including us law students and our one law professor.)

Wow.

Hello all, my name is Shawn, Shawn K. I am a 32 year old investment banker living in Chicago. I became an Indians fan while living in the Cleveland area from 1987 to 1994. I departed for sunnier weather at the University of Florida and then served as a naval officer for seven years before getting out to pursue an MBA. We’ve been on the move for quite a while, but the wife and I are starting to feel settled on the north-side of Chicago (five minute walk to Wrigley). Regardless of the location, I have remained an avid Tribe fan and am looking forward to the 2009 season.

Favorite game memory – Sizemore scoring on a wild pitch in Game 2 of the 2007 ALDS.

My favorite Indian’s player is Grady Sizemore..

Hey, my name is Chris and I grew up in Bay Village, right outside Cleveland on the west side. I moved to Philadelphia a few years ago to attend Drexel University, I study nutrition. I graduate in a few months and may be moving back to Cleveland, or elsewhere. I was a pretty big nerd and never too much into sports when I grew up, I was always more into videogames and Cleveland punk bands (old and new one, Pagans are my favorite), but I always kind of liked the Indians. For some reason (home sickness I guess) I got really into them in the 2007 postseason. Since then, I have listened to pretty much every game and am eagerly awaiting opening day.

Favorite Indian: Omar Vizquel (and Jim Thome- before he left). My current favorites are probably Grady and the BLC..

Hi my name is Mike S 29, born, raised, and schooled in Cleveland Heights. I’m a computer programmer for a medical records software company here in Cincinnati. I went to college at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh. After having my fill of Steeler fans who don’t root for the Pirates because they suck every year ( Imagine my sympathy), I followed my now fiancee down here to the most northern outpost of Alabama – the Nati.

My first clear game memory was an early season game with my dad and my brother. I asked my dad why there were three people named Ripken on the Orioles? If those guys were so good that they could have three family members on one team then why are they 0-18 to start the season and we always suck?

Favorite Indian? Orel Hershiser – Hey I was nerdy and wore glasses, what do you want?

pete, 32, government lawyer living in brooklyn, ny. guess i’ve been reading the site for a few years now but only bothered to register once the format changed last spring. i don’t post or comment very often, but don’t really see the need….

i grew up in shaker and fondly recall frequenting the old stadium with my pop (yankees fan) back in the days when a few thousand folks would show up. we were lucky enough (despite the loss) to catch dave steib’s no-hitter on what i think was labor day weekend in 1990. another nice perk was the general admission season ticket that the indians gave to high school varsity baseball players in the early 90’s.

sadly the tribe has basically stunk anytime i’ve actually lived in cleveland having briefly moved back during the down time six or seven years ago. the $5 seats upstairs at the jake made for a good night though.

and i know of at least two or three more lawyers who comment around here but haven’t bothered to fess up…minty.

Another lawyer here (although I am currently on hiatus) – I’m Chris, 33, and I’ve been lurking around LGT pretty consistently since the end of the 2005 season. Last fall, my wife got sent to work in Hong Kong for a while so I am living here, taking care of my year and a half old son (he was born about 12 hours before Francisco hit the walk-off against Tampa Bay in 2007). Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and I’ll be back in the US (Philadelphia) around Memorial Day.

I grew up in West Virginia but was raised a Tribe fan by my dad (who likes to brag that he has been at every World Series game in Cleveland since 1954 while simultaneously lamenting that there haven’t been more of them). We used to drive up for several weekends every summer and then continued to meet for games when I was in college during the glory days of the mid to late 1990s.

One great Tribe memory I have was dragging several of my college friends to this game at Tiger Stadium in 1996. This was early in the sell-out streak and I expected to see lots of fans up from Cleveland, but did not expect Tiger Stadium to sell out. We struck out getting bleacher tickets and were heading away when someone noticed my Indians t-shirt and gave me six free tickets (apparently they had bought some better seats behind the dugout). An excellent game – it sounded like a home game when Omar doubled in the 7th.

If I get arrested for running onto the field and assaulting Dustin Pedroia, I’m calling one of you.

It’s hard dropping a secret identity that I’ve had here for so long, a cloak of comfortable anonymity, but here goes. I’m Skip and I live in one of those endless ubiquitous suburbs that surround the home of the Washington Nationals. [The Nationals single purpose for being of course is to make fans everywhere appreciate their own team even more.] I worried when baseball came to Washington. “Will the siren song of this new team of lovable losers, and Ronnie Belliard, turn me away from my beloved Tribe?”

Har! It was not to be. I’m still a loyal Tribesman.

I grew up in northern Indiana, about 100 miles east of Chicago, in the 1950s. Most of my friends were White Sox fans, so naturally I became an Indians fan. That worked well in the 50’s but that addiction I acquired as a child has led to many a heartache (and ecstasy too!) since (but during those lean years I did develop a rather impressive, if not particularly creative, talent for cussing, at least for someone raised Baptist).

In my useful life I used to be a cartographer and an editor but now I’m retired. I blog about politics to keep my sanity (yeah, like politics and sanity should ever appear in the same sentence).

I’ve always wanted to be a catcher, but you know that inspirational message they tell kids that ends with, “…and in America you can grow up to be anything you choose to be.” It’s a lie. You can never be a LeftyCatcher. Weep for me. While I get another beer.

My name is Matt and I’m 24. I work in credit research for a large asset manager in Des Moines, Iowa. I’ve been following LGT since right before the 2007 season and have developed an even greater passion for the game of baseball because of this site.

I became a fan of the Indians in 1993 mostly because an older kid in the neighborhood who I looked up to liked them. My favorite player during those years was Kenny Lofton while my favorite player now is Grady Sizemore.

I’m Dan, 28, a newspaper reporter in Mobile, Ala., home of the Crichton Leprechaun. I started reading LGT when Esquire had Jay and Raab do the playoff blog in 2007.

I’ve been an Indians fan since I was about 5. My first favorite player was Bud Black, because the first game I went to at Municipal Stadium, when I was 7 or 8, he was pitching and he won. I went back the next year and he was pitching again, and won again. The last game I saw in Municipal Stadium was when Nolan Ryan was on his last tour of duty. It was the only time we weren’t able to walk up to the stadium and get seats a few rows behind home plate.

My famliy moved overseas when I was 10, so I only got to go to games in the summer. I lived in Japan until I was 13, and they played one tape-delayed MLB game a week during the summer. The entire time I was there, the Indians were only on once. I remember getting really excited about it, until about the fourth inning, when I realized the only reason they were showing the game was that it was Jim Abbott’s no-hitter.

First, would like to thank Jay, Ryan, and the other regular posters for the first sports website i check every day.

Mike, 45, living in Greenville, SC. Am a lurker back to the Indians Compendium days. For the life of me, i STILL can figure out what in the world a “rec” is…

When my Dad was a kid growing up west of Columbus (Plain City), his Dad would take him to Cleveland for the series with the Bosox, as my Dad was a huge Ted Williams fan. While an avid baseball fan since ’73, as an Air Force brat, i never acquired a strong allegiance to any particular team.

After i graduated from OSU in ‘86, my Dad started the Bosox-Tribe tradition with me that summer. Remember what a lumber company that ’86 squad was ? Well, they were exciting to watch, even if the pitching failed them and they would lose 10-8. Then, i learned how awful they had been for soooo long, i decided they could use a diehard fan. Would say i’m one of the few who actually enjoyed Municipal, especially the hotdog wrappers swirling around the on-deck circles, and the tiny crowds. My Dad shared all of his memories with me about the place, too, and that’s probably why it is so special to me. Moved to Atlanta that fall, and made the pilgrimages to Cleveland in ‘89, ’93, ’99, and ’08 (saw CC’s last victory as an Indian) with the SABR convention.

While in line for the Jake tour in ‘99, there was a young kid in front of us talking to his girlfriend about Brook Jacoby, saying "Yeah, he’s an OLD SCHOOL Indian." My Dad and i both almost lost it !

Still prefer listening to the game on the radio, have since i was a kid. Herbie was great (his passing was my 1st post), and i love Hammy. Got to meet him during the SABR convention last year. And WTAM comes in CLEAR here in SC ! Will try to catch more game threads, but with a 9yo daughter and 7yo son, my summer evenings are pretty busy playing stickball games in the backyard.

Favorite game would have to be this one.
Caught a Rob Deer foul ball clean in the upper deck in the first game of the doubleheader, and the Tribe pounded Raja for SEVEN runs ! Also met John Adams walking out of the stadium that night.

Favorite players would be Kenny Lofton, Tom Candiotti, and Julio Franco — that batting stance was unique ! He was also the last active Major Leaguer older than me still playing last year. And there’s always Jake Taylor…

My son, Joseph, was a particularly ravenous baby, so it was quite natural one evening when he was screaming for another bottle that i hollered to my wife, “Yo bartender, Jobu needs a refill !”…and he had his nickname. His buddies on his Little League team still can’t figure out why i call him that. The “traditional” spelling was already taken on SBN, so had to settle for this one.

My daughter Madelaine’s first game (4 months old !) was an exhibition game at Turner field with the Braves on their way north after spring training. Have a classic picture of the two of us, that i’ll post when i figure out how to. Wow, that was nine years ago tonight…
We moved to Greenville that summer.

Thanks LGT, for sharing your passion for our Beloved Indians !

I’m Julie, 37, living in SE Ohio between Zanesville and Lancaster.

I grew up listening to Indians games on the radio. My dad was a huge fan. He had six kids and I’m the one the fandom stuck with.

My favorite Indian growing up was Joe Carter. More recently it was Jimmy (and yes, I’m still a fan of his) and now it’s probably Jhonny, despite my overt love for my sweet baboo.

I guess that’s it.

Oh, people were giving alma maters and such above. Notre Dame class of ‘95. I’m currently VP of a fiberglass manufacturing company.

Now, I guess that’s it.

I am Vinny, who should be PDXVinny now, having just moved from Seattle to Portland. Put Seatle in my name to try to connect with other NW Tribe fans.

I am 39, born and raised in Westlake, went to St. Ed much to the chagrin of my Wildcat father. Grew up loving baseball and the Tribe. Favorite childhood memory is one day in 1981 when our next door neighbor walks over with some extra Indians tickets. Dad was not really up for it but I begged and begged and he finally submitted. Who knew that we were in possession of 4 of only 7,290(!!) tickets for Len Barker’s perfect game. I remember I started to keep score but got bored. Danny Ainge played 3B for Toronto and Jorge Orta homered for the Tribe. They gave a away a Cadillac, courtesy of some dealership that promised one if an Indian threw a perfecto at Municipal.

In high school my sister and I both ushered at Municipal during baseball season for extra cash. Great gig. I usually was placed in the middle of 4 empty sections of GA, telling people they were closed and to please move to some open sections. So basically I was paid to watch the Indians. Sure they stunk but I loved them.

My favorite Tribe players of that era were Cory Snider, Super Joe and Rick Manning. In the 90s I grew to love Lofton and Orel, who are still my favorite all-time position player and pitcher.

In 2002 I moved from Seattle to Thailand and got a job in journalism writing about Burma. In order to protect my ability to get a visa to visit Burma we all had to have pseudonyms. I worked with a friend from Bay Village who loved the Cavs and wrote under the name Shawn L. Nance. I took a similar route and chose to use my real first name and a favorite Indian. If you google Burma and Kevin R. Manning you can see my articles.

You can find me at any Indians games at Safeco Field. I also hope to revive my baseball playing endeavors this year, suiting up for a 35+ team in the Portland branch of the Men’s Senior Baseball League.

along with a few others on here, i grew up in westlake.

My actual name is Patrick and I am a member of the LGT Geezer Caucus, having been born in 1950. Like my alter ego, I am tall and left-handed, I struggle with control, and I drinks a bit.

As I publicly confessed in another post, I was raised in Cincinnati and was a Reds fan first. I don’t apologize. We moved to Cleveland in 1963 and I adopted the Tribe as my American League team. Eventually, I became an Indians fan primarily, then exclusively. It’s complicated, but certainly involves the Browns to a large extent. I always despised the Bengals and their fans. And after the heartbreak of the 80s and the tragedy of the 90s, I could only think of myself as a Cleveland fan bitter, angry, pathetic and broken shell of a person.

And in an odd way, before the boating accident I may have seen the Reds as my serious high-achieving kid, and the Indians as the goofy-but-lovable one from whom little was expected. But after years of comedy, it just wasn’t funny anymore.

Now most of you young’uns probably thought the picture on p.124 of the Annual was pretty boring, but that embodies the Tribe I cut my teeth on. I went to a game or two in 1963 and noted that the Stadium could hold about three Crosley FIelds, but my oldest specific memory is Opening Day of 1964. We sat in the right field lower deck and harassed the Twins’ right-fielder because he was a rookie. I’m pretty sure we ruined his so-called career.

I’m one of at least three people here who are graduates of St. Ignatius and the University of Dayton. I also have degrees from Ohio University and Indiana University. At one time, I may have actually employed one or more of these degrees. Around the time I turned fifty, I decided to have a mid-life non-crisis, so I ran off to Utah and became a river guide. That was too much fun, so I found steady work as a wilderness ranger. My job is to live in and take care of one of the most spectacular places in Arizona and I’m happy to do so. I’ll be happier if this baseball season ever starts…..

After a few summers spent in canyons where baseball was, in its dreams, a rumor, I settled back into this sedentary life just in time to capture the current Tribe resurgence. I learned about LGT when SBN was formed and announced on a political-site-which-will-not-be-named-later. Fausto is my favorite player since Sam McDowell, and Omar and Buddy Bell are right up there, along with anyone named Vic who ever played for the Indians. And Bob Chance. Thanks for letting me sometimes watch games with all of you.

Darn, this is long. Okay, I’m 23 and a law student. I love Omar…..

Guess I haven’t posted yet, so here goes.

I’m Jay, 41, born, raised, and still living in Sioux Falls, SD. I’m a fraud/risk analyst for a major credit card issuer. My father became a Browns and Indians fan back in the 50’s, and he apparently brain-washed me into becoming a fan of these two teams (any of you lawyer-types, please advise if I have any legal grounds for pain and suffering).

I found this site about 3 years ago, I believe. I don’t get the chance to post often anymore, as I’m quite busy with work and parenting of two smaller children. But I still get to watch or “speed-DVR” through at least part of most every game, and love checking this site to get the latest news or bits of information. The level of discourse and intelligent humor are also big draws.

I don’t know that I have a favorite all-time Indian, though I always had a soft spot for Julio Franco. One of my earliest fandom memories was seeing a 1977 Topps baseball card of Charlie Spikes, all decked out in that all-red uniform.

I’m Drew, 26 from Galion, OH originally. I am a teacher and that has allowed me to travel all over the world. I currently find myself in Romania (which unfortunately has very little baseball to speak of), but spent the last two years in Korea and the Dominican Republic respectively. I come from a family that are gluttons for punishment, because it is the only way I can rationalize us cheering for Cleveland teams for as long as we have.

I’m Sarah, originally from St. Louis, now living on Cleveland’s East Side. My prior account here was “smtp”. I live with vbc3. I’m a research scientist with a degree in biology.

My favorite player is Betancourt, and at this point I know what an exercise in futility that seems to be. Second fav is Victor.

I do still follow the Cardinals, and I think my parents are coming up for the interleague series this June.