The long-awaited span across the Cuyahoga River, linking downtown to Ohio City, was built to alleviate traffic on the other high-level bridge, linking Detroit and Superior avenues. 2, traffic barriers were moved aside, and motorcycle police officer John Frantz led traffic across the new Lorain-Carnegie Bridge. The Indians lost, but it looked like they’d found their new permanent home, which was larger and fancier than their home at East 66 th Street and Lexington Avenue.īy comparison, four months later, the other big project in Cleveland of that era opened with little fanfare. (The Indians held spring training in New Orleans, and Long held a ceremonial share of stock in the team.) The weather was perfect as Cleveland’s Mel Harder found himself on the short end of a pitchers’ duel with Lefty Grove. Baseball commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis spoke. And it was a tribute to Cleveland, which by 1930 had become an industrial powerhouse and the sixth largest city in America, its population over 900,000. Following the previous day’s loss at League Park, team and municipal officials sat at home plate and formally signed the lease for the Indians to begin play at the new municipally built lakefront stadium.Ĭleveland Municipal Stadium was a crowning achievement for Osborn Engineering, the Cleveland company that had risen to prominence building the new concrete-and-steel ballparks that had started to dot America’s big cities. It was the Cleveland Indians’ first game at their new home. Business Hall of Fame and Community Leader of the Year Awardsįrom the opening of League Park to the new name change, the pylons of Berea sandstone will forever be connected to the diamond.Īlthough it was the Indians’ 100 th game of the season, the festivities surrounding their game against the Philadelphia Athletics on July 31, 1932, were on par with any Opening Day ceremony.Īnd in a way, it was opening day.
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