The year was 1995. It was the year after Jacob’s Field was constructed. It was also the year Cleveland learned the Browns were being shipped to Baltimore.
This was the setting that started the Golden Era for Indian
Jacob's Field
s Baseball.
On June 12, 1995, Jacob’s Field filled every seat in the house. For the rest of the ‘95 season not a seat was empty (or at least unpurchased).
This trend continued through the next season. And the next. And the next. It was a trend that did not end until April 4, 2001, almost six years later. The total sell out record came to 455 consecutive home games. Amazing. Especially when one considers that before the Tribe did this, nobody had ever sold out an entire season before. The Indians sold out six. In a row.
This past week the Boston Red Sox sold out their 456th consecutive win, breaking the Indians incredible record; a feat I’m not nearly as impressed by. Let’s compare populations shall we? Boston is rocking hard at 3.4 million people who are all willing to fill Fenway Park every night. Cleveland? 475,000. This was not some huge market city pulling of a record of that magnitude: It was Cleveland, Ohio – one of the poorest major cities in the country. Clevelanders weren’t afraid to spend their hard earned money on Indians.
The Indians nowadays are not held in the same lofty regard and probably will not be for a long time (the name change of Jacob’s Field pretty much sealed that). Between the Browns return, the Cavs actually winning games, and the inconsistancy of the Tribe, ticket sales have plummeted.
All that not just to reminisce a time when missing an Indians game on TV was a crime, but to hopefully build a bit more respect for that record Cleveland created seven years ago.
