Cleveland Sports Forum

Penzance?

Sorry, it needed saying.

Indians won't be wearing offensive hat on July 4th

Found 14 hours ago on The Victory Formation:
TEAMS: Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves

Via The Victory Formation:

First of all, all of the hats that Major League Baseball will be wearing on the Fourth of July are rather offensive for sheer ugliness. But the Cleveland Indians hat that was originally released was something else:



Okay, let’s see. Offensive logo? Check. Covering offensive logo representing Native Americans with the Stars and Stripes? Check. Do a double-take because it kinda looks like a Blackface? Check.

According to Business Insider, Major League Baseball announced that New Era released the wrong hat (sure they did), and Cleveland will instead be wearing a hat with their block “C” logo on it instead.



This is a very similar incident to the one that MLB had with the offensive hat that the Atlanta Braves were planning to bring back prior to the season. Another one that MLB refused to take responsibility for

CIV- Of course I am an opera fan, I'm Italian.

When I was a kid, I could go up on our apartment building's top and could see just a bit of the open theatre across the street and could hear almost everything. They did plays and sometimes operas. I got imprinted early.

Indians '10-cent Beer Night' 39th anniversary
6:47 AM, Jun 5, 2013

Kim Wendel, WKYC

It was 39 years ago June 4 that the Indians held the first and only "10-cent Beer Night" promotion.

I had a front-row seat as it unfolded, sitting right behind the Indians dugout. We were not even drinking beer -- I've never had a beer in my life and never will -- but we watched as the 25,134 fans got rowdier on Stroh's beer.

The Indians and the Texas Rangers kept playing as long as they could, amid fans throwing cups and refuse onto the field. The grounds clean-up crew never sat down after the second inning, and outfield fans used them as moving targets.

First a woman jumped out onto the field, ran into the on-deck circle and flashed her breasts, then tried to kiss legendary umpire Nestor Chylak.

Another woman then jumped out of the stands and, as ushers corraled her, she attacked them.

Manager Billy Martin's Texas Rangers gazed on the scene.

In the fourth inning, the first streaker ran onto the field and slid into second base. Ouch. In the fifth inning, two men jumped onto the field and mooned the Texas Rangers.

On it went, with packs of fans bolting across the field throughout the next few innings. When one of the Texas Rangers went down at one point, Martin, armed with a fungo bat, led his team from the dugout onto the field in defense.

The Indians bench, all armed with bats and led by then-manager Ken Aspromonte, cleared as well to defend the Rangers under attack and a full-scale melee ensued.

The fans, who had been throwing everything but the kitchen sink onto the field through several innings, were also armed with anything they could grab -- including stadium seats.

At the time, Mike Hargrove was playing first base for the Rangers. Stadium radio announcers Joe Tait and Herb Score never missed a beat, rightfully calling the scene "a tragedy."

Chylak finally ended the game with the Indians forfeiting it. Chylak himself was injured, being hit in the head with a seat and on the hand with a rock.

Cleveland police arrived and helped ushers and stadium personnel clear the field and the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium itself. What a mess. What a night.

It is now 39 years later and never does a June 4 pass that I don't think of that game and that night. That team had some of my favorite players -- Dave Duncan, Oscar Gamble, Duane Kuiper.

On a final footnote to the June 4 "strange days" litany, I will also now remember June 4, 2013 as the day when Ohio State University President Gordon Gee announced that he is retiring July 1, following the revelation of recorded remarks in which he criticized the University of Notre Dame, Roman Catholics and the Southeastern Conference.

Gee made the joking remarks to the university's Athletic Council in December during an update on Big Ten expansion. The recorded comments were obtained by The Associated Press, which published a story about them last week.

Trustees had called Gee's remarks unacceptable and placed him on a remediation plan after learning of the comments earlier this year.

But in a last-dtch attempt to right his own ship, Gee, 69, cited his age, major upcoming planning changes at the university, his desire not to lose the university provost to another job along with the remarks as he explained why he is leaving.

Gee called himself a "quirky" person who decided it was best to leave quickly. Gee has been a successful college president but also prone to verbal gaffes, once calling Ohio's the-Governor George Voinovich a "dummy" and likening the job of running a university to the Polish Army.

Just another memory I will add to my June 4 roster. Gee whiz?

First a woman jumped out onto the field, ran into the on-deck circle and flashed her breasts, then tried to kiss legendary umpire Nestor Chylak.

Sat about 2 rows behind this woman. First base side behind dugout.

What is not mentioned in these articles. Indians fans were tying firecrackers on strings and tossing them beyond the Rangers dugout so they would swing back inside and explode. This was going on for innings. Billy Martin and Ferguson Jenkins were threatening to kill some fans. Who could blame them ?

Indians fan knocked Burroughs hat off while he was crouching in a defensive position in right field with his back turned. That is what caused the Rangers to come out and beat some ass in the right field corner.

Was bringing firecrackers to the ball game standard procedure back then? Or did those fans do some pre-planning for this night?

Not that I know of. Took a little while to figure out why the Rangers were so mad and kept coming out of the dugout and threatening fans. I have never seen that before or since.

Yeah, even in the lax days of the 70s, they shouldn't have had to put up with that. It always amazes me to see how easy it was for fans to get on the fields. Look at pics from the 70's and even into the 80s, you will see fans on the field celebrating after a big win.

The game culminated in a riot. Here's Jackson's description:

The jovial, frolicking nudists had disappeared. The mob that replaced them kept its clothes on and brandished an arsenal that made Martin's Louisville Slugger look like a child's toy. The Rangers manager spotted people wielding chains, knives and clubs fashioned from pieces of stadium seats. The 25 Texas players quickly found themselves surrounded by 200 angry drunks, and more were tumbling over the wall onto the field. The Texas Rangers had been ambushed.
Umpire Nestor Chylak railed against the crowd in the dressing room after he was forced to forfeit the game to the Rangers.

"Animals, (censored) animals, that's all these (censored) people are," he shouted, according to the Dallas Morning News.

I even saw a couple of knives out there in that mob. They wanted to kill somebody. I personally got hit with a chair and a rock and look at this [he held up his hand where there was an ugly cut that was bleeding]
I went as far as I could with this crowd and I can't say enough about the Texas team and Mr. Martin for restraining themselves so long. But when they charged out of that dugout they did it because they had to. Those animals were in control then.



Read more: http://www.upi.com/blog/2013/06/04/Ten- ... z2VTPJR6RL

Though the Rangers organization provided the inspiration for the promotion, no love was lost between the two teams. During their previous meeting on May 29 in Texas, a vicious brawl had erupted -- featuring head-hunting pitchers, punches thrown and a fair number of beer cups tossed at Indians players. The Tribe lost the game 3-0, and one can understand why Clevelanders' tempers were a bit on the short side six days later when the Rangers came to town.

Through deliberate coordination or spontaneous groupthink, hundreds of fans showed up with pockets full of firecrackers. Anonymous explosions peppered the stands from the first pitch, lending the game a war-zone ambiance that would seem increasingly appropriate. Though it is not clear whether this impromptu celebration cost anyone a finger or hand, an uneasy je ne sais quoi settled into the stadium along with clouds of exploded gunpowder and marijuana smoke.

Thanks for that last article, RUSTY. It was obviously a lot more than drunken fans that caused the game to be cancelled. Those people came ready for an all-out battle!

Cleveland Indians closer Chris Perez could be facing additional drug testing

DETROIT -- Indians' closer Chris Perez played catch for just the second day since he was placed on the disabled list, but he could be facing additional drug testing by Major League Baseball after police found what is believed to be marijuana in a search of his Rocky River residence on Tuesday.

Perez, the Indians' two-time All-Star closer, played catch at 90 feet Thursday at Progressive Field. It was just the second time he's thrown a baseball since going on the disabled list May 27 with a strained muscle in the rotator cuff of his right shoulder.

Rocky River police, U.S postal inspectors and the West Shore Enforcement Bureau found "a controlled delivery of drugs" to the home that Perez and his wife, Melanie, are renting. Rocky River police said later the substance was believed to be marijuana and it has been sent to a crime lab to be tested.

Perez and his wife were not arrested and no charges were filed.

As part of MLB's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, marijuana is listed as a drug of abuse. Players are not tested for such drugs unless there is reasonable cause by either the team or the players association that the player has in the last 12 months "engaged in the use, possession, sale or distribution of a drug of abuse."

If the program's treatment board receives a "reasonable cause notification" from either side about a player, and the board agrees with it, the player would be tested no later than 48 hours after the board was notified. If the player tests positive, a treatment program would be provided which could include further testing.

A player who failed to comply with the program or continued to fail tests could be fined up to $35,000 for each violation. The player would not be subject to a suspension.

According to sources, the Indians are unlikely to pursue such a course of action against Perez even if charges are filed against him. In MLB's fight against PEDS, marijuana is at the bottom of its hit list.

Perez and all other MLB players are subject to the strictest drug testing in professional spots in North America. Starting on the first day of spring training, they are tested for performance enhancing drugs, stimulants and HGH. Perez has never had a positive test.

Cleveland Indians closer Chris Perez, wife charged with misdemeanor drug abuse

Mug shots for Chris Perez and his wife, Melanie. (Rocky River police photos)
By Mark Gillispie, The Plain Dealer
Email the author
on June 07, 2013 at 9:37 AM, updated June 07, 2013 at 1:51 PM


Cleveland Indians closer Chris Perez, wife charged with misdemeanor drug abuse

ROCKY RIVER, Ohio -- Cleveland Indians pitcher Chris Perez and his wife, Melanie, have been charged with misdemeanor drug abuse after a package containing marijuana was delivered to their rental home earlier this week.

The charge is a fourth-degree misdemeanor, indicating that the amount discovered by police was small. According to a U.S. Postal Inspection Service report, the packages contained more than 9 ounces of marijuana.

U.S. postal inspectors, Rocky River police and members of the Westshore Enforcement Bureau conducted a search of the Perez home on Parklane Drive on Tuesday.

Police said they searched the house after officials at the Rocky River post office said they discovered two packages that smelled like marijuana. After a police dog indicated there could be an illegal substance in them, law enforcement got a search warrant.

Inside one of the Priority Mail packages mailed from Los Angeles was 6.2 ounces of marijuana concealed in four separate Ziplock bags, which were in two containers wrapped in a shirt, according to the postal inspector report. The second package had 3.45 ounces in two Ziplock bags, two containers and wrapped in a white towel. The bags were coated in Vaseline, the report said.

According to the report, at around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday an undercover officer dressed as a postal carrier delivered the packages, addressed to Brody Baum at the Parklane address. Brody is the name of the Perez dog. Baum is Melanie Perez's maiden name.


View full size
The house in Rocky River where Chris Perez and his wife, Melanie, live.
Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer

The undercover officer asked Melanie Perez if the packages were meant for that address and was told that they were for the dog, the report said.

Shortly after, Chris Perez came home in a black Audi, and the two left for a restaurant in Lakewood, leaving the packages behind. While they were away, officers searched the house. A babysitter was present along with two napping children. The packages were found on a back patio.

At around 4 p.m. the Perezes came home. They were read their rights. At one point, according the report, Perez asked about Ohio's laws concerning marijuana and said he wanted to speak to a lawyer.

The report said officers found "numerous drug paraphernalia and suspected marijuana" already in the home and Perez told them it was his and for his own personal use. They said Perez also opened a drawer and showed them a metal marijuana grinder.

Police interviewed Melanie Perez who said she did not know the contents of the packages and she hadn't ordered ordered anything for her dog recently. She suggested a fan may have sent the parcels without the couple's knowledge.

When asked if the packages were intended for her husband, she said: "What did Chris say?"

Melanie Perez said she does not smoke marijuana but confirmed that her husband had drug paraphernalia in the house.
Perez, 27, and his wife, 29, were released on their own recognizance. A hearing is scheduled for June 19.

The Perezes' attorney, Terry Gilbert, issued this statement this morning:

My clients Chris and Melanie Perez are facing low level misdemeanor possession charges. These are accusations only. We want to remind people, especially the media, that they have not been found guilty of any crime. They will be entering not guilty pleas. We ask that people not rush to judgment. We are confident of a favorable outcome.
In the meantime, Chris and Melanie ask that their family's privacy be respected. Chris is eager to return his focus to his team and his family.
Rocky River Police Chief Kelly Stillman said today these types of cases occur "quite frequently." He said the case is getting so much publicity because it involves a prominent member of the Cleveland Indians.

"It's a fourth-degree misdemeanor," Stillman said. "In the big scheme of things, it's a low-level misdemeanor."

The Indians this afternoon issued a statement on the arrest:

"Clearly we take these matters seriously and are disappointed whenever there is any negative attention brought to the Indians organization or one of our players,” Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said. "We understand and respect that there is an ongoing legal process that we will allow to evolve."

Here is the U.S. Postal Service investigative report on the incident. Mobile users can read it here.