Opening Day: Cleveland, the Indians, and a New Beginning

Opening Day is sportswriter Jonathan Knight’s inning-by-inning look at the opening game at Jacobs Field on April 4, 1994. New home to the Cleveland Indians,
The Jake
was for fans symbolic of the team’s turnaround. For the regional community this new ballpark marked the beginning of Cleveland’s long awaited renaissance. The redemption of the Indians began in 1986, when the Jacob brothers, Richard and David, purchased the underfinanced and mismanaged franchise. And despite a devastating 1991 season, when the Tribe lost a record 105 games and finished in last place, 34 games behind the division-leading Toronto Blue jays, the team and its fans persevered. The Jacobs’ legacy culminated in the opening of Jacobs Field, variously described as a
Jewel
and Cleveland’s
field of dreams , in the spring of 1994. The Indians made more postseason appearances in the first five years at Jacobs Field than in the previous ninety-three seasons of franchise history. Author Jonathan Knight skilfully recaptures memorable moments from opening days of the past, creating this story that shows how the fortunes of the team and the city converged. On that day in early April, the Indians and the City of Cleveland together experienced a true opening day-one in which the past was forgotten and future was clear and bright.