Opening Day: Cleveland, the Indians, and a New Beginning. By Jonathan Knight. (Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press, 2004. 200 pp. Paper, $14.95, ISBN 0-87338-815-1.)
Writing a narrative about one’s favorite sports franchise can be a steep hill to climb for an author wanting to connect with a mainstream audience. The most sincere testimony to such a love affair does not guarantee relevance, or even the interest of those outside the flock. In Opening Day: Cleveland, the Indians, and a New Beginning, however, Jonathan Knight has navigated the recent history of “The Tribe” in an engaging manner that can enlighten, and be appreciated by even the non-baseball fan. For this book is as much about the Indian fans of Northeast Ohio as it is about the team itself.
The core of the book surrounds the first game played at Jacob’s Field, Cleveland’s sparkling jewel of a new stadium, on Opening Day, 1994. Continue reading Book Review: Opening Day