Читать книгу Bad Boys, Bad Times. The Cleveland Indians and Baseball in the Prewar Years, 1937–1941 онлайн

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Steve O’Neill chose to start Feller on July 4 at Municipal Stadium. Alva Bradley had committed to play a series of games at the new facility, the most since he had taken the team back to League Park after the 1933 season. Bradley had incurred the wrath of the city of Cleveland by exercising an out clause in his lease. He claimed the ball club had lost money playing at the 80,000-seat stadium and thus elected to move out of downtown and relocate to ancient but comfortable League Park. Now, four years later, Bradley had a notion that a playing a select number of games at the lakefront might attract some bigger crowds.

The Yankees were always a terrific draw, and holiday games usually brought exceptional numbers. In addition, Cleveland was bringing back the highly popular Great Lakes Exposition for a second summer. This large venue had state-of-the-art attractions, restaurants, and exhibits and happened to be located next to Municipal Stadium, along the edge of Lake Erie. Alva Bradley expected a large group of out-of-town visitors to stop by the Expo, then take in a ball game.