Читать книгу No Money, No Beer, No Pennants. The Cleveland Indians and Baseball in the Great Depression онлайн

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Stuart Bell, the sports editor for the Cleveland Press, had a different angle as to why voters should support the stadium initiative. He wrote, “One argument we haven’t seen put forth in behalf of the proposed stadium on the lakefront is that it would be the first perfect baseball stadium in the history of the game.” Bell asserted that this would be the lone baseball park that would not be crammed onto an inadequate piece of land. There would be no short fences or sun fields, no entrance or exit problems, and parking spaces for everyone. Bell added, “There will be plenty of room on the lakefront. The stadium can be symmetrical and mechanically perfect as far as the outfield barriers are concerned. Best of all there would be no short fences to assist the manufacture of cheap home runs.”

The campaign for the new stadium did have its share of detractors. Several members of the Citizens League expressed stout opposition to the plan. They submitted a minority report that claimed revenues generated by the facility would not be ample enough to cover the costs. They questioned the estimated revenues of $250,000 and where they would come from. The gentlemen acknowledged that about $125,000 was expected from the Indians lease, but where was the remainder going to be produced? John Gourley, the Cleveland recreation commissioner, had sharp words for the dissenters, replying that “There are powerful influences favoring the stadium that are in a position to guarantee the appearances of great sporting events other than baseball.” When pressed for names, Gourley refused to comment.