Cleveland Stadium
Encyclopedia
Cleveland Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in Cleveland, Ohio
. In its final years, the stadium seated 74,438, for baseball and 81,000, for football. It was one of the early multi-purpose stadium
s, built to accommodate both baseball and football. It was demolished in 1996 to make way for Cleveland Browns Stadium
, which now stands on the site.
, Cleveland Indians' president Ernest Barnard
, real estate magnate and future Indians' president Alva Bradley
, and the Van Sweringen brothers
, who thought that the attraction of a stadium would benefit area commerce in general and their own commercial interests in downtown Cleveland in particular. However, some have incorrectly stated that it was built in a failed bid to attract the 1932 Summer Olympics
, which had been awarded to Los Angeles
before ground was broken on the stadium. That misconception may have contributed to some in the media calling the stadium, "The Mistake by the Lake". Another common misconception is that Cleveland Stadium, was a Works Progress Administration
project; in fact, the WPA was not created until 1935, four years after the stadium was built.
In November 1929, Cleveland voters passed by 112,448 to 76,975, a 59% passage rate, with 55% needed to pass, "a $2.5 million levy for a fireproof stadium on the Lakefront." Actual construction costs overran that amount by $500,000.
Built during the administrations of city manager
s William R. Hopkins
and Daniel E. Morgan
, it was designed by the architectural firms of Walker and Weeks
and by Osborn Engineering
. It featured an early use of structural aluminum.
The stadium was dedicated on July 1, 1931. On July 3, 1931, it hosted a boxing
match for the National Boxing Association World Heavyweight Championship between Max Schmeling
and Young Stribling
, with 37,000 fans in attendance. Schmeling retained his title by a technical knockout (t.k.o)-victory in the 15th round.
The Donald Gray Gardens were installed on the stadium's north side in 1936 as part of the Great Lakes Exposition
.
, who played their first game there on July 31, 1932, losing to the Philadelphia Athletics' great pitcher Lefty Grove
1-0 while attracting a then-major-league-record crowd of 80,184. The Indians played all of their games at the stadium from the middle of the 1932 season
through 1933
. However, the players and fans complained about the huge outfield, which reduced the number of home runs. Moreover, as the Great Depression
worsened, attendance plummeted. In 1934
the Indians moved most of their games back to their smaller previous home, League Park
.
In 1936, the Indians began playing Sunday and holiday games at Cleveland Stadium during the summer. Beginning in 1938, they also played selected important games there. Starting in 1939, they played night games there as well because League Park didn't have lights. By 1940, the Indians played most of their home slate at Cleveland Stadium, abandoning League Park entirely after the 1946 season
. They played there until the end of the 1993 season
, after which they moved to Jacobs Field (which was later named Progressive Field).
The stadium anticipated problems that would emerge 40 years later when cookie-cutter stadiums were in vogue. Due to the fundamentally different sizes and shapes of baseball and football fields, the baseball sight lines generally left much to be desired. The original baseball playing field was so large that an inner fence was constructed in 1947 to cut down the size of the spacious outfield. Even after it was put in, the distance markers on the bleacher walls remained visible for many years; it was 470 feet from home plate to the bleachers in straightaway center field. No player ever hit a home run
into the center field bleacher
s. Ted Williams hit the only inside-the-park home run of his career at Cleveland Stadium before the inner fence was installed. According to his own autobiography, Veeck - As in Wreck, Indians owner Bill Veeck
would move the fence in or out, varying by as much as 15 feet, depending on how it would favor the Indians, a practice that ended when the American League
specifically legislated against moving fences during the course of a given season.
Like some other facilities built before warning track
s became standard, the stadium had an earthen berm in front of the center field wall. After the inner fence was installed, the berm was still visible during football season.
The facility, located just south of Lake Erie
, was known for the biting cold winds that would blow into the stadium in winter and, for that matter, during much of the spring and fall. Because of its proximity to the lake during hot summer nights, its lights attracted swarms of midge
s and mayflies
. Game 2 of the 2007 American League Division Series
, in Jacobs Field
on October 5, 2007, brought back memories of the old stadium, when swarms of midge
s (misidentified by the television announcers as mayflies
) infested the field, particularly the pitcher's mound.
In 1948, when the Indians won the American League
pennant
and World Series
behind pitcher
Bob Feller
and shortstop
/player-manager
Lou Boudreau
, the Indians set three Major League attendance records: they had the highest single season attendance, 2,620,627, which was not eclipsed until the 1962 Los Angeles Dodgers
, largest regular season night game attendance of 72,434 for the first major league start of Satchel Paige
, and biggest World Series game attendance of 86,288 for game 5 on October 10, 1948. However, during the Indians' lean years from the 1960s through the 1990s, they rarely attracted more than 30,000 people, and even crowds of 40,000 looked sparse in the cavernous environment.
In 1949, after the Indians lost the pennant to the New York Yankees
, as a black humor-themed promotion they held a mock funeral procession on the field and buried their 1948 championship flag in the outfield. Interestingly enough, the Indians have not won a World Series since, coming as close as the final inning in 1997
. On four separate occasions, it hosted the All-Star Game
: 1935, 1954, 1963, and 1981. The 1981 All-Star Game was notable for two reasons: it was the first game after the conclusion of the players' strike of that year, and it was held the day after a Cleveland Browns exhibition football game. On May 15, 1981 it was the site of Len Barker
's perfect game
. On its last day as home of the Indians on October 3, 1993, the team's fans, led by comedian
Bob Hope
, who grew up an Indians fan and was once a part-owner, sang a version of his signature song
"Thanks for the Memory
" with special lyrics for the occasion.
, which became a charter member of the second American Football League in 1936. After finishing second in the AFL, the Rams left the league for the National Football League
in 1937, but stayed in their original home for one more year before moving to Shaw Stadium
.
The NFL
's Cleveland Browns
began playing at the facility in 1946, and played there until 1995. The stadium was the site of the AAFC
Championship game in 1946, 1948 and 1949, and of the NFL Championship Game in 1945
(Washington Redskins v. Cleveland Rams), 1950
(L.A. Rams vs Browns), 1952
(Detroit vs. Browns), 1954
(Detroit vs. Browns), 1964
(Baltimore Colts vs. Browns) and 1968
(Baltimore Colts vs. Browns). It was also the site of the Denver Broncos and John Elway
's famous Drive
in the January 11, 1987 AFC Championship Game
It was also the site of the 1980-81 AFC Divisional Championship game where Mike Davis of the Raiders intercepted Brian Sipe in the Oakland endzone with 41-seconds left securing Oakland's 14-12 victory.
s at the east end of the stadium were home to many of the club's most avid fans and became known during the 1980s as the Dawg Pound after the barks that fans made to disrupt opposing teams' offensive plays. The fans were copying Browns players Hanford Dixon
and Frank Minnifield
, who frequently appeared to bark to each other and to the opposition. Some of the fans even wore dog masks and threw dog biscuits at opposing players.
was held there in 1947.
The stadium hosted the annual Notre Dame
/Navy
college football game 11 times: in 1932, 1934, 1939, 1942, 1943, 1945, 1947, 1950, 1952, 1976 and 1978. The games were well attended, with an average attendance of 69,730 and a high of 84,090 fans for the 1947 game, which was won by Notre Dame 27-0. Local colleges Case Institute of Technology and Western Reserve University used the field from time to time as well. The Illinois Fighting Illini
played the Penn State Nittany Lions there in 1959. The Ohio State Buckeyes
played in the stadium four times. The first was in a 1942 win over Illinois before 68,656, the second a 1943 loss to Purdue, and the third a 1944 victory over Illinois. The final college football contest played there was on October 19, 1991, when the Northwestern Wildcats
played a "home" game against the Buckeyes. While Northwestern received the home team's share of the gate receipts, the crowd was mostly Ohio State fans.
from 1974-1980, featuring big-name acts, such as The Rolling Stones
, Pink Floyd
, The Beach Boys
and Aerosmith
. The Rolling Stones' July 1, 1978 concert of 82,238 attendees was reportedly the first concert to gross over $1,000,000. The Series was discontinued following racial confrontations between whites and blacks in 1979.
On September 2, 1995, it hosted the inaugural Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
concert, which featured James Brown
, Johnny Cash
, Bob Dylan
, and The Allman Brothers Band
, among others.
's Seventh Eucharistic Congress, hosted by the Diocese of Cleveland in 1935, which attracted 75,000 to a midnight mass on September 24, 1935 and an estimated 125,000 to Eucharistic service the following day. One of the stadium's last events was a Billy Graham
crusade, held in 1994.
, were filmed during the game between the Browns and the visiting Minnesota Vikings
on 31 October 1965. Much of the 1949 movie The Kid From Cleveland
, in which Bob Feller
, Lou Boudreau
, Bill Veeck
and Satchel Paige
played themselves, was filmed there. Despite being set in the stadium, the motion picture Major League
was not actually filmed in the stadium. While aerial distance shots of the actual stadium were used, Milwaukee County Stadium
, whose grandstand interior looked similar to that of Municipal Stadium, was the actual stadium used for filming. Some scenes in the 1991 made for TV Babe Ruth
bio-pic movie, starring Stephen Lang
as the Babe and with a cameo by Pete Rose
as Ty Cobb
, were filmed there.
leased the facility for $1 per year. In exchange, Modell's newly formed company, Stadium Corporation, assumed the expenses of operations from the city. Stadium Corp. invested in improvements, including new electronic scoreboards and luxury suites. Renting the suites and the scoreboard advertising generated substantial revenue for Stadium Corp and Modell. Modell refused to share the suite revenue with the Indians baseball team, even though much of the revenues were generated during baseball games as well as during Browns games. Eventually the Indians prevailed upon the local governments and voters and convinced them to build them their own facility where they would control the suite revenue. However, the stadium's inadequacy was becoming apparent in any event; chunks of concrete were falling off and the pilings were starting to petrify.
Modell, mistakenly believing that his revenues were not endangered, refused to participate in the Gateway Project
that built Progressive Field for the Indians
and Quicken Loans Arena
for the Cavs
. Modell's assumptions proved incorrect, and Stadium Corp.'s suite revenues declined sharply when the Indians moved from the stadium to Jacobs Field in 1994. The following year, Modell decided to move the football team to Baltimore, Maryland after the 1995 season
.
Modell's move of the Browns breached the team's lease, and the City of Cleveland sued. After the suit was settled, the stadium was demolished the next year and the pieces were dumped into Lake Erie to create an artificial reef
for fishermen and divers.
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. In its final years, the stadium seated 74,438, for baseball and 81,000, for football. It was one of the early multi-purpose stadium
Multi-purpose stadium
Multi-purpose stadiums are a type of stadium designed in such a way as to be easily used by multiple sports. While any stadium could potentially host more than one sport, this concept usually refers to a specific design philosophy that stresses multi-functionality over specificity...
s, built to accommodate both baseball and football. It was demolished in 1996 to make way for Cleveland Browns Stadium
Cleveland Browns Stadium
-See also:* List of current National Football League stadiums* Chronology of home stadiums for current National Football League teams* List of American football stadiums by capacity* List of U.S. stadiums by capacity* List of North American stadiums by capacity...
, which now stands on the site.
History
The impetus for Cleveland Stadium came from city manager William R. HopkinsWilliam R. Hopkins
William Rowland Hopkins was an American politician of the Republican Party who served as the first city manager of Cleveland, Ohio from 1924 to 1929, during the brief period that Cleveland had a council-manager government instead of a mayor-council government.Hopkins was born in Johnstown,...
, Cleveland Indians' president Ernest Barnard
Ernest Barnard
Ernest Sargent Barnard was the second President of the American League, serving from 1927 until his death in 1931. Born in West Columbia, West Virginia, he later resided in Delaware, Ohio. He graduated from Otterbein College in 1895, and became football and baseball coach there until 1898...
, real estate magnate and future Indians' president Alva Bradley
Alva Bradley
Alva Bradley , aka Alva Bradley II, was a businessman and baseball team executive.Bradley was born to a wealthy family in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of M.A. Bradley and grandson of his namesake, Captain Alva Bradley. He graduated Cornell in 1908...
, and the Van Sweringen brothers
Van Sweringen brothers
Oris Paxton Van Sweringen and Mantis James Van Sweringen were brothers who became railroad barons in order to develop Shaker Heights, Ohio. They are better known as O.P. Van Sweringen and M.J. Van Sweringen, or by their collective nickname, the Vans...
, who thought that the attraction of a stadium would benefit area commerce in general and their own commercial interests in downtown Cleveland in particular. However, some have incorrectly stated that it was built in a failed bid to attract the 1932 Summer Olympics
1932 Summer Olympics
The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations...
, which had been awarded to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
before ground was broken on the stadium. That misconception may have contributed to some in the media calling the stadium, "The Mistake by the Lake". Another common misconception is that Cleveland Stadium, was a Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
project; in fact, the WPA was not created until 1935, four years after the stadium was built.
In November 1929, Cleveland voters passed by 112,448 to 76,975, a 59% passage rate, with 55% needed to pass, "a $2.5 million levy for a fireproof stadium on the Lakefront." Actual construction costs overran that amount by $500,000.
Construction
City manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
s William R. Hopkins
William R. Hopkins
William Rowland Hopkins was an American politician of the Republican Party who served as the first city manager of Cleveland, Ohio from 1924 to 1929, during the brief period that Cleveland had a council-manager government instead of a mayor-council government.Hopkins was born in Johnstown,...
and Daniel E. Morgan
Daniel E. Morgan
Daniel Edgar Morgan was an American politician of the Republican party who served as the second and last city manager of Cleveland, Ohio, but is often regarded as the 42nd mayor of the city. He was the last member of Cleveland City Council to become mayor until Frank G...
, it was designed by the architectural firms of Walker and Weeks
Walker and Weeks
Walker and Weeks was an architecture firm based in Cleveland, Ohio founded by Frank Ray Walker and Harry F. Weeks .-Background:...
and by Osborn Engineering
Osborn Engineering
Osborn Engineering, is an architectural and engineering firm based in Cleveland, Ohio. Founded in 1892, it is noted mostly for designing sports stadiums...
. It featured an early use of structural aluminum.
The stadium was dedicated on July 1, 1931. On July 3, 1931, it hosted a boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
match for the National Boxing Association World Heavyweight Championship between Max Schmeling
Max Schmeling
Maximillian Adolph Otto Siegfried Schmeling was a German boxer who was heavyweight champion of the world between 1930 and 1932. His two fights with Joe Louis in the late 1930s transcended boxing, and became worldwide social events because of their national associations...
and Young Stribling
Young Stribling
Young Stribling was a professional boxer in the Heavyweight division.He was the elder brother of fellow boxer Herbert Stribling.- Background :...
, with 37,000 fans in attendance. Schmeling retained his title by a technical knockout (t.k.o)-victory in the 15th round.
The Donald Gray Gardens were installed on the stadium's north side in 1936 as part of the Great Lakes Exposition
Great Lakes Exposition
The Great Lakes Exposition was held in Cleveland, Ohio, in the summers of 1936 and 1937, along the Lake Erie shore north of downtown. The fair commemorated of the centennial of Cleveland's incorporation as a city...
.
Baseball
- 78,000 (1932-1946)
- 78,189 (1947)
- 78,192 (1948)
- 77,700 (1949-1952)
- 78,811 (1953)
- 73,811 (1954-1966)
- 74,056 (1967)
- 76,966 (1968-1975)
- 76,713 (1976-1980)
- 76,685 (1981)
- 74,208 (1982-1988)
- 74,483 (1989-1993)
Football
- 83,000 (1932-1967)
- 79,282 (1968-1974)
- 80,385 (1975-1983)
- 80,098 (1984-1991)
- 78,512 (1992-1995)
Indians
The stadium was built for football as well as for the Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, who played their first game there on July 31, 1932, losing to the Philadelphia Athletics' great pitcher Lefty Grove
Lefty Grove
Robert Moses "Lefty" Grove was a professional baseball pitcher. After having success in the minor leagues during the early 1920s, Grove became a star in Major League Baseball with the American League's Philadelphia Athletics and Boston Red Sox, winning 300 games in his 17-year MLB career...
1-0 while attracting a then-major-league-record crowd of 80,184. The Indians played all of their games at the stadium from the middle of the 1932 season
1932 in baseball
-Champions:*World Series: New York Yankees over Chicago Cubs *Negro League World Series: Pittsburgh Crawfords over Monroe Monarchs -Awards and honors:*MLB Most Valuable Player Award** Jimmie Foxx, Philadelphia Athletics, 1B...
through 1933
1933 in baseball
-Headline Events of the Year:* First Major League Baseball All-Star Game, July 6 at Comiskey Park: American League, 4-2.* First Negro League Baseball All-Star Game.-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Giants over Washington Senators...
. However, the players and fans complained about the huge outfield, which reduced the number of home runs. Moreover, as the Great Depression
Great Depression in the United States
The Great Depression began with the Wall Street Crash of October, 1929 and rapidly spread worldwide. The market crash marked the beginning of a decade of high unemployment, poverty, low profits, deflation, plunging farm incomes, and lost opportunities for economic growth and personal advancement...
worsened, attendance plummeted. In 1934
1934 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over Detroit Tigers *All-Star Game, July 10 at Polo Grounds: American League, 9-7-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player:**American League: Mickey Cochrane, Detroit Tigers, C...
the Indians moved most of their games back to their smaller previous home, League Park
League Park
League Park was a baseball park located in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It was situated at the northeast corner of Lexington Avenue and E. 66th Street in the Hough neighborhood. It was home to the National League Cleveland Spiders, the American League Cleveland Indians, and the Cleveland...
.
In 1936, the Indians began playing Sunday and holiday games at Cleveland Stadium during the summer. Beginning in 1938, they also played selected important games there. Starting in 1939, they played night games there as well because League Park didn't have lights. By 1940, the Indians played most of their home slate at Cleveland Stadium, abandoning League Park entirely after the 1946 season
1946 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over Boston Red Sox *All-Star Game, July 9 at Fenway Park: American League, 12–0-Other champions:*Negro League World Series: Newark Eagles over Kansas City Monarchs...
. They played there until the end of the 1993 season
1993 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Toronto Blue Jays over Philadelphia Phillies ; Paul Molitor, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Dave Stewart*National League Championship Series MVP: Curt Schilling...
, after which they moved to Jacobs Field (which was later named Progressive Field).
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
into the center field bleacher
Bleacher
Bleachers is an American term used to describe the raised, tiered rows of seats found at sports fields or at other spectator events...
s. Ted Williams hit the only inside-the-park home run of his career at Cleveland Stadium before the inner fence was installed. According to his own autobiography, Veeck - As in Wreck, Indians owner Bill Veeck
Bill Veeck
William Louis Veeck, Jr. , also known as "Sport Shirt Bill", was a native of Chicago, Illinois, and a franchise owner and promoter in Major League Baseball. He was best known for his publicity stunts to raise attendance. Veeck was at various times the owner of the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis...
would move the fence in or out, varying by as much as 15 feet, depending on how it would favor the Indians, a practice that ended when the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
specifically legislated against moving fences during the course of a given season.
Like some other facilities built before warning track
Warning track
A warning track is the term for the part of the baseball field that is closest to the wall or fence and is typically made of dirt, instead of grass or artificial turf like most of the field. It runs parallel to the ballpark's wall and looks like a running track...
s became standard, the stadium had an earthen berm in front of the center field wall. After the inner fence was installed, the berm was still visible during football season.
The facility, located just south of Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
, was known for the biting cold winds that would blow into the stadium in winter and, for that matter, during much of the spring and fall. Because of its proximity to the lake during hot summer nights, its lights attracted swarms of midge
Midge (insect)
Midges comprise many kinds of very small two-winged flies found world-wide. The term does not encapsulate a well-defined taxonomic group, but includes animals in several families of Nematoceran Diptera. While some midges are vectors for disease, many others play useful roles as prey items for...
s and mayflies
Mayfly
Mayflies are insects which belong to the Order Ephemeroptera . They have been placed into an ancient group of insects termed the Palaeoptera, which also contains dragonflies and damselflies...
. Game 2 of the 2007 American League Division Series
2007 American League Division Series
-Cleveland Indians vs. New York Yankees:-Game 1, October 3:Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsIn Game 1, Boston starter Josh Beckett threw a complete-game shut out, allowing the Red Sox to win the opener...
, in Jacobs Field
Jacobs Field
Progressive Field is a ballpark located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, and is the home of the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball and the American League. Along with Quicken Loans Arena, it is part of the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex...
on October 5, 2007, brought back memories of the old stadium, when swarms of midge
Midge
A midge is a very small, two-winged flying insect. "Midge" may also refer to:-Real:* Midge Costanza , American politician* Mildred Gillars , aka "Midge", American broadcaster of Nazi propaganda during World War II...
s (misidentified by the television announcers as mayflies
Mayfly
Mayflies are insects which belong to the Order Ephemeroptera . They have been placed into an ancient group of insects termed the Palaeoptera, which also contains dragonflies and damselflies...
) infested the field, particularly the pitcher's mound.
In 1948, when the Indians won the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
pennant
Pennant (sports)
A pennant is a commemorative flag typically used to show support for a particular athletic team. Pennants have been historically used in all types of athletic levels: high school, collegiate, professional etc. Traditionally, pennants were made of felt and fashioned in the official colors of a...
and World Series
1948 World Series
The 1948 World Series matched the Cleveland Indians against the Boston Braves. The Braves had won the National League pennant for the first time since the "Miracle Braves" team of . The Indians spoiled a chance for the only all-Boston World Series by winning a one-game playoff against the Boston...
behind pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Bob Feller
Bob Feller
On December 8, 1941, Feller enlisted in the Navy, volunteering immediately for combat service, becoming the first Major League Baseball player to do so following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7. Feller served as Gun Captain aboard the USS Alabama, and missed four seasons during his service...
and shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
/player-manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
Lou Boudreau
Lou Boudreau
Louis "Lou" Boudreau was an American Major League Baseball player and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970...
, the Indians set three Major League attendance records: they had the highest single season attendance, 2,620,627, which was not eclipsed until the 1962 Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, largest regular season night game attendance of 72,434 for the first major league start of Satchel Paige
Satchel Paige
Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige was an American baseball player whose pitching in the Negro leagues and in Major League Baseball made him a legend in his own lifetime...
, and biggest World Series game attendance of 86,288 for game 5 on October 10, 1948. However, during the Indians' lean years from the 1960s through the 1990s, they rarely attracted more than 30,000 people, and even crowds of 40,000 looked sparse in the cavernous environment.
In 1949, after the Indians lost the pennant to the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, as a black humor-themed promotion they held a mock funeral procession on the field and buried their 1948 championship flag in the outfield. Interestingly enough, the Indians have not won a World Series since, coming as close as the final inning in 1997
1997 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 18, 1997 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, FloridaThe first World Series game in the state of Florida, Game 1 featured a youngster and a veteran facing each other on the mound...
. On four separate occasions, it hosted the All-Star Game
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
: 1935, 1954, 1963, and 1981. The 1981 All-Star Game was notable for two reasons: it was the first game after the conclusion of the players' strike of that year, and it was held the day after a Cleveland Browns exhibition football game. On May 15, 1981 it was the site of Len Barker
Len Barker
Leonard Harold Barker III , better known as Lenny Barker or Len Barker, is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He pitched the tenth perfect game in baseball history. Barker pitched for the Texas Rangers , Cleveland Indians , Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers...
's perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
. On its last day as home of the Indians on October 3, 1993, the team's fans, led by comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
, who grew up an Indians fan and was once a part-owner, sang a version of his signature song
Signature song
A signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
"Thanks for the Memory
Thanks for the Memory
"Thanks for the Memory" is a popular song, with music composed by Ralph Rainger and lyrics by Leo Robin. It was introduced in the 1938 film The Big Broadcast of 1938 by Shep Fields and His Orchestra with vocals by Bob Hope and Shirley Ross...
" with special lyrics for the occasion.
Browns
Cleveland Municipal Stadium was the first home of the Cleveland RamsCleveland Rams
The Cleveland Rams were a professional American football team based in Cleveland, Ohio.The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland, Ohio. The NFL considers the franchise as a second incarnation of the previous Cleveland Rams team that was a charter member of the second American Football League...
, which became a charter member of the second American Football League in 1936. After finishing second in the AFL, the Rams left the league for the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
in 1937, but stayed in their original home for one more year before moving to Shaw Stadium
Shaw Stadium
Shaw Stadium is a high school stadium in East Cleveland, Ohio. In 1938, the NFL's Cleveland Rams played there and finished the season with a 4-7 record.Currently, the Shaw High School Cardinals football team plays its home games there....
.
The NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
began playing at the facility in 1946, and played there until 1995. The stadium was the site of the AAFC
All-America Football Conference
The All-America Football Conference was a professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League from 1946 to 1949. One of the NFL's most formidable challengers, the AAFC attracted many of the nation's best players, and introduced many lasting innovations...
Championship game in 1946, 1948 and 1949, and of the NFL Championship Game in 1945
NFL Championship Game, 1945
In the 1945 National Football League Championship Game, the Cleveland Rams defeated the Washington Redskins, 15–14, at Cleveland Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio on December 16, 1945. This was the last game before the Rams moved to Los Angeles, California and was the 13th annual NFL...
(Washington Redskins v. Cleveland Rams), 1950
NFL Championship Game, 1950
The 1950 National Football League championship game was the 18th NFL title game. The game was played on December 24, 1950 in Cleveland, Ohio's Municipal Stadium.-Background:...
(L.A. Rams vs Browns), 1952
NFL Championship Game, 1952
The 1952 National Football League championship game was the 20th annual championship game. The NFL title game was held on December 28, 1952 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio....
(Detroit vs. Browns), 1954
NFL Championship Game, 1954
The 1954 National Football League championship game was the 22nd annual championship game. The NFL title game was held on December 26, 1954, at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio. This was the third straight title game between the Detroit Lions and the Cleveland Browns.The Detroit Lions...
(Detroit vs. Browns), 1964
NFL Championship Game, 1964
The 1964 National Football League championship game was the 32nd annual championship game. The NFL title game was held on December 27, 1964 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio before a crowd of 79,544...
(Baltimore Colts vs. Browns) and 1968
NFL Championship Game, 1968
The 1968 National Football League championship game was the 36th annual championship game. The winner of the game would represent the NFL in the 3rd AFL-NFL World Championship Game also called the Super Bowl...
(Baltimore Colts vs. Browns). It was also the site of the Denver Broncos and John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
's famous Drive
The Drive
The Drive refers to an offensive series in the fourth quarter of the AFC Championship Game played on January 11, 1987, between the Denver Broncos and the Cleveland Browns. Broncos quarterback John Elway, in a span of 5 minutes and 2 seconds, led his team 98 yards to tie the game with 37 seconds...
in the January 11, 1987 AFC Championship Game
AFC Championship Game
The American Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the American...
It was also the site of the 1980-81 AFC Divisional Championship game where Mike Davis of the Raiders intercepted Brian Sipe in the Oakland endzone with 41-seconds left securing Oakland's 14-12 victory.
Dawg Pound
The center field bleacherBleacher
Bleachers is an American term used to describe the raised, tiered rows of seats found at sports fields or at other spectator events...
s at the east end of the stadium were home to many of the club's most avid fans and became known during the 1980s as the Dawg Pound after the barks that fans made to disrupt opposing teams' offensive plays. The fans were copying Browns players Hanford Dixon
Hanford Dixon
Hanford Dixon is a former professional American football cornerback who played his entire career for the Cleveland Browns of the NFL. Dixon made the Pro Bowl three times, in 1986, 1987 and 1988. He was drafted by the Browns out of The University of Southern Mississippi with the 22nd pick in the...
and Frank Minnifield
Frank Minnifield
Frank Minnifield is a former American football player who played defensive back for the Cleveland Browns from 1984-92.Minnifield attended Henry Clay High School in Lexington...
, who frequently appeared to bark to each other and to the opposition. Some of the fans even wore dog masks and threw dog biscuits at opposing players.
Records and milestones
- July 1, 1931 - Dedication
- July 3, 1931 - Opening event: World Heavyweight Championship boxing match between Max SchmelingMax SchmelingMaximillian Adolph Otto Siegfried Schmeling was a German boxer who was heavyweight champion of the world between 1930 and 1932. His two fights with Joe Louis in the late 1930s transcended boxing, and became worldwide social events because of their national associations...
and Young StriblingYoung StriblingYoung Stribling was a professional boxer in the Heavyweight division.He was the elder brother of fellow boxer Herbert Stribling.- Background :...
, with 37,000 fans in attendance - July 31, 1932 - First Cleveland Indians game, vs. Philadelpha Athletics (loss, 0-1); pitched by Mel HarderMel HarderMelvin Leroy Harder , nicknamed "Chief", was an American, right-handed, starting pitcher and coach in Major League Baseball, who played his entire career with the Cleveland Indians. He spent 36 seasons overall with the Indians, as a player from 1928 to 1947 and as one of the game's most highly...
- September 12, 1954 - A league record 84,587 people attended a Yankees-Indians game
- April 19, 1960 - The Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians played 15 innings on Opening Day, tying the record for the longest Opening-Day game
- June 17, 1960 - Ted Williams hit 500th career home run
- August 14, 1966 - The Beatles perform at the stadium.
- June 21, 1970 - Detroit's Cesar Guitierrez got seven hits in seven at bats in 12 innings
- June 25, 1977 - 83,199 people attend a concert by the British rock group Pink Floyd.
- August 21, 1986 - Boston's Spike Owen tied Major League record by scoring six runs
- January 11, 1987 - The DriveThe DriveThe Drive refers to an offensive series in the fourth quarter of the AFC Championship Game played on January 11, 1987, between the Denver Broncos and the Cleveland Browns. Broncos quarterback John Elway, in a span of 5 minutes and 2 seconds, led his team 98 yards to tie the game with 37 seconds...
: In one of the city of Cleveland's many sports disappointments, John ElwayJohn ElwayJohn Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
leads the Denver BroncosDenver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
98 yards down the field for the tying score late in the AFC Championship Game. Denver wins in overtime, 23-20, earning the right to play in Super Bowl XXISuper Bowl XXISuper Bowl XXI was an American football game played on January 25, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1986 regular season. The National Football Conference champion New York Giants won their first Super Bowl by defeating...
. - October 3, 1993 - Last Cleveland Indians game, vs. Chicago White Sox (loss, 0-4)
- December 17, 1995 - Last Cleveland Browns game, vs. Cincinnati Bengals (win, 26–10)
College Football
The only Great Lakes BowlGreat Lakes Bowl
The Great Lakes Bowl was a college football bowl game that was played only once, on December 6, 1947 in Cleveland, Ohio between the University of Kentucky and Villanova University....
was held there in 1947.
The stadium hosted the annual Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
/Navy
Navy Midshipmen football
The Navy Midshipmen football team represents the United States Naval Academy in NCAA Division I-A college football. They are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision independent school and coached by Ken Niumatalolo since December 2007...
college football game 11 times: in 1932, 1934, 1939, 1942, 1943, 1945, 1947, 1950, 1952, 1976 and 1978. The games were well attended, with an average attendance of 69,730 and a high of 84,090 fans for the 1947 game, which was won by Notre Dame 27-0. Local colleges Case Institute of Technology and Western Reserve University used the field from time to time as well. The Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois Fighting Illini
The Fighting Illini are the intercollegiate athletic teams of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The University offers 10 men's and 11 women's varsity sports....
played the Penn State Nittany Lions there in 1959. The Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of The Ohio State University, named after the state tree, the Buckeye. The Buckeyes participate in the NCAA's Division I in all sports and the Big Ten Conference in most sports...
played in the stadium four times. The first was in a 1942 win over Illinois before 68,656, the second a 1943 loss to Purdue, and the third a 1944 victory over Illinois. The final college football contest played there was on October 19, 1991, when the Northwestern Wildcats
Northwestern Wildcats
The Northwestern Wildcats are the athletic teams that represent Northwestern University, a founding member of the Big Ten Conference and the only private university in the conference. Northwestern has eight men's and eleven women's Division I sports teams. The mascot is Willie the Wildcat...
played a "home" game against the Buckeyes. While Northwestern received the home team's share of the gate receipts, the crowd was mostly Ohio State fans.
Concerts
In addition to sporting events, the stadium hosted a number of other events, including the World Series of RockWorld Series of Rock
The World Series of Rock was a recurring, day-long and usually multi-act summer rock concert held outdoors at Cleveland Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio from 1974 through 1980. Belkin Productions staged these events, attracting popular hard rock bands and as many as 88,000 fans. FM rock radio station...
from 1974-1980, featuring big-name acts, such as The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
and Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
. The Rolling Stones' July 1, 1978 concert of 82,238 attendees was reportedly the first concert to gross over $1,000,000. The Series was discontinued following racial confrontations between whites and blacks in 1979.
On September 2, 1995, it hosted the inaugural Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
concert, which featured James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
, Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
, Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, and The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band is an American rock/blues band once based in Macon, Georgia. The band was formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman and Gregg Allman , who were supported by Dickey Betts , Berry Oakley , Butch Trucks , and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe"...
, among others.
Religious events
The stadium also hosted numerous religious services. Its most heavily attended event was the Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
's Seventh Eucharistic Congress, hosted by the Diocese of Cleveland in 1935, which attracted 75,000 to a midnight mass on September 24, 1935 and an estimated 125,000 to Eucharistic service the following day. One of the stadium's last events was a Billy Graham
Billy Graham
William Franklin "Billy" Graham, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian evangelist. As of April 25, 2010, when he met with Barack Obama, Graham has spent personal time with twelve United States Presidents dating back to Harry S. Truman, and is number seven on Gallup's list of admired people for...
crusade, held in 1994.
Hollywood
Several scenes for the motion picture, The Fortune CookieThe Fortune Cookie
The Fortune Cookie is a 1966 film starring Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon in their first on-screen collaboration, and directed by Billy Wilder.- Plot :...
, were filmed during the game between the Browns and the visiting Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
on 31 October 1965. Much of the 1949 movie The Kid From Cleveland
The Kid from Cleveland
The Kid from Cleveland is a 1949 sports drama film starring George Brent, Lynn Bari and Russ Tamblyn. Directed by Herbert Kline, the film was released by Republic Pictures.-Plot:...
, in which Bob Feller
Bob Feller
On December 8, 1941, Feller enlisted in the Navy, volunteering immediately for combat service, becoming the first Major League Baseball player to do so following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7. Feller served as Gun Captain aboard the USS Alabama, and missed four seasons during his service...
, Lou Boudreau
Lou Boudreau
Louis "Lou" Boudreau was an American Major League Baseball player and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970...
, Bill Veeck
Bill Veeck
William Louis Veeck, Jr. , also known as "Sport Shirt Bill", was a native of Chicago, Illinois, and a franchise owner and promoter in Major League Baseball. He was best known for his publicity stunts to raise attendance. Veeck was at various times the owner of the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis...
and Satchel Paige
Satchel Paige
Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige was an American baseball player whose pitching in the Negro leagues and in Major League Baseball made him a legend in his own lifetime...
played themselves, was filmed there. Despite being set in the stadium, the motion picture Major League
Major League (film)
Major League is a 1989 American satire comedy film written and directed by David S. Ward, starring Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen, Wesley Snipes, James Gammon, and Corbin Bernsen. Made for US$11 million, Major League grossed nearly US$50 million in domestic release...
was not actually filmed in the stadium. While aerial distance shots of the actual stadium were used, Milwaukee County Stadium
Milwaukee County Stadium
Milwaukee County Stadium was a ballpark in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 1953 to 2000. It was primarily used as a baseball stadium for the Milwaukee Braves and Brewers, but was also used for football games, ice skating, religious services, concerts and other large events...
, whose grandstand interior looked similar to that of Municipal Stadium, was the actual stadium used for filming. Some scenes in the 1991 made for TV Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
bio-pic movie, starring Stephen Lang
Stephen Lang (actor)
Stephen Lang is an American actor and playwright. He started in theatre on Broadway but is well known for his film portrayals of Stonewall Jackson in Gods and Generals and George Pickett in Gettysburg , as well as for his 2009 roles as Colonel Miles Quaritch in Avatar and as Texan lawman Charles...
as the Babe and with a cameo by Pete Rose
Pete Rose
Peter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
as Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
, were filmed there.
Demise
The stadium was an economic drain on the City of Cleveland, which owned it and originally operated it. In the mid-1970s, Browns owner Art ModellArt Modell
Arthur B. Modell is an American businessman, entrepreneur and former National Football League team owner. He owned the Cleveland Browns franchise from 1961–1995 and the Baltimore Ravens franchise from 1996–2004. Modell is the grandson of the late Morris Modell who founded the northeast...
leased the facility for $1 per year. In exchange, Modell's newly formed company, Stadium Corporation, assumed the expenses of operations from the city. Stadium Corp. invested in improvements, including new electronic scoreboards and luxury suites. Renting the suites and the scoreboard advertising generated substantial revenue for Stadium Corp and Modell. Modell refused to share the suite revenue with the Indians baseball team, even though much of the revenues were generated during baseball games as well as during Browns games. Eventually the Indians prevailed upon the local governments and voters and convinced them to build them their own facility where they would control the suite revenue. However, the stadium's inadequacy was becoming apparent in any event; chunks of concrete were falling off and the pilings were starting to petrify.
Modell, mistakenly believing that his revenues were not endangered, refused to participate in the Gateway Project
Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex
The Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex is a multipurpose campus located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. It comprises two sports facilities, a transitional space known as Gateway Plaza, and two parking garages...
that built Progressive Field for the Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
and Quicken Loans Arena
Quicken Loans Arena
Quicken Loans Arena , is a multi-purpose arena, in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States....
for the Cavs
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
. Modell's assumptions proved incorrect, and Stadium Corp.'s suite revenues declined sharply when the Indians moved from the stadium to Jacobs Field in 1994. The following year, Modell decided to move the football team to Baltimore, Maryland after the 1995 season
1995 NFL season
The 1995 NFL season was the 76th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 30 teams with the addition of the Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars...
.
Modell's move of the Browns breached the team's lease, and the City of Cleveland sued. After the suit was settled, the stadium was demolished the next year and the pieces were dumped into Lake Erie to create an artificial reef
Artificial reef
An artificial reef is a human-made underwater structure, typically built to promote marine life in areas with a generally featureless bottom, control erosion, block ship passage, or improve surfing....
for fishermen and divers.