The Cleveland Indians Clinch the Central division. 9/8/1995.

[usurper70]

you know, this was shortly before we found out the Browns were leaving....

[scoot1105]

This bring back some good memories. I was in the Army stationed in Germany and i heard this game on Armed Forces Radio. I was crying like a baby that night!!

[wenders99]

This is awesome. I was there with my dad. We were in the cheap seats in right field going nuts. How many ballgames at Municipal with 4000 other people watching Andre Thornton and a washed-up Manny Trillo...why couldn't they just win it?

[1980icca]

If the Indians would have won the world series that year.... They would go down is MLB history as one of the best teams ever!!!! 100-44!!!! They could have been 118-44!!!! In a regular season. Better record than the 1998 Yankees!!!!

You know what? I started paying attention, close attention to baseball in 1986 ok, 1986.... You know what, 2 of the 3 best teams in that span,"24 Years" didn't win the world series.

1995 Indians and

2001 Mariners.

[NWpowerhouse85]

@1980icca Even for a team as dominant as the 95' Indians, to assume that they'd have won all 18 strike games is a little much lol

[johnstone2010]

I am a big fan of the Red Sox and the Dodgers; I enjoyed 2007 as hell, cause Bosox won the pennant; I think Cleveland is a great team, with great players and great fans who don't get tired to cheer up the tribe; yep, we beat the tribe in 2007, and passed all over CC Sabathia in the playoffs; but with all respect, I think CC was not as mature as he is now having a great time at NY, and your president made a HUGEEEEE mistake in getting rid of him. Why did they let go CC?..what did u get 2 show 4?

[OpressionOffical]

@johnstone2010

Your right. But we got Matt Laporta, who is an upcoming player and he's supposed to play his first full season with the tribe this season, he hit 12 home runs and 41 RBI's last year in 70-80 games. And we got Michael Brantley, who is supposed to become a Kenny Lofton type, just not as fast, and is also supposed to play his first full season in 2011. So far the trade looks to be a fair one. Brantley had a great second half in 2010, and LaPorta has to be more consistent hitting.

[Kdubslugga]

15 yrs ago lol still no ring!!!!! Man these were the days!!

[wayne2166]

The indians suck

[winterwind49]

like my brothers have said...if the yankees had put up the kind of numbers cleveland did that year, they would have been considered one of the best teams ever...cleveland never gets the kudos they deserve...cleveland fans have every right to get pissed...i know my brothers are...lol

[BB13131313]

Kenny Lofton Omar Vizquel Carlos Baerga Albert Belle Jim Thome Manny Ramirez Eddie Murray Sandy Alomar Jr. Tony Pena Paul Sorrento Name a better line up on paper

[PeoplesWar]

@BB13131313 The line-up was so good they had Carlos Baerga hitting 3rd. LOL

[BB13131313]

@PeoplesWar Are you being sarcastic? Check out Baerga's numbers back then, not to mention he was the most "clutch" hitter. Carlos was a beast!

[PeoplesWar]

@BB13131313 What I mean is that their line-up was so good, it almost didn't matter who batted 3rd.

[BB13131313]

@PeoplesWar Gotcha! Right on!!

[NWpowerhouse85]

@BB13131313 In execution, looking back on any lineup in major league history, it'd be difficult to find a better lineup :)

[usurper70]

@BB13131313

I would, but that's impossible.

[wenders99]

I was there that night as well. I cannot thank you enough for posting it. Steve Olin would have been so pumped!

[lauraells]

how is them losing to the Braves even remotely funny? That was a phenomenal team and we lost to the Braves in six games...it's not like it was 3, it was a battle. That is a team that will always be remembered in Cleveland.

[saveusfrom1983]

It must be funny to Atlanta fans because that is the only World Series they won considering they went to 14 straight playoff apperances.

[Creepingdeathx81]

and then they eventually lose to the braves in the world series haha :o)

[qman66]

this was their firsy playoff berth since 1954 right? thats crazy 41 year playoff drought wow

[asiansarecute]

Gives me chills...

Great memories.

[JLTRAIN233]

I was at this game and i was so sad they lost in the world series, i mean if they won the world series this would have been the perfect season and year to do it, they were amazing! jsut like the cavaliers were this year in 2009 but again they lost

[Iknowabout911]

a young manny ramirez

[mkirch72]

Are those cowbells I hear? Sounds like a few Tribe fans may have moved to St. Pete and become Rays fans.

[mikereynolds4444]

We invented the cow bells...they were the Albert Bell "Bells"

[pasternak2]

I am a lifelong Clevelander. Always loved the Tribe and always will. I remember exactly what I was doing on this night: I was 18 and at a bar in North Olmsted with friends I worked with and my then girlfriend - we were all crying we were so happy. Those of you not from Cleveland don't understand the meaning of this night. Getting tears now just thinking about it. '97 was special, so was 2007 untill we collapsed in the ALCS, but 1995 was just magical.

[thomesocksup]

that was a truely beautiful moment. First time in my lifetime.

[saywhatmachine]

where did all these people go? now when you go to a game you can practically have your own section...

man these were the days

[tremontarama]

"where did all these people go?"

Two reasons come to mind. 1995 was special for the fans back then. It was  the first time the Tribe was going to the post season in 41 years. Jacobs Field was brand new and still a novelty.

[saywhatmachine]

dont forget that the browns were gone and the cavs were shit- i guess people had nothing else to see

[pjbush]

the browns were gone???? wow ur stupid, not yet

[saywhatmachine]

if you have any concept of cleveland sports history you know that at that point the browns future in cleveland was in the air. less then a month after this game m*dell announced the move AFTER negotiations with the city. yes the browns were not LITERALLY gone but they didnt pack up and leave in the middle of the night like the colts- there was a public battle beforehand. in general the browns were gone during the indians winning years. learn some context next time before you respond

[thomesocksup]

If it weren't for the strike shortened season in 94, they could have done it. They were only one game behind the white sox. And it was awesome. First time in my lifetime. Truely a great time. 97 was special as well.

[tremontarama]

Yeah it was a special time. It's amazing how the years have gone by. Seems like yesterday.

[IceBongs]

yea '97 was special until Jose Mesa came into our lives.

[SaleGuy]

Jose Mesa is nothing more but a rapist! Live with it!!

[1980icca]

@thomesocksup 

[dpaoloni]

@saywhatmachine

all those people stay home, because the organization just trades away anyone of value. it's a joke. the whole league is a friggin joke.

[pablomonkey93]

@saywhatmachine Get ready the 90s are about to happen all over again! 2011 - TBD

[nickma71]

@saywhatmachine Dick Jacobs sold the team to someboody that isn't interested in winning.Just like the clowns that ran the team from 1960 to 1985 or so. When that sorry ass Larry Dolan starts fielding good teams, I will go again. You can't field a bunch of young players, then get rid of them if their contract is up and they are good.

[ytownteddy]

I was lucky enough to be there in the upper deck with my Uncle Jack above 1st base. Ironically enough, I originally bought the tickets when the season started because if Baltimore had one rain out this game would've been the one where Ripken broke Gehrig's streak. I remember counting the games when the schedule came out, like they'd actually let him break that record on the road...right? I remember giving him a standing ovation and then booing him immediately afterwards when he got a hit.

[ytownteddy]

Instead of the streak being broken I got one of my best moments as an Indians fan. After taking all that crap by wearing my Wahoo hat when we were losing 90+ games every year we were officially winners. We kept trying to imagine what the playoffs would be like as they raised the flag. I lost Uncle Jack to a heart attack 3 years ago. We went to a ton of games together over the years, but obviously I'll always cherish sharing this memory of being there 9/8/95 with him. Miss ya bud. Go Tribe!

[tremontarama]

Thanks for posting your memories here.

I too remember the ovation for Ripken and also the booing later on when he got a hit. That's one of the anecdotes I tell when I talk about this game. I still chuckle when I think about it.

[thomesocksup]

Moved to PA last year and I so miss my tribe! When people hear I am from Cleveland, I get "I hope you're not a Browns fan" ... Duh! what else would I be. But when they find out I'm an Indians fan, it's cool. Pirates have sucked for 16 years now.

[KAricann10]

this makes me want to cry

[dinotribe1]

Awesome moment. It was such a classy move on the Indians part to play Garth Brooks' The Dance during the flag raising ceremony. That was the favorite song of the late pitcher Steve Olin.

[gjs78]

I liked better when fans used to storm the field.

Like the 68 Tigers or 84 Tigers.

Not knocking the Indians; It just doesn't happen anymore. We can't get near the primadonna stars of today's game.

[thomesocksup]

Don't like the primadonna stars of today. They maybe great ballplayers but are assholes off the field. Everyone should be like Thome. Very likeable guy off the field. It was electric when it was the Jake during those days. Hammy gives me goosebumps when he calls a game. Go Tribe!

[tribefan879]

That was actually Jeff Huson who popped out to Jim Thome

[tremontarama]

Thanks for the info, I'll fix my data.

[JILLIANJOHN]

GO TRIBE!!!

[ECWChris94]

Jacobs Field was soooo much nicer before all them goofy looking video displays everywhere. Anyway GREAT FOOTAGE! I remember that night fondly. And the last few second with Herb doing radio, awesome!

[tremontarama]

Thanks. That was the first significant thing that the Tribe did in my life after decades of futility.

Of course we're all still waiting for a World Series Championship.