BBTF's Newsblog Discussion :: Heaton: It was a hot and thirsty night: Looking back at 10-Cent Beer Night

Baseball Primer Newsblog
— The Best News Links from the Baseball Newsstand

Monday, June 04, 2012

Heaton: It was a hot and thirsty night: Looking back at 10-Cent Beer Night

Pigskin Pete predicts a Pete Franklin sighting!

Former Plain Dealer sportswriter Dan Coughlin covered the game and was punched in the jaw by a random young fan while he stood on the Rangers dugout trying to do an interview.

“All week before that game, [radio host] Pete Franklin kept up a steady drumbeat with listeners about how we needed to get even with the Rangers for the brawl the previous week,” Coughlin said. “He was priming the pump for an incident like the one that took place.”

The high jinks began in the third inning with the then-current craze of streaking.

“It was all kind of funny at first,” said York, who now is development marketing manager for PlayhouseSquare.

“A guy wearing only tennis shoes ran through the outfield along the fence. The fence was tall and he couldn’t see that police with radios were running right along with him on the other side. When he jumped the fence, the police were there with a big black plastic bag and hauled him away.”

A woman ran onto the field and, at home plate, bared her breasts to the delighted crowd. But things got crazier. A fair number of fans arrived having been drinking already.

Repoz Posted: June 04, 2012 at 09:52 AM | 36 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: history, indians

Reader Comments and Retorts

Go to end of page

Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.

1. Dangerous Dean Posted: June 04, 2012 at 10:50 AM (#4147530)

Why this surprised anyone is beyond me. Cheap beer would be great if it went only to the fans who wouldn't abuse it. But what are the odds of that?

2. Tom Nawrocki Posted: June 04, 2012 at 10:54 AM (#4147532)

I knew fans ended up overrunning the field, but I didn't realize until today that they actually attacked the players. The Indians franchise was lucky that a forfeited game was the only real repercussion.

3. GregQ Posted: June 04, 2012 at 11:17 AM (#4147556)

I seem to recall reading an account of this game and the person said that they took mass transit, I think the train, to the game and said it felt like he was taking the train back from 10 cent beer night, everybody was so drunk already.

4. cmd600 Posted: June 04, 2012 at 11:47 AM (#4147593)

Why this surprised anyone is beyond me

I'm not sure anyone was surprised, but this promotion went off with few problems just a week before in Texas, and Milwaukee put on their own with some rowdiness, but nothing resembling rioting.

5. Pops Freshenmeyer Posted: June 04, 2012 at 11:55 AM (#4147603)

I've been to more than a few minor league games with cheap beer promotions that had no issues whatsoever. Perhaps the sheer number of people there made it more likely some moron(s) would act as a catalyst for a public riot.

6. Dangerous Dean Posted: June 04, 2012 at 12:04 PM (#4147615)

I had heard the story before but not heard about the radio guy fanning the flames for a while. maybe that was the biggest issue.

7. Steve N Posted: June 04, 2012 at 12:07 PM (#4147619)

Has anyone found any video of this? I would like to share it with folks who might not believe.

8. BDC

Posted: June 04, 2012 at 12:08 PM (#4147621)

this promotion went off with few problems just a week before in Texas

I'm trying to imagine 10¢ beer night in Arlington Stadium in the day. Presumably every 10¢ beer was sold by the purchaser's mom, who added, "Now y'all know I'm counting on you boys to know when to stop, you hear?" Yes, ma'am.

9. SouthSideRyan Posted: June 04, 2012 at 12:13 PM (#4147632)

I can't believe they had another one the same season.

10. cmd600 Posted: June 04, 2012 at 12:18 PM (#4147640)

I had heard the story before but not heard about the radio guy fanning the flames for a while. maybe that was the biggest issue.

This, and as #3 said, people were drunk before they entered the stadium. Yes, selling 10 cent beers wasn't going to make the situation any better, but chances were pretty good that something really dumb was going to happen that night regardless of the cost of beer.

Also, being from Cleveland, I can tell you that this incident is looked upon with endearment today, and I have no idea why. Kids who were born well after 1974 wear shirts commemorating that their parents acted like cavemen one evening.

11. TerpNats Posted: June 04, 2012 at 12:30 PM (#4147656)

Also, being from Cleveland, I can tell you that this incident is looked upon with endearment today, and I have no idea why. Kids who were born well after 1974 wear shirts commemorating that their parents acted like cavemen one evening.

For Clevelanders, you would think they would look upon this as the sports equivalent of the Cuyahoga River catching fire. "Burn on, big river, burn on..."

12. Coot Veal and Cot Deal make $486 every day Posted: June 04, 2012 at 01:35 PM (#4147752)

here's a Terry Pluto column on the same subject, written last fall...

---

This, and as #3 said, people were drunk before they entered the stadium.

I drove a cab on Cleveland's West Side for a while, and I can attest to the fact that folks getting hammered in advance of drinking events still goes on... St. Pat's, Indians' home opener, any Browns home game. We'd be picking up obviously inebriated souls and hauling them downtown at 6:30-7:00 a.m.

13. Morty Causa Posted: June 04, 2012 at 01:50 PM (#4147769)

How did this stack up against Disco Demolition Night in Chicago, which was also alcohol fueled?

14. Tom Nawrocki Posted: June 04, 2012 at 02:04 PM (#4147788)

Disco Demolition Night was a doubleheader, with the records being blown up in the outfield between games. The crowd was exceptionally rowdy, but the real rioting only happened between games, when the players were off the field. (The second game of the DH was forfeited.)

15. BDC

Posted: June 04, 2012 at 02:04 PM (#4147789)

I am also trying to imagine the 1894 Cleveland Spiders hosting a 10¢ beer night. Which would also have failed, because beer cost one half-cent a pint in 1894.

16. Lassus Posted: June 04, 2012 at 02:08 PM (#4147797)

Also, being from Cleveland, I can tell you that this incident is looked upon with endearment today, and I have no idea why.

As a non-drinker, allow me to attempt to sum up:

Because drunk people think they are hilarious and awesome. Drunk people think drunk people are hilarious and awesome. People who have been drunk think drunk people are hilarious and awesome. Lastly, the opinions of non-drunk people matter very little to people who are drunk or who have been drunk.

17. YR Misses Reggie Bars Posted: June 04, 2012 at 02:18 PM (#4147808)

Geez lighten up Lassus. As we learned from the 2000 election, the truest and most American method of deliberating over candidates is to consider which one you'd rather drink a beer with. Boy, that's going to be a real somber discussion this year.

18. Walt Davis Posted: June 04, 2012 at 02:46 PM (#4147834)

This year I propose it's who would you rather share a hookah with.

folks getting hammered in advance of drinking events still goes on

In NZ (and maybe everywhere in the world for all I know), this is called pre-loading. Pure economics -- get as hammered as cheaply as you can at home so you can buy as few drinks as possible at the club ... or be so drunk you don't care how much you're paying for the drinks at the club.

Of course if you're getting 10-cent beers at the ballpark, it would seem cheaper to get hammerd at the park.

19. smileyy Posted: June 04, 2012 at 03:08 PM (#4147864)

I am also trying to imagine the 1894 Cleveland Spiders hosting a 10¢ beer night. Which would also have failed, because beer cost one half-cent a pint in 1894.

After two or three of those two and a half gallon beers, nobody really has the ability to riot.

20. smileyy Posted: June 04, 2012 at 03:09 PM (#4147867)

[17 + 18] In the 80s, it was who you'd rather share a rolled up $100 bill with, but AIDS and Hepatitis C have taught us not to share those anymore.

21. RB in NYC (Now Semi-Retired from BBTF) Posted: June 04, 2012 at 03:38 PM (#4147904)

In NZ (and maybe everywhere in the world for all I know), this is called pre-loading.

At least when I was in college this was called--appropriately enough, in light of the story we're discussing--pre-gaming. Pre-game was also one of those things which could function as both a noun ("We're going to pre-game with a round of beer pong") and verb ("We're pre-gaming in my room if you want to come by.") Good fun.

22. Jarrod HypnerotomachiaPoliphili(Teddy F. Ballgame) Posted: June 04, 2012 at 04:02 PM (#4147948)

Those are both verbs, but point taken.

23. RB in NYC (Now Semi-Retired from BBTF) Posted: June 04, 2012 at 04:25 PM (#4147973)

Those are both verbs, but point taken.

Well, yes. But in my defense, I'm pre-gaming at the office.

24. bads85 Posted: June 04, 2012 at 06:08 PM (#4148119)

Kids who were born well after 1974 wear shirts commemorating that their parents acted like cavemen one evening.

That shirt is one of the Indians' hottest selling piece of merchandise.

25. McCoy Posted: June 04, 2012 at 08:14 PM (#4148282)

"We're doing the pre-game at Tom's house"

26. SoCalDemon Posted: June 04, 2012 at 08:41 PM (#4148334)

Re #17: Leaving politics aside, that is tough. I mean, it would be Obama, but still can't imagine it being a fun gathering. I would vote for Biden, unless Romney has Kinky Friedman as his Vice P.

27. Jolly Old St. Nick Done Jumped The Ship

Posted: June 04, 2012 at 08:51 PM (#4148357)

I am also trying to imagine the 1894 Cleveland Spiders hosting a 10¢ beer night. Which would also have failed, because beer cost one half-cent a pint in 1894.

That 1¢ lunch promotion wouldn't have worked too well, either.

28. smileyy Posted: June 04, 2012 at 09:55 PM (#4148460)

So did people just not buy individual things that cost less than a cent back then?

29. McCoy Posted: June 04, 2012 at 09:58 PM (#4148468)

They got bigger portions. For instance the Hershey Bar has been shrinking for decades to keep up with the rising costs of production.

30. smileyy Posted: June 04, 2012 at 10:03 PM (#4148480)

I can see buying more to share amongst the 17 of your siblings that lived. But what does the guy in [27] do with his presumably sub-1c lunch? Does he rock-paper-scissors with the guy next to him as to who pays today? Does he keep a running tab? Am I completely misunderstanding what the 19th century was like?

31. Tulo's Fishy Mullet (mrams) Posted: June 04, 2012 at 10:13 PM (#4148494)

I'm not sure anyone was surprised, but this promotion went off with few problems just a week before in Texas, and Milwaukee put on their own with some rowdiness, but nothing resembling rioting.

I was always told by my Milwaukee elders, that County Stadium allowed BYOB until the mid 70s. Though, that may have been confined to the picnic area over near the 3rd base line, or maybe it was out near Perini's Woods.

32. McCoy Posted: June 04, 2012 at 10:22 PM (#4148511)

19th century didn't have a less than a penny lunch. Well, maybe somebody ran some special, I don't know but your typical meal cost more than a penny.

England had the farthing and half farthing. A farthing was worth I believe a quarter of a penny.

Restaurant prices of the 19th century.

33. cmd600 Posted: June 04, 2012 at 10:23 PM (#4148513)

Because drunk people think they are hilarious and awesome.

Well, they certainly can be. As a former college student, I see the fun in a bunch of people getting so drunk that a few people end up running around naked and the ensuing morning where you gush about that party to your friends who passed on it. But when your drunken shenanigans are pre-planned violence, I don't know why you think its a good idea to go tell everyone.

34. Jolly Old St. Nick Done Jumped The Ship

Posted: June 04, 2012 at 10:28 PM (#4148522)

A box of 24 packs of Topps baseball cards in 1952 would have cost you 75¢, or about 3.125¢ for a 6-card pack. That's about 29¢ a pack in today's dollars. Today when you buy the Bowman Value Pack by the case, you pay $89.99 for 18 20-card packs, or about $1.50 for every 6 cards.

The last unopened 1952 Topps box on the market sold for $208,740.00 at auction in 2004. Wonder what a 2012 box will sell for in 2072?

35. Jolly Old St. Nick Done Jumped The Ship

Posted: June 04, 2012 at 10:32 PM (#4148530)

19th century didn't have a less than a penny lunch. Well, maybe somebody ran some special, I don't know but your typical meal cost more than a penny.

That's true, of course, although wasn't the "free lunch" with your nickel beer a late 19th century tavern staple?

36. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: June 04, 2012 at 11:30 PM (#4148595)

As a former college student, I see the fun in a bunch of people getting so drunk that a few people end up running around naked and the ensuing morning where you gush about that party to your friends who passed on it.

as my roommate (in college and grad school) and I would always parody such nostalgia as
"yeah, it was GREAT--we puked and everything!!"

You must be Registered and Logged In to post comments.

<< Back to main

Monday, June 04, 2012

Heaton: It was a hot and thirsty night: Looking back at 10-Cent Beer Night

Reader Comments and Retorts

BBTF Partner

Bookmarks

Hot Topics