They might not have brought us the fairytale ending we wanted, but the tribe left their heart and soul out on the field last night in an epic Game 7 of the World Series
As we’re all still recovering from the game, News 5’s Lauren Wilson checked in with a few fans who know all about the ups and downs of Cleveland sports.
“I'm depressed, I gotta tell ya...when you get this close and it's extra innings, it's a killer," said Bob Dyer, author of the book, 'Top 20 Moments in Cleveland Sports.'
Still mulling over on last night's game, he tells me just the emotions themselves that Game 7 stirred up will go down in history.
“It was a great run, it was a thrilling World Series, it was one of the best ever I think," he said
He should know, after writing his book years ago on the top 20 sports moments in Cleveland.
“It's funny Cleveland sports fans have their own lingo, you say 1954, 1948, 1964, people know exactly what you're talking about and then on the other side we've got the shot, the drive, the fumble, red ride 88, which also are code words everybody knows.”
Coming out in 2003, the big moments laid dormant for 11 years, but then the game changer, LeBron's return.
“It was a monumental moment in Cleveland sports...there's 3 things that should be in here that aren't," Dyer said while holding up his book.
He's not the only one documenting the pits and peaks of sports in the land.
“It was just like that so close, every year so close that you're just like one of these years we're going to get it," said Scott O'Brien, who decided to make the coloring book about Cleveland sports called, "Why Dad is Sad on Sunday.”
"It's more than just a kind of straight coloring book, it also has so history in it,” he said.
"Just flipping through it, it was one of those where I was excited about it and I sat back in a corner and just kind of flipped through it for the rest of the evening,” expressed Chris McNeil, who got the coloring book as a gift from his kids. He told me he loves it because it encompasses the very essence of our city sports, even right down to last night’s game.
“We're built on disappointment like this, it's part of our character...so with the book they capture all of those moments, which is just perfect," said McNeil.
But with the heck of a year we've had, first the Cavs take it all, then the tribe comes so close, I asked both authors do either of these fit their criteria for an update.
“I don’t think I’ll be updating the sad coloring book right now, but I’m thinking about doing a championship book for all the recent wins,” O’Brien said.
Writing for the Akron Beacon Journal since the early 80s, Dyer said perhaps the most memorable thing for him, is the fandom.
“The thing I love the most probably about pro sports is how it can bring a community together...I think that's really cool."
As of right now, Bob Dyer told me he doesn't have any exact concrete plan to update his book, for now he'll just stick to writing about all things Cleveland in his column in the paper.
