Ridge Runner Chronicles: The Infamous Ten Cent Beer Night in Cleveland
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By Bill Hoagland
Several weeks ago, I wrote a column about the Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park that was conceived by Bill Veeck to draw more fans to the ball park. It was a disaster. But that is not the only promotional concept that went south in Major League Baseball. Consider the infamous “Ten Cent Beer Night” at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland.
For some background, on May 29, 1974, a bench-clearing brawl broke out in Arlington, Texas between the Texas Rangers baseball team and the visiting Cleveland Indians baseball team. This was ‘five cent beer night” at the Texas game and the fans were a tad too rowdy toward the visitors, spraying the Cleveland players with beer and hitting them with other projectiles. After the game, Billy Martin, the Rangers Manager, was asked if he was concerned about potential retaliation by Cleveland fans during an upcoming game on June 4 in Cleveland. His response was that he was not concerned because “no one shows up for games in Cleveland anyway.” During the week leading up to the June 4 rematch in Cleveland, Pete Franklin, a popular radio personality in Cleveland, told his listeners that it was time for payback. To make matters worse, local newspapers in Cleveland carried a cartoon depicting “Chief Wahoo”, the Indian “mascot”, wearing boxing gloves and urging Cleveland fans to “Be ready to fight!”
To encourage a large attendance at that game, it was announced that June 4 would be “10 cent beer night” at Municipal Stadium; patrons could purchase 12 ounce cups of beer for ten cents apiece. You were allowed only six cups of beer with each purchase but there was no limit how many visits you could make for more beer. Unfortunately, vendors were unable to dispense beer as quickly as the 25,000 patrons were insisting, so management decided to calm things down by dispensing beer in trucks outside the stadium. That led to patrons pushing employees aside at those outside trucks and filling their own jugs, coolers and in a few cases, eventually just putting their mouths directly on the beer taps.
The first indication that this was not going to be a normal night (aside from the fact that there was a full moon) was in the second or third inning when a middle-aged woman leaped onto the field, flashed the crowd and then ran to an umpire and kissed him. Several innings later, a streaker appeared on the field wearing only one black sock as he sprinted gracefully across the outfield like a gazelle. Other streakers followed soon afterward (presumably without the signature black sock). In the seventh inning, a father and son team mooned the entire stadium from the centerfield bleachers. Cherry bombs and M80 firecrackers started being thrown into the field and into the Rangers dugout.
But things really got interesting in the bottom of the ninth inning just as the Indians tied the game. At that point, one teenaged patron jumped onto the field and snatched the hat off of Jeff Burroughs, the Rangers right fielder (who incidentally was the American League MVP that year). Burroughs fell down trying to kick the snatcher. Thinking Burroughs was in danger, Manager Billy Martin ordered his team to grab bats and go out and rescue Burroughs. Many in the crowd then jumped onto the field ready to fight. At some point the Cleveland team armed themselves with bats to protect–not the Cleveland fans–but rather, to protect the Rangers from the Cleveland fans. After a brief confrontation with the fans, both teams headed to their locker rooms and locked the doors. At this point, the umpires declared that the game was forfeited by Cleveland. The police cleared the stadium and shut it down.
At least no one was killed on June 4, 1974 at Municipal Stadium. Unfortunately, if you sponsored that same event today, there would probably be a a shooting or two before it was over. Times have changed and it is regrettable. (BTW, no more night games for me.)
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ν Bill Hoagland has practiced law in Alton for more than 50 years, but he has spent more than 70 years hunting, fishing and generally being in the great outdoors. His wife, Annie, shares his love of the outdoor life. Much of their spare time is spent on their farm in Calhoun County. Bill can be reached at [email protected].
