On a quiet news day in 1968, unsuspecting Greater Clevelanders were mildly surprised to learn that a little-known local attorney had purchased the Cleveland Arena and its prime tenant, the Cleveland Barons of the American Hockey League. Little did they know they were reading the opening chapter of a local sports saga which in the […]
He came to Cleveland from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada in 1983 to play for pay for Cleveland’s professional indoor soccer team, the Cleveland Force. His rookie season left ample room for improvement, covering five games and producing one assist. His chance to redeem himself would be a long time coming. It would be six years, and […]
In a nine-year span, which began on the neighborhood fields of Cleveland St. Joseph’s High and culminated in the plush surroundings of the Louisiana Superdome, Desmond Howard assembled a collection of football honors matched just twice before in the history of the sport. The talented speedster earned high school All-American honors as a tailback at […]
Born and raised in a nickel mining town in northern Ontario, where you could play hockey outdoors form October until mid-April, Bob Whidden followed his heart and talents to the Toronto Maple Leafs organization in 1967 at age 21 after two years in the Ontario Junior League. After six minor league seasons, he signed with […]
The persuasive conviction of a high school coach and the willingness of a college recruiter to take a gamble on a 6’3″ 185 lb linebacker paid handsome dividends for this East Cleveland native. Limited by an injury to only three football games as a senior at Shaw High, after playing in just seven varsity contests […]
Robert Smith was the best football player ever at Euclid High School—a two-time Mr. Ohio Football, Ohio’s Division 1 Back-of-the-Year in 1988 and 1989, gaining 5, 318 yards on 563 carries and scoring 71 touchdowns in three brilliant seasons. He led the Panthers to a 29-5 record, three Greater Cleveland Conference titles, and three trips […]
At age 17, Tommy Salem had an athletic scholarship to Michigan State and a scholarship to the Cleveland Institute of Art in his pocket and was well along the path in his studies to become a concert violinist. The choice was obvious to the youngster from Bolivar Rd. in downtown Cleveland. With an amazing 126 […]
A big man with a big heart and an unswerving dedication to the youthful athletes of Greater Cleveland, John Peyton’s passion was to “keep the kids on the playgrounds and off the streets.” Countless rec rooms and mantles in Northeastern Ohio homes are decorated with plaques, medals and trophies bearing testimony to his determination to […]
In an era when 6-6 high school basketball centers were considered premium “big men” East High School’s 6-8 Emanuel “Manny” Leaks was both giant and giant-killer. By the end of his senior season in 1963-64, he had earned a prominent place for himself on an impressive list of East High stars. His fierce rebounding and […]
One of the finest all-around female athletes ever to come out of Cleveland, Sue Koziol starred in basketball at Lincoln-West High and later at Cleveland State where she established a peach basket full of records and also managed to work in a school record javelin toss in track. When she elected to test the arm […]