Wow. This is uh... This is a black day for baseball.
June 4, 2009 4:48 PM Subscribe
I had a coworker ask me last week why they don't have a discount beer night similar to the dollar dog night. He's in his early 20's and hadn't heard about this or the death to disco night.
posted by cmfletcher at 4:55 PM on June 4, 2009
posted by cmfletcher at 4:55 PM on June 4, 2009
My favorite baseball promo stunt gone wrong has always been disco demolition night.
posted by hellojed at 4:55 PM on June 4, 2009
posted by hellojed at 4:55 PM on June 4, 2009
These days they surround the ball diamond with guys holding umbrellas to keep fans off the field.
posted by GuyZero at 4:58 PM on June 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by GuyZero at 4:58 PM on June 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
An old man once told me about going to a game on "almost free" beer night. While he didn't mention what he did that night, he did say that throwing batteries at the players was a popular activity. Messed up.
posted by Science! at 5:00 PM on June 4, 2009
posted by Science! at 5:00 PM on June 4, 2009
...and more importantly, to commemorate the event, a fine local establishment is hosting 10c Stroh's draft nite! If nothing else, we are resilient. Resilient and drunk.
posted by greensweater at 5:05 PM on June 4, 2009
posted by greensweater at 5:05 PM on June 4, 2009
i'm sure my cousins will be there. they have enough brothers for their own baseball team, they're shameless indians fans, and oh, lord! can those boys drink!
not a baseball game & never got to a full-blown riot, but my hometown, about 90 miles se of the clevetown, used to host a reunion every year at the park on the hill. when it first started--coincidentally, back in the 70s--they used to have free beer. well, it only took one year for the word to get out on that, and the 2nd year the park was filled to overflowing, with seemingly everyone who ever drove past claiming some sort of hometown pride so they could also claim their free beer. and just like the indians/rangers game, and as predicted for this year's 10-cent revival by the cleveland scene article linked to from the op's link, 'sure to be seen: Free views of drunken panhandlers taking advantage of the deal; Free views of vomit spewed far and wide from the bathrooms to the sidewalk; Free bloody foreheads; ... .' it was a MESS.
the hometown forefathers got smart, though. the next year they charged a quarter a beer. that cut down a little bit on the melee. and now they only have the reunion every 5 or so years, and i'm not sure what the deal with the beer is because who's going to go back to something like that?
go, ohio!
posted by msconduct at 5:07 PM on June 4, 2009
not a baseball game & never got to a full-blown riot, but my hometown, about 90 miles se of the clevetown, used to host a reunion every year at the park on the hill. when it first started--coincidentally, back in the 70s--they used to have free beer. well, it only took one year for the word to get out on that, and the 2nd year the park was filled to overflowing, with seemingly everyone who ever drove past claiming some sort of hometown pride so they could also claim their free beer. and just like the indians/rangers game, and as predicted for this year's 10-cent revival by the cleveland scene article linked to from the op's link, 'sure to be seen: Free views of drunken panhandlers taking advantage of the deal; Free views of vomit spewed far and wide from the bathrooms to the sidewalk; Free bloody foreheads; ... .' it was a MESS.
the hometown forefathers got smart, though. the next year they charged a quarter a beer. that cut down a little bit on the melee. and now they only have the reunion every 5 or so years, and i'm not sure what the deal with the beer is because who's going to go back to something like that?
go, ohio!
posted by msconduct at 5:07 PM on June 4, 2009
"are you sure this is not a double?"
by the sounds of it, it was a home-run!
posted by HuronBob at 5:59 PM on June 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
by the sounds of it, it was a home-run!
posted by HuronBob at 5:59 PM on June 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
And those were 1974 dimes. If you adjust for inflation it'd be like them injecting Stroh's directly into your veins.
posted by kirkaracha at 6:01 PM on June 4, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by kirkaracha at 6:01 PM on June 4, 2009 [2 favorites]
Gallon O' Thunderbird: Because 10 cent beer night is too expensive.
posted by furiousxgeorge at 6:16 PM on June 4, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by furiousxgeorge at 6:16 PM on June 4, 2009 [3 favorites]
It's not a double because someone is sure to swing by Now That's Class tonight and will fill us in on the carnage. I saw The Golden Error there a few months back. Some fine young fellow, pupils fully dilated, asked me straight out if I was a cop. Also, they have a (lonely) NES at the bar.
While we're on the subject of fun times in Cleveland, here's the long awaited follow-up to Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism video.
posted by greensweater at 6:38 PM on June 4, 2009
While we're on the subject of fun times in Cleveland, here's the long awaited follow-up to Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism video.
posted by greensweater at 6:38 PM on June 4, 2009
God that Page 2 link is fucking hilarious. The climactic Battle of Right-Center Field reads like something out of Shelby Foote:
Martin and his team stormed the diamond, infielders filling out their ranks. When they reached the outfield, the Rangers found Burroughs flustered but unharmed. More worrisome was the effect of their charge on the assembly: The jovial, frolicking nudists had disappeared. The mob that replaced them kept its clothes on and brandished an arsenal that made Martin's Louisville Slugger look like a child's toy. The Rangers manager spotted people wielding chains, knives and clubs fashioned from pieces of stadium seats. The 25 Texas players quickly found themselves surrounded by 200 angry drunks, and more were tumbling over the wall onto the field. The Texas Rangers had been ambushed.
Then the riot began. Indians manager Ken Aspromonte, his own defining moment upon him, realized that the Texas franchise might be on the verge of decimation. He too ordered his players onto the field. The bat racks in the home dugout emptied as the Indians mounted their own rescue...
The sight of 50 angry professional athletes slowly killed the buzz, and the tide in the outfield turned. Taking advantage of what might be their only opportunity to escape alive, Martin and Aspromonte led their players out through the dugouts and down the tunnels, assisting their wounded as needed, with bench players forming a rearguard. After the teams departed, the mob found itself alone on the diamond, with many securing souvenirs to mark the occasion.
posted by mediareport at 7:56 PM on June 4, 2009 [2 favorites]
Martin and his team stormed the diamond, infielders filling out their ranks. When they reached the outfield, the Rangers found Burroughs flustered but unharmed. More worrisome was the effect of their charge on the assembly: The jovial, frolicking nudists had disappeared. The mob that replaced them kept its clothes on and brandished an arsenal that made Martin's Louisville Slugger look like a child's toy. The Rangers manager spotted people wielding chains, knives and clubs fashioned from pieces of stadium seats. The 25 Texas players quickly found themselves surrounded by 200 angry drunks, and more were tumbling over the wall onto the field. The Texas Rangers had been ambushed.
Then the riot began. Indians manager Ken Aspromonte, his own defining moment upon him, realized that the Texas franchise might be on the verge of decimation. He too ordered his players onto the field. The bat racks in the home dugout emptied as the Indians mounted their own rescue...
The sight of 50 angry professional athletes slowly killed the buzz, and the tide in the outfield turned. Taking advantage of what might be their only opportunity to escape alive, Martin and Aspromonte led their players out through the dugouts and down the tunnels, assisting their wounded as needed, with bench players forming a rearguard. After the teams departed, the mob found itself alone on the diamond, with many securing souvenirs to mark the occasion.
posted by mediareport at 7:56 PM on June 4, 2009 [2 favorites]
Martin and his team stormed the diamond, infielders filling out their ranks. When they reached the outfield, the Rangers found Burroughs flustered but unharmed. More worrisome was the effect of their charge on the assembly: The jovial, frolicking nudists had disappeared. The mob that replaced them kept its clothes on and brandished an arsenal that made Martin's Louisville Slugger look like a child's toy. The Rangers manager spotted people wielding chains, knives and clubs fashioned from pieces of stadium seats. The 25 Texas players quickly found themselves surrounded by 200 angry drunks, and more were tumbling over the wall onto the field. The Texas Rangers had been ambushed.
Then the riot began. Indians manager Ken Aspromonte, his own defining moment upon him, realized that the Texas franchise might be on the verge of decimation. He too ordered his players onto the field. The bat racks in the home dugout emptied as the Indians mounted their own rescue...
The sight of 50 angry professional athletes slowly killed the buzz, and the tide in the outfield turned. Taking advantage of what might be their only opportunity to escape alive, Martin and Aspromonte led their players out through the dugouts and down the tunnels, assisting their wounded as needed, with bench players forming a rearguard. After the teams departed, the mob found itself alone on the diamond, with many securing souvenirs to mark the occasion.
At the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium, this was actually a typical Night At The Ballgame. The Tribe sucked in the 70's, and so did the Browns mostly. So the beer was really the only attraction, at any price.
While he didn't mention what he did that night, he did say that throwing batteries at the players was a popular activity. Messed up.
Yup. And again, par for the course. Muny was a total Peanut Gallery.:)
posted by spirit72 at 8:14 PM on June 4, 2009
Then the riot began. Indians manager Ken Aspromonte, his own defining moment upon him, realized that the Texas franchise might be on the verge of decimation. He too ordered his players onto the field. The bat racks in the home dugout emptied as the Indians mounted their own rescue...
The sight of 50 angry professional athletes slowly killed the buzz, and the tide in the outfield turned. Taking advantage of what might be their only opportunity to escape alive, Martin and Aspromonte led their players out through the dugouts and down the tunnels, assisting their wounded as needed, with bench players forming a rearguard. After the teams departed, the mob found itself alone on the diamond, with many securing souvenirs to mark the occasion.
At the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium, this was actually a typical Night At The Ballgame. The Tribe sucked in the 70's, and so did the Browns mostly. So the beer was really the only attraction, at any price.
While he didn't mention what he did that night, he did say that throwing batteries at the players was a popular activity. Messed up.
Yup. And again, par for the course. Muny was a total Peanut Gallery.:)
posted by spirit72 at 8:14 PM on June 4, 2009
Helmets were for baseball batters then. Bad luck, TJ. With the crowd beginning to calm down, a middle-aged man, the worse for alcoholic wear, came over and, initially in jovial mood, leaned across the fence and took Snow by the arm, not in aggressive fashion.
Snow pulled away, the spectator hung on and the incident deteriorated into an ugly confrontation. Snow freed himself and retreated, and the crowd, already fuming over the near scalping of Jenner, took retribution by hurling cans and bottles on to the field.
England's captain, Ray Illingworth, assessed the situation at a glance and, considering the safety of his players, led his team from the field.
When the hail of cans cascaded on the SCG, umpires Tom Brooks and Lou Rowan ordered the ground be cleared of rubbish and went in search of Illingworth.
Full strength beers have been banned at most sporting venues in Australia for quite some time, unfortunately for us happy drunks.
I don't think you can buy full strength beer in the USA because Americans can't handle their piss. FYI, full strength = 5% alcohol, give or take.
cricket > baseball
posted by uncanny hengeman at 8:36 PM on June 4, 2009
Snow pulled away, the spectator hung on and the incident deteriorated into an ugly confrontation. Snow freed himself and retreated, and the crowd, already fuming over the near scalping of Jenner, took retribution by hurling cans and bottles on to the field.
England's captain, Ray Illingworth, assessed the situation at a glance and, considering the safety of his players, led his team from the field.
When the hail of cans cascaded on the SCG, umpires Tom Brooks and Lou Rowan ordered the ground be cleared of rubbish and went in search of Illingworth.
Full strength beers have been banned at most sporting venues in Australia for quite some time, unfortunately for us happy drunks.
I don't think you can buy full strength beer in the USA because Americans can't handle their piss. FYI, full strength = 5% alcohol, give or take.
cricket > baseball
posted by uncanny hengeman at 8:36 PM on June 4, 2009
Budweiser is 5% :) Some states/counties ban full strength beer, but not many.
posted by empath at 8:47 PM on June 4, 2009
posted by empath at 8:47 PM on June 4, 2009
OK, this is a double. Why is it still here?
Ghost runner on second?
posted by kirkaracha at 9:21 PM on June 4, 2009 [2 favorites]
I don't think you can buy full strength beer in the USA because Americans can't handle their piss. FYI, full strength = 5% alcohol, give or take.
Most American beers are around 5% ABV. "High Gravity" malt liquors are generally around 8-10% ABV and available at any convenience store. Some of the microbrews are even stronger, like Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA with its insane 21% ABV.
posted by DecemberBoy at 9:40 PM on June 4, 2009
Most American beers are around 5% ABV. "High Gravity" malt liquors are generally around 8-10% ABV and available at any convenience store. Some of the microbrews are even stronger, like Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA with its insane 21% ABV.
posted by DecemberBoy at 9:40 PM on June 4, 2009
DO NOT FEED THE TROLL
posted by uncanny hengeman at 9:50 PM on June 4, 2009
posted by uncanny hengeman at 9:50 PM on June 4, 2009
yeah, now that's class honestly wasn't as bad as i had expected it to be. i have to admit, they did note that it was possibly the dumbest idea they'd ever had. but still, at least while i was there it wasn't bad at all. no worse than normal, anyway.
it's worth mentioning that it's essentially because of what happened at the browns-jaguars game in 2001 that plastic beer bottles are as widespread in the states as they are, especially at sporting events.
cleveland: this is why we can't have nice things.
posted by vellocet at 11:07 PM on June 4, 2009
it's worth mentioning that it's essentially because of what happened at the browns-jaguars game in 2001 that plastic beer bottles are as widespread in the states as they are, especially at sporting events.
cleveland: this is why we can't have nice things.
posted by vellocet at 11:07 PM on June 4, 2009
This is, basically, a double. More links, sure, but the best one's already been posted.
posted by SpiffyRob at 5:19 AM on June 5, 2009
posted by SpiffyRob at 5:19 AM on June 5, 2009
Disco Demolition really deserves its own thread.
posted by Halloween Jack at 7:44 AM on June 5, 2009
posted by Halloween Jack at 7:44 AM on June 5, 2009
I heard Mike Veeck talk about Disco Demolition Night at the Hot Stove League Banquet in Minneapolis a couple years ago. Hilarity ensued. Also on the bill was Bill "Spaceman" Lee. Good times, good times.
posted by Mental Wimp at 2:32 PM on June 5, 2009
posted by Mental Wimp at 2:32 PM on June 5, 2009
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