Cleveland Vintage Blog
Nick Mileti, the Man Who Saved the Cleveland Sports Scene
Our headline may suggest a little bias on our part as to the direction of the piece, but we truly feel that Nick Mileti single-handedly revived interest in the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians), secured an NBA franchise for the city, and even kept hockey afloat with his acquisition of the AHL Cleveland Barons as well as establishing one of the original WHA franchises in the Cleveland Crusaders. And that's not all. Mileti was also such an innovator that he envisioned out in the middle of nowhere, at the exit of Route 303 off Interstate 271, what would become the Richfield...
The Cleveland Crusaders and the City's Time in the World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association came into being in September of 1971, beginning play with 12 original teams. Thanks to Nick Mileti, Cleveland was one of the fortunate 12 teams for that inaugural 1972-73 season, as the Cleveland Crusaders took to the ice at the old Cleveland Arena for the first time. The goal of the World Hockey Association was the same as any upstart league: to become a viable rival to the already well-established league of their sport, the National Hockey League. One of the primary objectives was to establish immediate credibility as a viable alternative and gain fan support...
Cleveland Is One of the Gloomiest Cities in the U.S. During the Winter
This might not come as any shock to you, but Cleveland, Ohio is one of the cloudiest, gloomiest cities in the United States during the winter months. As you stare out at yet another lake-effect snowfall, enduring the bitter cold and wondering if you'll ever see the grass or sky again, maybe it will bring just a little bit of solace knowing it's not just you. Maybe. Cleveland Is Scientifically One of the Cloudiest Cities in the U.S. in the Winter Based on the percentage of sunlight experienced each day during the winter, Cleveland, Ohio is statistically one of the...
The Disastrous Ted Stepien Era of the Cleveland Cavaliers
Since the Cleveland Cavaliers have been become the talk of not only our city but the entire NBA as they continue to thoroughly dominate teams night in and night out, we thought it might be fun to take a somewhat nostalgic look back at a not-so-good period of Cavaliers basketball, the Ted Stepien era of ownership. His initial $2 million investment secured Stepien around 38% ownership that quickly became 82% managing control over the next several months. The years 1980-83 were truly years that lifelong Cavalier fans and the NBA would like to forget. At the time, the Cavaliers were...
'The Deer Hunter' and the Movie's Cleveland History
If you are a fan of the iconic film The Deer Hunter, which currently sits at number 78 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest films ever, you might also know that many of the most memorable scenes in the movie were filmed in Cleveland and other areas nearby. The Deer Hunter Films in Cleveland: The Why and Where For starters, a unique thing about the film was the fact that every single scene was filmed on location; no sound stages were used at all. This is considered rare for any film and in rewatching The Deer Hunter, it's easy...