Cleveland Vintage Blog — Basketball
The History of Cleveland's Public Auditorium (and the New Home of the Cleveland Charge)
Cleveland may not be the biggest market media-wise for professional sports, but what we have truly been blessed with over the years is ownership across all the major sports that not only gave us excitement on the field or court, but a commitment to the community as well. Whether it was investments in youth sports leagues, field/facility improvements, or players themselves involved with various charitable endeavors, fans have always felt a deep personal attachment to the teams and the players. It is probably why, despite the fact that athletes come and go more quickly these days in any sport, the...
Did You Know Larry Bird's NBA Career Ended in Cleveland?
Larry Bird dominated the NBA landscape in the 1980s, but his reign came to an end in the early '90s, perhaps a few years earlier than planned due to a bad back (though he was 35 at this point too). But Bird made one last run to the playoffs with the Boston Celtics in the 1991-92 season, meeting up with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round. Bird was limited to 45 games that season and had to sit out the Celtics' first-round victory against Indiana, but he was still an All-Star that season, averaging 20.2 points, 9.6 rebounds, and...
Here Is What Larry Bird Once Said About Playing at the Richfield Coliseum
"If you were constructing the ideal arena from my experience, I'd say, 'Duplicate the Richfield Coliseum.'" - Larry Bird Larry Bird is one of the best basketball players of all time, essentially dominating the 1980s along with Magic Johnson. But you won't really get too many interesting insights from Bird in his 1989 memoir Drive, co-written with sportswriter Bob Ryan. It's pretty much a book full of hollow athlete speak that glosses over any really juicy details; however, Bird does provide some valuable tidbits at the end of the book with a full section on his opinions of every single NBA...