Cleveland Vintage Blog

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 Cleveland sports fans and the NBA would like to forget. At the time, the Cavaliers...

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...

There is a true Cleveland treasure that sits permanently anchored off North Marginal Rd. downtown, right next to Burke Lakefront Airport. If you're a WWII buff, you might have already guessed that we're talking about the USS Cod. The USS Cod and the Submarine's Role in World War II For starters, you might be wondering how the vessel got its name. It's simple, really: The Cod got its name to honor a very popular food choice found in the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans.  The USS Cod is a Gato-class fleet submarine that measures 312 feet long and weighs...

In the annals of Cleveland sports history, this is certainly one of the stranger chapters. If you've been around since the 80s, you had the misfortune of living through Ted Stepien’s ownership of the Cleveland Cavaliers from 1980-1983. You might be aware of the fact that Stepien was also the owner of a highly successful professional men's softball team, the Cleveland Competitors, which he had purchased in 1978 as the Cleveland Jaybirds of the APSPL (American Professional Slo-Pitch League). Cleveland and Milwaukee broke from this league to form the NASL (North American Softball League). Ironically, the new league lasted a single...

When it opened in 1954, Captain Frank’s Lobster House - or Sea Food Restaurant, depending on the time of year - was the sole occupant of Cleveland’s E. 9th Street pier. Over the years the restaurant was many things to many people, whether it was long-time residents and regulars of the restaurant, or visitors to Cleveland who sought an opportunity to have their evening meal while enjoying a Cleveland sunset or a warm lake breeze. So, why the name "Captain Frank's?" Well, the owner who brought it to life was a Sicilian immigrant by the name of Frank Visconti who came...