Sports in Cleveland: An Illustrated History

As co-editor of the massive Encyclopedia of Cleveland History, John J. Grabowski - and co-editor David D. Van Tassel - set an indelible mark in chronicling the city's history. Sports in Cleveland: An Illustrated History, is an offshoot of the encyclopedia which delves into the history of amateur and pro sports from 1796-1990. In 145 pages of text that is supplemented by numerous photographs, Grabowski explores the popular sleigh races down Euclid Avenue in the winter months of the 1800s to the plans for the then-named Gateway Stadium project. There are famous athletes and coaches - Madeline Manning, Harrison Dillard, Jesse Owens, Jim Brown, Larry Doby and John McLendon - the infamous events like Dime Beer Night and gems that may have been forgotten over time - businessman Coburn Haskell invented the modern golf ball in 1899 and a pair of hall of fame tennis players, Martina Navratilova and Bjorn Borg, played for the Nets in World Team Tennis. The photographs include harness racing at Glenville Track in the early 1900s, a late 1940s "Bowling Institute" instructional seminar at Benedictine High School, roof-top tennis at the Central YWCA in 1956 and a 1980 practice of the Cleveland Brewers of the Women's Professional Football League. The book truly captures an important richness that must be a part of any city, portaits of motion.