BLUE-COLLAR BEGINNINGS CLEVELAND’S DOWNTOWN AREA SITS ON THE BANKS OF THE CUYAHOGA RIVER BLUE-COLLAR BEGINNINGS 8
Swampy damp inclement Such unpleasant terms could be used to describe the southern shores of Lake Erie but during the westward expansion of the United States the area was too practical to pass up Proximity to Lake Erie and the Ohio River system meant shipping and transportation opportunities and in 1796 General Moses Cleaveland laid out plans for a city that would become a vital hub of distribution That city Cleveland Ohio became even more relevant with the development of railroads and it was soon a web of canals and railways Cleveland and its residents earned an ongoing reputation for their resourcefulness and hardiness Perhaps seeking a break from their blue-collar lifestyles Clevelanders rallied behind a local professional baseball team eventually called the Indians starting in 1901 and football’s Browns in 1946 In 1970 a new National BINGO SMITH 9
IN EARLY GAMES OPPONENTS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE CAVALIERS INEXPERIENCE Basketball Association NBA franchise hoped to tap into that devoted fan base Eager to get the locals involved right off the bat the club asked prospective fans to submit ideas for the team’s name The chosen moniker was the Cleveland Cavaliers referring to the mounted soldiers who had contributed to the expansion and settlement of much of the U S including Ohio Cleveland winters were cold and the Cavaliers hoped a warm seat and an exciting basketball team would get residents flocking to Cleveland Arena But while owners could turn up the heat in the stadium the 1970 71 roster was a chillier matter The first Cavs squad was made up of unproven rookies and castoffs from other NBA teams Guiding the team would be head coach Bill Fitch Even he had his doubts about the club’s prospects Commenting on the roster and its chances of success he quipped 10
The Miracle of Richfield Twenty miles south of the city of Cleveland lies the suburb of Richfield home of the Coliseum where the Cavaliers played from 1974 until 1994 The 1975 76 season in the Coliseum is still known to some as the Miracle of Richfield In Cleveland’s first-ever playoff series it clashed with the favored Washington Bullets and their star forward Elvin Hayes After a narrow Game 1 defeat Cleveland battled back in Game 2 The game culminated in forward Bingo Smith draining a long-range game-winning shot with two seconds left In Game 5 guard Jim Cleamons duplicated the feat hitting another game-winning buzzer beater for the Cavs The series concluded with Game 7 in Richfield where guard Dick Snyder sank a clutch bank shot in the game’s waning seconds giving Cleveland an 87 85 win in front of 21,564 screaming fans The fans would get rolling a half hour before the game said Cavaliers guard Austin Carr about the series They’d be stomping on the floor Let’s go Cavs Let’s go Cavs It was to the point where the entire building was shaking It was unbelievable and that’s how it went every game COURTSIDE STORIES The Miracle of Richfield DICK SNYDER 11
