From Spiders to Guardians: A Complete History of Cleveland’s Baseball Legacy, from Early Diamonds to the Modern Era

From the rough diamonds of nineteenth-century Cleveland to the modern era of rebranded baseball, From Spiders to Giardians tells the sweeping story of one of America’s most fascinating baseball cities.This complete narrative history follows Cleveland baseball through its earliest professional clubs, the rise and collapse of the Spiders, the birth of the American League franchise, the glory and grief of 1920, the integration era of Larry Doby and Satchel Paige, the last championship in 1948, the heartbreak of 1954, the long lost decades, the thunderous rebirth of the 1990s, the near-misses of 1997 and 2016, and the emergence of a new modern identity.Written in an easy, lively sports-journalist style, this book is for readers who love baseball history, Cleveland sports, unforgettable players, dramatic games, and the emotional bond between a city and its team. It is a story of legends, ballparks, trades, heartbreaks, reinventions, and fans who never quite stop believing. Read more