Results tagged ‘ Cleveland Browns ’
Cleveland Browns visit Progressive Field, give Speed Pitch the heater
Browns cornerback Joe Haden and wide receivers Greg Little and Josh Gordon took in last week’s Phillies-Indians game and made sure to document their fun via Twitter.
Note to all: Even though it’s a different sport, football players will generally beat you in a game of Speed Pitch.
Little seems to be a pretty big fan of Major League and Drew Stubbs:
We in here! @joehaden23 @josh_gordonxii #suitelife #giveemtheheaterrick #drewstubbsgoingyard twitter.com/Str8UpGlittle/…
— Greg Little (@Str8UpGlittle) May 2, 2013
Stubbs up to bat…….. Bleachers beware!!!
— Greg Little (@Str8UpGlittle) May 2, 2013
Decked out in Jordans and Tribe caps, the Browns snapped photos with tons of fans, before challenging everyone to Speed Pitch:
“@shane_g33ksquad: Me @str8upglittle & @josh_gordonxii at the Tribe game👌⚾ #Cleveland twitter.com/Shane_G33ksqua…”| MonStars #spacejam
— Greg Little (@Str8UpGlittle) May 2, 2013
We r here! 1st base speed pitch! If u beat @str8upglittle we r giving out a signed little jersey!!
— Joe Haden (@joehaden23) May 2, 2013
Little brought the heater and an apparent Discount-Double-Check celebration. Props to Ryan Reinsel, who tied him with a rumored 53 mph pitch. Competing with a professional athlete in anything is a pretty solid accomplishment.
Winner goes to my boy @ryan_reinsel we both brought that funk and tied. He’s still a BEAST!!! #GUNSHOW twitter.com/Str8UpGlittle/…
— Greg Little (@Str8UpGlittle) May 2, 2013
If you think football players playing baseball is fun, what about baseball players taking it to the gridiron?
Mark Reynolds got some wheels! Possible wideout? @adamthebullfan what you think?
— Greg Little (@Str8UpGlittle) May 2, 2013
The Tribe and the Browns also recently teamed up to raise money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cleveland, by competing on a neutral sport — Bowling. The Indians pulled out the W on the lanes, as they did on the field that night:
S/o 2 the Indians 4 the win 2night! And all the fans 4 showing me @josh_gordonxii and @str8upglittle love! Goodnight
— Joe Haden (@joehaden23) May 2, 2013
Joe, Josh and Greg — TribeVibe would love to see you back at the ballpark again soon. Maybe a three-legged race with Ketchup, Mustard, and Onion?
– TribeVibe contributor Courtney Shilling
Indians end seven-year drought vs. Browns in Bowl For Kids Sake series
The Cleveland Indians have ended the Cleveland Browns’ seven-year winning streak in the teams’ annual Bowl For Kids Sake matchup Thursday night at Freeway Lanes in Parma.
The Browns had won seven straight and held a 7-3 edge in the teams’ all-time series. But the Indians — led by Reggie Hawthorne, a Progressive Field Retail Stand Captain who recently participated in the National Intercollegiate Bowling Championships for Notre Dame College — beat the Browns by about 7,000 pins.
Players who participated included Justin Masterson, Chris Perez, Yan Gomes and Bryan Shaw, while wives including Amanda Kluber, Meryl Masterson, Jenny Gomes, Kristin Shaw, Melanie Perez, Kathleen Reynolds and Meredith Chisenhall joined the festivities. Browns players including Jabaal Sheard, Billy Winn, John Hughes and Craig Robertson also were on hand, while mascots Slider and Chomps made appearances.
Proceeds from the event go to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cleveland, the largest provider of one-on-one youth mentoring services in the United States. The group has been bringing caring adults into the lives of children for over 100 years. BBBS of Greater Cleveland provides professionally-supported one-on-one mentoring services to youth, serving over 600 children annually in Cuyahoga County, either in the community or at a site or school. For more information visit http://www.bbbsneo.org.
–TribeVibe contributor Joel Hammond (photos by Dan Mendlik)
Patrol Officer Stanczyk: Protecting the Visitors’ Bullpen
Cleveland Patrol Officer Jeff Stanczyk has worked in the Cleveland Indians Visitors’ Bullpen for 20 years, while working on the field at Cleveland Browns games for 32 years. Stanczyk is known for handing out Tootsie Rolls to all fans and players he interacts with during the day.
TribeVibe: What are your duties as police officer at Progressive Field?
Jeff Stanczyk: Provide a safe environment for the fans and the players. I’m assigned the bullpen, so my job is to keep the guys in the visiting bullpen safe so they’re not bothered too much. [I] interact with the fans because that’s what this is about.
TV: Have you seen much fan-player interaction in the bullpen?
JS: Generally, the guys in the bullpen are pretty nice. A few of the fans get a little out of hand, but 90 percent of them have interaction with the bullpen. The guys in the bullpen are very courteous; they’re professionals, and they act that way.
TV: Do you have a favorite visiting bullpen?
JS: All of them are dynamic. Chicago’s great, Minnesota, Tampa Bay. Every bullpen has its own aura, its own makeup of characters. When [former White Sox pitcher Bobby] Jenks was here, we’d always be pulling jokes on each other. If the guys feel comfortable with me, they’ll open up to me if something happens. It may not be the most professional thing to do, but that’s the way I work. That’s the way I am.
TV: Why did you choose to hand out Tootsie Rolls?
JS: I worked the Browns for 31 years. In the early 80s, I started handing bubblegum to the workers on the field. That went to the fans. Since the early 80s, I’ve been providing candy to the fans and the people I work with, some of the fans. It just became like a thing. I enjoy doing it, especially with the fans because it gets them to see that policemen are approachable. We’re not only here for enforcement; they know what we’re here for. I love the kids and the old people. If they feel a little more comfortable with you, it makes the whole experience better. If they want the people coming here to have a good time, then have a good time. That’s my style; everyone has their own style. Just like you have your own style, the players have their own style, that’s my style.
Thank God they allow me to do it here. They called me about 10 years ago, and they said, ‘Can you quit passing out gum? They [are] finding it stuck everywhere.’ They had to hire somebody to scrape it off. So, I went to Tootsie Rolls because they’re very aerodynamically correct if you have to toss them.
TV: How many bags of Tootsie Rolls do you go through in one day?
JS: At the Browns, I’d go through about 2300 pieces. Here, it depends where I work. If I work the bullpen, since I only have limited contact with the people when I come out between innings, I go through maybe 1000 a game. People are catching on to this Tootsie Roll thing because the bags are smaller, and they cost more. I don’t care; I find pleasure in that. I don’t gamble or smoke, so I’ve got my vices.
TV: What has been your best memory on the field?
JS: When they were in the playoffs, all of those games were special. I had the fortune of befriending a young fan who had leukemia. He would come, and then one day, he didn’t come. That’s what’s kind of special. I have sung the Star Spangled Banner here twice, and I can’t tell you what an honor that was. It’s really Britney Spears singing it, but I just lip-sync it. The Indians don’t have to let me do this, but I think they recognize it has to be a complete experience. They do it because it’s the right thing to do. It puts you more in contact with a policeman not on an enforcement level. 99 times out of 100, that’s the response that you get.
TV: Have you given Tootsie Rolls to any Indians players?
JS: Back in the day, I gave it to Jose Mesa and Julian Tavarez. They were pretty crazy. We were close enough. They were good guys, and all the people are. I’m glad I get to work the visitors’ bullpen because all their job is here is [playing baseball]. Everything else should be out of their minds. I hope I provide an environment for them so that they feel comfortable with that. That’s my responsibility here, too. Sometimes you’ve got to be the police, which is unfortunate, but the people create that situation; we respond to it. It’s enjoyable. It’s got to be one of the best organizations.
-Megan Golden, TribeVibe contributor
Browns Rookie Night at Progressive Field
Cleveland Browns running back Trent Richardson and quarterback Brandon Weeden highlighted the Browns rookie class at Progressive Field this week. Richardson spent time getting to know several Tribe players in the locker room Monday, while Weeden enjoyed watching batting practice and threw out the ceremonial first pitch Wednesday.
TribeVibe: How has your experience at Progressive Field been thus far?
Trent Richardson: I’m just loving it being around all the players and being back around my own baseball career I used to have. It brings back a lot of memories, a lot of it I miss. Now, I get to go to a lot of Cleveland games; this is my second official game I’ve been to. It’s going to be a lot of fun.
TV: What are you looking forward to most about playing for the Browns?
TR: A lot of change, a lot of passion. It’s really just about winning and making sure we’re on top of [our opponents] and always at the peak of our game all of the time.
TV: Do you have a favorite player?
TR: I like everybody. I’ve been with them all today, so I really can’t say anybody because they’ll get on me. You’ve got guys here on the Indians who were in the movie Major League. It was filled with Indians stuff. It’s always been a dream for us.
TV: What do you know about the city of Cleveland?
TR: They’re hungry. They really embrace you, and they’re really ready to win. It’s been a good experience so far. I know they want to win, they want to be on top, and that’s what we’re here for.
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TribeVibe: You were drafted by the Yankees in 2002 and spent time with the Dodgers and Royals organizations. Does this bring back memories?
Brandon Weeden: It’s the first time I’ve been out here since I quit playing. It’s definitely pretty cool; it’s a lot of memories inside the stadium, watching BP, and seeing the pitchers out there shagging fly balls.
TV: What do you know about Cleveland fans?
BW: All of the positive support I’ve gotten since I was drafted has been great. I know that if we can win some games — football speaking — this city will really support us, and they’ll really embrace us. I know they’re passionate, they’re very knowledgeable of the game, and so far my interaction with them has been really good. Obviously, it’s a very sports-driven town that has very hungry fans and very loyal fans.
TV: What are you looking forward to most this fall?
BW: Getting the season started. I think finally getting a shot to go out and throw in a Browns uniform is exciting. As a rookie, we’re all excited about the opportunity to go out and play at this level and hopefully win some games.
TV: Have you set any goals for yourself at this point?
BW: I haven’t set any personal goals for myself yet, but my main goal is to help this team win as many games as possible. We want to build off of last year; we were a young team, so we’re still building up. I just want to be a part of that and do what I can in a Browns uniform.
-Megan Golden, TribeVibe contributor
