About a month ago, when the Detroit Tigers trailed the Cleveland Indians by a game and half in the American League Central, I thought it would be a great experience to take my 14 year old son to one of the three games the Tigers would play in Cleveland in September as they battled for the division title. So on August 22 I bought two tickets for the Tigers/Indians game to be played at Jacobs Field on September 18. Who knew on August 22 that on September 18 the Tigers would trail the Indians by four and half games? The Tigers needed to win two out of three in Cleveland if they stood a chance at catching the Indians for the division.

I picked my son up from school on that Tuesday afternoon and we made the three hour trek from Detroit to Cleveland. It was a beautiful night in Cleveland when we made our way to our seats in Section 556 in the upper deck behind homeplate. The game was obviously a sell out and excitement - Cleveland Indians excitement - was in the air.

Seated to my left was a father with his young son. He was obviously a true baseball fan. He struck up a conversation with me. I told him we had just drove in from Detroit. We talked throughout the night about the strength and weaknesses of various players on each of the teams. When the Indians got a hit or scored, he cheered. When the Tigers got a hit or scored, I cheered. In between we were both just fans of the game, conversing about its fundamentals and enjoying the atmosphere.

The other 41,000 plus Indians fans, however, were not such baseball purists. The usual drunks around us were obnoxious as each Tiger player came to the plate. But those “fans” also showed their total ignorance throughout the night.

With the score tied at 1 in the second inning, the Tigers had 6 hits to the Indians one. The fans around us were saying things like, “Detroit really sucks,” and “Yeah, Detroit hasn’t been any good for years.” My 14 year old son pointed out to me that the score was TIED, the Tigers had five MORE hits than Cleveland and, oh by the way, Detroit was in the World Series just last year! Which team honestly sucked?

By the 7th inning stretch, with the Indians up 7-4, the entire stadium of 41,000 “fans” began loudly chanting “De - troit Sucks!” What was up until that point just the rantings of a couple of drunks became for me a real indication of just how far sportsmanship has eroded in our culture. 

I attended about 50 games at the Ballpark in Arlington when I lived there from 1997 - 99. I’ve attended about that many at Comerica Park since 2000. NEVER have I experienced the level of anomisity toward an opposing team like I did that Tuesday night in Cleveland. It’s one thing to root, root, root for the home team. What my son and I experienced was borderline psychotic hatred for the opposing team.

Why? Why was it necessary for 41,000 fans to expend such energy expressing their hatred for the Detroit Tigers - one of the best teams in baseball - rather than simply cheering on the home team? I think it’s because in our competitive culture it is no longer enough to win. Now the mob must swoop in for the kill like a pack of hungry wolves, emotionally devouring the perceived enemy.

My entire attitude about the City of Cleveland has changed. I actually had thought at one time in my life I might like to live in that city, broadcast The Paul Edwards Program from there, and join Parkside Church where Alistair Begg pastors.

Not now. Not ever. Walking out of Jacobs Field during the 7th Inning Stretch that night, I was never prouder to be from Michigan, never prouder to be a Detroiter, and never prouder of the team that was losing that night with grace and dignity in front of 41,000 of the worst examples of Baseball “fans” I have ever seen. The City of Cleveland owes Jim Leyland and his Detroit Tigers an apology. Don’t hold your breath - unless you happen to be driving through Cleveland.