CLEVELAND LIVE | Fans with local ties living the dream

CLEVELAND

For many local Indians fans, tonight was a night of so many emotions. Excitement mixed with nerves. Hope mixed with fear.

Plenty of Mahoning Valley natives and residents are planning on filling up Progressive Field while others can only dream of that opportunity — no matter the wind chill.

Lenny Reich, University of Mount Union Sports Information director, took his family to Game 1. Life took him away from the World Series in 1995 and 1997, so tonight he was brimming with excitement.

“Ironically in ‘95 I was attending Georgia Southern when the Indians were playing the Braves, so I was in enemy territory,” Reich said. “In ‘97 I was the lone guy in New Jersey wearing a Chief Wahoo hat begging the bartender to put the game on.

“But I’m close enough to take part this year.”

Cortland native and Youngstown State graduate Sam Ameen won’t be attending until Game 2. His wife was one of just a few who were able to snag tickets the moment they went on sale online. Game 1 is being spent on the couch in very specific positions and wardrobes.

“We’ve got a sectional sofa and I set on the far left and she sits on the far right,” Ameen said. “We’re very superstitious. I’ve got my grey Indians hoodie and she’ll wear at navy blue Indians hoodie.”

Zachary Morgason, who spent part of his childhood in Youngstown, where his father grew up, had a bit of a choice to make after the Cubs and Indians advanced to the World Series. He grew up cheering for both teams.

“After Youngstown we moved out to Illinois where everyone I knew was a Cubs fan. So they kind of became my National League team since they didn’t play the Indians very often and we could both hate the White Sox,” Morgason said.

Morgason has the same feeling many Indians fans are feeling this October. It’s hard to believe that the Indians aren’t necessarily who neutral fans want to win.

“The Cubs are the only team with a longer World Series drought than the Indians,” Morgason said. “I’m also a Steelers fan so I kind of know what it’s like to be in that villain role. But it almost doesn’t make sense with the Indians.”

But if those “villains” can win, in addition to the Cavaliers winning an NBA title last June, Cleveland sports could be thought about in a very different light than they were for decades.