INDIANS IN A FIELD OF DREAMS
by: Marlene Biondo

This nomadic group of Indians is better known as the Cleveland Indians. They are not a tribe of Native American Indians. They are a professionally ranked, major league baseball team. They come to Winter Haven, Florida, sometime in February, and stay until the end of March. This city actually becomes its name as it is the winter haven for the Cleveland Indians' traditional training rituals. Winter Haven is located 75 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, and 75 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Florida's humid subtropical climate encourages many teams to do their spring training here. The Cleveland Indians winter here to escape snow laden training grounds in Ohio. It is at Winter Haven that they daily apply the rigors of physical training in preparation for the upcoming baseball season. They strive diligently to perfect their game in the warmth and comfort of this beautiful city. They are a brief, but important part of the history of present day Florida, and a welcomed addition to Winter Haven.

The Cleveland Indians' spring training season of 1997 included an exhibition game with the Indians vs. the Florida Marlins. Our entire family watched the March 9th game. The Marlins were the victors with a final score of 4-2. The many fans delighted in watching Gary Sheffield hit two home runs. The game was well supported with the Chain Lakes Stadium totally packed.

Just behind the concession stand, a long line seemed to keep growing. It was an autograph line for one of the greatest pitchers ever to play the game -- Bob Feller. Naturally, we got in line too. He kindly signed two baseballs for our family. These baseballs recount a great memory for our family, and a great baseball player.

Bob Feller began playing for the Indians in 1936 when baseball was the national pastime. He was famous for his fastball, and entertained Americans through the later part of the depression, a recession and World War II. Baseball provided a respite for our nation and lightened its burdens, even if only temporarily. Bob Feller is a part of baseball history and is responsible, at least in part, for the diversion that baseball gave to this country, especially during wartime.

Bob Feller's career with the Indians spanned 17 seasons. He struck out a grand total of 2,581 batters. In addition, Bob Feller held two American league records. One is a record for 18 strike outs in one game, and the other record is for 348 strike outs in one year. Bob Feller was a baseball great and a 1962 inductee to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Every culture has its history, and Bob Feller is an important part of the history of these 'Indians' from Cleveland.

True, these 'Indians' from Cleveland are not native Americans with a magnificent culture of religious morals, rituals and beliefs. They do not even so much as typify a concern for the Mother Earth. The Cleveland Indians are a commercial baseball team. They are a business like many others that can be bought and sold. Their history here is not long and they are in the South for only brief periods each year. But while they are here, they offer entertainment for the entire family -- watching one of America's favorite games. The differences are obvious, but the Cleveland Indians and Native Americans do have one important thing in common. Both cultures, the baseball culture and the Native American culture, believe in the importance of dreams.

The Cleveland Indians, whether merely in training, or playing in an exhibition game have a dream. The fans come out in support of that dream. Children of all ages come to the stadium wearing gloves and baseball caps, hoping to catch a pop fly, or simply to watch a dream unfold. As our family left the Chaini Lakes Stadium, the winter home of the Cleveland Indians, we walked past men in the 'throws' of spring training. In the heat of the Sunshine State, sweat rolled down their faces like fluid beads.

Beads were wampum to Native Americans. They were used to barter, or trade one thing for another. These beads had great value. The Cleveland Indians' 'beads' are of great value, too. Bob Feller knows this . . . Matt Williams, the Indians' 3rd base golden glove knows it . . . and those future 'Indians' with vision and courage also strive for this wampum. Their 'beads' are the price they must pay to enter this field of dreams.