Springtime is upon us with sights of up-shooting tulips, trees budding, signs of daffodils, a little chill (COLD) in the air, and the feel of returning sunshine. It’s a time of hearing returned robins, children playing outside, and the call of “Play” by umpires at all levels, followed by the roar of the crowd, and crack of the bat, because Spring is not all that’s returned. Baseball has awakened from its hibernation state, and America’s Pastime has returned to fields of green, with the excitement, emotion, and fervor, I find myself experiencing at this time of every year. For me, it’s the Hap-Happiest time of the year.

Now into its first couple weeks of the 2026 season, my favorite sport has returned with a beautiful Opening Day in Cleveland having happening last week, for us, in a comfortable Progressive Field suite, compliments of my brother-in-law and sister, with Jon Erica, Gianna, and Olivia (Gia and Livy’s first MLB game), and several nieces and nephews joining us for Opening Day, and Sally and I staying for the rest of the ’26 Opening Series.

Looking back, being a kid, going to games in Cleveland was a dream. We followed the Indians through the static of a transistor, or car radio tuned into the flagship station of the Cleveland Indians WHK-AM 1420, then WWWE 1100, now WTAM 1100. (BTW, I have that same transistor radio, now held together with electrical tape, still set to WTAM 1100, still working, and once in a while, I turn it on outside on a fairly clear night, and listen to a couple of innings. The static brings back wonderful memories.) In the 60’s, Dad would get tickets for us (Lou, Me, and him), and our great uncle and his two sons, to a Yankees/Indians Doubleheader.

We’d sit out in Centerfield near the huge scoreboard which shot off fireworks whenever an Indian hit a home run. It seemed like an all-day drive to get there and an all-day drive to get home, but the excitement, no matter the outcome, offset any boredom during the car rides. Before this recent higher soaring of gas prices Sally and I could get to The Land in about two and a half hours, which includes a rest stop at whichever gas station we found that had the cheaper prices at the pump. That way we could fill up much cheaper than in Jamestown, sometimes saving as much as $.50/gal. Often, it was at least just under $3.00/gal, so it was worth the stop.)] But then, there’s now!

In 1994, the Indians moved into their new “crib” (Jacobs’ Field), where they were a game out of first place at mid-season, when a players’ strike stopped play. The next season the Indians won the division by 30 games with a record of 100-44, and were back in the playoffs after a 41-year drought. They eventually got to the World Series before losing to the Atlanta Braves, but it opened the door to the team getting to the playoffs 15 out of the last 30 years, reaching the Fall Classic three times in the Jacobs’/Progressive Field Era. During the first 12 years or so of that Era, when tickets were very hard to get, on the day they went on sale to the General Public, my brother-in-law, Dick and I, each of us using our landlines and cell phones, began calling the ticket number at 9:00 or 10:00 am, whenever the sale started, to try and get through. Thank God for re-dial capabilities, as sometimes one of us wouldn’t get through until late afternoon. We each had an identical list of games that we wanted, so if one of us got through he took care of the entire number of game tickets and then we settled-up later. It was both frustrating and exhilarating on those days. Frustrating because we had to keep redialing, but exciting for the challenge it gave us, to get the tickets.

We’ve had many special times in Cleveland, from old Municipal Stadium, to the ’95 return to the playoffs, and all the playoffs since. (I’ve personally met two other Paul Lombardos and found a total of seven in a Phone Directory of the Cleveland Area.) We were part of game 1 and game 455 (and many in between) of the, at that time, attendance consecutive sellout record. We attended three of the four home ’16 WS games (I also attended 1 WS game in ’97), we were there when the Indians set the American League Consecutive win streak (22), and Jon and I were at every activity of the 2019 All Star Week Experience. We’ve also been to many regular-season, and playoff games, seeing some great homerun finishes and other walk-offs, in our many visits to Northeast Ohio. We’ve been Season Ticket Holders for going on 19 seasons, (11 as 20 game STHs, and going on 8 as 40 game holders.) Renewing tickets is easier now, as all we have to do is hit yes on our device when the ticket office e mails asking if we want to renew our package.

No, in all the years of our personal fandom they haven’t won the big trophy, but to a few Cleveland any sports fan, playoffs are a Blast, and there’ve been many other highlights of our love affair with Cleveland. So, after 41 years of futility of Cleveland Baseball, from ’54-95 to now, [I was only a year old in ’54, so I don’t remember much (any?) about that season], we’ve kept showing up. We’ve experienced games at Municipal Stadium, then, games and playoffs too, at the new home of The Tribe, “on the corner of Carnegie and Ontario,” (the opening radio call of newly named Hall of Fame Broadcaster, Tom Hamilton.) We’ve seen many HOFers, from most MLB teams. Jon and I were even shareholders of the Indians for a few years before the Dolans bought the team from Dick Jacobs. I’ve been honored three times as Season Ticket Holder Fan of the Game, once on radio, twice on the field, was selected a STH starting line, where I personally met 2B Jason Kipnis, who ironically played at Diethrick Park for Mahoning Valley in the NY-Penn League. Sally and I have been on the warning track thrice as players, coaches, and alumni walked the track posing for selfies with us. (Actually, the players took the selfies as we are Selfie Challenged.) We’ve met amazing people we now call friends, starting with my sister, Sandy and B-I-L Dick, Bob & Kathi Black, whom we run into often at games, and others (Bob, Rosemary, Megan, Kelly, Mike, Diane, Joann, Dale), many employees of the Guardians (Kara, Jim, Sue, Grant, Gayle, etal.), the Parking Garage (Chris, Bruce, Jamel etal.), some who know us by name at various hotels, at the Catholic Church we attend (Ken, Barb, Tom, Mark, etal.), while in the area. They’re all now members of our special friend group.

After retirement, I never wanted to be a Snowbird. We chose (probably me more than Sally) to be Baseballers. (Trust me, Sally’s all in on our seasons and experiences in The Land.) We’ve watched games in almost every part of the ballpark. We’ve sat in the Dugout Suites and Fan Suites (thanks to my B-I-L,), we were Bleacher Bums a few seasons, sat in RF, and CF, and now we’ve settled into our seats [Section 554, Row C, Seats 12 and 13 (upper deck, directly behind home plate)]. We’ve attended concerts at amazing prices as part of the perks of our Season Ticket Package. We have seats from League Park, Municipal Stadium and Jacobs’/Progressive Fields in our home (among the hundreds of other memorabilia pieces decorating our home.) It’s been a helluva ride, to be continued this season.

Postscript: Huge shout -outs of thanks and appreciation to the most important person in allowing the Lombardos to be baseballers, allowing the “There’s No Plate Like Home” Lombardo Museum to exist, and for braving games in all, and I mean ALL kinds of temperatures and weather. She’s definitely singled out because, she, my amazing wife Sally, is deserving to be in a class by herself, so Thank You Sally for allowing me to have my toys, whims, and memories in our home and in The Land.