A funeral in Cleveland

Cleveland owner Bill Veeck 76 years ago today at the “funeral”

Less than 48 hours after Cleveland is eliminated from the 1949 American League pennant race, team owner Bill Veeck and his players hold a funeral service 76 years ago tonight to bury their 1948 pennant.

The service – insert sob here – takes place in center field at Cleveland’s old Municipal Stadium before that night’s game against the Detroit Tigers.

A Friday crowd of 29,646 turns out for the burial service and the game, which is just as depressing for the locals as the Tigers win 5-0 on a five-hitter by Detroit right-hander Virgil Trucks.

Even more depressing for Cleveland fans is that the burial marks the last time they see a championship pennant as the Indians, er Guardians, now have gone without a World Series title since – insert another sob here – 1948.

In perhaps a weird cause-and-effect scenario, no one has seen the original pennant – the actual one made of fabric that once flies at Municipal Stadium – since Veeck’s “funeral” for it 76 years ago tonight .

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