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And Now a Look at Ohio Sports

Ohio has professional sports teams in almost every popular sport played in the country, including football, basketball, baseball, soccer and hockey. Most people have heard of their professional teams like: the Cleveland Indians and the Cincinnati Reds – their Major League Baseball teams. There are also the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals the major Football Teams from Ohio. As for basketball everyone has heard of the Cleveland Cavaliers; and as for their National Hockey League there is the Columbus Blue Jackets. Last but not least is Ohio’s Major League Soccer team the Columbus Crew. As a side note regarding Ohio’s influence on baseball, the sport’s first completely professional team hailed from Ohio: the Cincinnati Red Stockings organized in 1869. If you are interested in finding more from baseball historians themselves, go to canada 411 for the different options available for you.

Ohio sports don’t end with the major teams. There are also minor league baseball teams, indoor football as well as arena football to be enjoyed, along with lower division soccer and mid-level hockey. Minor league teams include the Akron Aeros, the Chillocothe Paints, the Dayton Dragons and the Columbus Clippers.  In addition to these recognizable teams there are the Mahoning Valley Scrappers and the Toledo Mud hens.

The minors don’t end with baseball of course as there are also minor league football teams that need to be mentioned: the Cincinnati Marshals, the Canton Legends, the Cleveland Fusion and the Cincinnati Sizzle.  Not to go unnoticed there are also the Columbus Comets, the Mahoning Valley Thunder and the Columbus Destroyers.

Not to be outdone, when it comes to hockey teams Ohio also has the Dayton Bombers, the Lake Erie Monsters and the Cincinnati  Cyclones.

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Adventure never ends in Ohio

Ohio is a state that lies in the heart of America and is a tourist attraction all over the world. Adventure never ends in the land of Ohio. From breathtaking view of mountains to the calm and serenity of lakes one get to see a lot more from what they in point of fact expect. Tourists visit Ohio in large numbers all over the year. The charm and charisma of this beautiful land is truly amazing. Fun and travel never ends in this land of adventure. From foot hills of mountains to the sun soaking coastal lands around Erie river people get to taste the true adventurous sprit in this state. Ohio getaway is always accompanied with the entertainment of various sorts. Different festivals are celebrated all over the year. The art and culture of this beautiful land is what attracts tourists from different parts of the world. The amazing nightlife of Ohio is full of fun and thrill. There are different night clubs and places where one can taste the sprit and fun of nightlife in this state. Weather acts as a great backup of the Ohio getaway. The weather remains moderate all over the year making it a tourist paradise. The temperature during summer and winters remain moderate. Erie River is a place where one can try out different water sporting activities. Water activities are quite common here and are practiced in large numbers. Sporting events all across Ohio makes the state full of vibrancy and color. Events related to art as well as culture are very common. The mountainous region also acts a place of trying out adventurous activities to people of Ohio. Different adventurous activities can be practiced and can be pursued whenever one wants. It is thus correctly said that the travel, entertainment, weather, different events, sports, culture all acts as the things due to which adventure never ends in this amazing place.

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Reconnecting with Ohio’s Canals

Normally, when you think of Ohio, the first thing that comes to mind is agriculture, which was one of the primary industries in the state’s early history. But something that you might not consider is how important the construction of canals were to the state early on. In 1820, Ohio’s population was bursting at the seams with over 580,000 people in the state’s boundaries. One of the biggest problems they faced was minimal ways to travel and transport goods in and out of Ohio.

Individuals could travel over The National Road that ran from Cumberland all the way to Wheeling, but were in for an expensive trip. The other option was to travel over the Ohio- Mississippi River passage, but the risks were great and the trip too lengthy. The answer to the state’s prayers came in the form of a canal that was being built to bring Lake Erie, the Hudson River and New York City together. It would offer a safer, more efficient and cheaper way to travel and ship goods. Other canals that were constructed around the area had their heyday until 1855, when they ran approximately 1,000 miles.

Their high tide was brought to an end by the advancement of the railroad into the West, which made traveling over land cheaper and faster. The canals are no longer bringing in the profit and had become too expensive to maintain. Much of the land and water way that had once been used for transport was sold to private investors. Many of them suffered major damage during the flooding that occurred in 1913 due to excessive snow. In current times, the remnants of the canals that are left are being restored and protected. Current efforts are being made to transform the canals to serve a new purpose as recreational areas for the state and its visitors. This helps to keep alive their importance in Ohio’s early history.

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Running the Bases: The Story Behind the Cleveland Browns

When you think of a football team with a winning past, you will often hear the name of the Cowboys or the Bears. The Cleveland Browns are another team to have an interesting past history in professional football. Started in 1945 by Arthur B. McBride and Robert H. Gries, the team was to make a splash in the next four decades. The Browns were able to nab a total of eight league championships and won their way into 21 playoffs. The team also garnered 18 division titles.

Starting off in 1946, the Browns played in the American Football League under the tutelage of coach Paul E. Brown. He would stay as the head coach until 1962, not only giving the team a long period of quality coaching but also his name. For the four years that it was a member, the team won the league championship each year. It then went on to stellar performance in the National Football League, taking the championship in the first year it joined.

The team changed hands in 1953, when Sol Silberman purchased Arthur McBride’s share of the team. Robert Gries remained as owner of the other half. The Browns repeated their success by winning the 1954 and 1955 championship. Their success turned sour in 1956 when many of their players, such as Otto Graham at quarterback, retired from professional football. There was a bright spot in this losing season, as a new rookie was brought onto the team. In the draft, Jim Brown joined their ranks and would later become a phenomenal running back.

The period from the early sixties into the nineties had periods of unrest and winning. They took the 1964 championship, but wouldn’t see this level of winning again for quite a while. They continued to be successful on the field but were able to reclaim their former glory in the championship ring until 2002 when they return to the playoffs.

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The Cleveland Reds: Baseball Beginnings

CINCINNATI, OH - NOVEMBER 27: Tony Pike #15 of...
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Cincinnati, Ohio has played a major role in the history of professional baseball. The first professionally played game was held here in 1869 featuring the Cincinnati Red Stockings and the Mansfield Independents. The Red Stockings were defeated their opponents by winning with a score of 48 to 14. The team was on fire during the period of 1869 to 1870, winning a total of 130 straight games without a loss. They also hold the honor of being one of the first members of the National League.

The team came on to the championship stage when they won the World Series in 1919. Their victory turned hollow, as this was the famous series where the opposing White Sox team had several players caught throwing the game. Despite the tarnish of the 1919 World Series, the Red Stockings continued to win through the next three decades, constantly making their way into the playoffs. They finally regained their World Series championship in 1940.

The home turf for their games was at League Park, which eventually became Crosley Field in 1934. The team played in this ballpark until 1970. Once again, the Reds made a splash in baseball history by hosting the first night game here in 1935. After holding a total of seven night games during the season, fans began to pack the stands even more. The team saw the total attendance at times of approximately 18,000 fans during evening games while daytime attendance stayed much lower.

Later in the 20th century, new stars came on the roster and help to bring the team back on the winning side. One of these was Pete Rose, who joined the team in 1970. The team also changed ballparks at this time, moving to Riverfront Stadium. They gained big names such as Johnny Bench and came under the management of Sparky Anderson. Throughout its history, the team has had ups and downs, but is a favorite with Cleveland fans.

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