CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Hours before first pitch, bars and patios downtown around Progressive Field were bathed in red, white and blue covered Indians fans.
The first real hint that life might begin to return to normal.
For the first time since 2019, the Indians welcomed fans back to Progressive Field, albeit a limited number – 8,914 of them – and there may be no one happier about the return of spectators than Indians manager Terry Francona and his players.
“There’ll be a lot of excitement,” Francona said. “I think we missed the fans maybe more than they missed being here. Playing in front of empty ballparks, I mean it was better than not playing, don’t get me wrong, but having people here will really be welcomed.”
They got a taste of normalcy over the weekend in Detroit.
2020 Cy Young award winner Shane Bieber enjoyed seeing some seats filled at Comerica Park for their opening series with the Tigers.
“I got all the Bieber jokes in Detroit, it felt like home,” Bieber said. “Unfortunately, they were all still the same jokes, so I’m still looking for some originality.
“It’s good to have that energy, that buzz, the competitiveness. It’s awesome. They really do change the game and make it better.”
The Indians are hopeful that as the season goes on and COVID vaccine distribution continues that they’ll be permitted to host a full ballpark by the end of the year.
“It’s great to have fans in the stands and the interaction you can have as a player,” outfielder Josh Naylor said. “You could toss a ball to a little kid and make his day and all he’ll be able to talk about the rest of the day is that player tossed me a ball and you could change someone’s life.
“It’s awesome having fans out there and I can’t wait to interact with Indians fans.”
Safety protocols will be in place for fans including the mandatory use of face coverings, pod seating, social distancing and hand sanitizer throughout the ballpark.
