The Cleveland 50: The Terminal Tower Softball Drop
by Vince Guerrieri | Mar. 29, 2022 | 12:00 PM
The Indians wanted no part of recreating a 1938 stunt by throwing softballs off the top of the Terminal Tower to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 1980.
Cleveland Cavaliers owner Ted Stepien had no such qualms.
On June 24, 1980, a lunchtime crowd of about 5,000 gathered below the Terminal Tower as Stepien threw softballs from the top. One dented a nearby car. Two others injured spectators, breaking one’s wrist. Finally, one of Stepien’s players caught a ball.
For his stunt, Stepien ended up a little light in the wallet, settling a lawsuit by the woman who broke her wrist. Compared to some other bad decisions Stepien made, this one was minor.
Revisit more of Cleveland’s 50 most impactful moments over the past 50 years.
Vince Guerrieri
Vince Guerrieri is a sportswriter who's gone straight. He's written for Cleveland Magazine since 2014, and his work has also appeared in publications including Popular Mechanics, POLITICO, Smithsonian, CityLab and Defector.
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