April Fools' Day is the one day a year that condones tricks, pranks and everything in between. In the Land, we're often the butt of the joke. But we have a rich history of playing our own, too. Here we breakdown three of the most infamous April Fools' Day tricks in Cleveland history.
Cavs Fan’s Hope Is Dashed
The Plain Dealer was not playing nice when they destroyed Cavs fans hope of a return of The King LeBron James. In 2011, the Cleveland newspaper ran a huge headline in “LEBRON RE-SIGNS WITH CAVS,” even though James was still playing with the Heat. It was all in good fun, though, as the newspaper used it for an interactive, build-you-own headline game. Luckily, that headline was a predictor of good things to come.
Cats Love The Classics
The Cleveland Orchestra has a history of playing great April Fools' Day pranks. In an attempt to boost cat adoptions for the Cleveland APL, the Orchestra advertised that the 2019-2020 season would feature select shows where concert-goers would find an adoptable feline in one of the 2,000 seats at Severance Hall. "Both classical music and interactions with animals bring people together, make a memorable impact on our lives, and have been proven to provide psychological benefits,” wrote Joan Katz, Senior Director of Education and Community Programs. The ad was, of course, a joke, but it did succeed in raising money for the APL.
April Fools' Gone Wrong
No matter how heartfelt the prank, there are always ways for it to go wrong. In the case of one Cleveland employee, it went very wrong. The city employee Rhodia Wallace was speaking on the phone with her boyfriend when she said she heard shots being fired inside the Cleveland City Hall Building. This causes her panicked boyfriend to call the police, who brought squad cars, fire trucks and EMS to the scene. Wallace told officials that it was only meant to be a prank, but it resulted in a misdemeanor charge that could lead to 180 days in jail and a maximum of $1,000 fine.