Indian Fever

Click here to view a gallery of Cleveland Indians media guides

I sometimes think that media guides are among the most lightly regarded collectibles. Because I've worked in the media for much of my life, I've always had a fondness for the guides. And there are a few Indians guides — namely the 1947, '48 and '49 editions — that are downright scarce.

Another reason I've have a special fondness for the guides pictured in the gallery is how I came to own many of them. During the late 1980s, when I was a stringer for The Evening Independent in Massillon, Ohio, sports editor Steve Doerschuk — who since has gone on to bigger and far better things — mentioned one night that the boxes of media guides on a nearby desk were destined for the trash because they long ago had served their purpose. Among them were about 30 Indians guides dating to the 1950s. Although Steve looked more than a bit puzzled when asked if I could have them, he had more important things to do than question why I wanted them.

In the ensuing years I filled in the holes in the run of guides and upgraded some others, and every season since I've added to the collection.

In the years that followed, my friendship with Steve grew, and he passed along less tangible but far more valuable things (what to look for when writing a good lead for your story comes to mind). But these media guides never fail to make me smile when I think back to that Friday night during high school football season when I lugged them to my car at about 1 a.m.

Click here to view a gallery of Cleveland Indians media guides