To begin, I am a very superstitious sports fan who looks for the most bizarrre, extreme stats, facts and other ironic oddities. Numbers and the cosmos align and they sometimes align again and that’s when my crazy brain usually takes notice. Take for instance the events that occurred on 10/26/1997 and 4/22/2023, both dates included baseball games that involved Cleveland and the Marlins.

I will never forget October 26, 1997 as that was Game 7 of the World Series between the Cleveland Indians and the Florida Marlins. The Tribe was up 2-1 and two outs away from winning it all but let’s not dwell on that sadness in which us Cleveland fans have had to endure.

The pertinent facts as to this weird article are that manager Mike Hargrove of Cleveland’s birthday was that day and his team lost 3-2. Fast forward to April 22, 2023.

This past Saturday, 4/22/23, The now Miami Marlins and now Cleveland Guardians played a baseball game in which now Cleveland manager, Terry Francona celebrated his birthday and the Marlins won the baseball game 3-2. I can hear Alanis Morissette singing, “Ironic, don’t you think?”

-Ed in Columbus

@Ed_In_Columbus

*Photo courtesy of Sports Illustrated*