June 4, 1974
Beer for a dime, 25,000 rowdy fans and two teams who had engaged in a bench-clearing brawl less than a week earlier -- what could go rong?
It turns out, pretty much everything. But 10 Cent Beer Night in Cleveland on June 4, 1974, when the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians) hosted the Texas Rangers, was probably doomed from the start. Twelve-ounce cups of beer were sold for just a dime each, well under the normal 65 cents charged then at Cleveland Stadium. There was a limit of six beers per purchase but no limit on number of purchases during the game.
The crowd, as one might expect, grew more impaired and wild during the game. After Cleveland tied the game 5-5 in the ninth, a 19-year-old fan ran onto to confront Texas third baseman Jeff Burroughs. That prompted his teammates to run onto the field, some with bats. Many intoxicated fans followed, some with weapons of their own, including knives, chains and clubs.
Some fans threw lit firecrackers, smoked marijuana, and of course the night wouldn’t be complete without a streaker. Players were forced to protect themselves with bats while attempting to leave the field. Umpire Nestor Chylak declared the game a forfeit in the Rangers’ favor because the mob could not be controlled or removed from the field. Ten Cent Beer Night came five years after an uneventful Nickel Beer Night in Cleveland. To describe June 4, 1974 at Cleveland Stadium as “eventful” would be a massive understatement.
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