'Tribe, 1995-2001' - a trip down memory lane

Went up to the attic late yesterday morning to retrieve the box marked "Tribe, 1995 - 2001."
Inside the box, in seven manila file folders, were original copies of hundreds of feature and news stories I'd written about the Indians during that heady stretch of six playoff runs and two World Series appearances in seven years.
Normally, I'm not keen about taking trips down memory lane. This one seemed an appropriate exersize, though, as it might yield an anecdote or two for use in a written history of all the Tribe's postseason adventures.
That history appears in today's special playoff section.
Turned out that leafing through those stories triggered a flood of memories about some of the most dynamic and disappointing moments in recent Cleveland sports history.
Let's start with 1995, when the brash upstarts managed by Mike Hargrove slugged their way into the playoffs and ended 41 years of frustration for loyal Tribe fans everywhere.
Sure, the Indians fell to the Atlanta Braves in the World Series that year, but there was no reason to suspect Albert Belle and company wouldn't be back and knocking on the door in 1996.
In fact, they did knock on the door again in 1996, only to be summarily dismissed in the ALDS by Baltimore. The heady run to within one out of winning the 1997 World Series did not end well. Enough said about that.
The Indians made postseason appearances in 1998, 1999 and 2001, but none produced a return engagement in the World Series.
Many of those stories revolved around Tribe fans and the emotional roller coasters they rode during the six playoff seasons.
Six years hence, with the Indians set to face the New York Yankees starting tomorrow in the ALDS, another wild ride through October is afoot.
Hang on tight.