'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.

Fresh faces tells story of Indians season

Lets put fresh, young faces on the Indians playoff run of 2007. A week ago Sunday at Jacobs Field, Tribe players celebrated their clinching of the AL Central Division title in their champagne-soaked clubhouse. Those fresh faces, framed with wide-eyed smiles, belonged to C.C. Sabathia, Victor Martinez, Grady Sizemore, Fausto Carmona, Rafael Perez, Ryan Garko, Casey Blake, Travis Hafner, Jhonny Peralta, Josh Barfield, Franklin Gutierrez, Jake Westbrook, Ben Francisco, Aaron Laffey, Asdrubal Cabrera, Cliff Lee, Jeremy Sowers, Tom Mastny, Jensen Lewis and Kelly Shoppach. True enough that Sabathia was a major contributor to the 2001 team that advanced to the playoffs, but six years probably seems like ages ago to a guy who is all of 27. As for those other players, this is their first exposure to the unrestrained joys and unrelenting pressure of October baseball. At yesterdays playoff pep rally in Gateway Plaza, I saw two more fresh, young faces that tell the story of this special baseball season. Heidi Kosileski of Garfield Heights and Kelly Parker of Bedford, both 16 years old and sophomores at St. Peter Chanel High School, are Tribe fans through-and-through. Each wore a Ryan Garko uniform top. Their smiles spoke volumes. Were the original Garko Girls, they said in unison. The same as Garko and the other young players in the Tribe clubhouse, Heidi and Kelly are new to all this playoff excitement. They arent carrying any emotional baggage from past playoff heartbreaks. When closer Jose Mesa melted down in the bottom of the ninth inning in the 1997 World Series, they were six years old. Heidi and Kelly are living in the moment and loving it. We should all follow their lead.