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Cleveland, Ohio, November 22, 1930 – Construction is at the beginning stages of Cleveland Municipal Stadium

Construction work is underway on one of the first multi-purpose stadiums designed for both baseball and football. It would be known as Cleveland Municipal Stadium, a mammoth-sized ballpark that would cost $2,500,000 to build along the lakefront and could hold up to 78,000 for baseball.

This photo was taken four months after construction was started on June 24, 1930. It was opened on July 1, 1931 and two days later the stadium hosted a Max Schmeling heavyweight fight that drew 37,000. The first Major League baseball game was not until the following year on July 31, 1932 when the Cleveland Indians lost to Lefty Grove and the Philadelphia Athletics 1-0. The inaugural contest drew 80,184, which would be a Major League record.

In the background is the 52-story Terminal Tower which only opened four months before the date of this photograph.

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