CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Guardians are naming their left-field bleachers at Progressive Field in honor of John Adams, the longtime drummer who died earlier this year.
The team said Thursday that the tribute to Adams, who was a fixture at Cleveland baseball games for nearly 50 years, will begin on opening day in 2024.
Adams began his lifelong fandom — and extended musical stay — when as a 21-year-old he hauled a large drum he bought at a garage sale for $25 into the outfield bleachers at Municipal Stadium on Aug. 24, 1973.
While Cleveland's teams struggled for many years, Adams was a steadying presence as he pounded away on his drum to help rally the home team.
The Guardians are also loaning Adams' drum to baseball's Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, "for the foreseeable future."
Adams had been in declining health in recent years and wasn't able to attend any games following the 2019 season. He died in January at the age of 71. The team wore a "JA" patch on its jerseys on opening day and again on the 50th anniversary of his first game as a tribute to Adams, who prior to his passing was also enshrined in the team's Hall of Fame along with a bronze statue of his drum.
