Our Tribe: A Baseball Memoir

by Terry Pluto

“A beautiful, absolutely unforgettable memoir.” — Booklist A son, a father, a baseball team . . . This remarkable baseball memoir will touch the heart of any baseball fan who has ever shared a love for the game with a parent or child. Award-winning sportswriter Terry Pluto (The Curse of Rocky Colavito) tells the story of a son and a father and the relationship they shared through their resilient devotion to one particularly frustrating baseball team, the Cleveland Indians (who always seemed to need just one more run to win). The story includes the joys and struggles of growing older together, of coping with a sick parent, and, finally, of burying the man who indelibly shaped his son’s life. It also includes a lively history of the Cleveland Indians franchise, full of personal recollections about remarkable players and memorable moments from seasons past. For so many people, baseball remains an important bridge across generations, sometimes the only topic of conversation when all other topics seem threatening. Absorbing his father’s love for the game, and their team, Pluto grew to understand and respect the often distant man who allowed himself few pleasures besides baseball in a life built around laboring to provide for his family. This book celebrates our ability to make that connection through baseball. It is a heartfelt, memorable tale.

Genres: Sports, Baseball, Native Americans

238 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Terry Pluto is a sports columnist for the Plain Dealer. He has twice been honored by the Associated Press Sports Editors as the nations top sports columnist for medium-sized newspapers. He is a nine-time winner of the Ohio Sports Writer of the Year award and has received more than 50 state and local writing awards. In 2005 he was inducted into the Cleveland Journalism Hall of Fame. He is the author of 23 books, including The Curse of Rocky Colavito (selected by the New York Times as one of the five notable sports books of 1989), and Loose Balls, which was ranked number 13 on Sports Illustrateds list of the top 100 sports books of all time. He was called Perhaps the best American writer of sports books, by the Chicago Tribune in 1997. He lives with his wife, Roberta, in Akron, Ohio."

Reviews

[Patrick Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terry Pluto was born in Cleveland and played football at Benedictine High. Sports reporting took him from the area but he eventually returned to his hometown. For several years Terry Pluto writes for the Cleveland Plain Dealer and provides commentary on public radio. In a different section of the Sunday paper, he writes a short homily often taken from his continuing volunteer in prison ministry.

This book traces the history of the Cleveland Indians with insider stories over the decades. The early chapters develop the background over the origin of the team's native American name which has long been in dispute. Terry sets out some scenarios and decides on which one is supported with evidence.
In those early days especially, not all baseball players behaved themselves. So, there are plenty of stories of exploits that would be front page scandals these days.

Terry Pluto's mom died young. Much of the author's reflections deal with the complicated relationship with his working class father. The baseball team was their bond. But both yearned for something deeper. Terry confesses the many ways, how in his disappointment, he hurt his father, much out of the tension between them. A stroke left the elder Mr Pluto an invalid. But his son proved his fidelity by traveling from Ohio to Florida to be with him on the weekends.

When this book was chosen for our men's reading group, my comment: "The only thing more boring than baseball would be a book about baseball". I had to take it back. Our Tribe was more than redeemed by the human dimension of the father and son bond. For many, it is this family sharing is what anchors baseball in the hearts of many.

In an era of sensitivity to racial matters, the Cleveland baseball team opened the 2022 season known as the "Guardians". Yes, a dumb name. But this book reveals many stories of the improbable history of a cherished team.

[Ramon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. It was not so much a history of the Cleveland Indians but you may even get lost if you are not familiar with the Indians history. The book was about the Cleveland Indians but more of a relationship between a Father and son and their love for the Cleveland Indians baseball team. I related to this book so much. Both my parents were huge Cleveland Indians fans and I think my Mom was more of an Indians fan than my father. The book did bring back so many memories and how I grew to love the Indians even through many of the Indians dry years.
So this part is not in the book but it is a memory I cherished. When I was younger we lived in Cleveland and my Dad's brother lived in Chicago. My Uncle was a huge Chicago Cubs fan. When my uncle came to visit they would talk about the Indians and Chicago Cubs. Back then their were no games between National and American league. My dad and uncle were so proud of their teams despite both teams being in the basement in their divisions for many years. It was in 2016 when the Indians and the Chicago Cubs met in the World Series. The Chicago Cubs won the Would series! I was in Chicago at the time and bought a Chicago Cubs T shirt. The shirt reminded me of team loyalty and brothers loved their home teams and how I was part of that. It is funny how people joked with me for buying a Chicago Cubs t shirt but they really didn't understand ' the rest of the story"

[Allie Bayer · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Niche review; I know!) This would’ve been an EASY five if I’d read it 20 years ago, or, if I were born 15 years earlier. I really enjoyed the historical non fiction + memoir mash up, and the stories about Terry’s father were fantastic. I knew about, or at least recognized, a surprising (embarrassing?) amount of the early historical parts from stories my dad would tell me in my own childhood (seriously, we have home videos of four year old me reciting full line ups. We weren’t messing around.) But considering this was written in 1999, there was only so much for someone my age to feel TRULY connected to. 3/4 of the book was history prior to the teams of the nineties and I personally would’ve loved more than a third to be about the greats of *my* time (Lofton, Thome, Omar, Sandy, Belle, etc.) But I still found myself turning to Pat saying, “oh my gosh! Did you know…” countless times throughout my reading it today, and I love that I learned a lot; I eat this stuff up. A well written baseball history book that effortlessly blends in this idea that baseball is, at its core, about family. About relationships.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing history of The Cleveland Indians but more importantly a great story of a father and son!

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read, with great prospective on family connections and the role baseball can play in bringing parents and children together.

[Taylor Hatfield]

What a book. A classic and real life look at the relationship that a father and son had with their beloved baseball team. From the players to the old stadium, Terry Pluto did a fantastic job capturing how each characteristic of the times spent at the old stadium watching rather dismal Cleveland Indians baseball clubs. He explains how those times shaped him into not only a career and life, but how he coped as his father lived through a stroke, but unfortunately passed away a few years after having that stroke. The book is a roller coaster ride, as Terry tells about how he grew up in Cleveland and later moved and became a sportswriter. He deals with guilt as his dad's health begins to crumble after decades of working in a grocery store distribution center. I personally took this book to heart, relating several aspects of this book to my own life. It is a deep read, and if you can relate to it like I did (or even more), a few Kleenex's might be necessary. It is a good read for anyone who likes baseball, or really just sports. Especially when you enjoy a certain team with someone special to you, as Terry and his father did with the Indians.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terry Pluto writes of growing up with the Tribe, sharing the experiences he had with his father rooting for the Indians and going to ballgames at old Municipal Stadium. And, then the experience of learning to accept his father's decline and dying, experiencing it during the Indians' unforgettable World Series appearance in 1997. I have so many fond and warm memories of sharing Indians games with my father, including our last game together in 2001, which included my radio show on the field during batting practice and attending Omar Vizquel's "Omar y Amigos" session with the kids. And, the Tribe won against the hated Yankess on a 9th inning bases loaded walk by Jeff Nelson.

[Bryce Fernau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Terry Pluto writes about the story of a father & son united by their love for baseball and the Cleveland Indians. Growing up in the Cleveland he was almost forced to be an Indians fan win or lose. This book includes lots of facts about the history of the baseball organization from the very first owner of the indians to Manny Ramirez. He writes the story from the World Series in 1998 as a reporter "I write this book from the world series this time in the other teams dugout", Will they win, will his dad make it through the night. I recommend this to anyone who loves baseball and is willing to learn some of the Indians history.

[Kenneth Gura · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fantastic story of how fathers and sons/share a belief in a team and in baseball in general. I could not help but think of my son and I and our shared love of the Sport! I see so much of ourselves as Mr. Pluto shares his personal story and relationship with his Father, and how the Indians extended there hopes and Dreams only to let them down in the end. A truely touching and emotional relationship is shared throughout. Often times I could not help but hope that the bond My Son and I share continues similar to that of Mr Pluto and his Father did throughout their lives

[Mugsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful memoir of the Cleveland Indians. It provides a lot of history of the team and fond memories of the team, from the author's perspective.

This was the first book by Terry Pluto that I read and I have since read and recommended all of his other books to family and friends too.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first real baseball read. Taught me all about one of my favorite things: The Cleveland Indians. A great read if you care, like I do.

[Dr NSCA-CPT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterpiece. Thank you Terry Pluto. If you are a baseball fan or a loved one is a baseball fan, do yourself a big favor and read this book. You will love it.

[Kirk Weikart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not just baseball stories, but how baseball is ingrained into our culture and especially our relationships.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a great walk down memory lane! A must read for any Tribe fan. A dad, a boy, a baseball team. We walk thru their lives as fans and it brings back so many memories!

[Karen reading]

A reread: ?, 10/09/04

[Joe]

Terry has done a great job of detailing some of the history of the Cleveland Indians from the beginning up to the late 1990s. Recommend it for anyone who is a fan of The Tribe.