Sports History On This Day: July 31

July 31, 1932 – The grand opening of Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium took place. The Cleveland Indians christened their new home, in front of more than 76,000 fans. However, the Tribe lost the first game in their new confines, 1-0 to the Philadelphia A’s.

The venue served the franchise as their home from 1932 through the 1993 season. It was also the home to the NFL’s Cleveland Browns and even the Cleveland Rams from 1935 through 1945. Cleveland Stadium, commonly known as Municipal Stadium, Lakefront Stadium was built in the downtown portion of the City near the Lake Erie WaterFront.

Before 1932 the Indians played their games at nearby League Park. In fact from 1932 to 1946 their home games were split between the two venues. In 1994 the Cleveland AL franchise moved into nearby Jacobs Field, which is now called Progressive Field.