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RIP John Adams

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And his impact on the fan base was tenfold. The drumbeat is Cleveland baseball, especially for any fan 40 and younger.

I always joked with him that he is the only verifiable fan out of the millions of fans who claimed to have been at Len Barker’s perfect game. We lost the most important fan out of the millions of those fans today.
Especially 40 and under? I actually went to games in the 70s and 80s when John was the best part of the game. We had some terrible teams then.

I had a coworker who was at Len Barker’s perfect game. The office shrew (was around 19 then, can’t imagine how bad she’d be now). Bitch fell asleep at the game because she said it was boring.
 
Just popping in to say it’s been a tough day.

Anyone who has ever had the chance to hang out with John over the years always comes away with the same impression; he was one of the most genuinely nice people you could ever meet.

Often times “celebrity fans” are not who they seem to be when you meet them, but you will never find someone who will ever say that about John Adams. We were very lucky that he was the representation of the fan base.

It’s a testament to the impact he had on generations of players when one of the first things mentioned by any former player you ask when talking about the atmosphere in Cleveland, especially opposing players in the playoffs, was how much they hated/loved the drum depending on which side they were on.

And his impact on the fan base was tenfold. The drumbeat is Cleveland baseball, especially for any fan 40 and younger.

I always joked with him that he is the only verifiable fan out of the millions of fans who claimed to have been at Len Barker’s perfect game. We lost the most important fan out of the millions of those fans today.

I know there are plans to celebrate him a ton at the Home Opener. Nobody deserves that more than John.

How about every game we hold a raffle of sorts and who ever wins gets to bang the drum for that day?
 
Never struck me how unique Adams drumming was until I finally went to a game where he wasn’t drumming (a game in Fenway between the Red Sox and the Royals). My first non-Indians home game.

It only struck me then that his drumming was so consistent at baseball games I attended that it was all I knew.

A fan’s fan.

Love how that bass drum would lead up to the pitch and drop out just before the pitch was released… the anticipation of the moment was always so strong!
 
A moment of silence as his drumbeat grows louder and louder... When it peaks, blast all the lights, fireworks, you name it..

I never had an attachment to John Adams, but always thought it was pretty cool. Seems like a lot of you guys lost someone who really meant something to you and that really sucks. My thoughts are with his family and you.
 
I'm constantly in awe of the unique traditions that are cherished among various fanbases. John Adams' drum is ours to forever remember. There was never a Cleveland fan like him before and there won't be another as uniquely devoted as him. Rest in Peace and let's finally win one this year in his honor.
 
I'm constantly in awe of the unique traditions that are cherished among various fanbases.
I was thinking about that the other day when we were playing the Thunder, and how their fans always stand until the Thunder score, and I was thinking just how that started.
 
Oh man.

He made games when I was young and the team was awful fun and helped distract from the final score. He was unique to the game and I’m sure he loved every minute of his time banging that drum.

Games won’t be the same without him. Hope they find a way to replicate it and celebrate him in a long lasting way.
 
I hope that he gets honored fully on opening day. I will always connect baseball to that drum. I will miss him.

And I doubly hope that they keep the drum tradition going. If it's sound piped in to be clapped with, or a paid drummer in his old spot, I think the drums should remain a part of the Cleveland baseball tradition. Would be way cool to have his statue in his old seat.

RIP.
 
I imagine John should have some wishes of how to carry on his legacy. I hope they are honored. If not, I think we should occasionally have recordings of the real John through the loudspeaker in tense situations.
 
I’ve not watched nearly as many games as you all, but WWWE and WTAM were staples of summer evenings with Herb Score, Nev Chandler, Tom Hamilton etc…and slowly realizing that John Adams was part of that. On the radio, he was the backdrop, the band to the lead singers….a constant.
 

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