I wasn’t able to join the parade yesterday, but am reminded of this story Tom Byrne told me long ago.

Tom Byrne, a flute teaching local legend, emigrated from Ireland to Cleveland in 1948 to join family already come over. He came into Terminal Tower on the train, to catch a bus out to his family on the east side. He was nervous, excited, hopeful and scared.

He walked onto the square and the world had gone mad. Streamers, confetti, a parade, tens of thousands were on the street singing, hugging, cheering, and he thought, “Wow! What a country, to welcome a poor farm boy to their world.” He thought the celebration was given for everyone. He didn’t know that the Indians had won the World Series the day before.

Pic Des:
Johnny Coyne, Tom Scott, Al OLeary, Tom McCaffrey, Tom Byrne. Pic courtesy Jim Coyne

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