Twenty-six years ago this month, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers made their area debut. For a Niles native and a longtime Cleveland baseball fanatic, having an Indians minor league affiliate within two miles from home was a dream come true.

Walking into what was then Cafaro Field for the first time in 1999 was truly a memorable Opening Day experience. Everything about the stadium was shiny and new. The field was perfectly manicured, the grass was vibrantly green.

There was a buzz in the air, the type which is usually reserved for major sporting events.

Minor league baseball had arrived in the Mahoning Valley, and it was a major league experience for the 6,718 fans who packed the stadium.

Fans at minor league games are generally laid back, not heavily invested in the particular outcome of any given game. Yet on this night – and over the course of the entire 1999 season for that matter – there was a vibe which felt more like a high school football Friday night in The Valley.

The Scrappers responded with an 8-5 Opening Day win, and they would go on to finish the season with a 43-33 record, winning a division title. Area residents responded in record fashion. A total of 203,073 fans poured into Cafaro Field in the summer of ’99, an average of 5,344 fans per night.

A lot has happened over the course of the past 26 years. As advertised, local baseball fans have been given the opportunity to see tomorrow’s stars today. Well over 100 former Scrappers have gone on to play in the Major Leagues. The Scrappers won a New York-Penn League title in 2004, and six division titles through 2019.

Former Scrapper C.C. Sabathia was recently elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame and will be inducted next month.

Aside from the game itself, the entertainment and the quirks associated with minor league baseball have been prevalent. The Scrappers gained national attention in 2002 when they held Jim Traficant Night. Eight years later there was statewide coverage of LeBronfire Night – a public burning of LeBron James jerseys after James left Cleveland for Miami.

Other unusual promotions over the years have included everything from a hairiest back contest to a funeral giveaway.

On Labor Day 2003 the Scrappers were part of the first-known smokeout in professional baseball history thanks to a fireworks show gone wrong.

Oddly enough, 2023 saw a pair of Scrappers games canceled due poor air quality as a result of the Canadian wildfires.

I’m ashamed to admit that I still laugh everytime I see the 1999 video of the Scrappers’ ground crew losing a battle with Mother Nature. The result was a tarp sailing away like a kite, nearly clearing the stadium.

Much has changed over the past 26 years, most notably the Scrappers’ exit from the New York-Penn League in 2019 when the MLB eliminated 43 of its minor league franchises. The entire 2020 season was wiped out due to COVID, then the Scrappers returned in 2021 as a member of the MLB Draft League.

Once an Indians affiliate, the Scrappers are now a mix of a showcase league, a summer amateur league and part-time professional baseball. Rosters, which prior to 2020 were quite stable throughout the summer, now change on a somewhat regular basis.

Yet despite the many changes, stability reigns supreme at Eastwood Field.

The Scrappers’ front office includes general manager Heather Sahli, who has been with the organization for 20 years. Former GM Jordan Taylor, now Vice President of HWS Baseball, is entering his 24th season with the franchise. Assistant GMs Matt Thompson and Brad Hooser have a combined 40 years of service with the Scrappers.

Such front office stability is extremely rare in minor league sports.

It says something about the ownership’s commitment to the organization and to the community.

Through all the uncertainty and change between 2019 and 2021, the franchise was able to maintain its strong presence as a top affordable summer option for family entertainment in the Mahoning Valley. The post-game fireworks shows, the bobblehead giveaways, the Buck Nights and other promotions that were around in 1999 are still Eastwood Field staples in 2025.

Celebrating the Fourth of July at Eastwood Field has become a tradition for many area families. Discounted and even free tickets are available nearly every night of the week.

The Scrappers are living proof that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Tonight, the gates of Eastwood Field will open for a 26th season of Scrappers baseball. While the magic of 1999 may never be duplicated, the magic of Opening Day never gets old. That’s especially when old traditions, familiar faces and fresh, new ideas combine to bring a little of that ’99 vibe into the summer of 2025.

Play ball!

See you at the ballpark!