Captains announce Cleveland Sports History Night guest list 

(Eastlake, OH) – The Lake County Captains today announced the special guests for the 2021 edition of Cleveland Sports History Night, presented by PNC. The celebrity guest list will consist of Cleveland Browns Cornerback Denzel Ward, legendary Browns Quarterback Bernie Kosar, former Olympic Track & Field star Butch Reynolds, the 2021 Horizon League Champion Cleveland State Men’s Basketball team and the 2021 Women’s Basketball Invitational Champion Cleveland State Women’s Basketball team. Cleveland Sports History Night will take place on Friday, July 23, at Classic Park. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Gates open at 6:00 p.m.

Ward will enter his fourth season with the Browns in 2021. The 2018 first round pick (fourth overall) earned a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie and was a consensus All-American with Ohio State the previous year. A Macedonia, OH native and product of Nordonia High School, Ward has been a starter in the Browns’ defensive backfield all three years of his pro career.

Kosar was the Browns’ quarterback from 1985 until 1993 and the first overall selection in the 1985 NFL Supplemental Draft out of the University of Miami. His highlights in Cleveland include a 1987 Pro Bowl selection and a series of record performances. In the 1986 divisional playoffs, Kosar passed for a then-record 489 yards against the New York Jets and led Cleveland to a double overtime victory. He also set a league record in 1990 and 1991 by throwing 308 straight passes without an interception. Kosar was inducted into the Cleveland Browns Legends program in 2001.

Reynolds is a two-time Olympic Medalist and four-time World Champion in Track & Field. The Akron, OH native and Ohio State University product was part of the United States’ Gold Medal 4x400 meter relay team at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. He won silver in the individual 400 meters at those same 1988 Olympic Games. Reynolds won Gold at the World Championships three times with Team USA’s 4x400 relay team, capturing the title in 1987 (Rome), 1993 (Stuttgart) and 1995 (Gothenburg). In the individual 400 meters, he won Gold at the 1993 World Indoor Championships (Toronto), silver at both the 1993 (Stuttgart) and 1995 (Gothenburg) World Championships, and Bronze at the 1987 World Championships (Rome). Reynolds’ time of 43.29 in 1988 is still the third-fastest 400 meter race of all time.

The Cleveland State Men’s Basketball team captured its second Horizon League Championship in program history this season and earned its first NCAA Tournament bid in 12 years. Led by Head Coach Dennis Gates, the Vikings won a nail-biting triple-overtime contest against Purdue Fort Wayne in the quarterfinals, defeated Milwaukee in the semifinals and downed Oakland in the championship game, 80-69. Junior Tre Gomillion and senior Torrey Patton each contributed double-doubles in the championship-clinching win. The title was the program’s first since 2009.

The Cleveland State Women’s Basketball team won its first postseason title in program history when it won the Women’s Basketball Invitational Championship in 2021. Led by Head Coach Chris Kielsmeier, the Vikings won three games in three days to earn the championship. Cleveland State defeated Manhattan in round one, topped Stetson in the semifinals and edged Portland in the title game, 67-64. Freshman Destiny Leo hit the crucial three-pointer in the championship game, draining a tie-breaking shot with 20 seconds remaining to put the Vikings up for good.

All special guests will throw out ceremonial first pitches and sign autographs. The Cleveland State basketball teams will bring their championship trophies. All participants are subject to change.

The popular Jobu bobblehead is also back for 2021. Fans can purchase a special package for $40 to receive a game ticket, Jobu bobblehead and a meal voucher, plus 15-minute early entry to the ballpark. Tickets are available at CaptainsBaseball.com. Use the promo code JOBU to purchase this special package.

About the Captains

The Lake County Captains are the High-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. For more information, visit the Captains’ website at www.CaptainsBaseball.com, Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/CaptainsBaseball, Twitter @LCCaptains and Instagram @LCCaptains. Fans can also get the latest Captains news and offers by signing up for the Captains’ newsletter, The Anchor.