1927: The newly formed Ohio and Pennsylvania Baseball League awards franchises to Cleveland, Canton, Youngstown, Beaver Falls and Massillon.

2003: Lake Catholic and Kenston book their places in the Division II regional volleyball final at Stow, as the Cougars take out Rocky River and the Bombers sweep Salem.

1992: Goalkeeper Mikki Oldani makes a penalty-kick save in the fifth round, and Ellen DeCapite converts from the spot as North defeats Chagrin Falls, 5-3, on PKs in a Division I girls soccer district final.

1981: Richmond Heights and Hawken record Class A sectional volleyball wins at Newbury, while Fairport bows out in three games to Grand Valley.

1970: Pending school board approval, Madison leaves the Lake Shore League to join the Northeastern Conference, commencing with the 1972-73 school year to take the place of Pymatuning Valley.

1959: Harvey receives votes in the UPI state football poll going into a Northeastern Conference showdown against Mentor.

1948: Willoughby Union coach Harry Winters announces he may be without three offensive starters due to injury, including quarterback Dick Brooks, for the Rangers’ upcoming game against Wickliffe.

1937: The Cleveland Rams fall to 1-6, managing just a second-quarter touchdown in a 35-7 loss at Green Bay, and the Cleveland Arena’s first-ever event is announced – the Ice Follies of 1938.

1926: Mentor rides a second-half blocked punt and first-half safety to a 9-7 win over Willoughby, and Madison also gets a blocked punt in the end zone to edge Fairport, 12-7.

2002: Danielle Persiano’s 33rd minute goal, assisted by Alyssa Korenko, was the difference as Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin edges Brush, 1-0, in a Division I girls soccer district semifinal.

2002: Danielle Persiano’s 33rd minute goal, assisted by Alyssa Korenko, was the difference as Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin edges Brush, 1-0, in a Division I girls soccer district semifinal.

1991: Kara Woods and Amy Crittenden each score two goals as Kenston defeats Hubbard, 4-0, in girls soccer, and Merideth Brown scores the lone goal in Andrews’ 1-0 field hockey win over Stow.

1980: Jeff Lawrence cards a 41 at Canterbury to lead Brush to a 177-193 boys golf victory over South, and Doug Drobnik’s 38 paces Euclid over North, 164-184, at Briardale.

1969: Gary Collins catches a pair of touchdown passes from Bill Nelsen as the Browns defeat the Steelers, 42-31, in a game which featured a combined 42 fourth-quarter points.

I didn't grow up in the Cleveland area, so I've never read Ask Hal the Referee. In fact I didn't know much about the legendary sports writer until I started organizing his collection of thousands of sports books.

I've been working (as time permits) for nearly a year on the Hal Lebovitz Collection, which will be auctioned (likely next month), with proceeds going to a foundation in the Lebovitz family name at Lakeland Community College.

I've learned so much about Hal from flipping through his books. I've blogged about the Hal Lebovitz Collection and some of my finds. I now recognize his writing and can decipher his scribbling. Baseball is the most represented sport in his collection, and football comes in second. On several books, he stamped or wrote his name on the side of the text block or within the first few pages. My favorite way he marked one of his books: "STOLEN FROM THE DESK OF HAL LEBOVITZ."

After getting to know him through his books, I'm disappointed that I never met the man or read any of his work before he passed. But I've been thankful for the opportunity to get to know him in such a personal way. After all, book collections are an incredible way to learn about a person, his interests, and what he valued most.

Since the previous incarnation of our website wasn't much to look at, I'm not sure what Hal's last published work was. The latest date I could find was his commentary on the Indians' loss to the Red Sox, which was published Oct. 3, 2005:

It will be interesting to see if they really have won back the fans. The final three sellouts are evidence interest has been rekindled, and it will show in the season-ticket sales. The good news is that it already has picked up. There is much to look forward to for 2006.
Several words can describe the season just past: a tease perhaps. But it was far more solid than a now-you-see-it-now-you-don't peep show. General manager Mark Shapiro calls it a sting, not in a con way, but because the outcome hurt. He is highly encouraged, however, about the future.
We have a good young team returning, the core of a terrific club. There is no question Grady Sizemore, Jhonny Peralta, Travis Hafner and Cliff Lee grew before our eyes, and Victor Martinez and C.C. Sabathia continued to mature.

Hal died Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2005. (His wife, Margie, just died Friday.)

The front page from Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2005:

Links from the week of Hal's death:

• Hal Lebovitz dies (10/19/2005) by David S. Glasier
• Farewell to a legend (10/19/2005) by Jim Ingraham
• From one enshrinee to another (10/19/2005) by Jim Ingraham
• Editorial: Hal Lebovitz 1916-2005 (10/19/2005)
• Hal's love of life, game remembered (10/21/2005) by David S. Glasier
• Hal got you the story, no matter what (10/23/2005) by Kevin Kleps

More about Hal:

• Ask Hal - the Hall of Famer Sports Writer from ClevelandSeniors.com
• 1999 J.G. Taylor Spink Award Winner Hal Lebovitz on the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum's website
• Hal Lebovitz article on Wikipedia
• Book excerpt: "Outwitting sign stealers in constant battle", from "The Best of Hal Lebovitz: Great Sportswriting from Six Decades in Cleveland"

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

1958: Bill Shvetz and Gordon Vejprava each score a pair of goals as the Barons take out visiting Springfield, 6-4, for their first win of the season.

1947: Bob Feller travels to Mexico City to take part in the Indians’ first tryout camp in Mexico, which attracts more than 100 young baseball players.

1936: Bob Esterhay catches a 23-yard touchdown pass and also enjoys a strong day punting on a wet night as Fairport remains undefeated with a 14-0 win over visiting Conneaut.

1925: A crowd of around 800 baseball fans gathers around the Painesville Telegraph offices to listen to the Pirates’ World Series-clinching victory over the Senators at Forbes Field.

2003: Marco DiFranco’s 17th minute strike lifts NDCL to a 1-0 boys soccer win over Elyria Catholic, and Megan O’Donnell records 21 kills in VASJ’s three-game volleyball win over Perry.