Marc Bona, writer for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer, will speak at the Massillon Museum’s Brown Bag Lunch on Tuesday, June 28. His program will begin at 12:10 p.m. and conclude at 12:50 p.m. to accommodate those who attend on their lunch breaks.
From basketball to boxing, hockey to Heisman, journalist Bona will chronicle a century of unremembered tales from his most recent book, Hidden History of Cleveland Sports. “Many of the city’s most illustrious sports tales are long forgotten chapters of tribulations and tragedy, of fleeting fame and enduring milestones,” he writes.
Forgotten firsts, such as football’s first pass and the invention of the slider, have ties to Northeast Ohio. There are tragedies like a fatal crash involving an Indians pitcher occurring the same year two of the team’s hurlers were killed in a high-profile boating accident. And there are the near misses like George Steinbrenner coming within seconds of owning the Indians (present-day Guardians) and a famous musician who almost became a Cleveland Brown.
Bona will sign his book after the program for anyone who brings or purchases a copy.
Admission to Brown Bag Lunches is free and no reservations are required. The Museum provides free cookies and coffee for attendees. Guests can purchase sandwiches, salad, and smoothies at Greatness Cafe in the Museum lobby or they can bring their own lunches.
The Massillon Museum receives operational support from the Ohio Arts Council and ArtsinStark. This event is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
MassMu is located at 121 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon. A visit is always free and everyone is welcome. Free parking is available on adjacent streets and in nearby city lots. For more information, call 330-833-4061 or visit massillonmuseum.org.
Media Contacts:
Alexandra Nicholis Coon, Massillon Museum Executive Director – 330-833-4061 x111
Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator – 330-844-1525
