Ten-Cent Beer Night and the 1974 Baseball Season

Ten-Cent Beer Night in Cleveland on June 4, 1974, was a promotion — at a Cleveland Indians vs. Texas Rangers game — that led to the biggest riot by spectators in the history of sporting events in North America. The 1974 baseball season was significant for many other events as well. In that year, Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's all-time home run record, the Oakland A's went for their third World Series title in a row, Tommy John surgery was performed for the first time, and the fiery Billy Martin set out to turn the Texas Rangers into a winning team. This was a pivotal period in baseball history where old-school and modern baseball collided.