Terry Pluto Entertains at Strongsville Business Breakfast

Being a Cleveland sports fan "is a real test of loyalty," Terry Pluto said. 

He recalled going to see the Indians play with his dad when he was growing up, buying at half price tickets from a scalper outside the stadium at a time when the team was so bad, fans stayed away in droves.

"With other franchises, they scalp tickets for more than the face value," he said, drawing a big laugh.

Pluto, who writes sports and faith columns for The Plain Dealer and has authored 21 books, was the featured speaker Thursday at Strongsville's quarterly business breakfast.

He talked about everything from what the Cavaliers might do with their No. 1 draft pick to why former Browns quarterback Berine Kosar is so pouplar.

And why is that? Partly because of Kosar's accommodating attitude toward fans. Pluto said Kosar once told him it's silly to spend 20 seconds refusing to sign an autograph.

"Bernie said it's easier to just sign it and smile and be nice," Pluto said.

He asked the crowd to vote on which Cleveland sports team is most likely to make the playoffs first. A couple voted for the Browns and Cavs, but dozens of hands went up for the first-place Indians.

"Would you have raised your hands six months ago?" he challenged.

Pluto talked about Clevelanders' passion for their teams and said one reason for disappointing attendance at Tribe games is because Cleveland is "a Browns town."

"You could put an empty orange helmet on the 50 yard line and people would pay to come stare at it," he said. "And if there was a rumor Bernie Kosar was going to be there to sign autographs . . . "

Pluto, who grew up in Cleveland and wrote for years for the Akron Beacon Journal, said that while sports are "a fun diversion," people need to keep them in perspective. "This is not life and death," he said.

He also remembers his father offering him some perspective on his job once when he was complaining about having to travel.

"I don't want to hear it," Pluto's dad said. "You get paid to go to ball games."

To see Pluto's books, visit his website.