Guardians honor drummer Adams with Hall of Fame induction

Category: Sports

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. pound / paʊnd / (v.) – to hit something loudly and repeatedly
    Example:

    I was awoken by someone pounding at the door in the middle of the night.


  2. induction / ɪnˈdʌk ʃən / (n.) – an occasion where someone is formally introduced or accepted into a group
    Example:

    All employees are encouraged to attend the induction of the new CEO.


  3. tote / toʊt / (v.) – to carry something in a noticeable way
    Example:

    Thanks to digital books, our children don’t need to tote heavy bags to school anymore.


  4. affix / əˈfɪks / (v.) – to stick something to another thing
    Example:

    The teacher reminded the students to affix their name tags to their uniforms all the time.


  5. mount / maʊnt / (v.) – to fix something to a wall
    Example:

    There’s a huge painting mounted on the museum’s wall.


Article

Read the text below.

John Adams pounded his way to Cleveland baseball immortality.


The longtime drummer, who has provided a steady, rallying beat during baseball games in Cleveland since the 1970s, has been honored with an induction into the team’s Distinguished Hall of Fame.


The tribute is to recognize Adams, who first toted a bass drum that he bought at a garage sale for $25 into the bleacher seats as a 21-year-old at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium on Aug. 24, 1973.


He’s attended more than 3,700 games while supporting the team.


As part of the tribute to Adams, the club commissioned local sculptor David Demming to craft a replica bronze drum affixed to a bench that will reside in the team’s Heritage Park behind the center field wall at Progressive Field.


Also, there will be a plaque mounted on the wall next to his seat atop the left-field bleachers.


The team plans to show a video tribute of Adams on the ballpark’s giant scoreboard during two upcoming games.


Adams’ health has kept him away from the ballpark the past couple seasons. At the home opener in 2021, Patrick Carney, drummer for The Black Keys, the Grammy Award-winning rock duo from Akron, sat in for Adams.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • In honor of Adams, the team inducted him into the Distinguished Hall of Fame and gave him tribute. Why do you think these were done for him? Discuss.
  • How do you think the team’s tribute to Adams can affect its players? How about its fans? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Adams showed his all-out support for Cleveland by drumming for them in over 3,700 games. In what way can you best show your support to your favorite team or celebrity? Discuss.
  • Do you think it’s important for teams or players to hear their supporters cheering for them during games? Why or why not? Discuss.