Website Launch

We wish to introduce you to the new Cleveland Club of Washington, D. C., website.

This website, as well as the Club Facebook page, has been crafted by Michael Palinkas and we all owe him abundant thanks.

As part of the new website, you will be receiving emails about Club events and news from the website itself. I think you will agree the new format is an improvement.

Even though you are currently a member of the Club and receive our emails we ask you to visit the new website, go to the "Join" page, and fill in your information. 

We only require three bits of information: email address, name, and zip code.

All other information boxes are optional. But, we feel that gathering this additional information will be useful. Some questions include:

  • Cleveland neighborhood or suburb
  • Northeast Ohio High School (if applicable)
  • High School Graduation Year
  • Northeast Ohio College (if applicable)
  • Profession
  • Employer

This information will allow us to create and maintain a Member Registry. Such a Registry will allow you to network with other members who share common interests and backgrounds and will allow the Club to develop future events and initiatives that better fit our member's interests.

We suggest you "bookmark" the Club website to your browser - the quicker to check Club news, events and announcements.

Thank you for your interest in the Club. We welcome your suggestions.

Former Ambassador to Slovakia Tod Sedgwick Explained Cleveland's Contribution to Central European Democracy

Former ambassador to the Slovak Republic Tod Sedgwick spoke to the Cleveland Club on September 26, 2017, stressing the ties between Czechoslovakia and Cleveland. Speaking at the law firm Jackson & Campbell, Sedgwick pointed out that during the latter half of the 19th century representatives of American industrial corporations actively recruited in Central Europe, helping to stimulate a significant migration of Czechs, Slovaks and others to American mills. Once World War I broke out, Czechs and Slovaks in Cleveland got together in 1915 and wrote the Cleveland Agreement, a bold and original statement calling for an independent and democratic Czechoslovakia to be formed from portions of the Austro-Hungarian Empire then at war with Britain and France, later to be at war with the United States. In 1918 Czechoslovakia joined the family of nations.

Sedgwick said the Cleveland Agreement of 1915 was fundamental to the formation of the Czech and Slovak nation, which of all the countries formed after World War I, retained democracy longest in the inter-war period. Sedgwick said that the work done in Cleveland in 1915 paved the way for strong relations between the United States and Central European countries. "When I was Ambassador to Slovakia, I kept a copy of the Cleveland Agreement in the foyer of my official Residence for anyone walking in to see," he said. He also noted that his Residence was decorated with art by Cleveland Slovak artists.

Efforts he is proud of from his work as ambassador include keeping natural gas flowing to Slovakia from the Ukraine despite Russia's attempt to cut it off; spurring Slovakia to spend more on its national defense; and working with U. S. Steel Corporation to retain its mill in the eastern part of the country, a presence that would defend against Russian influence in the region. Ambassador Sedgwick said he feared the notion of the United States being the "beacon of the world" for democracy and freedom was slipping in the face of the notion that the United States was overly militaristic and aggressive. He warned against increasingly effective Russian propaganda and called for better efforts by the United States to present its message to Central and Eastern Europe.

Ambassador Sedgwick noted the presence in the room of the first U. S. ambassador to Slovakia, Ted Russell, and praised him for his work during the difficult period of the formation of the new nation. Also in attendance were Josef Polakovic, the Deputy Chief of Mission of the Slovak Embassy, as well as representatives of Slovak Public Television and the U. S. State Department.

WTAM-AM's "Tribe Talk" Broadcaster Jim Rosenhaus Speaks to the Club at an Indians/Orioles Game

On June 22, two dozen Cleveland Club members enjoyed an evening at Camden Yards in Baltimore where the Indians beat the Orioles 6-3 on a hot and humid early summer evening.

An hour before game time Jim Rosenhaus walked over from the WTAM-AM broadcast booth to talk Indians baseball to our Club members (and to additional Indians fans who were alerted to Jim's remarks). Jim has been working as an Indians broadcaster for eleven years, for the past six calling play-by-play along with Tom "The Voice of the Indians" Hamilton. Jim is also the host of both "Indians Warm Up" and "Tribe Talk" radio shows on WTAM-AM.

Jim began his remarks with an analysis of the 2017 Indians team, comparing this year's team with the one of last year – Jim spoke to some forty of us 11 months ago on August 9, 2016 at Nationals Park in Washington, D. C. when the Tribe beat the Nats 3-1 as part of a winning streak that helped them into the post-season and the World Series. Jim speculated that the 2016 talk with the Cleveland Club was good luck and hoped that his remarks this year would lead to another American League Championship and World Series appearance.

A fount of Indians lore, Jim examined the 2017 season to date noting that it would take time for the many new members of this year's team to "gel" as a unit. He cited new players Edwin Encarnacion, Erik Gonzalez and Bradley Zimmer adding that all have shown promise but will need time to fit together as a team. He said Zimmer can hit, covers center field well and has the speed to steal bases. He said that while Francisco Lindor has started slowly he was sure he would return to his usual level of superior play as the season progresses. Jim added that he thought Tribe management would look to improve its starting pitching rotation before the July 31 trading deadline. All questions asked were answered patiently, thoroughly and informatively by Jim before he had to depart for the broadcast booth and prepare for his pre-game show.

The Club presented Jim with a gold-framed Certificate of Appreciation for meeting to talk Indians baseball with us in both 2016 and 2017. Numerous photographs were taken of Jim with the various Club members present.

Note: Club members were impressed by the large number of Tribe fans present at the game on June 22, many decked out in official MLB Indians' team jerseys and in a wide variety of other t-shirts, caps and Indians, Cavs and Browns garb!

PS: Thanks for Carrie Davidson and Jackie Steich for the photos.

Thanks for this event go to the Club's Sports Teams Committee: Tom Steich, Collin Agee, Steve Toth and Bill Franklin

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