Hello Tribe fans everywhere.

As we draw nearer to Opening Day, longtime Indians fans mighg be thinking back to some of the more interesting openers they either attended or can recall from over the years. Some might think about Frank Robinson's dramatic home run in the 1975 opener, which marked his first game as the first black manager in baseball.

I recall Rick Waits' one-hit shutout in an Indians' opening day win in the early 1980's, primarily because it felt like the coldest day of the year -- perhaps of the entire decade. That hard, biting wind off Lake Erie made it feel like a Browns game in December.

But my most cherished memory of opening day came at the height of one of the worst stretches of Cleveland baseball -- in April of 1971. That's saying something, too, because Tribe fans endured a long drought of bad ball during those years.

1971 will always remain the day Gomer Hodge became an Indians immortal. A 28-year-old switch hitter who'd already spent nine years in the minors, Hodge entered the game against Boston in the eighth inning and promptly lined a single to center. It help spark an Indians rally that eventually pulled the Tribe to within a run of the Red Sox.

An inning later, Hodge's liner to right-center drove in the winning run. Hodge, who gained his nickname because of his resemblance in speech and looks to Gomer Pyle, collected two more hits in his next two at-bats, giving him a 4-for-4 start for the season.

Cleveland sportswriters loved Hodge because he was a natural. After stroking his fourth straight hit, Gomer told the reporters, "Gollee, fellas, I'm hittin' 4.000!"

His hot streak didn't last, and Hodge finished the year with a .205 batting average. It turned out to be his only year in the big leagues, although Hodge would spend more than two decades as a minor league coach and manager.

Just about a year ago, his son came across this blog and sent me a long letter, explaining what had happened to Gomer Hodge. "My dad has Lou Gehrig's disease and dementia," Gomer's son explained. "He's not in good shape, but he's still able to look at pictures, cards and listen to letters from old fans."

When I mentioned this in a subsequent blog, dozens of fans responded. In the past two weeks, Hodge's wife, Linda, has chatted with Akron Beacon Journal columnist Terry Pluto and former Plain Dealer baseball writer Russell Schneider, bringing them up to date about her husband.

Gomer Hodge is now in the final stages of his illness, but his wife said he still enjoys hearing from longtime fans. You can write to him at: Gomer Hodge, Autumn Care of Saluda; P.O. Box 488, Saluda, N.C. 28773.

Tell him you still that about that chilly April day in 1971, when he was the best hitter in baseball.

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The answer to yesterday's quickie quiz is: Dennis Ecklersly is the last player, who spent time with the Indians, to be elected to Baseball's Hall of Fame.

Today's quiz: What was the colorful nickname of outfielder Walt Williams, who played with the Indians during the 1973 season?

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-- Kevin Cuneo