A Selection of articles from VISION
Corporate newspaper of
With media from all over the globe descending on Cleveland to cover the World Series at Jacobs Field, Ameritech faced a challenge that required as much resilience and teamwork as the Indians expanded in taking on the Florida Marlins.
When the baseball post season began in early October, a team of six Ameritech technicians went to work, investing more than 1,400 hours of labor into bringing the World Series to the world.
From installing a telephone at the seat of the commissioner of baseball in Jacobs Field, to adding 600 additional lines to accommodate worldwide media needs, to providing the uplink for television transmission, Ameritech delivered the world class network needed to literally support the World Series.
Fiber optic video lines transmitted the action at Jacobs Field to the TV screens of viewers worldwide. The lines first sent the picture to an Ameritech central office, then to a long distance carrier that transferred it to a network studio in New York. From there the image moved up to a satellite, down to local television stations and, finally, to screens in homes across the world.
The preparations also included the installation of eight audio-only lines around the field to enhance the quality of sound.
According to John Matwijiw, communications specialist - network services, “There’s a whole other world of wires and stuff under the ballpark.” In all, hundreds of miles of fiber, cable and wire, and other telephone equipment were placed. Technicians continuously monitored the network during the three days Cleveland hosted the series.
Technicians also inspected previously installed equipment prior to the series, including the 65 pay phones in the area of Jacobs Field.
“Our technicians made a total sweep of the area to make sure each phone was in working order,” said Mike Paradise, area manager - pay phone services.
The nearly 18,000 fans who were unable to attend the games had an experience that surpassed traditional TV viewing at the “Field of Dreams” venue sponsored by cellular services at the Nautica entertainment complex in Cleveland’s Flats. The venue featured huge television screens and vendors roamed the stands selling hot dogs, popcorn, soft drinks and traditional baseball fare.
“It was the closest thing for people who didn’t have a ticket to the game to be a part of the baseball action,” said Rick Slavin, general manager - cellular services. “It was a very exciting place to be.”
Contact with the public gave volunteer Christopher Darr, customer consultant - cellular services, the opportunity to promote and take orders for cellular services while also enjoying an atmosphere very much like the one at Jacobs Field.
“This is the best place to be if you’re not at the game,” Darr said. “You can feel the excitement. The fans act the same as they do at Jacobs Field.”
“’Field of Dreams’ is an example of Ameritech going to where the customer is,” said Daryl Lange, manager - market support, cellular services. “It’s a non-traditional way to reach customers. It also reflected our excitement for the team and the fans in the Cleveland area.”
Brian Fairbanks, contributing writer
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