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The Real Jo-Boo?
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We all remember the movie "Major League," a fictional story about the Cleveland Indians. In that movie their "Long Ball" hitter, Pedro Cerrano would make offerings to a little statue called "Jo-Boo." He would always burn incense, while offering it cigars and liquor. The fascination in this little figured grew even more when the Tribe really began to hit the ball. During slumps, people would jokingly ask for "Jo Boo." At one point the front office even tried to find the "Jo-Boo" from the movie, instead they settled for a Chia Pet. The movie version of "Jo-Boo" has never been seen again. But the "Bad Boys and Girls of Cleveland Sports" can go even one better. The Club Long Ball investigation team went back through book after book looking for actual references to "Jo-Boo." None could ever be found. Then we found out that "Jo-Boo" was a fictional reference to Gobbo. The name change was made to fit in better with the Cuban flavor of the Cerrano character. Once we had the spelling correct we went really dove into it. Finding hundreds of references to Gobbo. Yet we couldn't locate a "real" one. That was until last year, when we got a call from a member of club Long Ball passing through West Virginia. He thought he had seen one in one of his trips into the mountains looking for antiques. We flew down and went to almost 50 homes and stores, finally buried in the back of a small store under tons of stuff was a little devilish creature, that had an almost hypnotizing effect on all that gazed upon it. Everyone had to touch it, rub it's head, touch it's belly. Under a layer of dust was the inscription: GOBBO We had found it. |
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