10 Most Controversial Cleveland Sports Stars Of All Time

3. Albert Belle

Albert Belle is one of the most prolific power hitters to ever wear an Indians uniform–he’s also one of the most controversial.

In 1995, Belle complied one of the best seasons in the history of Major League Baseball. In a strike-shortened 144-game campaign, the Tribe’s cleanup hitter  hit .317 with 52 doubles, 50 homers, 121 runs and 126 RBI as the Indians won 100 gams en route to advancing to the World Series for the first time in 41 years.

During his time with the Indians, Belle constantly made headlines for the wrong reasons. He corked his bat, notoriously chased down some Halloweeners that egged his house, threw a baseball at a fan for calling him by his original name, “Joey,” and he even showed current SportsCenter host Hannah Storm, who at the time worked for NBC covering the 1995 World Series, with expletives.

Belle also earned the nickname “Mr. Freeze” around the locker room because he smashed the clubhouse thermostat when it got to warm.

But for as controversial as Belle was, he was beloved by the masses because he could do one thing really, really well: hit.

During the 1995 ALDS, the Boston Red Sox accused Belle of corking his bat. The Tribe’s slugger then flexed his muscle, showing all of Beantown the source of his power.  The image is iconic, just like Belle, for better, and for worse.

Next: Jim Brown