My name is Chris Ferrari and I am President of the Smithfield chapter of the Worldwide Browns Backers.
I live in Smithfield, Ohio and I work at Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel. Smithfield is a small town located in Eastern Ohio.
I have been a Browns fan all of my life and it is an honor
to be the President of one of their fan clubs. I think the Cleveland Browns is the most exciting sports team on earth and I think Browns fans are the most devoted of all sports fans. I am honored to have this homepage which is dedicated to the Browns.
While you are visiting my homepage please be sure to check out all areas on the page because there are some really good things to see. Please be sure to sign the guestbook before you leave.Well, have fun and LONG LIVE THE BROWNS!!
Chris
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Short History of the Browns
The Cleveland Browns began play as part of the All American Football Conference in 1946, with the legendary Paul Brown serving as coach and General Manager. After winning four straight AAFC titles, they joined the National Football League in 1949 along with the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Colts. The team continued its winning ways in the NFL, beating L.A. for the championship in 1950 and winning back-to-back titles in 1954-1955. In 1961, the team was purchased by Art Modell. The Browns added one more championship, in 1964. Throughout the ups and downs of the years since then, the one constant was the Browns fans, known to be perhaps the most loyal in all of sports. The "Dawg Pound" at Cleveland Stadium became known as a place where no Browns opponent was welcome. And yet, in 1996, Modell decided to move his franchise from Cleveland. In an age where loyalty to fans seems more and more an outdated concept, Modell's move proved the be the ultimate slap in the face. Millions of Browns fans were left devastated, shocked that the NFL would allow such a move to happen. The end result is that Modell's team is now in Baltimore and Browns fans went without football until receiving an expansion team in 1999. Cleveland has retained the Browns name and all of the Browns' records.
Odds and Ends about the Browns
First NFL Draft Choice:
Ken Carpenter, HB, Oregon State, 1950.
First Regular-Season Game in the AAFC:
A 44-0 victory over the Miami Seahawks, 9/6/46.
First Regular-Season Game in the NFL:
A 35-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, 9/16/50.
First Touchdown/AAFC:
A 19-yard touchdown pass from Cliff Lewis to Mac Speedie vs. the Miami Seahawks, 9/6/46.
First Touchdown/NFL:
A 59-yard touchdown pass from Otto Graham to Dub Jones vs. the Philadelphia Eagles, 9/16/50.
First Winning Season/AAFC:
1946 (12-2).
First Winning Season/NFL:
1950 (10-2).
First Playoff Appearance/AAFC:
A 14-9 victory over the New York Yankees in the AAFC Championship game, 12/22/46.
First Playoff Appearance/NFL:
An 8-3 victory over the New York Giants in the NFL Eastern Conference playoff game.
First to Rush 100 Yards in a Game:
Marion Motley, 143 yards vs. the Los Angeles Dons, 10/20/46.
First 1,000-Yard Rusher:
Jim Brown, 1,527 (1958).
First To Pass 400 Yards in a Game:
Otto Graham, 401 yards vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers, 10/4/52.
Most Career Rushing Yards:
Jim Brown, 12,312 yards (1957-65).
Most Career Passing Yards:
Brian Sipe, 23,713 yards (1974-83).
Most Career Receptions:
Ozzie Newsome, 662 receptions (1978-90).
All-Time Leading Scorer:
Lou Groza, 1,608 points, (1946-49 AAFC, 1950-59, 61-67 NFL).
First Brown Elected to the Hall of Fame:
QB Otto Graham, 1965.
It's A Fact:
Twenty former Browns coaches or players have become NFL head coaches.
