Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /var/www/wp-content/plugins/leadpages/lbset.php on line 89
Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /var/www/wp-content/plugins/leadpages/lbset.php on line 92
Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /var/www/wp-content/plugins/leadpages/lbset.php on line 89
Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /var/www/wp-content/plugins/leadpages/lbset.php on line 92
In the summer of 1964…Cleveland, Ohio.
Another story perhaps you have not heard…John Brown Cleveland Browns offensive left tackle and close friend of Ernie Davis, the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy in 1963.
I was a rookie with the Browns and John Brown had invited his future wife to attend an event. His girl friend brought along a friend and she didn’t have an escort…so he asked me to be her escort. She was a very attractive lady.
I didn’t realize this would be such an emotional event. I was single at this time and was totally focused on making the Browns team. We sat at a table with Ernie Davis’s mother. I was so focused on my own situation, it hadn’t dawned on me that Ernie had died the previous year of leukemia…
…Art Modell the Browns owner who sponsored this event to raise funds for the Ernie Davis Foundation. This was such a tragic situation.
Ernie was out of Syracuse University…drafted by the Washington Redskins as their No.1 draft choice and then traded to the Browns for one of the NFL great players in Bobby Mitchell…Bobby became the first black player to play for the Redskins. He was an all-pro running back alongside Jim Brown and became an all-pro wide receiver with the Redskins.
After the benefit, we had a few drinks at John Brown’s flat. The young lady and I were upstairs looking around. We noticed a room that was a bit untidy…There was a football jersey draped over a chair, some dirty socks on the floor and a guitar in the corner of the room…
…We looked at each other with some curiosity. About this time, John walked in and asked us not to disturb anything. He was very emotional about this, So I asked him what was so special about this room that was unkempt and the things strewn all over the place…
…John with watery eyes said this was Ernie’s room when he lived with me. He said the room was just as he left it. It was like a shrine. I don’t know if he still owns that flat…And I didn’t know that he and Ernie were like brothers!…The movie “Elmira Express” featured the two of them at Syracuse.
John said, one afternoon Ernie told him that he was going down to Municipal stadium to visit the Browns offices. He walked into Art Modell’s office and said “I want to thank you for everything”. Modell responded ” Ernie you didn’t have to come down here to tell me that”…
…Ernie said “I just came to say goodbye” He died later that evening…
He and Jim Brown were going to form the “Wow Boys” from Syracuse…
P.S. If you haven’t joined my blog…Now is the time…Enter your name and email address and leave me a comment…A Yes or No or a Thumbs up or thumbs down is OK…Just leave me a comment…