Cleveland In His Rear-View Mirror THE WALTER O'MALLEY OF CLEVELAND, AND RELIGION OR CULT? Art Modell was the owner of Cleveland Browns for over 30 years. He became the most reviled man in Cleveland when he moved the city's beloved football team to Baltimore in 1996. Even today, mentioning his name in Cleveland is akin to mentioning Walter O'Malley's name in Brooklyn. The Reverend Sun Myung Moon was the leader of the Unification Church. He was a controversial figure and his status is somewhere between religious icon and cult leader. Joe South wrote and sang "Games People Play", the winner of the 1969 Grammy for Song Of The Year. Arthur Bertram Modell[1] (June 23, 1925 -- September 6, 2012) was an American businessman, entrepreneur and former National Football League team owner. He owned the Cleveland Browns franchise from 1961--95 and the Baltimore Ravens franchise from 1996--2004. During the 1940s and 1950s, Modell worked in the advertising, public relations businesses and television production in New York City. He purchased the Cleveland Browns in 1961 for $4 million, investing only $250,000 of his own money. He borrowed $2.7 million and found partners to cover the rest.[citation needed] [edit]Coach Paul Brown's firing (1963) Unlike the Browns' previous owners, Modell immediately took an active role in the management of the team, and fired legendary coach Paul Brown on January 9, 1963. Paul Brown had won seven league championships prior to Modell's acquisition of the team. After firing Brown, Modell quickly named Brown's assistant, Blanton Collier, as the new coach on January 16, 1963.[citation needed] [edit]Browns win NFL Championship Game (1964) After three non-playoff seasons, the 1964 Browns' team would finish 10--3--1 and appear in the 1964 NFL Championship Game against a heavily favored Don Shula coached Baltimore Colts team with Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Johnny Unitas as its signal caller. The Browns beat the Colts 27--0 in Cleveland Municipal Stadium. This particular Browns team consisted of many players initially drafted and acquired by Brown. During the next 30 years in Cleveland, not a single Modell team won the league title, although they would go on to appear in a total of seven NFL/AFC championship title games during the period. Prior to Modell's arrival, the Browns had dominated the NFL and the AAFC, winning seven championships in 17 years.[citation needed] [edit]Modell's team promotions Using his background in advertising to market the team, Modell showed a flair for promotions, with one popular innovation coming in 1962 by scheduling pro football preseason doubleheaders at Cleveland Stadium. Modell became active in NFL leadership, serving as NFL President and using his television connections to help negotiate the league's increasingly lucrative television contracts. Modell also was willing to provide his team as an opponent for both the first prime time Thanksgiving game in 1966 and the opening Monday Night Football broadcast in 1970.[3] [edit]Community involvement in Cleveland area Modell took an active role in Cleveland community life and was a leading fundraiser for charities and various Republican Party candidates. He married TV soap opera star Patricia Breslin in 1969, having previously been a well-known bachelor and man about town. For many years he was able to disarm newspaper and TV reporters with his quick wit. For example, with regard to the NFL's innovative policy of sharing all network television revenue on an equal basis per team, so that the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants each got an equal slice of the revenue, he joked, "We're 26 Socialists who hate America!" [edit]Player contract battles In 1967, five African American members of the Browns involved in a contract dispute refused to report to training camp. Modell eventually traded or released four of the players, with only standout running back Leroy Kelly staying. Kelly would go on to "play out his option" but the restrictive nature of free agency in the NFL at the time severely limited his options. Subsequent contract battles with defensive end Jack Gregory in 1971 and second-round draft pick Tom Skladany in 1977 only served to damage Modell's image among Cleveland fans. Feeling that the constant sellouts the team had enjoyed should be used to bolster the team, fan animosity manifested itself with anti-Modell stadium banners that were quickly removed by Cleveland Stadium management

• published: 05 Oct 2012
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