The Best Show in Football

by Piascik, Andy

• ISBN13: 9781589795716
• ISBN10: 1589795717
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-08-16
• Publisher: Taylor Trade Pub

Summary

For ten years the Cleveland Browns compiled a better record and won more championships than any team in pro football history. They dominated an upstart league and then silenced their detractors by doing the same to the NFL. The Browns were led by Paul Brown, a football visionary who changed pro football--most important among his innovations was the leading role the franchise played in the integration of pro sports.

Author Biography

Andy Piascik is a long-time activist for peace and social justice. He has written articles about labor history, African Americans in sports, and other subjects for a variety of publications. In addition to The Best Show in Football, he is the author of Gridiron Gauntlet. He lives in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. ix
Acknowledgments	p. xi
Notes on Terms	p. xiii
Introduction	p. 1
The Beginning	p. 5
Willis, Motley, and the Fall of the Color Line	p. 31
The First Season	p. 45
Two Championships in a Row	p. 69
Jet Age Passing Attack	p. 85
Perfect	p. 105
Last Hurrah for the AAFC	p. 123
Taking the NFL by Storm	p. 151
The AAFC, the NFL, and the 1946-1949 Browns: Comparison and Evaluation	p. 187
Continued Greatness and a Championship Game Loss	p. 219
Lake Erie Rivalry	p. 237
Groza and Gillom	p. 255
Big Changes and a Third Straight Championship Game Loss	p. 263
Willis and Motley Depart	p. 287
A Defense for the Ages	p. 291
Back on Top	p. 305
Seven Championships in Ten Years	p. 327
The Browns and Other Dynasties Compared	p. 345
The End of an Era	p. 365
Cleveland Browns Composite Roster, 1946-1955	p. 369
A Key to the Nicknames	p. 371
Sources	p. 373
Index	p. 381
About the Author	p. 397
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