On this date in the championship year of 1964, Larry Benz celebrated his 23rd birthday. Well before Joe Haden, it was Benz who wore jersey 23 in the Cleveland secondary, the first Brown ever to don that number. The undrafted safety had just finished a rookie year in which he intercepted seven passes while starting […]

Fifty years ago today, Sports Illustrated published a brief item in its Scorecard column lamenting that NFL championship games may inevitably be moved to warm-weather neutral sites. This, of course, brings to mind some of the legendary aspects of the Browns’ 1964 championship, which seem almost other-worldly to those raised in the Super Bowl era. […]

Fifty years today, John Havlicek scored a game-high 27 points, as the Boston Celtics improved to 30-9 with a convincing 99-79 win over the L.A. Lakers (27-17). So how does this pertain to the Browns and their journey to the 1964 NFL championship? Only marginally, but, hey, January 17 was hoops season. Football was dormant. […]

By this date in 1964, the NFL draft was already old news, having been held on December 2, 1963. By January 14, two of the Browns’ key selections had already reportedly signed their rookie contracts. Both Paul Warfield, the 11th overall pick, and Leroy Kelly, chosen in the eighth round (110th overall) would enjoy fantastic […]

2014 marks the semicentennial anniversary of Cleveland’s last championship season in any major pro sport. Throughout the year I’ll be revisiting the exploits of the 1964 Browns and their extraordinary journey to the NFL title. I hope this provides readers with some reminders of fond memories, or (if you’re like me and too young to […]