Legends nominees: The 1960's
Editor's note: Some of the 36 former players on the list of nominees for the 2008 class of Cleveland Browns Legends will become Legends at some point, if not this year, then down the road. But all are legendary, or else they wouldn't be among the nominees, as chosen by a panel recently. With that in mind, then, we're doing a four-part series in which we'll attempt to make a strong case for each of the nominees. In Part II that follows, we'll discuss the nine nominees for the 1960s era. Incidentally, fans can vote on the nominees for all four eras through July 31 on the team's official Website, www.clevelandbrowns.com.
It wasn't like the 1940s and '50s, when success and championships were commonplace, but the 1960s was still a very good decade for the Browns.
In 1964, the Browns captured their last NFL championship, and they also advanced to the league title game in 1965, '68 and '69. Another playoff trip in 1967 gave the Browns five postseason berths during the decade. Three other times, they missed the playoffs despite worthy records of 10-4, 9-5 and 8-3-1.
The nucleus of those teams was made up mostly from the players left over from the 1950s, so it was a star-studded cast. Here's a look at the ones who are Cleveland Browns Legends nominees this year, in alphabetical order:
Name: Erich Barnes.
Position: Cornerback.
Years played with the Browns: 1965-71.
Why he deserves to be a Cleveland Browns Legend: From 1958-64, when he had played with first the Chicago Bears and then -- especially -- with the arch rival New York Giants, Barnes was hated by Browns fans. From 1961-63, Barnes and the Giants had beaten out the Browns in the Eastern Conference and made it to the NFL Championship Game three times. That hurt. But when Barnes arrived in Cleveland to play for the Browns and fill a need at cornerback, he was a beloved figure by the fans because they knew just how good he was and what he would bring to the team. From 1966-68, he combined for 11 interceptions on his way to 18 during his seven-year career with the Browns. His best production came in 1970, his last full season, when he had five picks. Overall in the NFL, he finished with 45. He was also one of the most aggressive and ferocious cornerbacks in terms of tackling, in team history. He made it to one Pro Bowl while in Cleveland.
Name: Monte Clark.
Position: Right tackle.
Years played with the Browns: 1963-69.
Why he deserves to be a Cleveland Browns Legend: Because left tackle was, even then, the glamour position on the offensive line, because the Browns had had two stars at that spot over the years in Pro Football Hall of Famer Lou Groza and Dick Schafrath, and because John Wooten and Hall of Famer Gene Hickerson were at guards, right tackle Monte Clark never got his due. He was the forgotten man. But he was still exceptional. The Browns ran behind him a lot, and backs Jim Brown and Leroy Kelly are in the Hall of Fame. That tells you all you need to know.
Name: Vince Costello.
Position: Middle linebacker.
Years played with the Browns: 1957-66.
Why he deserves to be a Cleveland Browns Legend: As was the case in the 1940s/50s era, the 1960s Browns had all kinds of name talent on the offensive side of the ball, drawing attention away from their defensive stars. So Costello flew under the radar even though he started from day one of his 10-year career with the club. A native of tiny Magnolia, Ohio, just south of Canton, and a product of Ohio University, he may have been at his best in the 1964 championship season, when he helped spearhead a defense that always seemed to come up with a big play just when it needed to do so.
Name: Galen Fiss.
Position: Outside linebacker.
Years played with the Browns: 1956-66.
Why he deserves to be a Cleveland Browns Legend: The play of quarterback Frank Ryan and wide receiver Gary Collins, who combined for three touchdown passes, will always highlight the 27-0 shutout of the great Baltimore Colts in the 1964 title game. But the single biggest play -- and one of the single biggest plays in Browns history -- was turned in by Fiss, who tackled Hall of Fame back Lenny Moore in the open field on a screen pass that otherwise would have gone for a 77-yard TD in the second quarter and broken a scoreless tie. The Colts never threatened after that. Like fellow nominee Vince Costello, Fiss was solid throughout his career. He was selected to the Pro Bowl twice and had 13 career interceptions, including four in 1962, an impressive total for a linebacker in that day and age.
Name: Ernie Green.
Position: Running back.
Years played with the Browns: 1962-68.
Why he deserves to be a Cleveland Browns Legend: He played with Hall of Famers Jim Brown and Leroy Kelly, so Green was never going to get much hype. However, if he had been with just about any other team, then he probably would have been the feature back. He made the Pro Bowl twice, is seventh on the club's career rushing list with 3,204 yards, caught nearly 200 passes for 20 touchdowns and was a good blocker. And as an aside, in 1969 he became the first African American assistant coach in Browns history.
Name: Jim Kanicki.
Position: Defensive tackle.
Years played with the Browns: 1963-69.
Why he deserves to be a Cleveland Browns Legend: Fellow nomineeGalen Fiss made the biggest play of the 1964 championship game, but Kanicki was the most important defensive player on the field for the Browns that day overall. He used his size and strength to neutralize Toledo, Ohio native and former Ohio State star Jim Parker, the great Colts guard, and it took away a lot of what Baltimore wanted to do. Kanicki went on to have a good career with the Browns, as evidenced by the fact he played seven seasons. He was also a good complement to first Dick Modzelewski and then Walter Johnson at the other tackle spot.
Name: Bernie Parrish.
Position: Cornerback.
Years played with the Browns: 1959-66.
Why he deserves to be a Cleveland Browns Legend: Interceptions over a long stretch of time can be a real indicator of the value of a cornerback. If that's really the case, then Parrish was an very valuable player for the Browns. In his first three years with the club, he got incrementally better, starting with five picks, then getting six and finally seven in 1961. That total of 18 got him off and running toward a career total of 29, placing him fifth in Browns history. The two-time Pro Bowler also led the NFL in interception return yardage with 238 in 1960.
Name: Paul Wiggin.
Position: Defensive end.
Years played with the Browns: 1957-67.
Why he deserves to be a Cleveland Browns Legend: Several things work in Wiggin's favor. First of all, he and Bill Glass, a Legends inductee last year, were a matched set at end for the Browns for a long time. They seemed to be of equal ability, making end one of the strongest positions on the defense. So if Glass is in, shouldn't Wiggin be next? Secondly, Wiggin twice made the Pro Bowl at a time when there were a lot of great ends -- some of them Hall of Famers -- in the league. And lastly, he's in the College Football Hall of Fame, which says something about his talent.
Name: John Wooten.
Position: Offensive guard.
Years played with the Browns: 1959-67.
Why he deserves to be a Cleveland Browns Legend: Wooten falls into the same category as fellow nomineeand former offensive line teammate Monte Clark in that he, too, was a great player who was overshadowed by even greater players at that position area such as Gene Hickerson and Dick Schafrath. The Browns offense could not have done what it did in that era with just two standout linemen. A whole group of them was needed, both as run and pass blockers. If Wooten had been on another team, then he would have gotten the recognition he deserved. As it was, Wooten made two Pro Bowls, which was not representative of his play or his worth to the team.
NEXT: The 1970s.