Browns Scrapbook: A Fond Look Back at Five Decades of Football, from a Legendary Cleveland Sportswriter [Paperback]

Chuck Heaton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 17, 2007

Veteran sportswriter Chuck Heaton looks back at his 47 years covering the Cleveland Browns--the "Old Browns" teams that fans still miss. Heaton covered the Browns for the Cleveland Plain Dealer from 1946 to 1993. In these columns, written shortly before his retirement in 1993, Heaton reminisces about Hall of Fame players like Jim Brown, Leroy Kelly, and Bobby Mitchell; original head coach Paul Brown; characters like fabled trainer Murray Kono; even notorious Browns rivals like Oilers' coach Jerry Glanville and Steelers' linebacker Jack Lambert. Browns fans age 40 and older will fondly recall the old days. Younger Browns fans will find out why everyone still longs for them.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Chuck Heaton earned a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. He is one of a select group of writers to receive the prestigious Dick McCann Memorial Award, awarded to one journalist each year for a lifetime of excellence in football reporting. He received the award in 1980 while still actively reporting on the Cleveland Browns for the Plain Dealer. Heaton began writing as a city reporter for the Plain Dealer in 1942, earning $50 a week, and stayed with the paper for 51 years. In 1946 he eagerly accepted a job writing in the sports department, where he covered the Cleveland Indians for several years, including a World Series. In 1954 he began covering the Browns as a football writer, a position he filled until 1993. Heaton was one of the first electors to the Hall of Fame in 1963 and served in that role for thirty years. In 1990 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Cleveland Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He was elected to the Cleveland Journalism Hall of Fame in 1992. He retired from the Plain Dealer on October 1, 1993. He was chosen by Leroy Kelly to be his presenter when Kelly was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994. Heaton s lifelong emphasis on faith and family, and a love of reading, writing and the arts, are reflected in the lives of his five adult children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 204 pages
• Publisher: Gray & Co., Publishers (August 17, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1598510436
• ISBN-13: 978-1598510430
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #588,889 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #93 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Miscellaneous > Journalism

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Those Were The Days, December 23, 2007

By 

Bicycle Day - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Browns Scrapbook: A Fond Look Back at Five Decades of Football, from a Legendary Cleveland Sportswriter (Paperback)

Chuck Heaton covered the Cleveland Browns from their beginnings in 1946 in the upstart All-America Football Conference through 1993 for The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer.

These were years when local print journalism dominated team coverage and columnists mostly painted portraits of the stars, while not looking to upstage the story by injecting themselves into the debate. And it was a time when team employees - like long-time trainer Murray Kono - were as famous as some of the players and coaches.

The columns - reprinted from the years Heaton covered the team - have a much more unhurried, though meticulous, feel. Fans used to the columnists of today who battle local TV news shows, 24-hour sports TV and radio networks, Internet team websites and bloggers for unique angles in stories may not initially appreciate Heaton's style.

But this book is history much more than simply a walk down memory lane and is as an important volume in understanding the past art of sports journalism, which moved down the field with majestic class.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Golden Era of Football's Most Beloved Team, November 15, 2007

By 

Alice Ann (Rogers, AR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Browns Scrapbook: A Fond Look Back at Five Decades of Football, from a Legendary Cleveland Sportswriter (Paperback)

Chuck Heaton had the catbird's seat for the golden era not just of the Browns but of the NFL.
Writing in a classic, conversational style, Heaton recalls the days when men played for glory, there was regional loyalty and a fan's devotion was rewarded by teams and players.
Paul Brown, Jim Brown, the Kardiac Kids: every chapter is a treasure. Tell this stuff to kids today, they won't believe you. Every football fans needs this book in their Christmas stocking. What a treat.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing insight, December 20, 2007

By 

Fletch (DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Browns Scrapbook: A Fond Look Back at Five Decades of Football, from a Legendary Cleveland Sportswriter (Paperback)

Brown's Scrapbook opened my eyes to a world of professional football that is at once endearing and, sadly, a faded memory. I grew up watching the Browns in the 70s and 80s, and as a kid, all I knew was what happened on the field. I knew my favorite team were lovable losers; cardiac kids, always destined for *near* greatness. Today I still watch my team every chance I get, but the NFL I know as an adult is not the NFL Chuck Heaton grew up with. This book opened my eyes to an entirely different NFL. One where players, coaches and the media had a completely different relationship. I used to wish I'd been born early enough to watch my favorite team win at least one NFL championship. Now I just wish I'd been able to see coaches, players and media actually caring about each other instead of being so wrapped up in themselves.

I know the Browns will win a championship again, well ok it's at least possible. But I think the NFL that Chuck Heaton covered is long gone, not to return again. I loved reading Mr. Heaton's memories of what once was.