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A bit of history on our team and its origins that some might not know.
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View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbJs9LLgFyA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer_Marshman
Homer Marshman was the first owner of the Cleveland Rams. A prominent Cleveland attorney and businessman, he founded the team along with player-coach Damon "Buzz" Wetzel in 1936 when it played one successful year in the American Football League, then acquired a National Football League franchise for the team on February 13, 1937. Marshman and the other Rams stockholders paid $10,000 for the NFL franchise, then put up $55,000 to capitalize the new club.
The new league was much tougher, however, and the Rams fared poorly on the field. Between 1937 and 1942, the Rams' best finish was third place in the Western Division, with 5 wins and 6 losses in 1942. In June 1941, Marshman and his partners sold the Rams to grocery magnate Daniel Reeves and Frederick Levy, Jr. for about $100,000.
In January 1946, after the team finally was successful on the field and just had won the 1945 NFL Championship, Reeves, a New York City native, moved the Rams to Los Angeles. Marshman then became co-owner and secretary of the Cleveland Browns from 1954 to 1962, when he sold his shares in the team to New Yorker Art Modell, who later moved the Browns to Baltimore. This marked the second time Marshman helped to facilitate out-of-town ownership of a Cleveland NFL team that ultimately left the region.
Harry Mattos, Mike Sebastian, Bud Cooper and Stan Pincura: The only four AFL Rams players to join the Cleveland Rams in the NFL. The NFL considers the AFL version of the Rams a separate entity since only these four players and none of the team's management joined the new NFL team. Image credit to Family of Mike Sebastian
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http://ech.cwru.edu/ech-cgi/article.pl?id=CR3
The CLEVELAND RAMS were the first prolonged and well-financed attempt to establish a professional football team in Cleveland. Damon "Buzz" Wetzel, star fullback at Ohio State Univ., organized the Rams in 1936 as part of the new 6-team American Football League. Financed by a group of local businessmen headed by attorney Homer H. Marshman, the team was a success on the gridiron, finishing 2nd in the league, but it struggled financially. After the Boston team canceled the AFL championship game because its unpaid players refused to participate, the Rams moved from the poorly managed league to the National Football League on 12 Feb. 1937.
Marshman and the other Rams stockholders paid $10,000 for an NFL franchise, then put up $55,000 to capitalize the new club. The new league was much tougher, however, and the Rams fared poorly on the field. Between 1937-42, the Rams' best finish was 3rd place in the Western Division, with 5 wins and 6 losses in 1942. In June 1941, Marshman and his partners sold the Rams to Daniel F. Reeves and Frederick Levy, Jr. for about $100,000. The club suspended operations in 1943 while both Reeves and Levy served in the military, and Reeves later purchased Levy's share of the team.
After another poor season in 1944, the Rams had an excellent year in 1945. Under new head coach Adam Walsh and behind rookie quarterback Bob Waterfiled, they were 9-1, finished 1st in the Western Division, and earned a narrow victory over the Washington Redskins in the NFL championship game. Despite its success in 1945, the club continually finished its seasons in debt. As the Cleveland Browns prepared to bring a well-publicized second professional football team to the city in 1946, Reeves decided to move the Rams to Los Angeles, opening the West Coast to major sports.
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http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nfl/crams/clevrams.html
The NFL Rams first coach was Hugo Bezdek and he led the Rams on to the field at Cleveland Municipal Stadium for their first game in on September 10th. Unfortunately, the Detroit Lions would shut down the Rams 28-0. The Rams would get their first win 11 days later when they beat the Eagles in Philadelphia 21-3. However the Rams would not score more then ten points in any more games that first season finishing with a 1-10 record.
1938: The Rams now playing their home games at Shaw Stadium, a high school stadium on Shaw Avenue in Cleveland lose their first three games of the season before Coach Hugo Bezdek is fired. The move pays off right away as new coach as the Rams win their first three games under new coach Art Lewis. However the Rams would win only one of their final five games and would finish their second season with a 4-7 record.
1939: The Rams return to Municipal Stadium as rookie halfback Parker Hall makes a big splash earning MVP honors as the Rams finish with a .500 record for the first time at 5-5-1 under new coach Earl "Dutch" Clark.
1940: The Rams would stumble in Dutch Clark's second season as coach falling back below the .500 mark at 4-6-1.
1941: Daniel F. Reeves and Fred Levy, Jr. purchase the Rams. The Rams get the new ownership group off on the right foot by winning their first two games. However they would not win again and closed the season with a 2-9 record.
1942: With new owners Daniel F. Reeves and Fred Levy, Jr. enlisting in the Armed Forces, Bob Kelley is named club secretary. After three seasons in Municipal Stadium the Rams decide to play their home games at League Park. The Rams would finish the season with a 5-6 record, in Dutch Clark's final season as head coach.
1943: Daniel F. Reeves buys out partner Fred Levy Jr., as the Rams are forced to suspend operations for due to wartime travel restrictions, and lack of manpower.
1944: The Rams resume operations with an expansion style roster full of free agents and castoffs. However under coach Buff Donelli the rag tag Rams get off to a great start winning their first three games. However, their inexperience would catch up to them as they won just one of their next seven games to finish with a 4-6 record.
1945: After coach Buff Donelli joins the military General Manager Charlie Walsh names his brother Adam as the team's new coach. Bob Waterfield a Quarterback drafted in 1944 joins the team and leads the Rams to their first Division Championship with a 9-1 record Waterfield would become the first player ever to win the NFL MVP by a unanimous vote.
The highlight of the season came on Thanksgiving in Detroit when Jim Benton caught ten passes for NFL record 303 yards in 28-21 win at Detroit over the Lions. On December on a frozen field at Cleveland Municipal Stadium the Rams defeated the Washington Redskins 15-14 to win their first NFL Championship. However, the joy for Cleveland fans would be short lived as the Rams got approval to move to Los Angles less the a month later.
*********************************************
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbJs9LLgFyA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer_Marshman
Homer Marshman was the first owner of the Cleveland Rams. A prominent Cleveland attorney and businessman, he founded the team along with player-coach Damon "Buzz" Wetzel in 1936 when it played one successful year in the American Football League, then acquired a National Football League franchise for the team on February 13, 1937. Marshman and the other Rams stockholders paid $10,000 for the NFL franchise, then put up $55,000 to capitalize the new club.
The new league was much tougher, however, and the Rams fared poorly on the field. Between 1937 and 1942, the Rams' best finish was third place in the Western Division, with 5 wins and 6 losses in 1942. In June 1941, Marshman and his partners sold the Rams to grocery magnate Daniel Reeves and Frederick Levy, Jr. for about $100,000.
In January 1946, after the team finally was successful on the field and just had won the 1945 NFL Championship, Reeves, a New York City native, moved the Rams to Los Angeles. Marshman then became co-owner and secretary of the Cleveland Browns from 1954 to 1962, when he sold his shares in the team to New Yorker Art Modell, who later moved the Browns to Baltimore. This marked the second time Marshman helped to facilitate out-of-town ownership of a Cleveland NFL team that ultimately left the region.
Harry Mattos, Mike Sebastian, Bud Cooper and Stan Pincura: The only four AFL Rams players to join the Cleveland Rams in the NFL. The NFL considers the AFL version of the Rams a separate entity since only these four players and none of the team's management joined the new NFL team. Image credit to Family of Mike Sebastian
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http://ech.cwru.edu/ech-cgi/article.pl?id=CR3
The CLEVELAND RAMS were the first prolonged and well-financed attempt to establish a professional football team in Cleveland. Damon "Buzz" Wetzel, star fullback at Ohio State Univ., organized the Rams in 1936 as part of the new 6-team American Football League. Financed by a group of local businessmen headed by attorney Homer H. Marshman, the team was a success on the gridiron, finishing 2nd in the league, but it struggled financially. After the Boston team canceled the AFL championship game because its unpaid players refused to participate, the Rams moved from the poorly managed league to the National Football League on 12 Feb. 1937.
Marshman and the other Rams stockholders paid $10,000 for an NFL franchise, then put up $55,000 to capitalize the new club. The new league was much tougher, however, and the Rams fared poorly on the field. Between 1937-42, the Rams' best finish was 3rd place in the Western Division, with 5 wins and 6 losses in 1942. In June 1941, Marshman and his partners sold the Rams to Daniel F. Reeves and Frederick Levy, Jr. for about $100,000. The club suspended operations in 1943 while both Reeves and Levy served in the military, and Reeves later purchased Levy's share of the team.
After another poor season in 1944, the Rams had an excellent year in 1945. Under new head coach Adam Walsh and behind rookie quarterback Bob Waterfiled, they were 9-1, finished 1st in the Western Division, and earned a narrow victory over the Washington Redskins in the NFL championship game. Despite its success in 1945, the club continually finished its seasons in debt. As the Cleveland Browns prepared to bring a well-publicized second professional football team to the city in 1946, Reeves decided to move the Rams to Los Angeles, opening the West Coast to major sports.
***************************************
http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nfl/crams/clevrams.html
The NFL Rams first coach was Hugo Bezdek and he led the Rams on to the field at Cleveland Municipal Stadium for their first game in on September 10th. Unfortunately, the Detroit Lions would shut down the Rams 28-0. The Rams would get their first win 11 days later when they beat the Eagles in Philadelphia 21-3. However the Rams would not score more then ten points in any more games that first season finishing with a 1-10 record.
1938: The Rams now playing their home games at Shaw Stadium, a high school stadium on Shaw Avenue in Cleveland lose their first three games of the season before Coach Hugo Bezdek is fired. The move pays off right away as new coach as the Rams win their first three games under new coach Art Lewis. However the Rams would win only one of their final five games and would finish their second season with a 4-7 record.
1939: The Rams return to Municipal Stadium as rookie halfback Parker Hall makes a big splash earning MVP honors as the Rams finish with a .500 record for the first time at 5-5-1 under new coach Earl "Dutch" Clark.
1940: The Rams would stumble in Dutch Clark's second season as coach falling back below the .500 mark at 4-6-1.
1941: Daniel F. Reeves and Fred Levy, Jr. purchase the Rams. The Rams get the new ownership group off on the right foot by winning their first two games. However they would not win again and closed the season with a 2-9 record.
1942: With new owners Daniel F. Reeves and Fred Levy, Jr. enlisting in the Armed Forces, Bob Kelley is named club secretary. After three seasons in Municipal Stadium the Rams decide to play their home games at League Park. The Rams would finish the season with a 5-6 record, in Dutch Clark's final season as head coach.
1943: Daniel F. Reeves buys out partner Fred Levy Jr., as the Rams are forced to suspend operations for due to wartime travel restrictions, and lack of manpower.
1944: The Rams resume operations with an expansion style roster full of free agents and castoffs. However under coach Buff Donelli the rag tag Rams get off to a great start winning their first three games. However, their inexperience would catch up to them as they won just one of their next seven games to finish with a 4-6 record.
1945: After coach Buff Donelli joins the military General Manager Charlie Walsh names his brother Adam as the team's new coach. Bob Waterfield a Quarterback drafted in 1944 joins the team and leads the Rams to their first Division Championship with a 9-1 record Waterfield would become the first player ever to win the NFL MVP by a unanimous vote.
The highlight of the season came on Thanksgiving in Detroit when Jim Benton caught ten passes for NFL record 303 yards in 28-21 win at Detroit over the Lions. On December on a frozen field at Cleveland Municipal Stadium the Rams defeated the Washington Redskins 15-14 to win their first NFL Championship. However, the joy for Cleveland fans would be short lived as the Rams got approval to move to Los Angles less the a month later.
