Browns Great Groza Remembered

Lou Groza was more than a football player to Cleveland Browns fans.

"The Toe" lived his life the way he kicked the ball: straight on, and right through the uprights.

Groza, a Hall of Fame kicker and offensive lineman, died Wednesday night of a heart attack at age 76 - fittingly the number he wore for most of his 21 seasons with the Browns.

"I don't know if he's the greatest Cleveland Brown, but he is THE Cleveland Brown," said Doug Dieken, who played 14 seasons at left tackle - another of Groza's positions. "He exemplified what you want in a football player. Lou always had time for everybody. I'm sure every kid that sent a football card to Lou Groza got a Lou Groza card signed and sent back. He was just a big, lovable guy."

Groza had been in failing health in recent years. Stricken with Parkinson's disease, he had back surgery last year and two hip operations.

On Wednesday night, he had just finished having dinner with his wife of 50 years, Jackie, at a country club when he collapsed. Efforts to revive him en route to Southwest General Hospital in Middleburgh Heights were unsuccessful.

In many ways, Groza, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974, was the quintessential Brown, more so than even Jim Brown. Even after retiring in 1967, Groza, an Ohio native and father of four and grandfather of nine, made his home in the Cleveland area.

Groza relished his role as an ambassador for the Browns, and was a fixture at home games and alumni events. He attended the Hall of Fame inductions each year, driving to Canton with Jackie in the car bearing vanity license plates "TOE 3."

"He was a special guy," said Browns Hall of Fame tackle Mike McCormack. "He was the spirit of the Cleveland Browns."

Today's Browns are reminded of Groza every day as they arrive at work. Upon the team's return to the NFL last season, the new Browns honored him by renaming the street in front of their Berea training facility "Lou Groza Boulevard."

The facility's address: 76 Lou Groza Blvd.

Flags were lowered to half-staff on Thursday at the site and the Browns will wear No. 76 on the back left side of their helmets for the rest of the season.

"He's a guy we can all admire," said Browns kicker Phil Dawson, who met Groza for the first time this summer. "He asked to see me and I was like a little kid waiting for Santa Claus. He told me, 'Just kick the ball.' That sounds simple, but there's truth to it. He said, 'Look at those two posts and kick the ball between them.'"

Browns coach Chris Palmer remembered seeing Groza sitting in a gof cart this summer watching the new Browns get ready for their second season.

"He was a special guy," said Palmer, who as a kid saw Groza kick at Yankee Stadium against the Giants. "Lou would always have a story to tell. Kids would ask for autographs. He was a gentle giant."

Groza played with the Browns from 1946-67. He retired as the franchise's career scoring leader a distinction he still holds with 1,395 points. He was an All-Pro tackle six times and was selected the NFL's Player of the Year in 1954.

Using a straight-ahead kicking method that's rare in today's game, Groza, who also wore No. 46, transformed the art of placekicking and helped make kickers more of an offensive weapon.

College football's top kicker each year is given the Lou Groza Award.

But Groza was most proud of making it to the Hall of Fame as a tackle.

"That was his badge of honor," Dieken said.

When former Browns owner Art Modell moved the team to Baltimore after the 1995 season, Groza was one of the more vocal former players who urged the NFL to bring a team back to Cleveland.

During one of the downtown pep rallies the city held when it was fighting to get its team back, Groza was overcome with emotion and tears rolled down the giant man's cheeks.

"He's held a warm place in my heart all these years," Modell said. "I was very fond of him. He was a great, great man on our football team, and a great person to have as a friend."

NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue called Groza "the epitome of Ohio football."

In 1950, Groza kicked a 16-yard field goal with 28 seconds left in the NFL championship game to help the Browns beat the Los Angeles Rams and win the title in their first season in the league.

"Pressure didn't bother him at all," said Browns Hall of Fame quarterback Otto Graham, Groza's teammate for 10 years. "We always felt if we got within 40 or 50 yards of the goal post, he could make it, and 95 percent of the time, he did."

Groza, the last of the "original" Browns to retire, played in 216 games and nine NFL championship games with the Browns, who won three titles during the 1950s and another in 1964.

Dante Lavelli, another of the Browns' Hall of Famers, was Groza's closest friend for 59 years. On Thursday, Lavelli filled in for his buddy at a memorabilia show, signing autographs and accepting condolences from fans.

"When you looked at Lou you thought he was indestructible," Lavelli said. "It probably hasn't hit me yet until the time comes to go sign autographs somewhere and I'll have to go by myself."

Groza's funeral will be Monday at St. Mary Church in Berea.

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