The Browns took their colors from us.....

[DenverFalcon]

.. but where is that documented, or is it? I'm sure this has been answered before, but I can't find anywhere on the BG website where it claims this. Can someone send me a link to where this is mentioned? I have an annoying Yuckeye fan at work that does not believe that Paul Brown used our colors for the Browns out of appreciation for using our practice facilities.

[Lord_Byron]

Here you go, Denver. I'll see if I can find anything else.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland_Browns

[Falconfreak90]

WHY ORANGE AND BROWN?
Orange and brown have been the school colors at Bowling Green State University since 1914, the
first year of classes. Legend has it that Leon Winslow, an industrial arts faculty member, got the idea
from watching a women’s hat on a bus to nearby Toledo, Ohio. He liked the brown and orange color
combination. So, too, did former Cleveland Browns’ head coach Paul Brown. Following a trip to
BGSU in the 1940s, Brown used the colors for his All-America Conference team.


Straight outta the 2007 Football media guide. You can access the Media guide at bgsufalcons.com.

[The Niz]

The Browns kept rolling along in 1955.



Love that quote.



Where is the plaque commemorating our connection with the browns that the article mentions?

[Dayons_Den]

Here it is right on the browns website:

http://nflhistory.net/shared/origins.asp?Team=7

[Schadenfreude]

(Leon Winslow) liked the brown and orange color
combination. So, too, did former Cleveland Browns’ head coach Paul Brown. Following a trip to
BGSU in the 1940s, Brown used the colors for his All-America Conference team.

Yes, but look carefully at the wording.

We aren't actually asserting that Paul Brown got his colors from us. We are merely making it clear that we were first and implying that we may have been part of the inspiration.

I expect that Bowling Green fans will assert that the Cleveland Browns got their colors from us as long as there is an NFL team called the Cleveland Browns. That's cool.

I don't know that we'll ever know for sure.

[bgmaggot00]

WHY ORANGE AND BROWN?
Orange and brown have been the school colors at Bowling Green State University since 1914, the
first year of classes. Legend has it that Leon Winslow, an industrial arts faculty member, got the idea
from watching a women’s hat on a bus to nearby Toledo, Ohio. He liked the brown and orange color
combination.

... and when you say "bus," I believe you mean train, likely, an interurban. Electric car historian I am not, but your best bet was that it was along the Toledo, Bowling Green & Southern, although the Toledo, Fostoria and Findlay may have been an option as well. The TBG&S was completed in 1902, and was in existance until 1930. This definately fits into this school's timeline for when we picked the colors.

Thanks to google and http://hometown.aol.com/metrafan/interoh.html for the info.

[Schadenfreude]

WHY ORANGE AND BROWN?
Orange and brown have been the school colors at Bowling Green State University since 1914, the
first year of classes. Legend has it that Leon Winslow, an industrial arts faculty member, got the idea
from watching a women’s hat on a bus to nearby Toledo, Ohio. He liked the brown and orange color
combination.

... and when you say "bus," I believe you mean train, likely, an interurban. Electric car historian I am not, but your best bet was that it was along the Toledo, Bowling Green & Southern, although the Toledo, Fostoria and Findlay may have been an option as well. The TBG&S was completed in 1902, and was in existance until 1930. This definately fits into this school's timeline for when we picked the colors.

Thanks to google and http://hometown.aol.com/metrafan/interoh.html for the info.

Other sources have described it as an "interurban." Good catch.

[buffaloefalcon]

Hey DenverFalcon, good to see another Colorado Falcon Fan in here!