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Greater Cleveland Sports Commission Honors
Brown with New Lacrosse Tournament
CLEVELAND, OH – Football made Jim Brown a legend, but the sport of lacrosse
paved the way to fame. That is why Brown is teaming up with the Greater
Cleveland Sports Commission (GCSC) to present the inaugural Jim Brown
Lacrosse Classic, named in his honor.
"It's a dream come true for me to combine my passions for lacrosse and the
City of Cleveland," said Brown, who is scheduled to appear at the October
14th event kickoff dinner for players and the public.
The tournament will be held October 14-16, 2005 at the North Olmsted Barton
and Bradley Fields. It will showcase premier high school lacrosse players
from all over the U.S., providing a unique and ideal opportunity for coaches
to begin the college recruitment process.
“We want to grow this into one of the largest lacrosse events in the
country, and we can do that with Jim Brown’s support,” said David Gilbert,
President & CEO of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. “Together we
plan to create a wonderful lacrosse legacy in Cleveland and the Midwest.”
Brown is best known for his record-setting career as a fullback with the NFL
Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965, for which he was inducted into the Pro
Football Hall of Fame. However, he first made history playing lacrosse at
Syracuse University from 1955 to 1957. Under legendary coach Roy Simmons,
Sr., Brown led the Orange to a perfect 10-0 record in 1957 and was a
two-time All-American midfielder. His unparalleled speed is why lacrosse
players must now keep their sticks in motion while carrying the ball. The
rule was imposed because nothing else could to slow him down. Brown was
inducted into the Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1984 and is the only person to be
enshrined in the Pro Football, College Football and Lacrosse Halls of Fame.
"I love the concept of lacrosse; it's a game played by true sportsmen," said
Brown. “There isn't money to be made from it. So those who play, do it for a
genuine love of the sport.”
A portion of the proceeds from the lacrosse tournament will be donated to
Amer-I-Can, a Los Angeles based development program Brown created in 1988 in
an effort to turn gang members from destructive to productive members of
society. Today, Amer-I-Can is successfully operating in several U.S. cities,
including Cleveland.
The Jim Brown Lacrosse Classic is just the first in a series of GCSC created
events. “This is one more way to capitalize on the momentum of our past
events and provide a great economic impact to our region,” said Gilbert.
Already, Sports Commission events have created an economic impact of more
than $100 million for the community.
The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission is the nonprofit organization whose
mission is to measurably enhance the economy, image and quality of life in
the Greater Cleveland Community by attracting and creating significant
sporting events and activities.
For more information go to
http://www.clevelandsports.org
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