About Us
The Cleveland Touchdown Club Charities is celebrating its 71st year of commitment this year. Along with its rich history, it has become a viable and recognizable active civic sports organization on both the local and national level.
The Touchdown Club Charities has honored football’s greats and near-greats from the professional ranks down through the collegiate, high school and muny levels.
The Touchdown Club has maintained a strong support group for professional football in Cleveland for 68 years. The club flourished during the championship years of the Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Rams, which won the National Football League crown in 1945 and the Browns championship run in the 1940’s and early 1950’s and in 1964 when they upset favored Baltimore, 27-0, to win the NFL title.
The Touchdown Club regrouped in 1996 when the Browns defected to Baltimore. However, with true grit the club remained afloat and, if fact, grew stronger as the Browns returned to Cleveland. The Touchdown Club began as a business venture by the late Joe Fogg. In the spring of 1938 he hosted a luncheon for business associates of his at the old American Legion Hall. The guest speaker that day was Ray Ride, football coach at Case Tech. A good time was had by all. Those in attendance decided to meet again the following month. In June, after a third meeting of this nature, they formed a group called the Cleveland Touchdown Club and elected Fogg as its first president.
The group, which numbered 12, met for the next seven years on a weekly basis during the football season. Guest speakers included head coaches from the local colleges, Case Tech, Western Reserve, Baldwin-Wallace and John Carroll, which formed The Big Four.
The club opened it’s doors to the public in 1945 and formed a membership. In 1946, members of the Rams were invited to speak, and in 1948 the club sponsored a Football Awards Banquet at season’s end. The banquet, which celebrated it’s 56th birthday in 2004 , recognizes the accomplishments on all levels of football, from city youth to the Browns.
The Browns were created in 1946 and became the dominant team in the old All-America Football Conference until 1950, when they joined the National Football League and the Cleveland Touchdown Club became the team’s official booster club.
As the Big Four faded into just a memory, the Browns took center stage at the weekly luncheons. Membership flourished and activities with the Browns such as golf outings, bus trips to away games, Meet The Browns Nights and other assorted enjoyable functions were added to the club’s format.
The Touchdown Club also founded the annual Kickoff Luncheon, a civic event that welcomed the Browns at the beginning of each season. It also sponsored retirement parties for such Browns greats as Warren Lahr, Lou Groza and others.
In the 60’s and 70’s, the Touchdown Club developed further association with the Browns by sponsoring dinners that honored their Hall of Famers in addition to a gala affair honoring the Greatest Team Ever as voted upon by the fans.
In the exciting 80’s, the club undertook many charitable activities such as “Dream Come True” (an opportunity for handicapped and disadvantaged youths to meet the Browns players), hospital visits in conjunction with the NFL Alumni Association and many more. And, in 1989, the club was recognized by SMACO (Sports Media of Cleveland and Ohio) with it’s prestigious “Tip of the Hat” award.
As the years moved on, Joe Fogg’s name was attached to the most prestigious award presented at the annual banquet, honoring one of the nation’s top college players.
Fogg was the club’s first president. Others who served in this position include former Browns Bob Gain and Billy Reynolds along with many highly respected citizens of our area.
Some of the Fogg trophy winners are among some of the finest football players in history. Among the many honorees are Ohio State’s Orlando Pace, OSU tailback Archie Griffin, Purdue’s Bob Griese, Pittsburgh’s Tony Dorsett and Notre Dame’s Leon Hart. This list is an honor roll unmatched anywhere.
Through the years the Cleveland Touchdown Club has sustained its mission through membership, generous friends and corporate sponsorships. Through the generosity of these football fans the club has maintained its commitment to civic sports service and continued it’s charitable service in association with the Cleveland Browns.
Among the highlights of the yearly activities are the annual Christmas parties of Cleveland school children of the Special Olympics and from the inner-city.
From the days of the leather football helmet to the modern era of the Super Bowl, the Cleveland Touchdown Club has had a love affair with the great game of football. It has witnessed many a great play, honored many stars and brought the joy of the game to thousands of Cleveland’s youths.
The Cleveland Touchdown Club has been a group of ardent football fans who live and die with the Browns, but it also is a group committed to the ideals that football teaches on and off the field of play.