A product of Notre Dame University where he earned All-American honors as a pass receiver in 1943, he joined the Cleveland Browns in 1946 after a three-year stint with the U.S. Marines and was a star defensive end for four seasons. The Browns won the All-American Conference title in each of his four years with them and went undefeated in 1949. Went to the New York Yanks of the NFL in 1950, played the 1951 season with Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League, then returned to the NFL to play with the Washington Redskins in 1952.
An all-city high school football star and state champion in the shotput and discus at Cleveland John Adams High School, and an All-American collegiate football star at Kent State he joined the St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League in 1957 and enjoyed an outstanding career during which he was named an all-pro defensive tackle on several occasions. He retired in 1967.
A two-time member of the United States Gordon Cup: Senior Team (1958 and 1959), he was ranked second nationally in senior doubles in 1956 and again in 1964 when he was also ranked third in singles. Also ranked third in senior doubles and fourth in singles in 1963 and 1965 by the Western Lawn Tennis Association. Won numerous Cleveland and Northeast Ohio championships. Was an open singles finalist every year from 1953 through 1956 in various Greater Cleveland championships.
A collegiate champion at Ohio State University, she was ranked the No. 1 ladies player in Cleveland and Northeastern Ohio from 1933 to 1945 and was a representative to the National Parks Tournament from 1933 through 1952. Between 1936 and 1938 she won championships in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Wisconsin. She was the National Public Parks Doubles champion (with Irene David) in 1936, the U.S. Clay Court champion in 1938 and qualified for national tournaments at Forest Hills in 1937, 1938 and 1939. She was ranked first in Northeastern Ohio Women’s Doubles (with Beverly Ramseyer) as late as 1971.
Versatile athlete who won national recognition in several sports. Won a national diving championship in the early 1920s and qualified for the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris. Unable to raise the money for the trip to France, he surrendered his place on the team.
Leading scorer in Cleveland high school basketball for three straight seasons at Collinwood High (1932-34) and was a rare three-time all-scholastic selection. Outscored the entire Shaw High team in 1934 contest with a 29-point effort, and duplicated the feat with a 25-point outburst against East Tech. Went on to play with several Class A teams in Greater Cleveland amateur basketball, and led the league in scoring many times.
One of the finest all-around woman athletes of the 20th century, her basketball career spanned an amazing 48 years, beginning in 1927 and concluding in 1975. Starred for many of Cleveland’s finest women’s teams, capturing innumerable All-Star, Outstanding Player and MVP awards. Organized the Polish Olympic team which built a 54-game winning streak, and won the Polish American championship in 1941-42 and 1942-43. She was the top scorer and Most Outstanding Player in both championship tournaments and was named to the Polish National All-American Team each year. Later played for the renowned world champion Rochester Filarets which set a record of 202 consecutive victories. In 1955, in her 28th year of organized basketball competition, she played for the North Hollywood Knickerbockers, winners of the California State AAU title, setting a state tourney record of 130 points and being named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
Pitched in Amateur Softball Association leagues in and around Cleveland from 1941 to 1965, amassing over 600 victories and 50 no-hitters during his career. He played on teams which won 36 league, city and ASA open championships, including the 1957 ASA Open Regional in which he defeated a powerful Detroit team featuring ASA Hall of Famer Bonnie Jones. Payne also garnered victories over such other softball greats as Warren Gerber, Sambo Elliott and Charlie “Choo Choo” Justice during is illustrious career.
An All-American fastpitch star of the ’30s, she played first base, third base and the outfield and was considered among the best players in the world. Starred for three world championship teams, the Cleveland Bloomer Girls (1935) and National Screw & Manufacturing Co. (1936 and 1937). Later won five Cleveland City championships from 1940 through 1944. Once hit a 300-foot home run at Elks Park in Lakewood.
A true “iron man” pitcher who worked his way up through the Cleveland sandlots, playing in all classes from E to A. Started pitching in Class E at the age of 15, winning 13 of 15 games, averaging 13 strikeouts per contest and hurling two double headers. In 1923-24-25, he was the only pitcher on the Suchan Café roster in Class B. Starting all of their games he pitched the team to the championship finals one season. Later, playing with McAllister Tires, he pitched and won both games of a double header to clinch the Class a championship for his team. While with the Favorite Knits in Class A he pitched three full innings against the Boston Braves of the National League in an Amateur Day game at league Park.