I was watching some old NFL films on YouTube tonight and came across the ball catcher Abe Abraham. Was wondering if any one could tell me beyond the basics: died in 1982 was from Lebanon or Syria. Had a restaurant and or delicatessen. Anybody know anything else? Married, Kids? What was his connection to the Browns? Any little bit of information would be of interest. I want to post it on his on line memorial at findagrave.com.

Thanks

There have been posts over the years discussing this topic, so I’m sure someone will fill you in with some info

From Terry Pluto's book, Things I've Learned from Watching the Cleveland Browns

Fred and Carol Matthews e-mailed this: "There was a man in a brown suit who came to every game and tried to catch footballs in the end zone. His name was Abe Abrahams. I first met Mr. Abrahams at a restaurant he owned at Chatfield and West 150th Street called The Caboose. The restaurant had a great collection of Browns memorabilia. I still remember Abe leaning on the coffee urn handle, moving a cup up and down, telling Browns stories. The progress of the Rapid Transit tore down the Caboose restaurant and its Cleveland Browns memories of old. . . . Gone were the days of 50-cent games."

I remember an aging Abe in a brown business suit catching most of those footballs kicked through the uprights. So does almost any Browns fans with a few gray hairs. Don't ask us why the team had this guy in a brown suit catching footballs during games, but they did. And fans loved to cheer when Abe made a nice grab.

And from an old article...

He stood in the closed end of Cleveland Stadium waiting for kicks, always wearing a brown suit.

He began his special duties in 1946 when Lou Groza was kicking for the Browns and worked his last game Dec. 12 when the Browns lost to the New York Jets 14-13 in 1981.

Abraham, recently hospitalized with heart problems, got his special job by accident. He had been working at the stadium pass gate when he was sent across the field to deliver a message.

Abraham walked behind the goal posts just as Groza attempted a field goal. He said he looked up, saw the ball coming right at him and caught it. Afterward, he said, he was treated by the team doctor for bruised ribs.

https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/08/03/The-Cleveland-Browns-No-1-fan-Abe-The-Man/1912397195200/

Abe Abraham - The Man in the Brown Suit - Loved his Cleveland Browns of the NFL
http://stilespoints.blogspot.com/2008/07/abe-abraham-man-in-brown-suit-loved-his.html
After writing about Ronnie Woo Woo Wickers from the Chicago Cubs, it got me thinking about another fanatic who used to be at Cleveland Browns games...the younger generation will not remember Abe Abraham, The Man in the Brown Suit...the blog, Indian Fever had a nice little write up about The Man in the Brown Suit and his devotion to the Cleveland Browns...

Not an Indian oddity but certainly worth mentioning, Abe Abraham was perhaps the most popular non-player in Browns history, until Big Dawg John Thompson came along. Abraham was affectionately known as "The Man in the Brown Suit" during his days with the team. Abe's main duty was retrieving extra point and field goal tries behind the goalposts in the closed end of the stadium. On September 20, 1964, Abe missed the start of the Browns-Cardinals game, the first and only time he was ever late for a game. When he finally arrived at the stadium, he received a louder ovation than many of the Browns players themselves. Later, Abe claimed that he was late because he couldn't find those famous Brown pants.

Thanks.

Thanks, I googled him and nothing much came up.

We have GratefulDawg, he's better than google.

He was the guy in a Brown suit, running around catching footballs. I wanted to be that guy when I was 12, going to games, watching him, wondering how he got that job? I wanted to do that.

He ran almost like a stick figure, knees high, long strides, arms angular...but always caught the ball to a roar.