Paul Brown Park pavers on sale through Dec. 22

Dec. 6—NORWALK — What do you get a person who "has everything?"

That's often a head-scratcher question at Christmas time. For holiday gift-giving this year, the Paul Brown Birthplace Committee has an answer: brick pavers and granite blocks that can be personalized with names of friends and families.

The pavers and blocks will be the "floor" of a planned park area on West Main Street that will honor the late legendary football coach who was born here on September 7, 1908.

The committee is selling the flagstones in an effort to raise $100,000 for a statue, commemorative wall and benches at the forefront of Suhr Park.

"These pavers and granite blocks will be identical to those that are already in place on uptown sidewalks as part of the city's revitalization project," committee chairman Kathy Root said.

"Purchasing one of these could be just right for parents looking for a gift for their adult children — or for adult children to give to parents who say they 'don't need any more stuff' or 'I don't want anything,' They're particularly well-suited as a group gift," she added.

Pavers are available in two sizes: $100 for a 4" by 8" brick with two lines of engraving, and $250 for a mid-size 8" by 8" with four lines of lettering. An 8" by 16" granite block offers spacing for multiple individual names, or a business name or corporate logo at $500.

Those who order a paver as a Christmas gift will be able to pick up a recipient's gift card and envelope through December 22 at City Hall.

"We want to make this gift be both as special and easy as possible — having a card that indicates the gift of a paver should help with that," Root noted. "Say 'Merry Christmas' this year with a truly long-lasting, personalized gift."

Widely regarded as the "father of modern football," Paul Brown's legacy in the game is both wide and deep.

After starring at quarterback at Washington High in Massillon and Miami University, Brown returned to Massillon in 1932 to coach the Tigers, compiling an 80-8-2 record. While there, Brown developed the playbook, hand signals and sending in plays.

Next at Ohio State, he coached the 1942 national champions. After World War II, Brown was hired in 1946 to coach the new Cleveland pro team that, by fans' votes, was named for him.

Brown promptly integrated his team with two of the first African-American players in pro football, Marion Motley and Bill Willis. The Browns won four AAFC championships before joining the NFL, then won three more league titles.

With the Browns, he continued to innovate, bringing game-film study, practice squads, the face-mask and the quarterback draw play to the sport.

In 1967, Brown became part-owner and first coach of the new Cincinnati Bengals. In six seasons, the team went 48-36, winning two division championships. Brown was named Coach of the Year in 1957, 1969 and 1970, and was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967.

After the 1975 season, Paul Brown stepped down as Bengals head coach but stayed on as team president until his death on Aug. 5, 1991.

When the NFL celebrated its 100th year in 2020, the league undertook a season-long countdown of the 100 greatest game-changers in the sport. Paul Brown was No. 1 on the list.

Those interested in buying pavers as Christmas gifts can pick up an order form at City Hall or download one at the City of Norwalk website, norwalkoh.com.

Forms can also be accessed through the Paul Brown Birthplace Committee's Facebook page, facebook.com/PaulBrownBirthplaceCommittee.