Browns will don throwbacks Sunday

11.21.2007

Thanksgiving weekend is used as a time to look back and reflect, and to continue -- or at least re-live -- traditions.

The Browns will do exactly that on Sunday when they meet the Houston Texans at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

In what has become somewhat of a new holiday tradition for the team, the Browns, for the second straight year on Thanksgiving weekend, will wear throwback uniforms dating back to the 1957-59 seasons.

The biggest changes in these new-/old-look uniforms -- with brown jerseys -- involve three-inch-high player numbers on the sides of the helmet, and striped socks.

The Browns wore numbers on the sides of their helmets from 1957-60, which is the only time they have had any markings, insignias or logos on their helmets. Otherwise, the helmets have been mostly plain orange (1952-56 and 1961-present) or plain white (1946-51).

The helmets from 1952-59 had a single white stripe down the middle. In 1960, it was replaced by a thicker white surrounded by two smaller brown stripes on either side. Those are the helmets the Browns wear today.

The Browns practiced Wednesday in the throwback helmets -- minus the numbers. Those will be added Saturday after the final practice of the week is held.

As for the socks, the Browns used these from 1946 through the late '60s. The striping matches the stripes on the sleeves of the uniforms used then, and again since 2006 when the Browns went back to a more traditional look to honor their 60th anniversary.

Solid brown socks have been used extensively since 1999.

Fans might also notice that the stripe down the outside of the pants is also thinner. This was the striping used from 1946-95. When the new Browns debuted in 1999, the striping was the thicker version you see today.

Another change is the fact there will be no player numbers on the shoulders of the jersey, as is the case today.

Two things that don't have to be changed are the black shoes and the gray facemasks on the helmets. Those were re-instituted in 2006.

The Browns, however, hope the results of the game are better than the first time they did this. The Cincinnati Bengals came to Cleveland last Nov. 26 and won 30-0, handing the Browns their largest margin of defeat of the season -- and the second-worst in Cleveland head coach Romeo Crennel's three seasons -- and ruining the Thanksgiving weekend for a lot of people.

They'd like to finish out the tradition in a traditional way, with a win.

The Browns from 1957-59 were a combined 13-5 at home. This year's club is 4-1 at home and is riding a four-game winning streak there.