As resident old-timer, it was my pleasure to attend the Cleveland Touchdown Club’s charity event Monday night, featuring the photography of Jerry Sherk. For those who may not be familiar with the name, Sherk was a DT for the Browns from 1970-1981. He was a good one too.
In 1977, Sherk had a knee injury that kept him off the field. To pass the time, and to remember his days as a Brown, Sherk picked up a camera and began learning from an AP photographer the ins and outs of the trade. Over the next three years, wherever Sherk and the Browns went, so did the camera.
His teammates were willing subjects, especially Sherk’s roommates on the road- Doug Dieken and later Lyle Alzado.
The evening featured a gallery of Sherk’s work, plus a presentation including Sherk and former Browns Doug Dieken, Sam Rutigliano, Greg Pruitt, Don Cockroft and Robert E. Jackson. The panel shared stories of life in Cleveland as a Brown and in NFL in general. They were quite candid about the life of a NFL player then- including concussions, the rampant use of steroids and the camaraderie of the team. [Read more...]
