The following was submitted for publication in The Evening Sun, by Norwich Athletic Director Joseph Downey, regarding the first of many indictions into the NHS Athletic Hall of Fame.

Frank Pearsall Browne, born in Elmira in 1901, came to Norwich as a young boy when his father was appointed General Secretary of the Railroad YMCA, located on the corner of East Main and Midland.

Perry, as he was to be known, graduated from Norwich High School -- but his heart never left. His interest in sports and his talent for writing were nurtured there.

From the first day that he set up shop at The Norwich Sun, Perry Browne was destined to become the heart and soul of Norwich High School athletics. Perry’s typewriter spoke to his town every day he lived. The coaches, athletes, and parents of athletes in his time would remember and they would cheer his Hall of Fame election.

In 1935, a young Perry Browne gave Norwich High School his most endearing gift. In a story that October, leading up to the Binghamton game, he unwrapped it in print-- his first reference to a “Purple Tornado.” It caught the fancy of school officials and became, to this day, the ever-popular nickname of all athletic teams here. This alone, many believe, earns him an enduring acknowledgement and a permanent recognition.

In Perry’s time, sports coverage was very provincial. Although The Norwich Sun was a county-seat newspaper, it was not, then, a county newspaper. For Perry there was only Norwich High School, and he gave it his full heart and full voice. His style of writing may not have been taught in journalism school. It was more personal, more pictorial. Perry took you there -- even if you had already been there. He brought to his desk a quiet passion, an unwavering devotion and personal concern for the well-being of the young people about whom he wrote.

Few know how rigorous it can be to write a daily column, in addition to the long hours other duties entail. Perry’s never-fail column, “Sports Slants,” was informative, interpretive, entertaining; always interesting, always local. And always read. His game coverage was prolific, positive, upbeat. His sports pages were the spirit of the newspaper. It was as if Perry were a guest for dinner every evening.

Perry was committed to Norwich High and its betterment. The need was apparent for new facilities such as the purchase of Alumni Field, the construction of tennis courts, baseball diamonds, and stands for fans. All these improvements were made possible because of Perry Browne and his aid through the daily sports column.