GRIES, ROBERT HAYS

GRIES, ROBERT HAYS (12 Oct. 1900-14 June 1966) was a fourth-generation Clevelander (his great-grandfather was SIMSON THORMAN) active in business, sports, cultural and civic affairs. Gries was an avid collector of Chinese porcelain, antique silver, French Impressionist lithographs and prints and tobacco books. Gries also helped found both the CLEVELAND RAMS and CLEVELAND BROWNS.

Born in Cleveland to Rabbi Moses and Fanny (Hays) Gries attended University School, Western Reserve University and Yale.

Gries began his career as manager of the downtown May Co. about 1925. After 18 years Gries left to serve two years in the U.S. Army Air Corps, then joined Morgan Steel Products Co., serving as president until 1964.

In 1936, under the leadership of Homer Marshman, Gries helped form the Cleveland Rams. In 1945 Gries teamed with Arthur (Mickey) McBride to form the Cleveland Browns, serving as vice president and director.

Gries had one of the largest known collections of tobacco literature which he donated to the Cleveland Public Library. A sampling of his Chinese export porcelain is found at the Western Reserve Historical Society and at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Gries was president of the Vocational Guidance and Rehabilitation Services, served as regional vice president of the American Council for Judaism, was a director of radio station WERE and a trustee of numerous organizations.

Gries married Lucile Dauby on June 30, 1924. They had four children: Tom, Robert, Betty (Dorn), and Ellen (Coe). Gries lived in Shaker Heights and is inurned in the Hays Mausoleum at Mayfield Cemetery.