Youngstown Browns fan among final three to join Hall of Fans

Youngstown Browns fan among final three to join Hall of Fans

The Cleveland Browns won't be at the Super Bowl, but the team's biggest fan will be.

Ray Prisby of Youngstown was notified Tuesday he is one of three finalists for induction into the Ford Hall of Fans at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, and he will get to attend Super Bowl LV on Sunday in Tampa, Fla.

"It's going to be the experience of a lifetime," Prisby said.

Six people were chosen in early January as potential Hall of Fans inductees, and Cleveland Browns great Jim Brown came to Prisby's East Side home as part of the nomination process. One room of Prisby's home is a shrine to the Hall of Fame running back, packed with memorabilia from Brown's career. It's one of several rooms in the house filled with items devoted to Prisby's favorite team.

For the last month, the public has been able to vote on who should be selected.

Prisby said he got an email on Monday telling him to expect a phone call between 9 and 10 a.m. Tuesday about who was advancing.

When the call came, "It was almost one of those building-you-up-to-let-you-down kind of things," he said. "Thank you for participating. Thank you for being a part of this. Then, instead of saying, 'Unfortunately you didn't win,' it was, 'Congratulations!'"

Prisby is one of three finalists alongside Arizona Cardinals' fan Kristi Brown and Las Vegas Raiders' fan Wayne Mabry. The public can continue to vote online through Thursday at fordhalloffans.com. The three finalists will find out Friday who will be enshrined in Canton.

"The thing is the voting process starts all over again," Prisby said. "I have no idea how many they're going to let in this year. I probably celebrated for all of 30 seconds. Now I have to ask these people who got me this far to do another round."

Prisby said he'll probably root for the Kansas City Chiefs over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers because Kansas City represents the AFC (the same conference as the Browns). He's more interested in seeing a good game and not worrying about the Hall of Fans selection.

"I'm just going to enjoy the day and take it all in," he said. "Whatever happens (with the vote), I can't control that … I just hope to be going back next year cheering on the orange and brown."

agray@tribtoday.com