SUNY Cortland Athletics

Robert Brown was a two-time soccer All-American as well as a baseball standout at Cortland who enjoyed a highly successful 33-year coaching and teaching career, including 31 years at Pine Valley Central School.
 
* A South Dayton, N.Y., native, he initially enrolled at Cortland State Teachers College in 1942. He was drafted into the Combat Engineers in the U.S. Army in March 1943 and was in the Army Specialist Training Program at the University of Santa Clara, where he earned college credit in civil engineering. Was sent to England as a combat engineer and later served in France, Holland and Germany to finish his tour of duty.
 
* Discharged from military service in March 1946. Re-enrolled at Cortland in the fall of 1946 and earned a bachelor's degree in physical education. Also earned a master's degree from Alfred University in 1951.
 
* Two-time soccer All-American at Cortland (first team in 1948, second team in 1947). Baseball infielder and relief pitcher in 1947 and 1948. Played freshman basketball in 1942.
 
* Signed professional baseball contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers organization in the summer of 1948. Attended spring training for two weeks in March 1948 and played in 59 games with the Nashua Dodgers minor league team in 1949 (along with Cortland C-Club Hall of Famer Marion Fricano '49). Also played 91 games for the Wellsville Rockets in the Pony League in 1951.
 
* Taught physical education and coached in Whitesville for two years from 1950-52 and began a 31-year teaching and coaching career at Pine Valley Central School (formerly South Dayton High) in 1952. Retired from teaching and coaching in June 1984, was inducted into the Chautauqua Hall of Fame in 1986, and inducted into the Grape Belt Sports Hall of Fame and the Pine Valley Wall of Fame in 2005.
 
* Coached football, basketball and baseball, taught and held the positions of athletic director and assistant principal at Pine Valley during his 31 years there. Led football team to several league championships, including an undefeated team in 1966 that produced two professional players, and many sectional baseball titles.
 
* Football field at Pine Valley was named Robert C. Brown Field in 1986.
 
* Director of Summer Swim Program at Pine Valley Central School, coordinator of the South Dayton Food Pantry and served on the South Dayton Village Board, Town of Dayton Board, and the South Dayton Free Methodist Church Board of Trustees.
 
* Passed away on November 27, 2011 at age 87.