Football legend Jim Brown died May 18 at the age of 88. Without doubt the most crucial member of a long-ago Cleveland Browns offense, and a long-ago Cleveland Browns as a whole, Brown played fullback from 1957 to 1965, by the end of which time he held the NFL record for single season rushing (1,863 yards in 1963) and career rushing (12,312 yards), as well as all-time leader in rushing touchdowns (106), total touchdowns (126), and all-purpose yards (15,549). He earned a spot in the Pro Bowl every year he played, was voted the Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player three times, helped the Browns win the 1964 NFL Championship Game, and in 1971 was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
As for Jim Brown's off-field activities...
...he sometimes played defense.
He did some truly good things in his life (and what handsome hunk he was). Sad that image was tarnished by his violence.
ReplyDeleteMitchell, I couldn't in all honesty completely ignore the more unpleasant aspects of his personality. As it was, I kind of downplayed them.
DeleteAnd you're right about his looks.
Hi, Kirk!
ReplyDeleteThis is another death I didn't know about until now, good buddy. My best memory of Jim Brown was his role in The Dirty Dozen, a movie I have seen approx. that many times. His big scene in the film came during the climactic raid. It required Jim to draw upon his football skill and run down the line, pulling pins and dropping grenades into bunkers. Jim outlived most of the other stars of the film.
I admire Jim Brown for being one of the first African American athletes to speak out against racism and join the fight for civil rights. Thanks for reporting the passing of another boomer icon, good buddy Kirk. My next post is 2 minutes away and hope you can stop over this weekend. Have a good one!
Shady, in the early 1980s Jim Brown got a bit peeved at Walter Payton for breaking his career rushing record, arguing that the NFL season was shorter in his era than in Payton's, and thus the latter had more time. Brown even appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated wearing a Raiders jersey, vowing to return to football and avenge his record (which never happened.) In the midst of all this, Eddie Murphy appeared on Saturday Night Live as Jim Brown, claiming that his record still stood, and as proof replayed the Dirty Dozen sequence you just mentioned.
ReplyDeleteI tried to look for that clip on YouTube. Unfortunately, every time I google "Eddie Murphy's imitation of Jim Brown" I get Murphy's imitation of JAMES Brown. I don't think AI is going to be taking over the world any time soon.
Hello Kirk, I didn't even know that Jim Brown was still alive recently. It seemed to me he was always referred to in the past tense. --Jim
ReplyDeleteJim, maybe because both his playing days and movie acting days were long behind him. Though he did seem to hang around Cleveland during the football season as various Browns owners used him as a consultant to the team (whether the head coach wanted him there or not.)
Delete"Jim Brown's off-field activities" It's sad that some people have to take advantage of their fame.
ReplyDeleteMike, along with their physical strength.
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