Beginning of Part II, “Superman On The Football Field…..And A True American Hero
Brown was one of the few athletes to speak out on racial issues in the 1950’s as the civil rights movement was growing…..while being one of the most prominent African American athletes to engage in civil rights activism…..as he called on other African American athletes to become involved in similar initiatives off the field…..when in 1967, Brown, alongside Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Carl Stokes, were all members of the Cleveland Summit….. which was a meeting that Muhammad Ali held with the intention of convincing the four to rally behind and recruit others to help Ali’s cause of civil rights in the United States…..and since Ali was considered a “pariah” in American society at the time because of his opposition to the Vietnam War and refusal to enter the draft….when his boxing license had been revoked….. and he faced up to five years in prison…..so, for Brown and the other participants to stand with Ali in support of him and his position consequently put “their reputations and their careers” at risk. The Cleveland Summit was later called “a significant turning point for the role of the athlete in society” and “one of the most important civil rights acts in sports history”.
Special – NFL * NBA * Boxing – The Cleveland Summit – 1967 – Jim Brown + Muhammad Ali + Bill Russell + Kareem Abdule-Jabbar et al – In A Show Of Unity Behind Muhammad Ali After His Title Was Stripped
In 1966, Brown founded the Negro Industrial Economic Union…..which was later known as the Black Economic Union (BEU), to help promote economic opportunities for minority owned businesses. Brown later stated in a 1968 Ebony interview, “We’ve got to stop wasting all our energy and money marching and picketing and going things like camping-down in Washington on a Poor People’s Campaign…We’ve got to get off the emotional stuff and do something that will bring about real change. We’ve got to have industries and commercial enterprises and build our own sustaining economic base. Then we can face white folks man-to-man and we can deal.” The BEU secured loans and grants, including from the Ford Foundation, to support community initiatives related to food, medicines and farm and economic ventures in specific counties, starting with Marshall County, Mississippi. Because of Brown’s economic advocacy for the African American community, Richard Nixon expressed support for black capitalism in his campaign in the 1968 United States presidential election and received an endorsement from Brown. In 1988, Brown founded the Amer-I-Can Foundation, an organization that sought to divert gang members and prisoners from violence by teaching them life skills. Through the foundation, Brown helped establish the Watts truce between rival street gangs in Los Angeles.
Activist & NFL – Jim Brown – Worth Quoting Interviewer Samuel Kouvaris – On The Amer-I-Can Organization – 1993 – Live at Florida Community College in Jacksonville – A FSCJ LLC Production Special – “Jim Brown: Worth Quoting”
Perceiving Brown and other outspoken African-American athletes as a threat…..when the FBI monitored Brown and his organizations…..as files declassified in 2003 showed that the FBI, the United States Secret Service, and several police departments had monitored Brown and the Black Economic Union…..while attempting to smear the group as a source of Communist and radical Muslim extremism…..and collecting information to damage Brown’s reputation.
NFL Actor & Talk Shows – Jim Brown – In-Depth With Graham Bensinger – 1993 – A Graham Bensinger Production Special – “Jim Brown: Meeting With Bloods and Crips Together In His House”
NFL Actor & Talk Shows – Jim Brown – In-Depth With Graham Bensinger – 2007 – A Graham Bensinger Production Special – “Jim Brown: On His Spirit To Bring About Change Was There Very Early In His Life” – Part 1
NFL Actor & Talk Shows – Jim Brown – In-Depth With Graham Bensinger – 2007 – A Graham Bensinger Production Special – “Jim Brown: On His Spirit To Bring About Change Was There Very Early In His Life” – Part 2
Brown posed in the nude for the September 1974 issue of Playgirl magazine, and was one of the rare celebrities to allow full-frontal nude pictures to be used. Brown also worked as a color analyst on NFL telecasts for CBS in 1978, teaming with Vin Scully and George Allen.
NFL Actor & Talk Shows – Jim Brown – In-Depth With Graham Bensinger – 2007 – A Graham Bensinger Production Special – “Jim Brown: I Disagreed With Martin Luther King Jr” – Part 2
In 1965, Brown was the 1st black televised boxing announcer when he announced a televised boxing match in the United States, for the Ernie Terrell vs. George Chuvalo heavyweight fight….. and he’s also credited with then 1st suggesting a career in boxing promotion to Bob Arum. Brown’s autobiography, published in 1989 by Zebra Books…..which was titled Out of Bounds…..and was co-written with Steve Delsohn…..plus, he was a subject of the book Jim: The Author’s Self-Centered Memoir of the Great Jim Brown, by James Toback.
Boxing – 15 Round WBA World Heavyweight Title Fight – Entire Fight – 1965 – George Chuvalo Vs Ernie Terrell – With Don Dunphy + Jim Brown Behind The Mic
In 1993, Brown was hired as a color commentator for the Ultimate Fighting Championship…..which was a role he occupied for the 1st six pay-per-view events. In 2008, Brown initiated a lawsuit against Sony and EA Sports for using his likeness in the Madden NFL video game series. He claimed that he “never signed away any rights that would allow his likeness to be used”. From 2008 until his death, Brown served as an executive advisor to the Browns…..when in that capacity he helped to build relationships with the team’s players and to further enhance the NFL’s wide range of sponsored programs through the team’s player programs department. On May 29, 2013, Brown was named a special advisor to the Browns…..while also becoming a part-owner of the New York Lizards of Major League Lacrosse, joining a group of investors in the purchase of the team in 2012.
NFL & Variety Shows – The Ed Sullivan Show – 1964 – An Ed Sullivan Show Production Special – “Jim Brown: Talks With Ed Sullivan and All-American Jack Rice”
On October 11, 2018, Brown along with Kanye West met with President Donald Trump to discuss the state of America, among other topics…..which was criticized by the black community for the meeting…..while saying that Trump was the sitting president and “we can’t ignore that seat and just call names of the person that’s sitting in it”…..as Brown called him “accessible”, and said that the president was not a racist.
NFL Activist & Talk Shows – 1970 -A Dick Cavett Show Production Special – ” Jim Brown & Georgia Governor Lester Maddox Interview With Dick Cavett” – Featuring A Heated Debate on Segregation
Brown married his first wife Sue Brown (née Jones) in September 1959. She sued for divorce in 1968, charging him with “gross neglect”. Together, they had three children, twins born 1960, and a son born 1962. Their divorce was finalized in 1972…..and Brown was ordered to pay $2,500 per month in alimony and $100 per week for child support. In December 1973, Brown proposed to 18-year-old Diane Stanley, a Clark College student he met in Acapulco, Mexico, in April of that year. They broke off their engagement in 1974. Brown married his second wife, Monique, in 1997…..and they had two children.
NFL – Cleveland Browns Documentary – RB Jim Brown Special – “Jim Brown’s Two Wives, Girlfriend, Five Kids, Age, House, Net Worth and Lifestyle”
Brown died of natural causes at the age of 87 on May 18, 2023, at his home in Los Angeles…..with his wife by his side. Tributes from the sports world and beyond soon poured in…..with former NFL running back Barry Sanders posting on Twitter that “You can’t underestimate the impact Jim Brown had on the NFL.”…..while Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s all-time leader in rushing yards, wrote “He is and was a true legend in sports and in the community using his platform to help others.”…..when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said “Jim Brown was a gifted athlete — one of the most dominant players to ever step on any athletic field — but also a cultural figure who helped promote change.”…..and LeBron James, an NBA star, wrote in tribute that “We lost a hero today. Rest in Paradise to the legend Jim Brown. I hope every Black athlete takes the time to educate themselves about this incredible man and what he did to change all of our lives. We all stand on your shoulders Jim Brown.”…..plus Barack Obama, the 44th president and the 1st Black president of the United States, wrote, “I was too young to remember Jim Brown’s playing days, but I knew his legacy. One of the greatest football players ever, he was also an actor and activist – speaking out on civil rights, and pushing other black athletes to do the same.”
NFL & News – Jim Brown – Cleveland Browns – 2023 – A CBS Sports Production Special – “Jim Brown: One Of The NFL’s All-Time Greatest Players, Celebrated Actor and Social Activist Dies at 87”
Brown was portrayed by David Ajala in the London cast of the 2013 screenplay One Night in Miami and by Aldis Hodge in the subsequent 2021 film adaptation of the same name. According to Hodge, he heard “through the grapevine” that Brown – the only subject of the film alive at the film’s release – liked the film and approved of Hodge’s portrayal of him.
Special – NFL * Boxing * Music * Civil Rights Leaders – 2020 – A Cleveland Browns Production Special – “Jim Brown + Muhammad Ali + Sam Cooke + Malcom X: One Night In Miami In 1964 To Remember….A Meeting At The Miami Hampton Inn”
Brown’s memorable professional career led to his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971……while his football accomplishments at Syracuse garnered him a berth in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1995…..whereas, Brown was inducted in the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1983.
NFL – Jim Brown – 1971 NFL Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony – 2023 – A Cleveland Browns Production Special – “Jim Brown: Hall of Fame Induction Speech”
NFL – Jim Brown – Cleveland Browns – 2023 – A Pro Football Hall of Fame Production Special – “Jim Brown: Remembering Football’s Greatest Player HOR Cleveland Browns RB Jim Brown: 1934-2023”
Lacrosse – Jim Brown – Syracuse University Lacrosse Team – 2014 – A LaxSchool Production Special – “Jim Brown: Halftime Special at 1991 NCAA Lacrosse Championship” – As The Greatest Ever Lacrosse Player
Lacrosse – Jim Brown – ESPN Special Profile – 2016 – A Lacrosse All Stars Production Special – “Jim Brown: A 4,000 Watt Lacrosse Shot Overpowers The Great One”
Brown is the only NFL player to average 100 rushing yards per game for their career…..whereas, in 118 career games, he averaged 104.3 yards per game with a 5.2 yards per carry average…..when only Barry Sanders’ 99.8 yards per game and 5.0 yards per carry is the only running back who even comes close to these totals…..as evidenced by HOF Walter Payton averaged 88 yards per game during his career with a 4.4 yards-per-carry average…..while Emmitt Smith averaged 81.2 yards per game with a 4.2 yards-per-carry average. Jim Brown held the yards-per-carry record by a running back (minimum 750 carries) from his retirement in 1965 until Jamaal Charles broke the record in 2012.
NFL – JIm Brown – Extended Career Highlights – 2007 – A markpatricia Production Special – “Jim Brown 1957 To 1965: NFL’s Greatest Ever”
ESPN’s SportsCentury in 1999 ranked Brown 4th among their 50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century, trailing only Muhammed Ali, Babe Ruth, and Michael Jordan. In 2002, The Sporting News selected him as the greatest football player of all time…..as did the New York Daily News in 2014. On November 4, 2010, Brown was chosen by NFL Network’s NFL Films production of The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players as the 2nd greatest player in NFL history…..while behind only Jerry Rice. In November 2019, he was selected as one of the twelve running backs on the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
NBA & NFL – LeBron James & Jim Brown – PreGame Special – 2015 – An NBA Production Special – “LeBron James Pays Tribute to Jim Brown Pregame”
On January 13, 2020, Brown was named the greatest college football player of all time by ESPN, during a ceremony at the College Football Playoff National Championship Game celebrating the 150th anniversary of college football.
NFL – Jim Brown – Special Film – 2017 – A DocBusters Production Special – “Jim Brown: on Muhammad Ali’s Fight Against Discrimination”
NFL career statistics
Regular season
Year |
Team |
Games |
Rushing |
Receiving |
Fum |
|||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP |
GS |
Att |
Yds |
Y/A |
Y/G |
A/G |
Lng |
TD |
Rec |
Yds |
Y/R |
Lng |
TD |
|||
1957 |
CLE |
12 |
12 |
202 |
942 |
4.7 |
78.5 |
16.8 |
69 |
9 |
16 |
55 |
3.4 |
12 |
1 |
7 |
1958 |
CLE |
12 |
12 |
257 |
1,527 |
5.9 |
127.3 |
21.4 |
65 |
17 |
16 |
138 |
8.6 |
46 |
1 |
5 |
1959 |
CLE |
12 |
12 |
290 |
1,329 |
4.6 |
110.8 |
24.2 |
70 |
14 |
24 |
190 |
7.9 |
25 |
0 |
2 |
1960 |
CLE |
12 |
12 |
215 |
1,257 |
5.8 |
104.8 |
17.9 |
71 |
9 |
19 |
204 |
10.7 |
37 |
2 |
9 |
1961 |
CLE |
14 |
14 |
305 |
1,408 |
4.6 |
100.6 |
21.8 |
38 |
8 |
46 |
459 |
10.0 |
77 |
2 |
6 |
1962 |
CLE |
14 |
14 |
230 |
996 |
4.3 |
71.1 |
16.4 |
31 |
13 |
47 |
517 |
11.0 |
53 |
5 |
9 |
1963 |
CLE |
14 |
14 |
291 |
1,863 |
6.4 |
133.1 |
20.8 |
80 |
12 |
24 |
268 |
11.2 |
83 |
3 |
7 |
1964 |
CLE |
14 |
14 |
280 |
1,446 |
5.2 |
103.3 |
20.0 |
71 |
7 |
36 |
340 |
9.4 |
40 |
2 |
6 |
1965 |
CLE |
14 |
14 |
289 |
1,544 |
5.3 |
110.3 |
20.6 |
67 |
17 |
34 |
328 |
9.6 |
32 |
4 |
6 |
Career |
118 |
118 |
2,359 |
12,312 |
5.2 |
104.3 |
20.0 |
80 |
106 |
262 |
2,499 |
9.5 |
83 |
20 |
57 |
|
NFL – Jim Brown – Special – 2023 – A FlemLo Raps Production Special – “Jim Brown: He Played For 9 YEARS and Led The League In Rushing Yards 8 Times”
Postseason
Year |
Team |
Games |
Rushing |
Receiving |
Fum |
|||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP |
GS |
Att |
Yds |
Y/A |
Y/G |
A/G |
Lng |
TD |
Rec |
Yds |
Y/R |
Lng |
TD |
|||
1957 |
CLE |
1 |
1 |
20 |
69 |
3.5 |
69.0 |
20.0 |
29 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
— |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1958 |
CLE |
1 |
1 |
7 |
8 |
1.1 |
8.0 |
7.0 |
20 |
0 |
2 |
18 |
9.0 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
1964 |
CLE |
1 |
1 |
27 |
114 |
4.2 |
114.0 |
27.0 |
46 |
0 |
3 |
37 |
12.3 |
23 |
0 |
0 |
1965 |
CLE |
1 |
1 |
12 |
50 |
4.2 |
50.0 |
12.0 |
15 |
0 |
3 |
44 |
14.7 |
30 |
0 |
0 |
Career |
4 |
4 |
66 |
241 |
3.7 |
60.3 |
16.5 |
46 |
1 |
8 |
99 |
12.4 |
30 |
0 |
0 |
|
Comedy & NFL – Richard Pryor – Special Routine – 1982 – Excerpt From Richard Pryor Live On Sunset Strip Concert – “Richard Pryor On Jim Brown Coming To See Him”
Filmography
Year |
Title |
Role |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
1964 |
Rio Conchos |
Sergeant Franklyn |
First film |
1967 |
I Spy |
Tommy |
Episode: “Cops and Robbers” |
1967 |
The Dirty Dozen |
Robert Jefferson |
|
1968 |
Dark of the Sun |
Ruffo |
Lead |
Ice Station Zebra |
Captain Leslie Anders |
||
The Split |
McClain |
Lead |
|
1969 |
Riot |
Cully Briston |
Lead |
100 Rifles |
Sheriff Lyedecker |
Lead |
|
Kenner |
Roy Kenner |
Lead |
|
1970 |
…tick…tick…tick… |
Jimmy Price |
Lead |
El Condor |
Luke |
Lead |
|
The Grasshopper |
Tommy Marcott |
Lead |
|
1972 |
Slaughter |
Slaughter |
Lead |
Black Gunn |
Gunn |
Lead |
|
1973 |
Slaughter’s Big Rip-Off |
Slaughter |
Lead |
The Slams |
Curtis Hook |
Lead |
|
1974 |
I Escaped from Devil’s Island |
Le Bras |
Lead |
Three the Hard Way |
Jimmy Lait |
Lead |
|
1975 |
Take a Hard Ride |
Pike |
Lead |
1977 |
Police Story |
Pete Gerard |
Episode: “End of the Line” |
1977 |
Kid Vengeance |
Isaac |
|
1978 |
Fingers |
“Dreems” |
|
Pacific Inferno |
Clyde Preston |
Lead |
|
1982 |
One Down, Two to Go |
“J” |
Lead |
1979–1983 |
CHiPs |
Romo / Parkdale H.S. Shop Teacher John Casey |
3 episodes |
1984 |
Knight Rider |
C. J. Jackson |
Episode: “Knight of the Drones” |
1983–1984 |
T. J. Hooker |
Detective Jim Cody / Frank Barnett |
2 episodes |
1984 |
Cover Up |
Calvin Tyler |
Episode: “Midnight Highway” |
1985 |
Lady Blue |
Stoker |
pilot episode |
1986 |
The A-Team |
“Steamroller” |
Episode: “Quarterback Sneak” |
1987 |
The Running Man |
“Fireball” |
|
1988 |
I’m Gonna Git You Sucka |
“Slammer” |
|
1989 |
L.A. Heat |
Captain |
|
Crack House |
Steadman |
||
1990 |
Killing American Style |
“Sunset” |
|
Twisted Justice |
Morris |
||
Hammer, Slammer, & Slade |
“Slammer” |
||
1992 |
The Divine Enforcer |
King |
|
1996 |
Original Gangstas |
Jake Trevor |
|
Mars Attacks! |
Byron Williams |
||
1998 |
He Got Game |
Spivey |
|
Small Soldiers |
Butch Meathook |
Voice |
|
1999 |
New Jersey Turnpikes |
Unknown |
|
Any Given Sunday |
Montezuma Monroe |
||
2002 |
On the Edge |
Chad Grant |
|
2004 |
She Hate Me |
Geronimo Armstrong |
|
Sucker Free City |
Don Strickland |
||
2005 |
Animal |
Berwell |
|
2006 |
Sideliners |
Monroe |
|
2010 |
Dream Street |
Unknown |
|
2014 |
Draft Day |
Himself |
Cameo |
2019 |
The Black Godfather |
Himself |
NFL & News – Jim Brown – Cleveland Browns – Special News Clip – 2013 – A WKYC Channel 3 Cleveland Production Special – “Jimmy’s Take: Jim Donovan Looks Back On The Life And Legacy Of Jim Brown”
NFL & Funerals – Jim Brown – 2023 – A US Tonight Production Special – “Jim Brown Funeral….Remembering Jim Brown”
Penning a conclusion to the life and legend of Jim Brown…..is like being asked to write the epitaph for a mythical god…..who could do anything that he chose to do…..without boundaries or seeming less limitations…..for what can you write that hasn’t already been written…..cuz the truth be known, those of us that are Earthbound really only know the great feats of those with the mythical godly nature……while establishing himself as The Greatest lacrosse player to ever put a crosse in his hands…..who then came to every game on the gridiron with a body of steel and a will of iron against defenses that were totally focused on him…..as without doubt, he was also one of the best running backs of all time…..and honestly The Best in our Sportsphile opinion. There was an ex NFL player named JC Caroline…..whom I would see at the barbershop…..as we were talking one day while waiting for a chair…..when he was telling me about his career…..so, I asked him what the hardest hit he ever took was…..and his response was “Getting run over by Jim Brown”. From football the mystical one morphed into the greatest black action hero on the silver screen until The Rock came along some half-century later…..while he played in three favorite movies in “Running Man, The Dirty Dozen and Mars Attacks”. As Maya Angelou said: “A great soul serves everyone all the time. A great soul never dies. It brings us together again and again.”…..and Jim Brown was a great soul who continually fought to uplift, defend and protect humanity…..just like any other superhero would do…..and Jim Brown continued to do just that throughout his entire life on Earth. Jim Brown was more than just a great NFL Hall of Famer…..for he was a hall of fame human being!!! In the parlance of the late great Duke Ellington….. Jim Brown is one of very few mortals that is “Beyond Category” Even when he was debating the most vile, hateful Confederate racists Georgia Governor Lester Maddux live on TV in 1969, Jim Brown was always calm, collected and unflappable…..while dominating those who hated him with peace love and reasonableness. He was a truly an AMAZING man…..whose amazing story is told very well through the video footage presented in this post…..which we hope you readers enjoyed.
NFL – Jim Brown – 1964 Cleveland Browns – 2018 – A jstube36 Production Special – “Jim Brown: 1964 NFL Championship Colts at Browns ‘Anatomy Of A Championship'”
