Jim Brown, the renowned NFL running back who quit the game to pursue a career in acting and activism, passed away at the age of 87.
Jim Brown, the extraordinary athlete, actor, and activist who dominated the NFL and its record books in the 1950s and 1960s and won several MVP awards before abruptly retiring at age 30 to concentrate on the civil rights movement and a Hollywood career, passed away on Friday, according to his former team and his widow. He was eighty-seven.
Monique Brown posted on Instagram, “It is with profound sadness that I announce the passing of my husband, Jim Brown.” “He went away quietly at our Los Angeles house yesterday night. He was a football star, an actor, and an activist to the outside world. He was a devoted and amazing father, grandfather, and husband to our family. Our hearts are shattered.
The Cleveland Browns, Brown’s only franchise, tweeted, “Jim Brown
The deep affection and appreciation we have for being able to share even a tiny portion of Jim’s amazing life and legacy cannot be expressed. While we are saddened by his departure, we also honor the enduring light he left behind.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Jim’s loved ones, family, and everyone he touched throughout his journey.”
In 1971, Brown received his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“Yardage is not the main concern. Seeing your squad take home the title is… According to the Hall of Fame website celebrating his career, “That’s what I work for, winning the championship, and this requires a certain standard of performance,” Brown stated.
In 1964, Brown made his movie debut in the Western “Rio Conchos” before quitting the game.
Two years later, at the height of his career and in response to threats of fines from the owner of his team for missing days of training camp, Brown—the current NFL MVP—surprised sports fans by announcing his retirement from football from the set of the World War II movie, “The Dirty Dozen.”
In the years that followed, he starred in over 50 motion picture and television productions, the most recent of which was “Draft Day” in 2014.
“I could have continued to play.” He reportedly stated in 1966, “I wanted to play this year, but it was impossible,” according to Sports Illustrated. For starters, we’re shooting (on the Dirty Dozen set) later than planned. I would prefer mental stimulation over playing football. I would like to contribute to the fight going on in our nation, and this is my chance to do so. In a year, I might not.”
It was the proper time to give up football, he continued. He advised, “You ought to exit at the top.”
In addition, Brown left his impact working with prison inmates and inner-city gang members as a civil rights worker. Brown arranged “The Cleveland Summit” in June 1967 to show support for Muhammad Ali, who declined to be conscripted into the Vietnam War. Known as Lew Alcindor at the time, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was among the other well-known Black athletes present.
“Jim Brown invited me to the Cleveland Summit when I was twenty years old,” Abdul-Jabbar tweeted on Friday. “This was the first of many actions I would take as a civil rights activist, and it was also my first public endorsement of Muhammad Ali.” Jim’s commitment to the battle
defending equal rights was a lifetime endeavor, and it allowed me to keep our friendship going for more than 50 years. He will be sorely missed by the world and me.
Brown established the Amer-I-Can program in 1988 with the goal of preventing gang violence and assisting people in “taking charge of their lives and achieving their full potential.”
Cleveland Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam stated, “His dedication to creating a positive impact for all of humanity off the field is what he should also be known for.” “During the time we’ve known Jim, particularly at the beginning when we joined the Browns, he taught us so much about the power of sports to bring people together and how to use athletics to effect positive social change in the community.
Just like he broke tackles, Jim smashed down walls. In addition to fighting for civil rights, he united sportsmen from various disciplines to use their platform for good. Although many believed Jim had left football too soon, he always took his time.
However, Brown’s personal legal troubles also grabbed headlines.
After breaking the conditions of his probation on a minor charge of vandalizing his wife’s automobile three years prior, Brown was placed in jail in 2002. He was sentenced to six months in prison, of which he served four, after declining therapy and probation.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Brown told reporters following his release that “incarceration doesn’t work.” It doesn’t increase community safety.
He was jailed for one day in 1978 for assaulting and strangling Frank Snow, his golfing buddy. In addition, Brown was given a $500 fine and two years of probation.
Other, more severe accusations included an allegation of rape, but that case was dropped because of conflicting testimony, and the two assault cases that went to trial ended with acquittals.
In another notorious incident from 1968, model Eva Bohn-Chin was discovered beneath the balcony of Brown’s second-floor apartment. Brown was then charged with assault with intent to commit murder. Bohn-Chin declined to identify him as her attacker, leading to the dismissal of the allegation. For punching a deputy sheriff during the same event, Brown did have to pay a $300 fine.
Despite the negative impact the abuse claims had on his career, he will go down in history as the best running back of all time and the best player of any position, according to many.
Over the course of his nine seasons, Brown—who was named the 1957 Rookie of the Year and MVP—led the NFL in rushing eight times and gained a record 12,312 yards.
In 1964, he won an NFL championship and made nine trips to the Pro Bowl. Brown ran for a league-high 1,544 yards in his final season.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stated in a statement, “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.” Throughout his nine-year NFL career, which aligned with the domestic civil rights movement, he emerged as a pioneer and exemplar for athletes engaged in extracurricular social endeavors. He encouraged other sportsmen to change the world, particularly in their local communities.
The Jim Brown honor replaced the league running title honor in the NFL earlier this year.
Brown is regarded as one of the all-time great lacrosse players, having scored over 70 goals in just two seasons at Syracuse University and been named to both the first and second teams of the All-America squad.
