Written by: Ray Lamar Inspired by: Artist Bill Rembert
Jim Brown was known as a power running back from his college days, all the way until he retired in 1965 as a Professional. As a college athlete Brown was dominate in both football and basketball. Brown ran track and was a very good lacrosse player, but football was where his heart was. In the 1957 NFL draft the Cleveland Browns selected Jim with the sixth overall pick. Surprisingly Browns talent and style of play against his competition was stellar in year one. Brown led the NFL in rushing yards with 942 capturing the league’s Rookie of the Year honors. Brown didn’t spend a lot of time in the NFL, but in less than 10 years he was very productive as a running back during his era. The only year of Jim Brown’s career that he did not lead the league in rushing was in 1962, he rushed for 996 yards that year. In the 118 professional games that Jim Brown competed, in He averaged 104.3 yards per game and 5.2 yards per carry.
People were stunned when Jim Brown retired, but for him there was more to life than just football. Brown was such a talented man he went a started his acting career upon his retirement. Brown would star in more than 30 films, proving critics wrong that said he wouldn’t pursue movies long-term and would be back to football. Brown also made large contributions in the African American community using his popularity and voice to be a social activist. In 1960 Jim Brown used his influence to help black owned businesses, by creating the Negro Industrial Economic Union. In the 1980s he started Amer-I-Can an organization targeting young gang members that needed to embark on a positive path in life. Brown was also savvy enough to realize that there were more black athletes that had social power as he did to help change the things in the community. He called out Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson just to name a few, to be more politically and socially involved.
Editor’s Note: This article first published on February 29, 2020.