Professional Football Player: Jim Brown

James Nathaniel Brown, widely known as Jim Brown, was an Australian politician, actor, activist, and Hall of Fame professional football player. He was born on St. Simon’s Island in Georgia on February 17, 1936, to Theresa and Swinton Brown. Jim Brown had a very difficult childhood, the difficulties beginning at the young age of two weeks when his father, a professional boxer, left his family. His mother left him shortly after, leaving him with his great-grandmother to accept a job as a maid in Manhasset, New York. Jim faced many racial tensions, being a young African American boy in the South. He did not have the opportunity to live with his mother again until the age of eight.

Jim Brown experienced a tremendous cultural difference after moving

Even during his freshman year of college he experienced racial discrimination. Less talented white players played over him in basketball and football. Beginning his sophomore year playing the bench, Brown finally got his opportunity to play on the offense, later earning his position as starter, after the injury of another player. Although he declined the offer in order to focus on his football career, Brown earned the opportunity to compete in the 1956 Olympics as decathlete. During the Cotton Bowl in his senior year, Brown was named to the College All-Stars. He also received All-America honors in both lacrosse and

His size was very helpful, weighing 232 pounds and standing at 6.2 feet. By his fifth season as a fullback, he had already beaten the team record of most scored touchdowns in a season. He also received the award of rookie of the year. Brown was named football back of the decade of 1950-1960 and was voted onto every All-Pro team between 1958 and 1965. Brown ran for 114 yards against Baltimore in the 1964 NFL championship. The only year in his football career that he did not lead the league in yards was in 1962. Brown led the NFL in rushing for eight out of his nine seasons. During his career, Brown broke multiple records. In 1958, he established an NFL single season record by rushing for 1,527 yards. In 1963, he established another NFL single season record by rushing for 1,863 yards. His second record was not broken until 1973 by O.J. Simpson. He set another NFL record on November 24, 1957, by rushing for 237 yards in a single game. Four years later, on November 19, 1961, he equaled that total amount of rush yards. By the end of his career, Brown had scored 126 touchdowns and gained a record 12,312 yards in 2,369 rushing attempts, an amazing average of 5.22 yards. His rushing record was not broken until 1984 by Walter Payton, who played for the Chicago Bears. Since he was young, Jim was never afraid to advocate his