The death Thursday of Jim Brown, whose running talent and statistics were incomparable for years after his retirement from the National Football League’s Cleveland Browns, prompts a flashback.
The sport was lacrosse. He was playing in an all-star game at Johns Hopkins’ Homewood Field. At age 12, I had watched innumerable college games. Never before or since have I watched a better athlete. He was unstoppable.
Brown scored five goals. He ran around and through opponents. Stick checks just bounced off his powerful arms. He faced the best that college lacrosse could produce. Yet, he stood out.
I followed his pro football career. He was an offensive force that few teams could match. His speed and power became redundant on NFL highlight films.
One last comment: I thought he was a compelling movie actor, particularly in the heralded World War II film, “The Dirty Dozen.” Though not a drama school-trained actor, he impressed me with his cinematic ability. Critics might disagree.
Jim Brown lived to 87. He led a life filled with athletic excellence and acting credentials. His civil rights activism was notable.
I will never forget his exploits on a legendary lacrosse field in Baltimore.
Columnist Howard Freedlander retired in 2011 as Deputy State Treasurer of the State of Maryland. Previously, he was the executive officer of the Maryland National Guard. He also served as community editor for Chesapeake Publishing, lastly at the Queen Anne’s Record-Observer. After 44 years in Easton, Howard and his wife, Liz, moved in November 2020 to Annapolis, where they live with Toby, a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel who has no regal bearing, just a mellow, enticing disposition.
Mark Pellerin says
I watched him as much as possible in my same approx. formative years as yours or when you were at Homewood Field but in football, where he’d bowl over the competition. I’ve just read that he was quoted as saying that Lax was his favorite sport and then I wondered how he could have discovered Lax but a source says, “when 8, his Mom moved them from St. Simon’s Is. GA to Manhasset, NY” — a hotbed of Lax, like Baltimore.
Howard Freedlander says
Yes, Mark, Manhasset produced several excellent lacrosse players. I suspect that Jim Brown surpassed all of them.
Elizabeth Fisher says
Wow. I never knew the lax connection.
Wiliam Dudley says
Likewise, my first knowledge of Jim Brown was when Syracuse came to play Williams in a Lacrosse game in 1956. Everyone who followed sports went down to the field to watch him play. He was phenomenal and Syracuse won, of course.
Howard Freedlander says
Jim Brown’s athletic talent, Bill, was other-worldly. I’m glad that I never had to face him in lacrosse.
Gerald F. Sweeny says
Hi Howard:
I’m so far out of it that I didn’t even know you’d move.
I grew up in the same town as Jim Brown (Manhasset Long Island – a lacrosse town). He was a little behind me – in my sister’s class. One of the interesting things about JB was that some of the community leaders, understanding his prowess, supported him starting in high school. The town had a natural connection with Syracuse – many of our best lacrosse players went there – as did he. He had a whole village behind him. I’ll bet some of his records still stand there.
Jerry Sweeney
Howard Freedlander says
I just read that Jim Brown once said that he wished he could have played lacrosse six days a week and football on the seventh. Who would have guessed?
Mickey Terrone says
Speaking of wishes, I wish that Jim Brown the actor would have had the opportunity to play Frederick Douglass in a biographical movie about one of our greatest Americans. He would have required very little makeup to portray the elder Douglass. Maybe just a wig.
Most of Jim Brown’s records in football have been eclipsed, but for most folks our age, I believe he remains the standard for greatest running backs, in college ball as well as the NFL.