Jim Brown obituary

The greatest running back in the history of American football, Jim Brown, who has died aged 87, was one of the finest all-round athletes of his era, excelling in both football and lacrosse. He quit pro football at the peak of his career to pursue an acting career, and became an iconoclastic civil rights activist. But the ferocity that made him a fine player and imposing figure of black pride also expressed itself in repeated accusations of violence against women.

When Brown entered the National Football League in 1957, runners were either big fullbacks or smaller, more shifty halfbacks. At 6ft 2in and 16st 6lb, Brown was both; big as a fullback, but with the speed, balance and skill to set up his blockers and the power to run through tacklers. His battles with the New York Giants linebacker Sam Huff, basically the same size, helped build the NFL’s violent image. Asked how he tackled Brown, Huff said “you grab on and pray for help”.

In his nine seasons with the Cleveland Browns, Brown won the league’s rushing title eight times, was first-team all-pro eight times, and was chosen as the league’s most valuable player (MVP) three times. He retired as the league’s career rushing leader, and his average of more than 100 yards rushing per game, and five yards per carry, still stand out.

In 1964 he began acting, in the western Rio Conchos. In the summer of 1966, filming The Dirty Dozen in Britain, shooting overran and collided with the start of his team’s training camp. When the Browns’ owner Art Modell announced that he would fine Brown $100 for each day he missed, a small but face-saving amount, Brown quit. He went on to appear in nine more films in the next three years, including Ice Station Zebra (1968) and 100 Rifles (1969),