February 17

He was one of the greatest – if not the greatest – running backs to ever play the game of football.

Jim Brown was born on St. Simons in 1936. At Syracuse University, Brown excelled in five sports. The NFL’s Cleveland Browns drafted him in 1957 and he led the league in rushing in 8 of his 9 seasons, breaking records as fast he was breaking down defenses. He never missed a game.

Brown was both fast and punishing–he routinely outran or ran over his opponents. He twice rushed for a record 237 yards in one game, was league MVP twice, and retired with over 12,000 yards rushing, a record that stood until broken by Walter Payton in 1984.

Brown left football in 1965 at the height of his career but was elected to both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame—and is in the U.S. Lacrosse National Hall of Fame as well.

One of the most gifted athletes to ever live was born on St. Simons on February 17, 1936, Today in Georgia History.