Former Philadelphia Eagle TIMMY BROWN was the first NFL player to return two kickoffs for TDs in a game - (NFL photo)

(Philadelphia Eagles - (memoriam & photo)

SPORTS NOTES - REMEMBERING the NFL's TIMMY BROWN

James Loving/National Radio Text Service

Timmy Brown is the Philadelphia Eagles all-time leader in average yards per touch (6.52), and he still holds the franchise records for kickoff returns (169), kickoff return yards (4,483) and kickoff returns for touchdowns (5). He was the first NFL player to return two kickoffs for TDs in a game, doing so in a 24-23 win over Dallas on Nov. 6, 1966. . He was selected for the Pro Bowl in 1962, 1963 and 1965 - NBA's Greatest All-time TEAM

Wednesday, April 08, 2020

HE RAN FOR DAYLIGHT

I was shocked to hear my friend and former NFL player Timmy Brown passed away April 4th AT 82-years-old from complications from Dementia. The twist is that the news came to me indirectly as I was searching for information on former NFL player Bobby Mitchell who passed away a day after Brown on April 5th.

After searching for Mitchell I decided to see what Timmy was up to. My records show that I last searched for him in January. I've been meaning to try and contact him for that past year but didn't have any personal information on him. The only thing I knew was he was living in Palm Springs, California but being it was on his Wikipedia page it was suspect.

But this isn't about me it's about Brown. Our personal relationship I'll write about at a later time. One thing I will point is that Brown was like a big brother to me. Why? Later…

The point is Brown played for my hometown Philadelphia Eagles. I saw many of the games he played a including his record breaking two touchdown returns in the same game against the Dallas Cowboys. Brown played eight of his 10 seasons in the NFL with the Eagles. In 1959 he was drafted by the Green Bay Packers with whom his played only one game.

The Eagles won the NFL title in 1960 by ironically defeating the Packers. That was prior to the league having a Super Bowl game. Brown's rookie season was not his best as he became acclimated in a system that also had three other running backs higher in the system. Billy Ray Barnes, Ted Dean and Clarence Peaks were his mates in the backfield.

Brown was a dual threat with running and receiving skills. He scored two touchdowns each as a runner and receiver. The best was yet to come and he was utilized more and scored three touchdowns on running and two receiving in 1961.

1962 was his breakout season when he scored 11 touchdowns five rushing and six receiving. He was selected for the Pro Bowl that season as well in 1963 and 1965. Brown is sixth on the franchise's all-time list for touchdowns (62), seventh in total yards from scrimmage (7,049), eighth in rushing yards (3,703) and seventh in rushing touchdowns (29).

He is the team's all-time leader in average yards per touch (6.52), and he still holds the franchise records for kickoff returns (169), kickoff return yards (4,483) and kickoff returns for touchdowns (5). He was the first NFL player to return two kickoffs for TDs in a game, doing so in a 24-23 win over Dallas on Nov. 6, 1966.

He also led the league in kick returns and return yards twice, doing so in 1961 and 1963. His career TD totals were 31 rushing and 26 as a receiver. Brown finished his NFL career with the Baltimore Colts who played that 1968 season in the Super Bowl. That Colt team was the first NFL team to lose a Super Bowl game of the three that were played up till that time. Brown's knee was so torn up he could barely perform his athletic prowess properly.

"Timmy Brown was an all-time great Eagle and one of the most dynamic multipurpose players of his era. He overcame many obstacles in his life to enjoy success both as an athlete and as an entertainer," Eagles chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie said in a statement.

Brown was inducted into the Eagles' Hall of Fame in 1996.

Brown was a great human being who was instrumental in my life. It was the entertainment side of Brown that brought us together. Brown used the name "Timothy Brown" as an actor, to make it easier to distinguish him from Jim Brown, the Cleveland Browns running back who also became an actor.

Following his NFL career Brown moved to Hollywood to entrench himself in the entertainment business. He appeared in films and made records prior to the move. His most notable entertainment credit was being in a half-dozen episodes of the first season of the M*A*S*H television series as Dr. Oliver Harmon "Spearchucker" Jones, but was dropped from the show reportedly because the producers learned there were no African American surgeons serving in Korea during the Korean War.

Along with Gary Burghoff, G. Wood, and Corey Fischer, he is one of only four actors who appeared in both the original MASH movie and the spin-off television series.

Oddly enough it was where I was playing with my band that I met Timmy and also had encounters with Jim Brown. To say the least the club was a celebrity hang out that included Wilt Chamberlain and the Lakers. Stay tuned for… TIMMY BROWN, THE PERSONAL SIDE…

DID YOU KNOW?

The NBA players averages this season are:

Average Height: 6-6.54

Average Weight: 219.33

Average Age: 26.18

Average NBA Years: 4.59

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