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Jim Brown, All-Time NFL Great And Social Activist, Dead At 87

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Jim Brown's No. 32 jersey was retired by the Browns in 1971,

Jim Brown was a force on the field, a Hollywood film hero, and a civil rights activist.

Jim Brown, who retired at the pinnacle of his playing career to pursue acting and remained in the public eye as an activist despite off-field misdeeds that included claims of violence against women, has died. He was 87.

Jim Brown died quietly in his Los Angeles home on Thursday night, according to a spokesman for his family, with his wife, Monique, by his side.

“To the rest of the world, he was an activist, actor, and football star,” said Monique Brown in an Instagram post. “He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather to our family.” “Our hearts are shattered.”

Brown was one of the NFL’s earliest superstars, leading the league in rushing for eight of his nine seasons with the Cleveland Browns. He never missed a game, appearing in 118 straight before retiring unexpectedly in 1965 after being selected Most Valuable Player.

Jim Brown led the Browns to their final championship in 1964 before retiring from football at 30 to pursue a film career. He was in over 30 films, including “Any Given Sunday” and “The Dirty Dozen.”

Jim Brown’s debut as a big runner with speed and stamina boosted the game’s rising popularity on television, and he remained an indomitable figure long after his playing days were through.

Jim Brown was also a champion for African-Americans, using his position and voice to advocate for equality.

Jim Brown organized “The Cleveland Summit,” a gathering of the nation’s top Black sportsmen, including Bill Russell and Lew Alcindor, who eventually became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, in June 1967 to support boxer Muhammad Ali’s refusal to serve in Vietnam.

Later in life, he tried to reduce gang violence in Los Angeles, and in 1988, he launched Amer-I-Can, a program to assist poor inner-city kids and ex-convicts.

There was no one on the field like Brown, who would run through tacklers, refusing to let one man take him down before running away from linebackers and defensive backs. He was also known for shedding defenders in the open field with a stiff arm or pushing them away like rag dolls.

jim brown

Jim Brown died quietly in his Los Angeles home on Thursday night, according to a spokesman for his family, with his wife, Monique, by his side.

Brown would carefully stand and walk back to the huddle after being tackled, then dominate the defense when he got the ball again.

Jim Brown was a complicated figure off the pitch.

While he had a heart for those in need, he was also arrested a half-dozen times, primarily for beating women.

Jim Brown’s wife contacted 911 in June 1999, claiming Brown had damaged her car with a shovel and threatened to murder her. Monique Brown recanted her testimony throughout the trial. Jim Brown was acquitted of domestic threats but found guilty of misdemeanor vandalism. When Brown refused to undergo domestic violence counseling, a Los Angeles judge sentenced him to six months in jail.

Jim Brown left his playing days behind and moved to Hollywood, where he eventually settled. Brown announced his retirement to Cleveland coach Blanton Collier while the club was at training camp, and he was on the set of “The Dirty Dozen” in England.

Jim Brown’s relationship with the Browns has been erratic in recent years. He was appointed to advise the team’s younger players after serving as an adviser to owner Randy Lerner. However, Brown left the team in 2010 after incoming team president Mike Holmgren curtailed his responsibilities. Brown felt betrayed by the apparent demotion, and he did not attend the club’s unveiling of a “Ring of Honour” inside its downtown stadium in protest.

In 2016, the Browns built a statue of Brown outside their stadium.

jim brown

Jim Brown was a complicated figure off the pitch.

In recent years, Brown has made only a few public appearances. In February, he attended the NFL Honours ceremony, where the league revealed that the league rushing title would be renamed The Jim Brown Award.

Brown was an eight-time All-Pro and appeared in the Pro Bowl every year of his nine-year career. He retired with league records in yards (12,312) and touchdowns (126).

Brown, born on February 17, 1936, in St. Simons Island, Georgia, was a multisport star at Long Island’s Manhasset High School. He averaged 14.9 yards per rush in football and once scored 55 points in a game.

Brown, a two-sport star at Syracuse who some consider the best lacrosse player in NCAA history, experienced several racist slurs while playing at the nearly all-white institution. Nonetheless, he was a two-sport All-American and lettered in basketball.

Brown was selected sixth overall in the 1957 draught, joining a team that frequently competed for the championship. That season, he was named Offensive Rookie of the Year.

jim brown

Jim Brown’s No. 32 jersey was retired by the Browns in 1971.

Brown broke a league record with 1,527 yards and 17 touchdowns while running behind an offensive line that included Hall of Fame tackles Lou Groza and Mike McCormack on his way to the league’s Most Outstanding Player award — a precursor to the MVP — in 1958. He never ran for under 1,257 yards in the next three seasons, closing with 996 in 1962.

Jim Brown’s No. 32 jersey was retired by the Browns in 1971, the same year he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. During the 1970s and 1980s, however, he rarely visited Cleveland. He and Cleveland owner Art Modell clashed over his premature resignation; the two eventually reconciled and remained friends.

In 1995, Brown-backed Modell’s decision to relocate Cleveland’s team to Baltimore. It was both a reflection of his devotion to Modell and evidence of his uncompromising individuality. Brown was one of the few former Browns players who was not upset with Modell’s decision to relocate the franchise.

“And for him to come out on top is something that not many guys can appreciate.”

Brown is survived by his wife, Aris, son, Jim Jr., daughter, Kimberly, son, Kevin, daughter, Shellee, and daughter, Kim. Karen Ward, his daughter, preceded him in death.

SOURCE – (AP)

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Another Byron Win Has Hendrick On A Roll Heading Toward NASCAR Team’s 40th Anniversary Party

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AUSTIN, Texas – Hendrick Motorsports has much to be excited about as it approaches its 40th anniversary celebration in two weeks.

William Bryon dominated on Sunday at the Circuit of the Americas, earning his second NASCAR win. Alex Bowman finished in the top four for the third time in 2024 at COTA, while Kyle Larson won the Xfinity Series in a thrilling finale on Saturday.

That’s quite a leap ahead of the team’s planned festivities for race weekend at Martinsville Speedway, where Hendrick Motorsports won its first race with Geoff Bodine in 1984 while racing under the moniker All-Star Racing.

hendrick

Another Byron Win Has Hendrick On A Roll Heading Toward NASCAR Team’s 40th Anniversary Party

So far, the race has resulted in its party.

Byron is the only two-time winner in the season’s first six races. The first occurred in the Daytona 500, where Bowman and Hendrick finished 1-2 in NASCAR’s marquee event.

Byron’s victory at COTA was his 12th career win and first from the pole position.

“I mean, just seeing him qualify, he was so fluid. The same thing happened throughout the race. “Just seemed to put the car in all the right places,” Hendrick Motorsports Vice Chairman Jeff Gordon explained. “A lot of thanks to William for accomplishing such an excellent job. Takes the entire team, pit crew, and everyone. They’ve had a great start to the season. I can’t wait to see where they take it next.

The series will head to Richmond’s short track next week before returning to Martinsville on April 7.

“We’re going to shoot for the stars,” declared Byron’s crew chief, Rudy Fogle.

Hendrick hopes to have a strong showing at Martinsville, where team vehicles will be painted in unique red schemes, owner Rick Hendrick will drive the pace car, and Bodine and Gordon will serve as grand marshals.

In the last four years, a Hendrick driver has won a race in Martinsville. The team has won the most Cup Series races at any track on the circuit, with 28 total.

“Obviously Martinsville is big for the 40th anniversary,” he remarked.

hendrick

Another Byron Win Has Hendrick On A Roll Heading Toward NASCAR Team’s 40th Anniversary Party

Bowman triumphed there in 2021 and generated huge results during a crucial season. He has not won since 2022, has had two seasons of injuries, and will miss the playoffs in 2023.

“I don’t want to say, ‘Yeah, we’re back here 100%,’ but these last few weeks have been a step in the right direction,” Mr. Bowman said.

“I’m personally working as hard as I’ve ever worked,” he said. This year, I’m all in on every aspect, whether it’s extra shifts in the (simulator), correlating the tires, spending more time with the team, or training in the gym.”

Larson’s Xfinity victory was a surprise despite starting from the pole position. He had to start from the back because his squad needed to replace a broken brake rotor, but he fought his way through and took the victory in overtime.

hendrick

Another Byron Win Has Hendrick On A Roll Heading Toward NASCAR Team’s 40th Anniversary Party

Larson was the first NASCAR driver to win the pole and the race while leading only one lap. His victory was Hendrick Motorsports’ first in the Xfinity Series since the team returned in 2022.

The only blight on Hendrick’s successful weekend was Larson’s 17th-place result in Sunday’s race, which took him out of the Cup Series lead. Larson now ranks fifth, slightly ahead of Bryon.

All four Hendrick drivers are in the top 11, but Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. and Ty Gibbs are the new season championship leaders.

SOURCE – (AP)

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Ohtani To Speak To Media For 1st Time Since Illegal Gambling, Theft Allegations Against Interpreter

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Los Angeles — Shohei Ohtani wants to talk to the media on Monday for the first time since allegations of illicit gambling and theft against the Los Angeles Dodgers player and his interpreter surfaced during the team’s trip to South Korea.

The Dodgers sacked their translator, Ippei Mizuhara, last week after the team opened the season with two games against the San Diego Padres in Seoul.

ohtani

Ohtani To Speak To Media For 1st Time Since Illegal Gambling, Theft Allegations Against Interpreter

Manager Dave Roberts encouraged Ohtani to address the issue openly. He stated that the two-way superstar made the decision.

“It’s the right thing to do,” Roberts explained. “I’m glad he’s going to speak up, share what he knows, and express his thoughts on the matter. I believe it will give us all a little more clarity.”

Mizuhara was let off the team after the Los Angeles Times and ESPN reported on his apparent ties to an illegal bookmaker and claimed from Ohtani’s attorneys that the Japanese star had been the victim of a “massive theft.”

Major League Baseball has launched an investigation into the matter. The Internal Revenue Service has stated that Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, an accused unlicensed bookmaker in Orange County, California, are under criminal investigation.

Will Ireton, the team’s performance operations manager, has taken over the translating duties from Ohtani. He had previously done the same for then-Dodgers pitcher Kenta Maeda, who is Japanese.

Ohtani made a quick cameo in the Dodgers’ clubhouse before Sunday’s Freeway Series opening against his former team, the Los Angeles Angels. The teams will play three exhibition games before the Dodgers meet St. Louis in their home opener on Thursday.

The crowd of 42,607 cheered Ohtani passionately each time he came to the plate in his first game as a Dodger in his hometown stadium. He went 0 for 2 as the designated hitter, walking once and striking out once before exiting.

He is also expected to play Monday in Los Angeles and Tuesday in Anaheim, where he was a two-time AL MVP before signing a $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers in December.

Roberts stated that Ohtani has yet to address his teammates as a group.

ohtani

Ohtani To Speak To Media For 1st Time Since Illegal Gambling, Theft Allegations Against Interpreter

“I think that he’s had one-off conversations with players,” Mr. Roberts added.

The manager claimed he checked in with Ohtani to see how he was doing.

“He’s kind of business as usual,” Roberts explained.

Ohtani has a double locker in the Dodgers’ clubhouse, between the shower room and fellow Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is scheduled to make his second start of the season against St. Louis on Saturday.

On Sunday, additional security was deployed in the overcrowded clubhouse. In addition to the players and a slew of journalists, eight temporary lockers were built up at one end for minor leaguers brought in from Arizona for the Freeway Series.

Overhead televisions were tuned to men’s NCAA Tournament events, baseball, and horse racing, with former Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Paul Lo Duca providing TV handicapping suggestions for the day’s races.

ohtani

Ohtani To Speak To Media For 1st Time Since Illegal Gambling, Theft Allegations Against Interpreter

The MLB gambling policy is displayed in every clubhouse. Betting on baseball, legal or illegal, carries a one-year ban from the sport. The commissioner can impose penalties for illicit betting on other sports. Sports gambling is outlawed in California despite the fact that it is permitted in 38 other states and the District of Columbia.

“The mood in the room is get ready for baseball because I don’t hear a lot of conversations and speculation,” Roberts told reporters. “That’s why I think tomorrow is going to be good for everyone.”

SOURCE – (AP)

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British Runner Jasmin Paris Becomes First Woman To Finish Barkley Marathons, Just 99 Seconds Before Time Limit Expired

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A British runner, Jasmin Paris, became the first woman to complete the famed Barkley Marathons on Friday.

According to Keith Dunn, who attends the race and publishes updates on X (previously known as Twitter), Paris completed the difficult course in 59 hours, 58 minutes, and 21 seconds, barely 99 seconds, before the 60-hour time restriction expired.

The 40-year-old veterinarian was photographed collapsing over the finish line as she finished the event.

berkley

British Runner Jasmin Paris Becomes First Woman To Finish Barkley Marathons, Just 99 Seconds Before Time Limit Expired

Paris was one of five finishers in the 2024 Barkley Marathons, with Ukrainian Ihor Very first, Americans John Kelly and Jared Campbell second and third, and Greig Hamilton of New Zealand fourth.

Verys, who finished at 58:44:59, said that Dunn added a sixth loop.

Campbell, who finished the Barkley Marathons for the fourth time in 59:30:32, claimed the new part was “brutal.” “You are a bad man.”

Paris made waves in 2019 when she won the 2019 Spine event. She became the first woman to win the 268-mile event and shaved 12 hours off the previous record.

The Barkley Marathons are notable for their arduous, near-impossible nature. Many consider it the world’s toughest and most punishing foot race.

berkley

British Runner Jasmin Paris Becomes First Woman To Finish Barkley Marathons, Just 99 Seconds Before Time Limit Expired

Every year, the renowned ultramarathon that racer Gary Cantrell created takes place at Tennessee’s Frozen Head State Park. James Earl Ray’s 1977 jailbreak during which he assassinated Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. served as inspiration for the path.

Ray barely walked eight miles just over two days after escaping Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary before being apprehended, prompting Cantrell to speculate that he could travel 100 miles in the same amount of time.

The course is lengthy and indistinct, the inclines steep, and the terrain harsh, but only if you can manage the confusing admission system and earn a seat at the starting line.

The race consists of five circuits of about 20 miles each, for a total distance of 100 to 130 miles in brushy mountains with an elevation gain of roughly 63,000 feet. Athletes complete the race over three sleepless days and nights, with no aid stations, phones, or GPS to assist with navigation. Getting lost, as well as falling and being injured in the brush, is normal.

berkley

British Runner Jasmin Paris Becomes First Woman To Finish Barkley Marathons, Just 99 Seconds Before Time Limit Expired

The ultramarathon is marked with distinct unmanned checkpoints containing a paperback book. Athletes must rip out a page according to their bib number and have all the book pages in hand at the end of each loop to demonstrate that they reached each checkpoint.

Many need help to finish the races because of their difficulty, with no finishers between 2017 and 2023. It has a 99% dropout rate.

SOURCE – (CNN)

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