"5.2 yards per carry never missed game won the rushing title every year but one when he was in the league there was a lot of contenders but if you have to select one you have to pick Jim as the greatest running back in history."- Bob Costas

Exceptional Jim Brown Cleveland Browns game worn jersey c.1962-65. Jim Brown is to running backs what Superman is to cartoon heroes. Standing 6-foot-2 and packing 230 hard pounds on his square-shouldered frame he was an explosive fullback combining outstanding speed with awesome power. For nine seasons with the Cleveland Browns he did it better than any player before him and maybe since. When he retired at the age of 30 at the peak of his career the NFL record books had been rewritten. Brown was more than just a one-of-a-kind running back. He caught passes returned kickoffs and even threw three touchdown passes. His 12312 rushing yards and 15459 combined net yards put him in a then-class by himself.

Jim was a unanimous first-team All-NFL pick eight times 1957 through 1961 1963-1965. He played in nine Pro Bowls in nine years and was the games outstanding back three times. Brown was unanimously named the Rookie of the Year in 1957. He was recognized that season as the NFLs Most Valuable Player by many media organizations. In all he earned league MVP honors four times (1957 1958 1963 and 1965). In the summer of 1966 Jim stunned the sports world with his announcement that he was retiring. Fans still ponder what heights he might have reached had he stayed on the firing line a few more seasons. As exceptional as Brown's statistics were his durability may have been even more amazing. Despite a constant pounding from defenses always stacked against him personally he never missed a game in nine years.

The origins of the offered jersey can be traced to the Cleveland Browns longtime trainer Leo Murphy who became the football team's head athletic trainer in 1950. He had previously worked as an athletic trainer for the Chicago Rockets and the New York Yankees of the All-American Conference before joining the Browns. This specific jersey was obtained directly by Leo Murphy's son Martin Murphy in the mid 1960s. Young Martin Murphy worked for the Cleveland Browns at their training camps in Hiram Ohio. In a detailed letter of provenance from Martin Murphy which is included with the lot Murphy notes that when Jim Brown suddenly announced his retirement from the NFL he was instructed to pack up all of Brown's equipment. Some of the items were sent directly to the National Football Hall of Fame and Murphy retained the offered jersey for himself. In 1986 Martin Murphy donated the jersey to a charity auction to benefit Multiple Sclerosis research. It should be noted that while most NFL jerseys from this period were constructed of a durene material the offered shirt is a lighter weight material which has been documented to have been used in summer practice and early season warm weather games for NFL teams at the time. Furthermore the use of cotton jerseys of this type was prevalent during the late 1950s and early 1960s.

The shirt retains its original "32" on front back and both sleeves with appropriate "puckering" to the corresponding interior material from wash wear/shrinkage. The jersey displays classic Browns striping on each sleeve exhibiting age and color fading indicative of very heavy use sun exposure and wash wear. Incredible usage characteristics indicative of very heavy use include no less then (12) team repairs an un-repaired 2" tear/hole on the back soiling evidence and general surface wear. The original crotch flap was cut away in the period (this has been seen on other documented Jim Brown jerseys) with the original (6) buttons remaining affixed to the front of the jersey. Overall appearance is very fine with strong wear appropriate to Brown's style of play while retaining superb visual appeal. In our opinion this museum caliber jersey ranks among the finest of only a handful of Jim Brown game jersey known to exist. Includes a detailed typewritten letter of provenance from Martin Murphy.