CANTON, Ohio (AP) — Jim Brown’s extraordinary life as a football giant and activist will be celebrated as part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame weekend activities.

Brown, long considered the standard of excellence for running backs, died in May at age 87. He did not want a funeral. His wife, Monique, has planned a private memorial for her husband on Aug. 3.

The invitation-only gathering will be held at Umstattd Performing Arts Hall near the Hall of Fame, which is hosting the event along with the Cleveland Browns and league. The induction ceremony is set for Aug. 5.

Other news Jim Brown Appreciation: Remembering Hall of Fame running back’s lasting impact on and off field Jim Brown was both extraordinary and extraordinarily complicated. One man. Many versions. His greatness on the football field is beyond reproach. NFL great Jim Brown sought solutions in a lifetime devoted to activism In many ways, Jim Brown used his platform as one of the greatest football players of all time to fight for people very much like him. Reactions to the death of Jim Brown, NFL star, social activist and actor The sports world reacts to the announcement that Jim Brown, an NFL star, social activist and actor, has died at the age of 87. Jim Brown, all-time NFL great and social activist, dead at 87 The NFL legend, actor and social activist shattered records during a relatively short NFL career, leading the Cleveland Browns to their last championship in 1964.

“We wanted to do something right after Jim died and for a variety of reasons — schedules, everybody, Monique wasn’t quite ready — it got put off,” Browns co-owner Jimmy Haslam said. “I can’t really think of a better way to do it than do it in Canton.

“Jim Brown’s definitely the greatest Brown of all time and arguably the greatest in the NFL. To do it in Canton, a lot of the gold jackets will be there. I think it’s appropriate to honor his legacy. We’re honored to be part of that.”

The Browns also plan to celebrate Brown during the coming season. Co-owner Dee Haslam said those plans are still being finalized.

Brown rushed for 12,312 yards in nine seasons for Cleveland before retiring in 1965 — after winning his third MVP — to pursue an acting career.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.