Former U. of Delaware Football Standout Mike Brown Earns Spot in Delaware Afro-American Sports Hall of Fame
April 21, 2011
DOVER, Del. -- Mike Brown, who starred for the University of Delaware football and track and field teams in the early 1960’s, was inducted into the Delaware Afro American Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday, Apr. 16.
Brown, who currently resides in the San Francisco area, was one of 11 outstanding athletes and coaches inducted during the 13th Annual Banquet at the Modern Maturity Center in Dover.
Brown, a native of Wilmington, Del. who starred at Conrad High School, was a standout running back for Delaware football teams in and was also a record-setting sprinter in track & field for head coach. He was inducted into the University of Delaware Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998 and into the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame in 1990. He earned his degree from Delaware in 1964.
One of the greatest runners in Delaware's proud football tradition, Brown was one of the nation's top halfbacks in the early 1960s. A three-time All-Middle Atlantic Conference selection, he was named All-East and first team Associated Press All-American in 1963. He rushed for 1,674 yards and 22 touchdowns in his career and his 838 yards in 1963 was the second highest total in UD history upon his graduation.
He was a member of two Middle Atlantic Conference and Lambert Cup champion teams and led the undefeated 1963 team to the United Press Small College national title under head coach Dave Nelson.
In track and field, Brown set five school sprint records during his career in 1962-64 for head coach Jimmy Flynn. He led the teams to the Middle Atlantic Conference team title in 1963 and a runner-up finish in both 1962 and 1964. Individually, he was second in the 100-yard dash and 440-yard run and third in the 220-yard dash at the 1963 MAC meet and was second in the 220 and 440 events in 1964.
Other inductees were William “Judy” Johnson for baseball, James Bell for swimming, Dwayne Henry for baseball, Norman Oliver for basketball, James Solomon for track coaching, Robert Burke for bowling, Jimmie Strong for football, Albert Horne for basketball, Hollis Smack for football, and James Weal for track & field. Johnson and Horne will be inducted posthumously.
