Pick up your own copy of Running Against The Grain: The Story of Philadelphia Eagle and Movie Star Timmy Brown at the Official Ball State University Bookstore (with local pick up available) or on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
BALL STATE BOOKSTORE (Paperback, local pick up or shipping available)
AMAZON (Hardback, Paperback, and Kindle available)
BARNES & NOBLE (Ebook available on Compatible NOOK devices, the free NOOK App and in My Digital Library.)
REVIEWS
Gretchen Harper, Fall 2026 Sophomore, Communication Studies and Strategic Communication Major, College of Communication, Information, and Media (CCIM); Academic Peer Mentor, CCIM Living-Learning Community
Letter to the Authors
I finished reading your book this past weekend. I hadn’t read for a while, with school wrapping up and starting a new job, but once I picked it back up, I couldn’t put it down. I found Timmy’s story fascinating and truly loved reading it. I appreciated the amount of detail put into not only the music mentioned in the book, but also the games Timmy played and the people who made a mark on his life.
I took notes on pages of the book that stuck with me, and one I marked was Timmy saying he feels more comfortable running through people rather than finding holes in the defense, and that it makes him feel confident. I just found that fascinating, but it also makes sense. Another thing that stood out was the fact that Timmy would keep all sizes of shoes and sports equipment in his car just in case someone wanted to test or challenge him. I loved that because it says so much about Timmy’s competitive spirit and his care for others.
I am very glad you continued to tell Timmy’s story beyond his professional career. His family clearly has so much love for him, and you represented that beautifully by sharing their memories and accounts of his kindness. Sean’s memories and descriptions of times with his father were especially meaningful to read. Together, they provided such a rich understanding of who Timmy was as a person.
There is so much to take away from this story and so many lessons to be learned from Timmy’s life. His dedication and drive are incredibly admirable, and I truly learned a great deal from reading about him. The amount of information and care packed into these pages is remarkable. I can definitely see why it took 14 years to write.
Thank you for sharing Timmy’s story. Your friendship with Timmy and the love you had for him come through clearly in the book. I truly enjoyed reading it and have been and will continue recommending it to others and sharing parts of his story.
Thank you again for signing my copy and for speaking to my class. I hope you have a wonderful rest of your summer.
All the best,
Gretchen Harper
William Hatcher, retired superintendent, Kern High School District, Bakersfield, California
A must-read for those who want insight into growing up black in Indiana in the 1950’s. Timmy Brown was the most famous football player ever to graduate from Ball State University (BSU) in Muncie, Indiana. He went on to be a National Football League (NFL) legend for the Philadelphia Eagles and later a gifted entertainer and a Hollywood movie star. This well-written book describes Timmy’s struggle with racism in a state that was a 20th-century leader in its KKK membership The book highlights the NFL’s unequal treatment of Black athletes in this era. There was, however, a cadre of friends including the BSU president who gave Timmy lifetime support. For me, as an educator and graduate of BSU, I find the biography one of hope given a backdrop of poverty and discrimination.
Kenneth Holland, retired Professor of Political Science, Ball State University
In this first biography of Philadelphia Eagles star Timmy Brown (1937-2020), the authors not only tell the engaging story of Timmy’s career as a professional athlete, singer, model and actor but also provide a window into the tumultuous period of the Civil Rights movement, in which Timmy Brown was a pioneer and role model for young Black men.
The highly detailed biography is not a hagiography. The authors make clear that Timmy had no success as a professional singer and only limited success as an actor. His charismatic personality and self- confidence, however, shine through the pages, and he was able to make and keep lifelong friends, including some of the world’s most famous people, including singers Chubby Checker, Dionne Warwick and Diana Ross. The authors do not hesitate, however, to explore his failed marriage and difficult relationship with many of his family members. His son and former wife’s dedication to him during his final years of poor health is, nevertheless, a testament to his ability to form lasting attachments.
The book is also a snapshot of a turning point in American history, an era in which Blacks emerged from second-class citizenship to full legal equality. As Timmy pointed out in a 2010 visit to Ball State, when he joined the Green Bay Packers in 1959 there was an unwritten rule that no pro football team could have more than three Black players.
The appeal of this biography is its foundation on fourteen years of original research. The authors interviewed not only Timmy himself several times but also twenty-five people who played important roles in his life from his childhood through his sports and entertainment careers. They also read numerous documents, including material stored in multiple boxes in Timmy’s storage unit and condo in California. Given the passage of time, no future biographers of football great Timmy Brown will have personal access to those who knew him best. Running Against the Grain will remain the definitive biography of Timmy Brown for decades to come.