Jim Brownfield, who won CIF titles in 1985 & 1986, passed away of heart failure this morning at the age of 81 in Los Angeles.
Brownfield graduated from Cal State L.A. in 1955 and began his coaching career at South Pasadena under Ray Solari. He also served as assistant at Cal State Northridge and spent a season at USC under John McKay. He was head coach at Palm Springs High School, Loyola Marymount University, and L.A. Pacific College (which later became Azusa Pacific), before taking over for Lou Underwood at Muir in 1977.
The excitable and animated Brownfield took the Mustangs to St. Francis for his first game and came away with a 0-0 tie. One week later, playing at PCC, his team rallied to force a 14-14 tie with West Covina. The Stangs finished the year 5-3-2 and shared the the Pacific title with Arcadia. (Even though they defeated Arcadia head to head, 20-7)
After winning a second consecutive CIF title in 1986 with a 37-0 victory over Antelope Valley in the AV, Browfield stepped down with a 90-22-4 record at Muir. Including a 37-3 record from 1984-thru-1986, seven league titles, and nine CIF appearances.
(The Mustangs beat Hart, 28-14, in the 1985 CIF Finals)
In was during the course of the 1986 season Brownfield’s heart became an issue when he sat out Muir’s contest with Long Beach Jordan.
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