Jim was a 1953 graduate of Sheffield High School where he played football and baseball for legendary Coach Walton Wright. As a member of the Bulldogs football squad he played both offensive and defensive end and was named All-TVC, All Tri-Cities, and Honorable Mention All-State during his senior year. That team scored 83 points to open the season against Red Bay and defeated both arch-rivals Deshler and Coffee. In baseball he was a pitcher and played in the District All-Star Game. After high school he played two years of football and baseball at Florence State. He also played semi-pro baseball in the competitive industrial league in North Alabama during the early 60's. He played for the Sheffield Ramblers, Russellville Travelers and Robbins. Jim was greatly involved in coaching Little League during his career in the banking business after finishing graduate school in retail banking at the University of Virginia.