Jim McDonald as a BHS Athlete - from an "Underclassman's" Perspective
By Julie Perine on September 26, 2014 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
When Hugh Gainer was a young teen, he remembers looking up to a group of high school athletes. One of them was Jim McDonald, one of four inductees in this year’s Bridgeport High School Alumni and Friends Hall of Fame class.
“I was four years younger than these guys and they were my heroes,” said Gainer, Bridgeport resident and former BHS educator and coach. “I was in 8th or 9th grade and they were seniors. Jim was just an outstanding athlete. He set the mark when it came to basketball in those early years for BHS.”
Gainer said he looked up to McDonald because of his ability on the basketball court – and his overall athleticism. He also excelled in football and baseball. McDonald and others in his class, like Bill Altman, Bob Stallman and Bill Mick, among others, showed Gainer and other underclassmen that academics were likewise important.
“They were good athletes, but they were very good students, too,” he said. “Most went on to college.”
Upon his 1956 high school graduation, McDonald did go on to college and he excelled in basketball there, also.
“He was a fine college player for a small college and went All American for West Virginia Wesleyan,” he said.
During his senior year at WVWC, McDonald led the nation in scoring.
A couple of years later, he was hired by Pennsylvania’s Edinboro University as head basketball coach; the school’s first. He went on to become the university’s athletic director.
“He was there for many years,” Gainer said. “He has an outstanding reputation and he has never forgotten his roots.”
Today, McDonald and his wife of 55 years, Mary Lou (Hetz), have three sons, 10 grandchildren and three great-grandsons.
The alum’s focus these days is a non-profit organization called “Meeting God in Missions,” a non-denominational ministry which seeks to share the salvation message and service to God through short-term mission ventures. Learn more about that ministry HERE.
Gainer plans to be in attendance at tonight’s varsity football game and tomorrow night’s BHS Alumni and Friends Foundation dinner as McDonald and his fellow hall of famers are honored.
“I think all of them – Danny McNamee, Pam Hotsinpiller and Curtis Fleming – are all outstanding,” he said. “They’ve all been contributors to the state, community and the school – and have not forgotten where they came from.”
Read more about McNamee, Hotsinpiller and Fleming – and this weekend’s Hall of Fame festivities - at these links:
