Prib, James.  Roger Sustar recalls this about Jim, who was the first of our classmates to die: 'Jim and I went to the military recruitment offices in Cleveland soon after we graduated in an attempt to enter the U.S. Armed Services.  After a physical, Jim was refused.  It turned out that he had a previously undiagnosed leukemia.  Jim died before I finished Basic Training, in October, 1961.'  Bob Ross also remembers Jim: 'Jim played on a Class D baseball team with Terry Thomas, Hank Zalokar, and me the (the late Dennis Susnik and our current classmates Bob Cozart and Frank Sodnicar were also on that team, and maybe more!).  It was the summer before our senior year. In a playoff game we had against Mentor, we were losing by one run going into the top of the 7th and last inning of regulation play.  I led off with a walk and Jim laid down a perfect bunt to advance me to second base. Our best hitter on the team then singled to knock in the tying run. However, the game went into extra innings and we lost by one run.  Two years later I was shocked to learn that Jim died of leukemia. I remember his smile and I remember that bunt of his. May he rest in peace.'  Frank Sodnicar also remembers Jim's literally 'going to bat' for his teammates after an opposing pitcher threw at them.  See the story about Jim and other Vikings that accompanies the photo of the baseball team in the Looking Back section of our website.
Posted By: Administrator - 04-17-2011
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