JIM BALL
Basketball, 1940-43
Inducted September 27, 1980

A native of Camdenton, Jim Ball was a three-year basketball letterman at SMS from 1941 through 1943 and he was one of the numerous Bruin athletes whose playing career was interrupted by World War II.  The SMS center, Ball led the 1942 SMS team in scoring with 222 points as the Bears won seven of 10 MIAA starts to tie for second place in the league standings.  Official league competition was suspended the following year but a series of games was played and the Bruins again wound up in the runnerup spot behind the Indians from Cape Girardeau.  Ball was to go on to a long and successful career as a high school coach in southwest Missouri, including nearly three decades with the Springfield Central Bulldogs.  His teams recorded over 500 victories and he produced many players who went on to play for SMS and other college teams.