James Bausch
Considered by many to be the greatest all-around athlete in Kansas
history, James Aloysius Bausch was an Olympic Decathlon champion, winner
of the Sullivan Award, and an inductee into both the U.S. Track and
Field Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. He set the
world record in the decathlon with 8,462 points in the 1932 Olympic
Games in Los Angeles, earning titles of "King of the
Olympics," and "Greatest Athlete in the World." Bausch
won four of the ten events in the grueling two-day event, posting top
marks in the shot (50'-3"), discus (146'-3"), javelin
(203'-3"), and pole vault (13'-2"). Following his decathlon
victory, Bausch was awarded the 1932 Sullivan Award - given each year to
the outstanding amateur athlete in America. "Jarrin' Jim"
Bausch was a standout athlete at Garden Plain (KS) High School, Wichita
Cathedral High (later Kapaun Mt. Carmel) and Wichita State University
before transferring to the University of Kansas in 1929. He was twice
named to the All-America football team and was the first Kansas Jayhawk
player to participate in the East-West Shrine game. All-Big-Six running
back in '29 and '30. Lettered in football, basketball and track at
Kansas. His brother, Pete, starred for the Chicago Bears of the NFL.
Charter inductee to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954, The U.S.
Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1979, and the KU Athletics Hall of Fame
for Track.
- Charter Inductee KSHOF
1961
- 1932 Olympic decathlon
champion in LA - Set World record
- Won four of the 10
events in the 1932 Olympic decathlon
- Won 1932 Sullivan Award
as nation's outstanding amateur athlete
- Two-time All-American
football player at KU
- First KU player to
participate in the East-West Shrine football game
- Charter Inductee of
College Football Hall of Fame
- Standout high school
athlete at Garden Plain and Wichita Cathedral (Kapaun)
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