JIM BAUSCH, Garden Plain and University of Kansas

Jim Bausch, who set a world record in winning the 1932 Olympic decathlon, also lettered in football and basketball at Kansas.

'"Jarring Jim' Bausch, American all-around star from Kansas, late today captured the Olympic decathlon championship, smashing the world and Olympic records to bits," wrote Associated Press sports writer Alan Gould on Aug. 6, 1932.

'"Jarring Jim,' as he was known when he was a battering ram fullback for the University of Kansas Jayhawkers, never reached national prominence until this year, when he won the national championship in the final tryouts at Chicago with a record breaking performance," Gould wrote.

The Kansas City Star reported at the time that Bausch was supremely confident.

"A week before Bausch left for Los Angeles to appear in the Olympics, he walked into The Star office. What did he expect to do against the creme of the world's athletes? Big Jim was certain. 'I'll win that decathlon,' he said. 'And what's more, I'll break the record.' Jim was certain. And Jim did," The Star reported.

Bausch also lettered in basketball in 1930 and in football in 1929 and 1930.

The 1930 Kansas football team tied for the Big 6 title, and Bausch was a two-time all-conference selection.

Against Kansas State that year, Bausch ran the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown and intercepted a pass and ran it back 68 yards for a touchdown. Bausch also kicked both extra points as Kansas won 14-0.

All three members of the 1932 U.S. decathlon team were from Lawrence, and they were coached by Kansas track coach Brutus Hamilton. Kansas teammate Clyde Coffman finished seventh, and Buster Charles, of Haskell, finished fourth after leading at the end of the first day.

Bausch was a charter selection to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954.