Carthage College Athletics

A native of Carthage, Ill., Jim Scott lettered twice in football (1952-53), four times in basketball (1951-54), four times in baseball (1951-54) and three times in track and field (1952-54). 

In basketball, he once held the Red Men’s career scoring record.  Following graduation, Scott was offered professional baseball contracts by both the Cleveland Indians and the St. Louis Cardinals but was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in the Korean War.  While in the army, he played on the 1955 and 1956 All-Army teams at the National AAU Basketball Championship of America in Denver, Colo. 

After being discharged from the service, Scott was selected by the Minneapolis Lakers in the 1956 NBA draft.  He chose, instead, to continue his education and completed his master’s in education at Illinois State University in 1956 and received a doctorate in education from the University of Missouri in 1968.  Scott went on to teach at Illinois State University for his entire career. 
 
Jim was one of a long line of Scotts who attended Carthage.  His uncle, Roscoe Scott, coached the 1947-49 Red Men football teams.  Jim's older brother, Keith Scott, preceded him at Carthage (1946-49) after serving in World War II.  He earned four letters each in football, basketball and baseball.

Jim’s oldest son, Roger, attended Carthage, lettering four years in both football and baseball and receiving the Art Keller Outstanding Athlete Award in 1979.  Roger went on to coach the 1985-87 Carthage football teams.  Jim’s second son, Steve, also attended Carthage and lettered three times in both basketball baseball.  In 1979, Steve Scott set a Carthage season basketball record with a .648 field-goal percentage, a record that still stands.