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Theiling, Jim

Jim Theiling

Induction Year : 2002

Sport: Football

A native Clevelander who starred in football, basketball and track at Cleveland West High from 1945 to 1948, he stayed on to give his hometown reason to continue cheering his feats at Case Tech. and continue to cheer it did as he literally fashioned a Hall of Fame career for the Rough Riders from 1948 to 1952. Relatively slight, even in those days, for a halfback at 170 pounds, his speed and elusiveness enabled him to post some impressive numbers on the gridiron—none more so than on Thanksgiving Day in 1950 when he broke away on touchdown runs of 56 and 97 yards to give Case a 20-7 victory over archest of rivals Western Reserve. It was an effort that went a long way toward earning him the 1950 Les Bale Award as the team’s “Most Outstanding Player.” That was followed by the Cleveland Touchdown Club’s 1951 award as the Most Outstanding Local Collegiate Football Player, and a berth on the 1951 All-Big Four Offensive First Team. While honors piled up for his football skills, he quietly fashioned records in track as well, leading the team in points scored in 1950, 1951 and 1952 and setting a school record of 24.0 sec in the 220-yard low hurdles. Theiling, who now makes his home in Willoughby, was elected to the Case Western Reserve Athletic Hall of Fame in 1976.