Rusk honoring the great Jim Swink

Published 11:31 pm Thursday, October 16, 2014

 

RUSK — A reception and ceremony to name the Rusk High School football field “Jim Swink Field at Eagle Stadium” is scheduled for today to honor Dr. Jim Swink.

The reception will be from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Rusk High School Cafeteria and the dedication will be held at 7 p.m. prior to the Rusk vs. Lorena game on the 50-yard line.



Senior citizens passes for free admission will be available at the box office.

Swink, who was known as “The Rusk Rambler” at TCU, was one of the greatest ball carriers in the history of Southwest Conference football.

He was the nation’s leading scorer and second leading ground gainer as a junior in 1955. He totaled 125 points that year in addition to rushing for 1,283 net yards, a figure which set a record in the TCU record books. His greatest performance came during the 1955 campaign when he gained an incredible 235 yards rushing on just 15 carries, for a 15.7 yard per carry average, and scored a school-record 26 points while leading the Horned Frogs to a 47-20 rout over rival Texas.

Most Popular

A two-time All-America, Jim Swink led TCU to Cotton Bowl appearances in 1955 and 1956. In 1955, Swink was second to Howard Cassady of Ohio State in the Heisman Trophy voting. He completed studies in medical school and became an outstanding surgeon, with a practice in Fort Worth.

In 1982 the NCAA gave him its Silver Anniversary Award, presented to former athletes for career achievements 25 years after their graduation.