Photo by: Tab Brockman
Racer Basketball Great Jim Jennings Passes
9/3/2014 5:12:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Murray State Athletics lost a dear friend and Racer Basketball legend when James "Jim" Jennings died Monday Sept. 1, 2014 at the age of 73 at University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital, Lexington,?Kentucky.
Jennings visited Murray State just last month where he was part of the honored speakers at Racer Hoopalooza. The event celebrated Murray State's first team to play in the NCAA Tournament 50 years ago in 1964.
"My goodness, coming to Murray was one of the most important things that happened to me in my life," Jennings said at the event held Aug. 7. "In fact, coming back to Murray today is like coming home, even though Murray has changed a lot since."
Throughout his speech, Jennings talked about his love for Murray State, his teammates and coach Cal Luther.
"Coach had a huge impact not only on my life, but on my teammates too," Jennings said. "He cared about his players. People always say, your college years are supposed to be the best years of your life and they certainly were for me. The support we got from Murray was just fantastic."
Apart from his outstanding career as a basketball player, Jennings was also a professional musician and played in numerous settings while he was a Murray State student-athlete and after graduation.
Coach Luther called Jim Jennings a great man.
"Jim was the kind of guy that you liked from the first moment you met him," Luther said. "He was just a tremendous talent and his teammates loved him. I'm fortunate to have coached him and to know him as my friend."
There have been many Racer greats in the 88 years of the game has been played here and Jim Jennings ranks among the best of the best.
Out of Dayton, Jennings produced outstanding career numbers at a time when freshman weren't allowed to play on the varsity. In only three seasons, Jennings did enough that his name is well known in the record books alongside players that competed four seasons. Jennings is the Racers' No. 3 career rebounder with 1,147 and No. 18 scorer with 1,370 points. His career numbers were achieved in only 71 games.
He also had some outstanding individual seasons. In the 1961-62 season, Jennings posted averages of 20.5 points per game and 17.2 rebounds. As a senior in 1964, he was named the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year after he scored 19.6 points per game and grabbed 14.8 rebounds. From 1961-64, Jennings led the Racers in scoring and rebounding in three straight seasons.
The 1963-64 team that was honored last month won nine straight games to end the season and won the OVC championship. The OVC title thrust a team from Murray State into the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. The occurrence was significant during a time when MSU was leaving the small school ranks and joining NCAA D-I. Jennings and his teammates started a tradition that currently has totaled 15 trips to the NCAA's.
He earned both his B.S. and Master's degree from Murray State University and coached the 1968 freshman basketball team.
Jennings also had an outstanding prep career at Wilbur Wright High School where he graduated in 1959. He was the leading scorer and rebounder in basketball for Dayton and was selected for first Team All City Basketball and played in the Ohio North/South All-Star game.
Inducted into the Murray State Hall of Fame in 1978, Jim Jennings said the thrill was all his when he returned to campus last month.
The privilege of knowing him was ours.
Obituary from the Murray Ledger & Times
James "Jim" Jennings, 73, of Dayton, Ohio, died Monday, Sept. 1, 2014 at University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital, Lexington,?Ky. He was born April 19, 1941 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee where he lived two months before his family relocated to Dayton, Ohio. He was a 1959 graduate of Wilbur Wright High School. He was the leading scorer and rebounder in basketball for Dayton and was selected for first Team All-City Basketball and played in the Ohio North/South All-Star game. He was a member of the Murray State University Athletic Hall of Fame. He led in scoring and rebounding for three years while at Murray State. A three-time All OVC First Team pick, he was the 1964 OVC Conference Player of the Year and Murray State Athlete of the Year.
He earned both his B.S. and Master's degree from Murray State University and coached the 1968 freshman basketball team.
Mr. Jennings was an accomplished musician and composer whose career spanned over five decades. He began performing at an early age in the Dayton area and continued entertaining with vocals, keyboard and guitar during his college years. Following college, he lived and entertained for more than 38 years in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Florida area before returning to Ohio.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Christopher Doyle; a brother, Kirk "Pat" Jennings; and a sister, Amy Elizabeth Jennings.
Mr. Jennings is survived by a grandson, Sean Doyle of Phillips Ranch, California; two nephews, Clay Engle and Kirk Jennings; one niece, Sophia White, all of Ohio; a daughter-in-law, Fredia Lynn Doyle of California; a sister-in-law, Sherry Jennings of Ohio and special friends Coach Cal and Linda Luther of Tennessee and Jennie Barker of Kentucky.
A private family service is planned.
Expressions of sympathy may go to Murray State Athletics, Murray State University, 217 Stewart Stadium, Murray, KY 42071.
Online condolences may be left at www.carecremationservices.com.
Care Cremation and Funeral Service, Lexington, is in charge of arrangements
Jennings visited Murray State just last month where he was part of the honored speakers at Racer Hoopalooza. The event celebrated Murray State's first team to play in the NCAA Tournament 50 years ago in 1964.
"My goodness, coming to Murray was one of the most important things that happened to me in my life," Jennings said at the event held Aug. 7. "In fact, coming back to Murray today is like coming home, even though Murray has changed a lot since."
Throughout his speech, Jennings talked about his love for Murray State, his teammates and coach Cal Luther.
"Coach had a huge impact not only on my life, but on my teammates too," Jennings said. "He cared about his players. People always say, your college years are supposed to be the best years of your life and they certainly were for me. The support we got from Murray was just fantastic."
Apart from his outstanding career as a basketball player, Jennings was also a professional musician and played in numerous settings while he was a Murray State student-athlete and after graduation.
Coach Luther called Jim Jennings a great man.
"Jim was the kind of guy that you liked from the first moment you met him," Luther said. "He was just a tremendous talent and his teammates loved him. I'm fortunate to have coached him and to know him as my friend."
There have been many Racer greats in the 88 years of the game has been played here and Jim Jennings ranks among the best of the best.
Out of Dayton, Jennings produced outstanding career numbers at a time when freshman weren't allowed to play on the varsity. In only three seasons, Jennings did enough that his name is well known in the record books alongside players that competed four seasons. Jennings is the Racers' No. 3 career rebounder with 1,147 and No. 18 scorer with 1,370 points. His career numbers were achieved in only 71 games.
He also had some outstanding individual seasons. In the 1961-62 season, Jennings posted averages of 20.5 points per game and 17.2 rebounds. As a senior in 1964, he was named the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year after he scored 19.6 points per game and grabbed 14.8 rebounds. From 1961-64, Jennings led the Racers in scoring and rebounding in three straight seasons.
The 1963-64 team that was honored last month won nine straight games to end the season and won the OVC championship. The OVC title thrust a team from Murray State into the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. The occurrence was significant during a time when MSU was leaving the small school ranks and joining NCAA D-I. Jennings and his teammates started a tradition that currently has totaled 15 trips to the NCAA's.
He earned both his B.S. and Master's degree from Murray State University and coached the 1968 freshman basketball team.
Jennings also had an outstanding prep career at Wilbur Wright High School where he graduated in 1959. He was the leading scorer and rebounder in basketball for Dayton and was selected for first Team All City Basketball and played in the Ohio North/South All-Star game.
Inducted into the Murray State Hall of Fame in 1978, Jim Jennings said the thrill was all his when he returned to campus last month.
The privilege of knowing him was ours.
Obituary from the Murray Ledger & Times
James "Jim" Jennings, 73, of Dayton, Ohio, died Monday, Sept. 1, 2014 at University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital, Lexington,?Ky. He was born April 19, 1941 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee where he lived two months before his family relocated to Dayton, Ohio. He was a 1959 graduate of Wilbur Wright High School. He was the leading scorer and rebounder in basketball for Dayton and was selected for first Team All-City Basketball and played in the Ohio North/South All-Star game. He was a member of the Murray State University Athletic Hall of Fame. He led in scoring and rebounding for three years while at Murray State. A three-time All OVC First Team pick, he was the 1964 OVC Conference Player of the Year and Murray State Athlete of the Year.
He earned both his B.S. and Master's degree from Murray State University and coached the 1968 freshman basketball team.
Mr. Jennings was an accomplished musician and composer whose career spanned over five decades. He began performing at an early age in the Dayton area and continued entertaining with vocals, keyboard and guitar during his college years. Following college, he lived and entertained for more than 38 years in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Florida area before returning to Ohio.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Christopher Doyle; a brother, Kirk "Pat" Jennings; and a sister, Amy Elizabeth Jennings.
Mr. Jennings is survived by a grandson, Sean Doyle of Phillips Ranch, California; two nephews, Clay Engle and Kirk Jennings; one niece, Sophia White, all of Ohio; a daughter-in-law, Fredia Lynn Doyle of California; a sister-in-law, Sherry Jennings of Ohio and special friends Coach Cal and Linda Luther of Tennessee and Jennie Barker of Kentucky.
A private family service is planned.
Expressions of sympathy may go to Murray State Athletics, Murray State University, 217 Stewart Stadium, Murray, KY 42071.
Online condolences may be left at www.carecremationservices.com.
Care Cremation and Funeral Service, Lexington, is in charge of arrangements
Coach Jody Wright | Racer Football Postgame Comments 9/06/2025
Sunday, September 07
Cam Bulluck | Racer Football Postgame Comments 9/06/2025
Sunday, September 07
Conlee Crossno | Racer Football Postgame Comments 9/06/2025
Sunday, September 07
Coach Jody Wright | Racer Football Press Conference 9/02/2025
Tuesday, September 02
