Jim Campbell - Football & Track
In the early 1960s, Jim Campbell was a whirlwind on the playing fields of Western Pennsylvania. He was a 3-sport athlete while attending Beaver Falls High, excelling at baseball, track and football under legendary Coach Larry Bruno, before moving on to a successful football and track career at Geneva College.
During his junior year at Beaver Falls as left halfback and kickoff returner, Jim had 34 carries for 387 yards and 11 returns for 342 yards. During his senior year, he scored 13 touchdowns and local sportswriter Joe Tronzo opined, “Enough cannot be said about this boy, who takes a terrific pounding each game – This kid is probably the most exciting ball player in several decades.”
Jim was a 2-year letterman in football, where he was the leading scorer during his junior and senior seasons, and a 3-year letterman in track, where he ran the 100, 220, 440 and 880 relays, along with the long jump. During his senior year, he was a captain on both the track and football teams. As a baseball player for Highland Legion he was the starting center fielder his junior and senior years, playing in the state finals in 1964.
Jim went on to play football and run track at Geneva College, where his career was interrupted by a serious industrial accident prior to his junior year. In spite of this setback, he was named to the roster of the Geneva College Football Top 100 Players 1890-2005, as a result of plays like his record-setting 102 yard kickoff return. Additional accomplishments include:
- Beaver Falls High School Outstanding Back – 1963
- First Team Halfback All MAC – 1963
- WPIAL and All State Team – 1963
- Honorable Mention Pennsylvania Big 33 Team – 1963
- Beaver County AA Track Meet Most Valuable – 1964
- Geneva Conference Champion 100-yard dash – 1966
After graduating from Geneva, Jim used many of the lessons he learned under Coach Bruno, applying principles of organization, hard work, attention to detail and teamwork to a career beginning as a sales representative with the 3M Corporation in St. Paul, Minnesota. After making Colorado his home, he started work with Park Development Company based in Denver. Jim went on to serve as President of JP Campbell & Associates and Indian Mountain Corporation, both based in Denver. In 1994, he was appointed as a Water Commissioner for the State of Colorado, and in 1996 he continued his real estate activities as Broker/Owner of Park County Realty, and Co-Owner of South Park Homes. He is a past president and chairman of the board of the Fairplay Colorado Chapter of the SERTOMA Club, where he helped to raise money to support the treatment of children with hearing and speech problems. He was also a recipient of the 1998 Geneva College Distinguished Service Award.
Jim currently resides in Pueblo West, Colorado with his wife, Marilyn, where he continues an active outdoor lifestyle and remains engaged with the local community.