Jim Cunningham (basketball)

Jim Cunningham
College Fordham
Sport Basketball
Position Shooting guard
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg)
Nationality American
Born 1935
Buffalo, New York
Died December 17, 1991
High school Canisius HS
Awards
Honors
  • All-American (1958)
Tournaments

James W. "Jim" Cunningham (1935 – December 17, 1991) was an American standout basketball player at Fordham University in the 1950s.

A native of Buffalo, New York, Cunningham starred in both football and basketball at Canisius High School from 1950 to 1954.[1] He enrolled at Fordham where he played for head coach Johnny Bach between 1955 and 1958 because college freshmen were ineligible to play varsity sports during this era.[2] Standing 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) and weighing 190 lb (86 kg), Cunningham played the shooting guard position. In just three varsity seasons he scored a then-school record 1,744 points.[3] In his senior season of 1957–58, Cunningham led the Rams to a berth in the National Invitation Tournament, where they advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to Dayton. Upon the conclusion of the season he was named an All-American as well as the recipient of the Haggerty Award.[1][3] The Haggerty Award is presented to the best male collegiate basketball player in the greater New York city area every year since 1935–36, and Cunningham was only Fordham's second-ever recipient.[4] For his career at Fordham, he averaged 22.9 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in 76 games played.[2]

The NBA's Boston Celtics selected Cunningham in the 1958 NBA Draft.[5] He was taken in the third round (23rd overall) but ultimately never played in the league.[5] In his later life he coached high school basketball.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "James W. Cunningham". Find a Grave. Retrieved May 16, 2011.
  2. 1 2 S. A., DeCaro (2006). "Jim Cunningham". TheDraftReview. Retrieved May 16, 2011.
  3. 1 2 "James Cunningham". Fordham Hall of Fame. Fordham University. Retrieved May 16, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Fordham Rams Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). Honors and Awards. Fordham University. 2010. Retrieved May 16, 2011.
  5. 1 2 "1958 NBA Draft". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 16, 2011.
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