Inductees One of the finest 3-sport athletes in Spalding's history, Cusack won 12 athletic letters during his four years at the school, while garnering 7 all-city honors as well as all-state football honors during his senior year. His basketball duels with hall member Hiles Stout are legendary.
Starring as the Irish 1st baseman for four years, while also playing in the Sunday Morning League, Jimmy captured a city title as a sophomore with a .453 batting average.
Offered athletic scholarship choices by the University of Notre Dame, Jim played freshman basketball and varsity basketball as a sophomore before deciding on a medical career. He gave up basketball and concentrated on baseball and studies the remainder of his college days.
On the diamond, Cusack became a mainstay at 1st base for 3 years, hitting over .300 each of those seasons. He led the team in average, doubles and home runs each of those years as Notre Dame gained national rankings.
His senior season (1957) he captained the Irish to a final four berth in the College World Series.
Turning down a professional offer, Jim served a tour of duty in the U.S. Air Force after school before getting his medical degree and becoming an OB-Gyn.
Dr. Cusack married his high school sweetheart, raised a family and recently retired. He and the former Maureen Horan live in Santa Maria, California.
| 2013 Tri-County Male Athlete of the Year COLE HENDERSON With three individual state championships to his credit, Henderson's 31 points at the 2013 IHSA 3A Boy's Track and Field Championship gave Pekin Community High School a third-place team finish. Henderson won state titles in the long jump, 100 meters and 200 meters. An all-conference wide receiver on the grid iron, Henderson returned from a hip injury to help the Dragons football team win its final three regular-season games to earn a playoff berth.
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