• A TRUE STUDENT-ATHLETE BEFORE THE TERM WAS EN VOGUE. JIM WAS CLASS VALEDICTORIAN AND A NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLAR WHILE COMPETING IN BASKETBALL AND TRACK ALL FOUR YEARS, FOOTBALL FOR THREE, AND BASEBALL FOR ONE SEASON.
JIM’S HEIGHT AND PHYSICAL PRESENCE MADE HIM ONE OF LAWRENCEBURG’S MOST TALENTED BASKETBALL STARS OF ALL TIME. BASKETBALL WAS HIS STRONG SUIT AND HE PLAYED IT INTO COLLEGE AND THE PROFESSIONAL RANKS WITH GREAT SUCCESS.
AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, JIM LEFT LAWRENCEBURG TO ATTEND GEORGIA TECH UNIVERSITY TO PLAY BASKETBALL FOR THE YELLOW JACKETS AND COACH JOHN “WHACK” HYDER. AT THAT TIME, FRESHMAN COULDN’T PLAY THEIR FRESHMAN SEASON. SO, BEGINNING HIS SOPHOMORE YEAR, CALDWELL WENT ON TO AVERAGE A DOUBLE-DOUBLE OVER HIS THREE SEASONS FOR THE RAMBLIN’ WRECK…15 POINTS PER GAME ALONG WITH 13 BOARDS PER CONTEST. HE AMASSED 1154 POINTS, WITH A SINGLE GAME HIGH OF 35, AND 993 REBOUNDS FOR HIS CAREER.
CALDWELL WAS AN ALL-SOUTHEAST CONFERENCE SELECTION IN 1963 AND 1964. JIM CONTINUED TO BE AN OUTSTANDING STUDENT ATHLETE AS WELL, GARNISHING S-E-C ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM HONORS HIS JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEARS.
AFTER GRADUATING FROM GEORGIA TECH, JIM PLAYED PROFESSIONALLY IN THE A-B-A FOR THE KENTUCKY COLONELS FOR TWO YEARS, BEFORE HANGING UP THE SNEAKERS TO BECOME A SUPPLY CHAIN EXECUTIVE FOR WENDY’S, LONG JOHN SILVERS, DOMINO’S PIZZA, AND CHURCH’S FRIED CHICKEN. JIM RETIRED IN 2015, SETTLING IN ROSWELL, GEORGIA WITH HIS WIFE. TRUDY.