Jim Salmon

Jim Salmon excelled in three sports at Washburn from 1958 to 1960. He played key positions on teams that enjoyed great success.

Jim played on three state championship teams, the 1959 and 1960 baseball teams and the 1959 football team; two state runner-up teams, the 1958 baseball team and the 1959 hockey team; and a state consolation title team, the 1960 hockey team.

Jim was the starting catcher on the baseball team as a sophomore, junior and senior; the starting goalie on the hockey team as a junior and senior; and the starting quarterback on the football team as a senior. He was named to the 1959 and 1960 all-tournament baseball teams.

JimÕs level of performance in the positions he played was critical to the success of those teams, and the success of those teams put Jim in high-pressure situations time and time again. In almost every instance, Jim and his Washburn teams were successful. For example: When the Millers played highly-rated Little Falls in the 1960 state baseball championship, Jim, a left-handed batter, went 4 for 4 against and drove in the go-ahead run as Washburn won 4-1. It was his final game in a brilliant high school athletic career.

Jim SalmonÕs credentials are so impressive that theyÕre worth repeating: starting quarterback in football one year, starting goalie in hockey two years, and starting catcher in baseball three years. The record of those six Washburn teams: Minnesota state champions three times; Minnesota state runner-ups twice; and Minnesota state consolation champions once. You can look it up.