Rice Athletics Mourns the Passing of James “Jim” Gerhardt
12/5/2021 1:45:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Men's Track & Field
U.S. Olympian in 1952 and member of Rice Hall of Fame
HOUSTON – The entire Rice University family mourns the passing of James "Jim" Gerhardt, a multi-sport star for the Owls and member of the Rice Athletics Hall of Fame ('86).
Jim led an amazing adventure of a life highlighted early on by his achievement of making the U.S. Olympic team in 1952 as a triple jumper and his ongoing pursuits in the National Senior Games, where he competed in a variety of events into his mid 80s.
His passions did not cease there, as he also had a love of the arts, and frequented many performances over the years. Perhaps his largest passion revolved around his beloved Rice University (class of '51), where he was an ardent supporter over many years. He was a routine basketball and football season ticket holder, an alumni member of multiple organizations and had never ending stories of the friends and experiences from Rice.
Gerhardt was a member of the track and field (1949-51) team at Rice where he competed in the long jump, sprints, and throws. Amazingly, while Jim didn't compete in the triple jump for the Owls; the NCAA only contested the triple jump in Olympic years; he did win a spot in that event on the U.S. Olympic team and competed in the Helsinki games of 1952, where he finished 11th.
His second-place finish in the Olympics trials was a lifetime best of 49-7.75. He was also an Olympic trials qualifier and competitor in the triple jump in 1948.
Gerhardt was also a letterwinner on the basketball team (1949-51) and was involved in the very first opening tip-off at Autry Court.
Born in San Antonio in 1929, "Jimmy", as he was known early on, spent most of his childhood in San Antonio, Texas where he graduated from Brackenridge High School in 1947.
Jim graduated from Rice in 1951 and would go on to pursue a master's degree at the University of Texas in Austin. Soon thereafter he joined the Navy as an Officer in 1953 and served 3.5 years.
He accepted a job with Gulf Oil in 1956, where he would spend the next 30 years. He would eventually move into the role of Executive Director of the Information Services Division. A big highlight for him was managing many of the first computers (ever) brought into the company.
While predominantly stationed in Houston, he did spend considerable stints of time in the 1960's in both Venezuela and Kuwait and then later in Pennsylvania in the mid 70's.
In 1957, Jim would marry the love of his life, Jo Lynn Smith. They would spend 55 years together until her death in 2012. They would raise three amazing children, and they were integrally involved in each of the children's lives. They loved to travel together, and both enjoyed their Thornwood neighborhood friends immensely.
Jim would take a retirement job in 1987 with Tal Smith Enterprises and would spend the next 22 years "retired" by working with Tal as they represented major league baseball teams in the arbitration process.
Jim led an amazing adventure of a life highlighted early on by his achievement of making the U.S. Olympic team in 1952 as a triple jumper and his ongoing pursuits in the National Senior Games, where he competed in a variety of events into his mid 80s.
His passions did not cease there, as he also had a love of the arts, and frequented many performances over the years. Perhaps his largest passion revolved around his beloved Rice University (class of '51), where he was an ardent supporter over many years. He was a routine basketball and football season ticket holder, an alumni member of multiple organizations and had never ending stories of the friends and experiences from Rice.
Gerhardt was a member of the track and field (1949-51) team at Rice where he competed in the long jump, sprints, and throws. Amazingly, while Jim didn't compete in the triple jump for the Owls; the NCAA only contested the triple jump in Olympic years; he did win a spot in that event on the U.S. Olympic team and competed in the Helsinki games of 1952, where he finished 11th.
His second-place finish in the Olympics trials was a lifetime best of 49-7.75. He was also an Olympic trials qualifier and competitor in the triple jump in 1948.
Gerhardt was also a letterwinner on the basketball team (1949-51) and was involved in the very first opening tip-off at Autry Court.
Born in San Antonio in 1929, "Jimmy", as he was known early on, spent most of his childhood in San Antonio, Texas where he graduated from Brackenridge High School in 1947.
Jim graduated from Rice in 1951 and would go on to pursue a master's degree at the University of Texas in Austin. Soon thereafter he joined the Navy as an Officer in 1953 and served 3.5 years.
He accepted a job with Gulf Oil in 1956, where he would spend the next 30 years. He would eventually move into the role of Executive Director of the Information Services Division. A big highlight for him was managing many of the first computers (ever) brought into the company.
While predominantly stationed in Houston, he did spend considerable stints of time in the 1960's in both Venezuela and Kuwait and then later in Pennsylvania in the mid 70's.
In 1957, Jim would marry the love of his life, Jo Lynn Smith. They would spend 55 years together until her death in 2012. They would raise three amazing children, and they were integrally involved in each of the children's lives. They loved to travel together, and both enjoyed their Thornwood neighborhood friends immensely.
Jim would take a retirement job in 1987 with Tal Smith Enterprises and would spend the next 22 years "retired" by working with Tal as they represented major league baseball teams in the arbitration process.
-RiceOwls.com-