Jim Haluska
{{Short description|American football player (1932–2012)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| number = 11
| position = Quarterback
| birth_date = {{birth date|1932|10|9}}
| birth_place = Racine, Wisconsin, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2012|9|20|1932|10|9}}
| death_place = Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| weight_lbs = 190
| high_school = Racine (WI) St. Catherine's
| college = Wisconsin
| draftyear = 1954
| draftround = 30
| draftpick = 354
| undraftedyear =
| pastteams =
- Chicago Bears (1956)
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 5
| statlabel2 = Games started
| statvalue2 = 0
| statvalue3 = 0–0
| statlabel4 = Passing yards
| statvalue4 = 8
| statlabel5 = Passer rating
| statvalue5 = 39.6
| pfr = HaluJi20
}}
James David Haluska (October 9, 1932 – September 20, 2012){{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HaluJi20.htm|title = Jim Haluska Stats|website = Pro-Football-Reference.com}} was an American football quarterback who played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). Selected in the 30th and final round (354th overall pick) of the 1954 NFL draft, he played in five games in the 1956 season, where he completed one of four passes for a total of eight yards.
Early life
Nicknamed "Bombo" in his youth,{{cite news|title=A winning life: Jim Haluska remembered|url=http://journaltimes.com/news/local/a-winning-life-jim-haluska-remembered/article_69012fd4-046d-11e2-a724-001a4bcf887a.html|newspaper=The Journal Times|location=Racine, Wisconsin |date=September 21, 2012 |access-date=November 23, 2015}} he attended St. Catherine's High School (Racine, Wisconsin), Class of 1950, where he was named all-conference in football and basketball.{{Cite news|last=Trower|first=Ralph|date=2 March 1950|title=Haluska, Bado, Puk, Selected on All-Catholic Cage Squad|work=The Journal Times|url=https://www.newspapers.com|access-date=3 March 2021}} Haluska launched his collegiate career at the University of Michigan, later transferring to the University of Wisconsin. With fellow Kenosha, Wisconsin, native and 1954 Heisman Trophy winner Alan Ameche in his backfield at Wisconsin, Haluska led the Badgers to the 1952 Big Ten title and a spot in the 1953 Rose Bowl,{{cite news |author=Jan Uebelherr |title=Haluska remembered as innovator, motivator during coaching years |url=http://www.jsonline.com/news/obituaries/haluska-remembered-as-innovator-motivator-during-coaching-years-mk6ur1v-170790096.html |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |date=September 21, 2012 |access-date=November 23, 2015}} which the Badgers lost to the University of Southern California, 7–0. Haluska set Wisconsin school records in the 1952 season for yards passing (1,552) and touchdowns (12).
Haluska represented Wisconsin in the 1955 Blue–Gray Football Classic and 1956 Senior Bowl. He also played in the 1956 Chicago Tribune College All-Star Game.
High school coaching career
As head coach at Don Bosco High School (later St. Thomas More High School) in Milwaukee, Haluska led the Cavaliers varsity football squad to its first Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association (WISAA) state championship, defeating a team fielded by Fond du Lac St. Mary's Springs High School on November 13, 1976 at Titan Stadium in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.{{cite news |title=Catch meant More |newspaper=The Milwaukee Sentinel |date=November 15, 1976 |page=8, part 2 |access-date=November 23, 2015|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZoVQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3xEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4780%2C2842814}} His high school teams won 12 conference championships and three WISAA state titles. He finished with a career record of 206-60-4 coaching at Milwaukee Don Bosco, Milwaukee Thomas More, Milwaukee Pius XI and Waukesha Catholic Memorial.{{cite news|title=St Thomas More High School to honor former Badger quarterback Haluska|url=http://www.brookfieldnow.com/sports/st-thomas-more-high-school-to-honor-former-badger-quarterback-haluska-b99536970z1-314991901.html|newspaper=Brookfield Now|date=July 14, 2015 |access-date=November 23, 2015}} His coaching legacy includes the "quick kick" on second down, "form tackling", the "sleeper "play", and the "double pass".{{cite news |title=James D. "Bombo" Haluska |url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/jsonline/obituary.aspx?pid=160019036|newspaper=Milwaukee Journal Sentiinel |date=September 22, 2012 |access-date=November 23, 2015}}
Haluska was inducted into the UW Athletic Department Hall of Fame in 2012 and was a 2001 inductee of the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Awards and honors
- 1995 Don Bosco High School Hall of Fame{{Cite web|title=Jim Haluska|url=https://tmore.org/alumni/hall-of-fame/jim-haluska-2/|access-date=2021-05-03|website=St. Thomas More High School|archive-date=2021-05-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503160326/https://tmore.org/alumni/hall-of-fame/jim-haluska-2/|url-status=dead}}
- 1998 St. Catherine's High School Athletic Hall of Fame{{Cite web|title=Archived Halls of Fame|url=https://www.saintcats.org/archived-hall-of-fame|access-date=2021-05-03|website=Racine St. Catherine's|language=en-US}}
- 2001 WFCA Hall of Fame
- 2011 St. Thomas More High School Athletic Hall of Fame{{Cite web|title=Coach Jim Haluska|url=https://tmore.org/athletics/athletic-hall-of-fame/coach-jim-haluska/|access-date=2021-05-03|website=St. Thomas More High School|archive-date=2021-05-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503160318/https://tmore.org/athletics/athletic-hall-of-fame/coach-jim-haluska/|url-status=dead}}
- 2012 UW Athletic Department Hall of Fame
- 2015 St. Thomas More High School creates "Coach Jim Haluska Wall of Champions"{{Cite web|title=Wall of Champions|url=https://tmore.org/athletics/coach-jim-haluska-wall-of-champions/|access-date=2021-05-03|website=St. Thomas More High School}}
- 2021 Racine County Sports Hall of Fame{{Cite web|last=peter.jackel@journaltimes.com|first=PETER JACKEL|title=Racine County Sports Hall of Fame: Jim Haluska was always a kid at heart|url=https://journaltimes.com/sports/football/racine-county-sports-hall-of-fame-jim-haluska-was-always-a-kid-at-heart/article_6d4a4151-4787-5d5a-a5d3-17e33d804d6c.html|access-date=2021-12-06|website=Journal Times|language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Wisconsin Badgers quarterback navbox}}
{{Bears1954DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haluska, Jim}}
Category:Players of American football from Racine, Wisconsin
Category:American football quarterbacks