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| name=James Saunders "Jimmy" Upton​<br>

| name=James Saunders "Jimmy" Upton​<br>

(Louisiana track star)

(Louisiana track star)

'''James Saunders Upton''' (August 6, 1949 &ndash; March 17, 2003), known as '''Jimmy Upton''', was a high school and college track star from his native  [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]], [[Louisiana]], an inductee of Hall of Fame at his alma mater, the University of Louisiana at [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]. In 1971, Upton was a United States Track and Field Federation All-American hurdler, with the second best time ever at ULM.

'''James Saunders Upton''' (August 6, 1949 &ndash; March 17, 2003), known as '''Jimmy Upton''', was a high school and college track star from his native  [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]], [[Louisiana]], an inductee of Hall of Fame at his alma mater, the University of Louisiana at [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]. In 1971, Upton was a United States Track and Field Federation All-American hurdler, with the second best time ever at ULM.

==Background==​

==Background==

Upton was the son of the former Mary Ellen Berry (1928-2015) and Rufus Horace Upton (1924–1983),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://press-herald.com/mary-ellen-berry-upton/|title=Mary Ellen Berry Upton|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|accessdate=January 12, 2015}}</ref> who was a captain in the [[United States Army]] during [[World War II]]. Upton graduated in 1967 from Minden High School.<ref name=jagan/>​

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Upton was the son of the former Mary Ellen Berry (1928-2015) and Rufus Horace Upton (1924–1983),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://press-herald.com/mary-ellen-berry-upton/|title=Mary Ellen Berry Upton|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|accessdate=January 12, 2015}}</ref> a captain in the [[United States Army]] during [[World War II]]. Upton graduated in 1967 from Minden High School.<ref name=jagan/>​

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==Athletic career==​

==Athletic career==​

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Upton played [[basketball]] too, but it was as a track runner, under Coaches James Steven "Steve" Jordan (1936-2013) and William Otto "Bill" Huth, Jr. (1937-2015),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/shreveporttimes/obituary.aspx?n=william-huth&pid=173779137&fhid=10239|title=William Huth|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=January 8, 2015|accessdate=January 8, 2015}}</ref> that he most excelled. It was not until 1962 that the Minden Crimson Tide secured its first district track championship under Coach Jordan. In 1963, MHS won the state football championship against a team from Lafourche Parish. The school then sought a state championship in track and field in addition to its four football, two basketball, and one baseball championships earned by the boys teams and the swimming titles received by the girls. Minden won the state track championship for Class AA. Upton was a freshman that year, when there was little indication of the star he would become.<ref name=jagan>{{cite web|url=http://northovertonnotes.blogspot.com/|title=Echoes of the Past: Remembering Jimmy Upton|author=John Allison Agan|date=September 1, 2012|publisher=North Overton Notes|accessdate=September 6, 2014}}</ref>​

Upton played [[basketball]] too, but it was as a track runner, under Coaches James Steven "Steve" Jordan (1936-2013) and William Otto "Bill" Huth, Jr. (1937-2015),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/shreveporttimes/obituary.aspx?n=william-huth&pid=173779137&fhid=10239|title=William Huth|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=January 8, 2015|accessdate=January 8, 2015}}</ref> that he most excelled. It was not until 1962 that the Minden Crimson Tide secured its first district track championship under Coach Jordan. In 1963, MHS won the state football championship against a team from Lafourche Parish. The school then sought a state championship in track and field in addition to its four football, two basketball, and one baseball championships earned by the boys teams and the swimming titles received by the girls. Minden won the state track championship for Class AA. Upton was a freshman that year with little indication of the star he would become.<ref name=jagan>{{cite web|url=http://northovertonnotes.blogspot.com/|title=Echoes of the Past: Remembering Jimmy Upton|author=John Allison Agan|date=September 1, 2012|publisher=North Overton Notes|accessdate=September 6, 2014}}</ref>​

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In 1965, Upton completed the 120 hurdles in a time of 15.9, beating his senior teammate, Michael Edward "Mike" Holliday (1947-2001). However, by the middle of the season, Upton gave up his place on the relay teams and competed only in the hurdles. At the district meet, Upton ran the 120 hurdles in a third-place time of 16.4 seconds. The Tide went on to earn the regional and the state championships.<ref name=jagan/>  

In 1965, Upton completed the 120 hurdles in a time of 15.9, beating his senior teammate, Michael Edward "Mike" Holliday (1947-2001). However, by the middle of the season, Upton gave up his place on the relay teams and competed only in the hurdles. At the district meet, Upton ran the 120 hurdles in a third-place time of 16.4 seconds. The Tide went on to earn the regional and the state championships.<ref name=jagan/>  

After high school, Upton attended [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]] on a track [[scholarship]] for his freshman year. He ran the maximum five events permitted while he was on the LSU track team. He transferred to ULM, then known as Northeast Louisiana State College, where Robert E. "Bob" Groseclose (1920-2002) was his coach. Groseclose coached track at ULM for twenty-nine years, a record duration among all coaches in all sports at the university. In 1996, ULM named its track field to honor Groseclose, a native [[Texas|Texan]]. At ULM, Upton was shifted to the longer hurdle race, the 440-yard or 400-meter hurdles. He was named an [[NCAA]] All-American in 1972. Only one other athlete from his hometown of Minden, James Britt, of the LSU football team, had received "All-American" designation. Some of Upton's records still stand at ULM. In 1994, he was inducted into the ULM Athletic Hall of Fame and the Arkansas-Louisiana-Texas Athletic Hall of Fame. In 1998, he was inducted into the ULM Graduate N Club.<ref name=jagan/>​

After high school, Upton attended [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]] on a track [[scholarship]] for his freshman year. He ran the maximum five events permitted while he was on the LSU track team. He transferred to ULM, then known as Northeast Louisiana State College, where Robert E. "Bob" Groseclose (1920-2002) was his coach. Groseclose coached track at ULM for twenty-nine years, a record duration among all coaches in all sports at the university. In 1996, ULM named its track field to honor Groseclose, a native [[Texas|Texan]]. At ULM, Upton was shifted to the longer hurdle race, the 440-yard or 400-meter hurdles. He was named an [[NCAA]] All-American in 1972. Only one other athlete from his hometown of Minden, James Britt, of the LSU football team, had received "All-American" designation. Some of Upton's records still stand at ULM. In 1994, he was inducted into the ULM Athletic Hall of Fame and the Arkansas-Louisiana-Texas Athletic Hall of Fame. In 1998, he was inducted into the ULM Graduate N Club.<ref name=jagan/>​

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==Death at 53==​

==Death at 53===​

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At the time of his death at the age of fifty-three, Upton was a safety director for a trucking company. Divorced, he was survived by his mother, who died early in 2015; a son Timothy French "Tim" Upton (born 1971), a [[New Orleans]] [[lawyer]], and his wife, Patricia Upton; a daughter, Allison Upton Cooper and husband, Brett Cooper, then of Jena in LaSalle Parish; sister, Ellen Upton Madden (born 1953) of [[Bossier City]], and one grandchild.<ref name=findagrave>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/37970046|title=James Saunders "Jimmy" Upton|publisher=Findagrave.com|access date=March 25, 2019}}</ref>

At the time of his death at the age of fifty-three, Upton was a safety director for a trucking company. Divorced, he was survived by his mother, who died early in 2015; a son Timothy French "Tim" Upton (born 1971), a [[New Orleans]] [[lawyer]], and his wife, Patricia Upton; a daughter, Allison Upton Cooper and husband, Brett Cooper, then of Jena in LaSalle Parish; sister, Ellen Upton Madden (born 1953) of [[Bossier City]], and one grandchild.<ref name=findagrave>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/37970046|title=James Saunders "Jimmy" Upton|publisher=Findagrave.com|access date=March 25, 2019}}</ref>