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| − | '''James Saunders Upton''' (August 6, 1949 – 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 – 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 the 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. |
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| | ==Background== | | ==Background== |
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| | 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> |