Football Was Good To McCusker; Ex-NFL Star Going Into Business

Football was good to Jim McCusker and he highly recommends it.

“Providing, that is, the boy has the size, agility and speed. There’s no telling how far he can go.”

Big Jim has officially hung up his cleats in the pay-for-play sport, culminating a grid career which spanned 16 seasons, including seven as a professional.

He’s in the restaurant business now and will open The Pub, located on Main Street near Second, sometime in November.

Increased Weight

Jim’s lengthy football career dates back to his junior high days when he performed two seasons for James (Tex) Dain at Washington.

He played for Harold Ruben as a Jamestown High sophomore, then two years under Wait Colburn as varsity tackle. In three years of high school ball he weighed 205, 215 and 225.

Perhaps his best scholastic game was the Olean-Jamestown contest of 1953. Jim spent the night draped all over Olean’s quarterback Dick Eaton who, fading to pass, was forced to “eat” the ball numerous times.

After his senior year when he was team captain Jim was tapped for the Wigwam Wiseman of America’s schoolboy all-star team by the Post-Journal.

Bob Freidland, scouting for the University of Pittsburgh and head coach Red Dawson, recruited McCusker and awarded him a scholarship.

Why did he select Pitt?

“Because of the complete lay-out, it’s a good school and the proximity to home.”

Was Panthers’ Co-Captain

While at Pitt he was co-captain in his senior season along with center Charlie Brueckman.

The previous year, as a junior tackle, he drew plaudits from Pittsburgh papers for a bang-up defensive job against Miami University in the Orange Bowl.

“That’s the game that gave me recognition,” he recalled the other day.

Big Jim was one of the most popular and talented players ever produced at JHS. He certainly logged the most mileage. As a collegian, for example, he traveled to all parts of the country, including trips to the West Coast for games with UCLA, Oregon, Southern California and California.

Late in the final year at Pitt he suffered an injury - a fractured navicular bone in his right wrist- one of three injuries during his career.

In Two All-Star Games

In spite of the injury he played in the College All Stars vs Detroit Lions exhibition at Chicago’s Soldier Field in August 1958. Three years later he was on the opposite side performing for the Philadelphia Eagles against the Collegians.

Jim was originally drafted by the Chicago Cardinals, now in St Louis. Although a standout defensively in college and drafted for a defense he played practically all offense in the pro ranks.

“I don’t know why,” he said. “They just stuck me at offensive left tackle and I just stayed there.”

He was traded to Philly near the end of the 1959 training camp and earned a starting spot. He was a regular, of course, for Philadelphia which defeated Green Bay, 17-13, in the National Football League’s 1960 championship game.

Injured Knee

Although 1960 was the high spot of his career, 1961 was to prove troublesome. Ironically, he broke the navicular bone in his left wrist against Detroit in the Miami Runner-up Bowl. And he hurt his left knee against Dallas.

The injured knee was operated on during the off-season (January, 1963). Although the doctor said the knee was okay. Jim knew otherwise. He was the last player to be “cut” by the Eagles at the start of the ’63 campaign.

He went to the Cleveland Browns, who as it turned, were trying to trade for him anyway. He failed to report with the Browns in 1964 and landed with the Baltimore Colts two weeks late. Cut there, he signed with the New York Jets, the last stop on the football trail.

Tough Linemen

As a pro, Jim bumped heads with some tough customers. He rates Ernie Stautner, ex-Steelers’ defensive end, and the late Gene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb, Baltimore and Pittsburgh tackle, as rugged competitors.

“Lipscomb was just impossible to stop,” Jim recalls. “Bill Glass, Detroit and Cleveland end, was also good. As for quarterback, Norm Van Brocklin was the best.”

Jim gained a sizeable life insurance policy from the NFL for six compete seasons and a $500 monthly retirement policy.