Bio
Inducted 2016
football & baseball (class of 1954)
Sports was a big piece of Jim McLemore's life. McLemore directed and coordinated all media activities for the first 10 Super Bowls on top of working for the Houston Oilers.
To many, that would be enough. To McLemore, there was still more to do. He attended every Texas high school girl's basketball game and was the official scorer for 26 years and wrote the book "Texas Schoolgirl Basketball," published in 1976. He would also cover high school football games the Friday night before home Oiler games, and also loved and chronicled the Texas state meets in Track and Field.
McLemore enrolled at Chaffey College in 1952 after serving as a Military Policeman for the Marine Corps during the Korean War. McLemore was a two-year letterman in football and baseball for the Panthers while also being a member of the student government. He also met his wife Harriett there, and their daughter, Margie, was born while he was on the football practice field.
"My father made a brief visit to the hospital and presented my mother with a football for 'junior'" Margie Parman said. "Then, he was off to cover a high school football game for the Ontario paper."
McLemore passed away before the final Oilers preseason game in 1976, and was eulogize nationally for his work with the NFL and in prep sports.
"Chaffey College was instrumental in providing Jim with educational, athletic, and social interaction skills," Parman said. "He developed those skills into a career in what is a very unique profession open to few. He was recognized for his writing skills, sports knowledge, his professionalism, his mentoring of others, and his unique sense of humor."