The Indiana wrestling team defeated Punxsutawney 57-18 on the Jim Nance alumni match on Thursday, January 10.  Winners wer Brock Petras, Daniel Turner, Jack Turner, Fox Van Leer and David McElravy.  

Jim Nance graduated from IHS in 1961 after becoming the first African American to win two PIAA state wrestling championships and played football for IHS before attending Syracuse University where he then won two NCAA wrestling crowns. At Syracuse, Nance earned All-American honors and also was a part of the Syracuse football team, tying the school record for touchdowns and leading the team in Rushing in 1964.

Nance, a powerful runner, was a 19th round selection of the Boston Patriots in the 1965 AFL Draft, as well as a 4th round selection of the Chicago Bears in the 1965 NFL Draft. Nance signed with the Patriots. Though his rookie season was unimpressive, he led the AFL in rushing the next two seasons. He went on to become the only AFL player ever to rush for more than 1,400 yards in a season. At 6-1 and 260 pounds, Nance was a powerful fullback who carried 299 times in 1966, for 11 touchdowns and 1,458 yards. That season, he rushed for 208 yards and two touchdowns in a 24–21 victory over the Oakland Raiders. Nance was the first Patriot player to appear on the front cover of Sports Illustrated (December 12, 1966)

Nance was an American Football League All-Star in 1966, when he also received the league's Most Valuable Player award, and an All-Star again in 1967 when he became the only AFL player to have consecutive seasons with over 1,000 yards, this time 1,216. He retired as the Patriots' all-time leading rusher with 46 career touchdowns, a record he still holds.

In 1972, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles but refused to play for them, temporarily retiring. He joined the New York Jets the following year.

In 1974, Nance played with the Houston Texans/Shreveport Steamer of the World Football League, rushing for 1,240 yards. In 1975, he ran for 767 yards before the WFL folded. He is the all-time leading rusher in the WFL with 490 carries for 2,007 yards and a 4.1 average. He rushed for 15 touchdowns in his WFL career.

After retiring from football, Nance lived in the Boston area and participated in many community services. In 1969 he was part of a USO tour to Vietnam. Because of their efforts they received recognition from the commander in charge of the unit they visited for helping to improve the soldier’s morale. In addition, Jim sponsored and organized many youth sports programs in the Boston area, was a featured speaker at sports banquets in Indiana County, and often met with football players and students at Indiana Area High School. On other occasions Jim would assist IUP’s football coaches with instructing running backs on IUP’s football team.

Nance overcame many obstacles to become one of Pennsylvania’s greatest athletes and was inducted into the Indiana County Sports Hall of fame in 1983 and the Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame and the New England Patriots Hall of Fame in 2009.

Nance suffered a heart attack and stroke in 1983 and died June 17, 1992, of a heart attack at age 49 and was buried in Indiana. 
North 5th Street in Indiana, PA is named JAMES NANCE BOULEVARD in his honor. North 5th Street is where the former Indiana Senior High School (now Indiana Junior High School)that Nance attended is still standing along with current location of Indiana Senior High School.

(article and photos by Erik Puskar)

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