James Crowley (basketball coach)

James H. Crowley (1887 – February 7, 1935) was an American athlete, coach, and physician education instructor who served as head coach of the Boston College Eagles men's basketball team and associate director of physical education for Boston Public Schools.

Early life[]

Crowley was born in Boston's North End in 1887. He attended East Boston High School where he was a standout center on the basketball team. On December 20, 1905 he scored 95 points in a game against Chelsea High School. He then took a two-year course at the Posse-Nissen Physical Education School and played amateur and semi-pro basketball for many years. He spent ten years as a member of the East Boston Athletic Association's basketball team.^[1][2]

Physical education[]

Boston College[]

In 1905, Crowley became the head men's basketball coach at Boston College. He sought to build up the program by starting a freshman team to develop future varsity players. During his tenure as coach, the Eagles performed poorly on the court (going 8–21 in his two seasons as coach) and drew little fan interest. BC abandoned basketball after the 1906–07 season.^[3]

Boston Public Schools[]

On May 8, 1908, Crowley was hired as an athletic coach and physical education instructor at Boston's High School of Commerce.^[1][2] While at Commerce, Crowley coached the school's basketball and baseball teams to championships. In 1910 he was transferred to The English High School.^[4] The following year he was put in charge of the school's physical education.^[5] In 1912 he was transferred to West Roxbury High School, where he coached baseball.^[6]

He later coached at East Boston High School and Jamaica Plain High School. In 1925 he was promoted to assistant director of physical education. In this role he oversaw physical education in elementary and middle schools. In 1926 he introduced soccer to the curriculum, which soon became a popular sport with Boston youth. Within a year, 15,000 boys turned out for the sport. On February 5, 1934, Crowley succeeded the deceased Frederick J. O’Brien as associate director of physical education for Boston Public Schools.^[1][2]

Death[]

On January 28, 1935, Crowley entered Boston City Hospital for surgery to treat an illness that had been troubling him for some time. Around 5 pm on February 7, 1935, Crowley leapt from the window of his hospital room and fell 50 feet onto a concrete tunnel. He was treated by hospital staff for internal injuries, fractured ribs, and a fractured skull. He did not recover and was pronounced death at 7 pm.^[2] He was succeeded by Boston College football coach Joe McKenney.^[7]

References[]