Jim Ellis Selected To MSU Athletics Hall of Fame
MSU’s first back-to-back All-American was captain of the 1953 Big Ten and 1954 Rose Bowl Championship team.
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EAST LANSING, Mich. - Jim Ellis, the first player in Spartan football history to earn All-America honors in consecutive seasons, has been selected as one of 11 inductees for the 2007 Class of the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame. Ellis was a three-year letterwinner from 1951-53 and was named to the Chicago Tribune Players All-America defensive team as a safety both as a sophomore (1951) and junior (1952). Spartan teams went 27-1 during his career, claimed two national championships (1951, 1952), and won the school’s first-ever Big Ten title (1953) and Rose Bowl (1954).
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"I would say this is one of the best feelings in my entire life," said Ellis. "From the first day I stepped on campus, I always loved Michigan State. When the Hall of Fame first came about, I dreamed of being inducted. A lot of my friends said I should have been in the first class, but I’m just glad to make it. It really is a dream come true."
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Ellis made an immediate impact his first year in 1951. In his first game, he intercepted three passes and returned three punts for 87 yards against Oregon State. His six interceptions that season rank tied for eighth best in Spartan history, and his 305 punt return yards rank seventh. He also returned punts for touchdowns in back-to-back games vs. Penn State (57 yards) and Pittsburgh (51). In 1952, Ellis recovered four fumbles and was credited with seven touchdown-saving tackles. In addition to earning All-America accolades for the second-straight year, he was also named to the All-Western first team. As a senior, Ellis also played offense as a halfback and scored six touchdowns. He finished his career ranked first in Spartan history in kickoff and punt return yards, and still ranks fourth all-time at MSU with his 619 career punt return yards.
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"My favorite thing to do was running back kicks," Ellis said. "That was probably how I got my reputation. I guess that’s what I looked forward to the most." Ellis was the captain his senior season on the 1953 team that went 9-1 overall, won the Big Ten title and defeated UCLA in the 1954 Rose Bowl, 28-20.
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"The best feeling I had in my career was winning the Rose Bowl in my last game," said Ellis. "It was the biggest trip the team made, all the way to California, and with the prestige of the game and winning like we did, it was a special moment. One of my good friends, Ellis Duckett, blocked a punt in that game and ran it back for a touchdown, a play I’ll never forget. Those teams were so special – we only lost one game my whole time there. Everyone on the team got along quite well. Some of my closest teammates were Ellis Duckett, Don McAuliffe and Leroy Bolden. Biggie (Munn) was such a great coach," continued Ellis. "He would do anything for you. The thing I remember most about him was that he was an outstanding person. Next to my father, he was the most important person in my life, and I considered him a friend."
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Ellis is one of 11 inductees for this year’s MSU Athletics Hall of Fame class. Representing the Early Era, Ellis joins Richard Frey (cross country/track & field) from the Pioneer Era; Shirley Cook (basketball/field hockey/track & field), George Guerre (football) and Dean Look (football/baseball), also from the Early Era; Marshall Dill (track & field), Tom Ross (hockey), Scott Skiles (basketball) and Val Sterk Kemper (volleyball) from the Contemporary Era; and Grady Peninger (wrestling) and George Perles (football) from the former coach/administrator category.
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The Hall of Fame ceremony will take place at the Kellogg Center on the MSU campus, with a reception scheduled for 8:30 a.m.; followed by a brunch at 9 a.m. and the induction ceremony at 9:45 a.m. Tickets for the Hall of Fame brunch and induction ceremony are priced at $55 each. For ticket reservations, contact MSU Associate Athletics Director Karen Langeland: (517) 355-6564 or langelan@ath.msu.edu. In addition, the Class of 2007 will be introduced during the MSU-Bowling Green football game in Spartan Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m.
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The MSU Athletics Hall of Fame, located in the Clara Bell Smith Student-Athlete Academic Center, opened on Oct. 1, 1999, and displays key moments in Spartan athletics history as well as plaques of the 92 inductees. The charter class of 30 former Spartan student-athletes, coaches and administrators was inducted in 1992.
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