Jimmy Lawrence

James Boydston Lawrence (March 15, 1914 – May 17, 1990) was an American football and baseball player. He played college football for the TCU Horned Frogs from 1932 to 1935 and professional football in the National Football League (NFL) for the Chicago Cardinals from 1936 to 1939 and for the Green Bay Packers in 1939. He also played minor-league baseball from 1937 to 1941. He has been inducted into the TCU Athletics Hall of Fame, Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame, and the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame.

Early life Lawrence was born on March 15, 1914, in Dawson, Texas, United States. He attended Harlingen High School in Harlingen, Texas. He played quarterback for the Harlingen football team and was described as the "idol of Harlingen fans" and "just about everything" to his team. He was rated as "the greatest high school quarterback in the state" in 1930, "the best interscholastic product of 1931," and "the best prospect in many seasons." He led Harlingen to Rio Grande Valley titles in 1930 and 1931 and was later inducted into both the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame and the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame.

College Lawrence attended Texas Christian University (TCU) and played at the halfback position for the TCU Horned Frogs football team from 1932 to 1935.

Lawrence was co-captain of the 1935 TCU Horned Frogs football team, helping the team to a 12–1 record, including a victory over the Louisiana State University (LSU) football team in the 1936 Sugar Bowl. During the 1935 regular season, Lawrence played halfback on both offense and defense, winning a reputation as a "very fine tackler", while also gaining 474 rushing yards on 107 carries, completing nine of 15 passes for 144 yards, and tallying 22 receptions.

During his time at TCU, he was called "the heart of the Frogs' power attack." He played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Chicago Cardinals from 1936 to 1938. He had his best NFL season in 1938, tallying 207 rushing yards, 105 receiving yards, 65 passing yards, and three touchdowns. He appeared in five games for the NFL champion 1939 Packers, completing one pass for 25 yards and tallying one reception for 21 yards.

During four years in the NFL, Lawrence appeared in 34 games, tallied 357 rushing yards on 130 carries, caught 31 passes for 313 yards, and scored four touchdowns. He also punted three times for an average of 38.3 yards.

Military service and later years Lawrence served as a pilot in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II. In May 1942, an account of his death in an air mission during the Battle of Java appeared in newspapers across the country. The report was debunked the next day. He was reported to have been killed in action no fewer than three times.

After the war, Lawrence returned to the Rio Grande Valley and was a leading football official.