Appalachian Figures
Born in Hyden in Leslie County in 1934, Jim Morgan became a hardwood star at Dayton’s Stivers High School and the University of Louisville, then chose the classroom over the NBA before crafting a second, celebrated career as a thoroughbred trainer in Ohio. He died in Dayton in 2019 at age 85.
From Hyden to Dayton
Morgan’s family left the Hyden area for Dayton in the early 1940s. He grew up the oldest of seven children in a household that carried eastern Kentucky’s values to the Miami Valley. Local reporter Tom Archdeacon later traced the move and the family’s Appalachian roots in a remembrance that emphasized how firmly Morgan kept one foot in Leslie County throughout his life.
Stivers High School star
At Stivers, Morgan became a varsity starter as a sophomore and finished with 1,105 career points and All-City honors. Stivers teams with Morgan won city titles in 1951 and 1953 and rose to No. 1 in Ohio during his senior year.
A Louisville Cardinal and the 1956 NIT title
Morgan chose Louisville for college and helped lead the Cardinals to the 1956 National Invitation Tournament championship over Dayton. In the title game he scored 14 points. Over four seasons he tallied 1,105 career points and served as team captain as a senior.
Drafted by Syracuse, a different path
The Syracuse Nationals selected Morgan in the 1957 NBA Draft, second round, 15th overall. He declined an NBA contract, returned to Dayton, and taught social studies while coaching at Stebbins High School for nine seasons, compiling a 109-57 record.
Louisville’s honored jersey tradition
Louisville honored Morgan’s No. 12 jersey during a halftime ceremony in February 2001. The university distinguishes a handful of fully retired numbers from a broader set of honored jerseys. Morgan’s jersey hangs in the program’s display, while only a small group of players have had numbers permanently taken out of circulation.
A second career in the barns
Morgan’s connection to racing began when he worked as an Andy Frain usher at Churchill Downs in 1953 and witnessed Dark Star upset Native Dancer in the Kentucky Derby. He left coaching in 1966 to train full time and became one of the Midwest’s most respected horsemen, developing multiple Ohio Horses of the Year and winning well over 2,000 races with stable earnings over 20 million dollars. He later served as president of the Ohio Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association and as a trustee for the Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Health Fund.
Final years and legacy
Morgan died in Dayton on September 29, 2019. Funeral notices and obituaries list survivors that include his children and grandchildren, and they remember a life that bridged Appalachian Kentucky, big-time college basketball, and the hard work of the racetrack.
Sources & Further Reading
University of Louisville Athletics, Cards Will Honor Two Former Men’s Basketball Standouts (Feb. 7, 2001). Confirms 2001 ceremony honoring Jim Morgan and explains honored jerseys versus fully retired numbers. University of Louisville Athletic
University of Louisville Athletics Hall of Fame bio for Jim Morgan. Notes induction year 1981 and Louisville class of 1957. University of Louisville Athletic
Stivers High School Athletic Hall of Fame: class profile and memorial page for James E. “Jim” Morgan. High-school achievements, later coaching, and career summary. stiversahof.org+1
Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame, 2013 inductee page for James Morgan. Birthdate and birthplace; career overview; season-by-season college scoring. Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame
Dignity Memorial obituary for James “Jim” Morgan (Sept. 29, 2019). Birth in Hyden, KY and death in Dayton, OH; survivors. Dignity Memorial
Legacy.com notice for James E. “Jim” Morgan. Funeral and survivor details. Legacy
Retroseasons, Syracuse Nationals 1956–57 Draft Picks. Confirms Morgan as 2nd round, 15th overall in 1957. retroseasons.com
Dayton Daily News, Tom Archdeacon, “Remembering ‘a larger than life character’” (Oct. 6, 2019). Context on Stivers, Louisville choice, turning down Syracuse, coaching record, and racing career. dayton-daily-news
Dayton Daily News, “Area high school, college basketball great Morgan dies at 85” (Sept. 30, 2019). Local obituary and racing context. dayton-daily-news
Ohio Thoroughbred Breeders & Owners, OTBO News (Nov. 2019). Career achievements in Ohio racing and industry roles. OTBO