Jim Swink has been honored through a newly commissioned portrait within a collection of fine art portraits depicting six legendary players and coaches of the TCU football program. The collection was unveiled February 4, 2009. Sportfolio Group created the collection, including Jim Swink, in conjunction with the athletic department at TCU. The original oil paintings, received by TCU, will be displayed on campus at a yet-to-be-determined location.
For a limited time, Sportfolio Group is offering a free 24” x 18” numbered giclee archival paper print for free with a regular order of a 20” x 16” stretched canvas print.
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The subjects for the paintings were selected by TCU for the 2008 season-long recognition. The five players and one coach depicted include Davey O’Brien, Sammy Baugh, Bob Lilly, Jim Swink, LaDainian Tomlinson and Coach “Dutch” Meyer. Sportfolio Group was awarded the honor of painting a special collection of portraits of these athletes who have brought fame and glory to TCU football over the years.
Sportfolio Group will offer limited edition giclee prints of the collection with a percentage of the proceeds going to TCU. These unique action paintings were painted by Sportfolio Group artist, Craig Gould. Each painting has been faithfully reproduced as 20" x 16" giclee prints stretched on canvas in a limited edition of 250. Purchase of these archival, limited edition high quality giclee prints can be made at the Sportfolio Group website: www.sportfoliogroup.com click for more information.
Jim Swink is remembered as one of the all-time greatest running backs in the history of the Southwest Conference, leading the TCU Horned Frogs to consecutive conference championships in 1955 and 1956, which meant back to back trips to the Cotten Bowl ('56 L v. Mississippi 14-13; '57 W v. Syracuse 28-27).
Jim Swink was named an All-American as a junior and senior at TCU, but his best season came as a junior in 1955. Rushing for 1,283 yards which was second-best in the nation, and led the country with 125 points scored. His best game came against rival Texas in Austin, when he rushed 15 times for 235 yards and scored 26 points in a 47-20 rout of the Texas Longhorns. That year, Jim Swink finished second to Howard Cassidy of Ohio State in the Heisman voting. In 1980 Swink was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. He also may have been the only Horned Frog to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated while at the school.
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Jim Swink grew up in Rusk, Texas, 140 miles southeast of Dallas, and was a standout basketball and football player.Jim Swink said that basketball was his first love and that basketball and football programs recruited him heavily. Swink thought he would attend SMU, but he selected TCU because a former high school opponent, Hugh Pitts, committed to the Horned Frogs. He also liked the academics.
In three varsity seasons, Jim Swink earned the nickname "The Rusk Rambler" for his ability to outrun and elude defenders. He led the team in rushing for three seasons and finished his career with 2,618 yards on 413 attempts. The 1955 season was Jim Swink’s best. He led the nation in scoring with 125 points and finished second in rushing yards with 1,283 to earn consensus All-America honors.He then finished second to Ohio State's Howard "Hopalong" Cassady in the Heisman Trophy voting.
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Jim Swink spent two years in the Army as a combat medic. He earned a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart in the Vietnam War.
In 2006, Jim Swink was honored with the eighth Doak Walker Legends Award during a ceremony in Dallas.
Sportswriter Dan Jenkins, who covered Jim Swink ‘s games with TCU, said he was a great field runner because he had “eyes on each side of his head.”
Jim’s coach at TCU, Abe Martin, once called Jim Swink “just a little ol’ rubber legged outfit that nobody could catch.”
For more information about the “2008 TCU Legacy Collection” and the Jim Swink portrait, contact Sportfolio Group at info@sportfoliogroup.com or see the full collection at www.sportfoliogroup.com. Phone inquiries can be made to 214-403-9171.
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