1994 Greater Flint African American Sports Hall of Fame Inductee
Category: Multiple Sports
The Luckado family have been residents of Flint since the early 1920’s. James attended Clark, Parkland grade schools and Emerson Jr. High, and graduated from Flint Northern. At Northern on the 1941 track team, he ran the 100- and 200-yard dashes, broad jump and anchored the 880-relay team.
During his career in the city leagues he played basketball, softball and baseball. He was a great outfielder blessed with speed and base running ability and a leading hitter. He once scored from second on an infield ground out. At Atwood Stadium being one of the fastest runners in City League Baseball Luckado was selected by his peers to run against the legendary world-famous Olympic Champion Jessie Owens in a special 100-yard race and he won that race in 1946.
James played on softball championship teams and led most of them in stolen bases and was one of the leading hitters. In City Class A basketball, he played on the great 1943 Buick C.I.O. championship team. The second leading scorer on Buick C.I.O. city invitational champions with 40 points in 1944, also the Y.M.C.A. tournament champions in 1944. Wilson Clothes leading scorer, 171 points, and third in league, 1945. James was the F.I.C.C. team’s leading scorer, 202 points, third in league scoring in 1946. Buick C.I.O. teams third leading scorer, 120 points, 1949. Golden Leaf Play-Off champions, 1952. James played 15 years in the city league baseball league. In 1945 he was Ross Cubs second leading hitter, .344 BA., second in league hits, 26. In 1949 Buick C.I.O. hit .417 and a city league All- Star, third league hitting, .417 BA. Playing for Flint Giants in 1951, hit .367 and with Percy Catering in his last season in1955, hit .337. He always remained in the top three for stolen bases. Since his playing days, he has been a softball umpire, basketball referee and timekeeper for city league basketball.
Thanks for all the thrills over the years.
