Jim Dailey according to the late Jess Eastman, YMCA director of physical activities was a “gym rat.” “I have to chase him out of the gym almost every night so I can lock up and go home,” Jess told a reporter back in the early 1950s. “He’s going to be quite a player,” Jess added.
Jim Dailey did become “quite the player.” He was the point guard as a junior on Joplin’s state championship basketball team in 1955 and was a member of the Eagles’ state championship baseball team that year, also.
Although Joplin did not advance to the state tournament the following year, Dailey was a first-team all-state selection, the Springfield Daily News Southwest Missouri Player of the Year and Joplin High School’s Athlete of the year.
Dailey’s performance in the state tournament in 1955 caught the eye of the St. Louis University coach Eddie Hickey. Hickey followed Dailey’s career the next season and offered the Joplin playmaker a scholarship after 1956 season.
Freshman were not eligible for varsity competition at that time, but Dailey broke into the starting lineup as a sophomore and was team captain and starting pint guard of the Billikens as a junior and senior. St. Louis U. won 55 games and lost only 23 during Dailey’s three years of varsity ball.
During his collegiate career, Dailey played against some of the country’s best players: Oscar Robertson of Cincinnati, Satch Sander of New York University, Jerry West of West Virginia, and Chet (The Jet) Walker of Bradley. Bradley and Cincinnati were in the Missouri Valley Conference with the Bills.
Dailey credits his high school coach, the late Russ Kaminksy, for his success at the college level.
After college, Dailey joined the Army and served a two-year tour of duty at For Bragg, NC., in 1961 and 1962.
The son of Al and Anne Dailey received a master’s degree in business Administration from Michigan State University in 1965.
Dailey started his career in business with Arthur Anderson & Co. in Kansas City. During his 10-year career with the company, he was promoted to manager, a position that honed his skills for the rest of his business career.
From 1975-1985, Jim was CFO and vice president with Summit Management Inc., Kansas City. He joined StarsToGo, Inc., in Los Angeles in 1985. The firm distributed videos to large convenience store chains.
Jim left the business world in 1990 to spend more time with his family. He spent three years as an assistant basketball coach at Fresno City College.
Dailey returned to the business world in 1994 as an independent consultant. He retired earlier this year.
Jim married his wife, Patricia, in 1961 and they have two children, a daughter Beth Easley, and a son, Michael.
