Friends of Basketball

Jim Oldani

Year Inducted: 1978

Category: Friends of Basketball

Schools / Organizations: Herrin High School
Southern Illinois University

Biography: If you were a basketball player at Herrin High School in the 1950’s-1970’s you had a steak at Oldani’s Illinois Café.  Each year, Jim Oldani served a steak dinner to the entire basketball program.  Over the years he has donated meat trays and sandwiches for hospitality rooms at Herrin Tournaments.  He has advertised his restaurant on Herrin schedules and other publications.  Pictures of the great Herrin teams were proudly displayed on his walls.  Jim was a season ticket holder of both Herrin and nearby Southern Illinois University.  The Illinois Café was a popular meeting place following games for fans in the Herrin area.  Jim Oldani died on February 11, 2015.