Friends of Basketball

Jim and Fran Gleason

Year Inducted: 1991

Category: Friends of Basketball

Schools / Organizations:
Elkhart Grade School
Elkhart High School
Mt. Pulaski High School

Biography: Jim and Fran Gleason served as Elkhart Grade School’s official timer and scorekeeper for 30 years before retiring. Jim also ran the clock for Elkhart High School and kept statistics at Mt Pulaski High School. Fran Gleason chauffeured the bus for the Ekhart athletes. The Gleason’s, who have no children of their own, each year take a little of the money they make and treat the school’s athletes to pizza. Talk about loyalty, the Gleasons abound with it. They missed only a handful of games. The couple saw a lot of changes through the years, including the rules of the game. Jim Gleason liked the rule that did away with a center jump after the first quarter. Fran Gleason admits she doesn’t like the coaches who use a win-at-all-cost philosophy, She feels those coaches push the players too hard. She feels the coaches should realize the players are out there to learn. The Gleasons were an integral part of the basketball scene in Elkhart.