Gonzaga Athletic Hall of Fame
The key member of the three-man team that brought the NCAA boxing title home to Gonzaga in 1950, Jim Reilly won Pacific Coast titles at 130 pounds in 1949 and 1950. He lost a disputed decision in the 1950 NCAA semifinals, but his points were critical to the Bulldogs’ title march. Nobody had a bigger heart as a competitor in the heyday of boxing at Gonzaga. He was active for 20 years in Spokane as a coach and counselor to youngsters in a variety of boxing programs, and was the unpaid director of the annual Inland Empire Golden Gloves Tournament. He also coached several nationally-honored amateur boxers. Always prominent as an official, Reilly was asked to referee several world championship bouts in the 1980’s.
