Baseball or bowling, it doesn't matter. Jim McKinney was Hall of Fame caliber in both.

McKinney will be inducted into the Butler Area Sports Hall of Fame at its annual banquet April 24 at the Butler Days Inn.

"He certainly deserves it," McKinney's wife, Shirley, said. "I just wish he was alive to see it."

McKinney died April 27, 2003, from a massive stroke while getting Pullman Park ready for a baseball game. He was 73.

"He passed away while doing something he loved at a place that he loved," Shirley McKinney said.

McKinney played Eagle County League baseball with Mars for 16 years. He was part of several championship teams with coach Charlie Barrett.

He played for three championship teams for Tri-County Butler baseball from 1954-58.

"He picked me up and took me to all of his games over the years," Shirley McKinney said. "He lived in Mars; I lived in Butler. He made the trip every day."

While in the Army in 1952-53, McKinney played for the 102nd Infantry baseball team in Germany.

In 1964, McKinney began coaching his son Richard's first PeeWee League team. He continued to coach his son's squads in Midget League, Bantam League and Prep League.

"When our youngest son, Ronald, started playing, he did the same thing," Shirley McKinney said. "He followed the kids right up the ladder."

McKinney, a longtime Armco employee, spent the final 32 years of his life as one of the directors of trust for Pullman Park. He was appointed chairman of the Board of Trust in 1977.

"He came from a baseball family and was a very competitive player," said retired Butler Eagle sports editor Mike Surkalo. "He was dedicated to Pullman Park. Jim spent a lot of long hours on that ballfield."

"Jim would come from work, then head out to the ballpark," Shirley McKinney said. "I watched him play and coach. I watched our sons play. I enjoyed baseball."

McKinney was a longtime member of the Umpires Association in Butler and worked college, Prep and American Legion games throughout Butler County.

He was a recipient of the Butler Area Baseball Association's Appreciation Award. He received Butler's True Citizen Award Jan. 17, 2000, for dedication and dedicated service to all.

As a bowler, McKinney competed in the Armco, Imperial, Bush Classic and Eagle leagues and held many offices in each. He started the Church Bowling League in 1955.

"He was one of the best persons I've ever known," said Tom Kline, manager of Sherwood Lanes. "He went to a lot of tournaments and had a lot of fun."

McKinney participated in 38 state bowling tournaments, 15 ABC Tournaments and organized teams for state tournaments.

"Jim was a solid, consistent bowler who stayed with it for a long time," Surkalo said.

He won the Ike Pawk Memorial Award for bowling in 1989, rolled a 299 game in December 1998 and a 300 game in December 1999.

An active bowler for 40 years, McKinney was forced to quit in 2000 because of health problems.