Sports Hall of Fame / Jim Booth Training Room

Sports Hall of Fame Inductees 2021-22

From left: Bob Battisti, Brittany (McBride) Johnson, Brandon Christenson, Dean Farrow and Bill Julson

JIM BOOTH TRAINING ROOM

A lifelong Northwestern supporter, the late James Booth of Caldwell, Kansas, left a $500,000 gift to Northwestern Athletics to be used for student trainer scholarships and the addition of state-of-the-art training equipment.

Renovation of the training room took place over summer 2022, and the newly renovated space is named the “Jim Booth Training Room.”

As a 1973 graduate, Booth was the first student trainer for the football, baseball and basketball teams. Because of his premature birth, Booth was left with physical challenges and unable to play sports. However, his love for athletics was evident through the motivation he provided his athletes while he was a student from 19691973.

“The full renovation was so positive,” Franz said. “When the health and sports science building was renovated in 2012, the training room was the only area that didn’t get a facelift. With Jim’s generous gift, we will be able to serve our athletes better and continue Jim’s legacy.”

Even after his time at Northwestern, Booth could be found at many games and events. He was a member of the Rowdy Rangers and held a spot in the tiers at the football stadium. He was a regular for many years at Ranger baseball, basketball and football games.

“Jim came to games up until 2021 when his health began to limit his travel,” Franz said. “Jim would call often to talk Ranger sports. He loved the Rangers and wanted them to succeed. Northwestern was his university”

A small committee of Jim’s friends — Dean Gregg, Bill Kusik, Blaine Easter and Randy Smith — worked with the university to help shape the donation. The amount of $400,000 will go toward endowment scholarships for student trainers who want to pursue the training profession

while at Northwestern.

The remaining $100,000 will go to new equipment and equipment upgrades, providing Ranger trainers with state-of-the-art equipment. Northwestern supported the physical renovation of expanding the training room to accommodate the growing number of student-athletes.

“This gift impacts the health of our student-athletes and that is so important to us,” President Hannaford said. “It allows head athletic trainer Keith Wear and his staff the opportunities for more space and better equipment. This will make a big difference in the experience for our student-athletes. I appreciate the committee and their work in guiding the project the entire way. We are so happy to honor Jim Booth and his commitment to this university.”

“This renovation will assure our current and future athletes they are in good hands and supported with equipment that will help them get well when injured,” Franz said. “Jim would be proud of this endeavor. It allows for additional student training opportunities like Jim had at Northwestern. Jim’s name and legacy for treating student-athletes will last for many years.”

Booth, right, tends to an injured Ranger in a 1972 game.

Photos and autographs now line the walls as memorabilia of the Northwestern Sports Hall of Fame, housed in Percefull Fieldhouse for generations of Rangers to view and enjoy.

“We have 30 years of Ranger greats in the Sports Hall of Fame, so it was time to give them a proper home,” said Brad Franz, director of athletics.

“It’s wonderful to have an area to highlight our very best in athletics,” said Dr. Bo Hannaford, university president. “I am so proud of this partnership with our donors who deserve all the credit. This place will be here for generations to come, where everyone can learn about Northwestern’s outstanding student-athletes.”

The physical memorabilia were originally housed in the Ranger Room located in the Student Center.

“It was a great place but outside of athletics,” Franz said. “We wanted a place closer to Percefull Fieldhouse because it is a natural place to come and look. We wanted to make it easier for those who return to see their plaque or their family member’s accomplishments.”

Randy Smith, athletic director from 1983-1998, led the establishment of the Northwestern Sports Hall of Fame in 1993. The inductees are selected based on their contributions to Rangers sports, as well as their citizenship, sportsmanship and scholarship.

Located on the north side of the fieldhouse, the designated Sports Hall of Fame served various purposes before its renovation.

“It’s where the old concession stand was,” Franz said. “Over the years it’s been a weight room, a storage depository and a baseball hitting cage. It was the only non-renovated space in Percefull.”

The generous donations from Jim Dunning, Verne and Gloria Metcalf, Larry and Joy Glass, Sallie Holder Eggleston and Susie Holder Simpson — and university backing — allowed for the area to be renovated into the Sports Hall of Fame. Visitors can now walk through and celebrate individuals who are recognized for their contributions to Northwestern Athletics.

“It’s a great source of pride,” Franz said. “We have 108 Ranger individuals and the 1999 national championship football team in the Hall of Fame. To have a permanent place is fantastic. The Ranger legacy will be celebrated for years to come.

“It is a showpiece for us. It’s a place to stop and talk with recruits as they come through our facility and see our great Ranger tradition.”

NORTHWESTERN SPORTS HALL OF FAME

The inductees of the 2021 and 2022 Sports Hall of Fame classes pose in the new area.