Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/527664
19 "Professional baseball was something I loved to play and I was pretty good at it, I had some good statistics," Mims said. "I did well, but injuries took their toll on me." Mims received a bachelor's degree in English from the UI aer his first fall of professional ball in the Florida East Coast League. He enrolled in graduate courses, and when his playing days ended, Mims returned to the UI and wore many hats since: Counselor, assistant coach, assistant director of sports camps, academic counselor, assistant to the director of athletics. He helped create the compli- ance and student services programs at the UI. He served on many university committees as well as civic activities. "You name it, I have been out there," Mims said. "e service element in me comes from my par- ents that did a lot of that and I saw it when I was growing up." Mims' current title is associate director of athletics. "e friendships and relationships I have made are the best thing for me," Mims said. "You realize that you have had an effect on hundreds of stu- dent's lives. You don't think about it when you go through it, but since I announced my retirement, there have been so many emails, cards, and letters that come in that you have touched people over 38 years. at's what is important. It wasn't about me, money, or anything other than helping and serving other people." A s a catcher in Major League Baseball, Jim Sundberg made more than 1,000 assists. His father, Howard, had one big assist that impacted the University of Iowa for nearly four decades. A native of Galesburg, Illinois, Jim Sundberg starred at the University of Iowa from 1970-72 before playing 16 years in the majors. His father convinced another Galesburg native, Fred Mims, that becoming a Hawkeye was the road to travel. Mims, 65, will retire June 30 aer 38 years as a student-athlete and staff member at the UI. "rough the conversation between Jim Sund- berg's dad and my mother, they convinced me to come to the University of Iowa," Mims said. "I was going to Jacksonville, Florida, to play basketball and baseball and then they talked me into coming here. e Sunday before the opening day of class I came to Iowa City — I had never been here before — and went to Hillcrest (Hall) where I had a room set up for me. e next day I was an Iowa student and I learned the campus as I was going to classes." Mims spent two years at Spoon River Junior Col- lege in Canton, Illinois, then earned a letter for the UI men's basketball team in 1972 and for the baseball team in 1971 and 1972. e 1972 Hawk- eyes are the only baseball team in school history to advance to the College World Series. In two seasons, Mims played in 83 games and batted .335 with 15 home runs, 61 RBIs and 18 stolen bases. Twice he was named All-Big Ten Conference. A knee injury that required four surgeries ended Mims' professional baseball career aer 231 games in the Houston Astros organization. He played the 1973 and 1974 seasons in Cedar Rapids and batted .270 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs.