Jim Riffey

James Ray Riffey


Born:
December 14, 1923
Washington, IN

Died:
January 30, 2018
Battle Creek, MI


Career
1938-39 Washington High School - Indiana (High School) JV
1939-40 Washington High School - Indiana (High School)
1940-41 Washington High School - Indiana (High School)
1941-42 Washington High School - Indiana (High School)
1946-47 Tulane University (College)
1947-48 Tulane University (College)
1948-49 Tulane University (College)
1949-50 Tulane University (College)
1950-51 Fort Wayne Pistons (NBA)
1952-53 Manual High School - Louisville (High School) Head coach
1953-54 Manual High School - Louisville (High School) Head coach
1954-55 Manual High School - Louisville (High School) Head coach
1955-56 Manual High School - Louisville (High School) Head coach
1956-57 Manual High School - Louisville (High School) Head coach
1957-58 Manual High School - Louisville (High School) Head coach
1958-59 Central High School - Battle Creek, MI (High School) Head coach
1959-60 Central High School - Battle Creek, MI (High School) Head coach
1960-61 Central High School - Battle Creek, MI (High School) Head coach
1961-62 Central High School - Battle Creek, MI (High School) Head coach
1962-63 Central High School - Battle Creek, MI (High School) Head coach
1963-64 Central High School - Battle Creek, MI (High School) Head coach
1964-65 Central High School - Battle Creek, MI (High School) Head coach
1965-66 Central High School - Battle Creek, MI (High School) Head coach
1966-67 Central High School - Battle Creek, MI (High School) Head coach

Born to Samuel and Nannie Riffey in Indiana, Riffey went to Washington HS in Indiana before serving in the U.S. Army during World War 2. After the war, he went to Tulane University, playing all four seasons on the basketball team. He played one season with Fort Wayne but was waived after the season. He moved to Louisville to coach and teach at Manual High School, staying there six seasons before moving to Battle Creek to coach and teach at Central HS. After the 1966-67 season, he left coaching to become assistant principal there, and eventually became a principal at Kellogg Junior High in Battle Creek.



Jim married Esther Wildridge (1926-2011) in 1948 and they had a son and a daughter.

Source:
Battle Creek Enquirer, June 14, 1988
Battle Creek Enquirer, June 15, 1990
Esther's Obituary
Battle Creek Enquirer, February 1, 2018

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/riffeji01.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=riffeji01