ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico baseball team recently lost one of the greatest men in program history as former All-American Jim Economides passed away on Dec. 8 at the age of 79. He was just the second All-American in program history when he was named a Western United States All-American in 1957.
“Jim was a Lobo great,” head coach Ray Birmingham said. “I first met him during our alumni game back in the fall of 2007. It was the first time I ever sent a 71-year-old man to play right field, but he did a heck of a job. We’ll miss him dearly. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
Economides led the Skyline Conference in batting and slugging in 1956, and he is the only player in school history to record three triples in a game, doing so against Denver in 1957, but his exploits didn’t end on the diamond. He was a four-time world champion, including one as recently as 2010, and a 17-time national champion handball player. In 2011 he was elected into the UNM Hall of Honor.
A graduate of Highland High, he served in the Marines after graduating for UNM. After being released from active duty in 1960, he decided to attend dental school and began a very successful orthodontic career in northeast Albuquerque. A truly caring man he even bought a plane and would fly to the Zuni Reservation to treat patients that couldn’t make the trip to Albuquerque.
He is survived by his wife Renée; daughter Cheryl Armstrong and husband Rob; and eight grandchildren: Jack Mullaney, Jamie (and fiancé Josh Kopchick), Sean, Jessica, Josiah, Keri, Cheri and Danae Armstrong.
Jim Economides (center) was inducted into the UNM Hall of Honor in 2011. He was an
All-American at UNM and a world champion handball player.