California University of Pennsylvania Athletics

Southwestern Pennsylvania has a rich baseball tradition that has produced many outstanding players and symbolizing this area’s baseball excellence is Jim Burns.

A lifelong resident of Uniontown and 1985 graduate of Uniontown Area High School, Burns was the Vulcans' third baseman from 1986 through 1989.

He was a three-time, first-team, all-conference selection and two-time conference Most Valuable Player. For his career, the hard-hitting Burns had 17 home runs, 129 RBI, 37 doubles, and 41 stolen bases. Other final numbers from his extraordinary career included a .320 batting average, 176 hits and 127 runs.

Playing under 2003 Cal U Hall of Fame baseball coach Chuck Gismondi, Burn’s batted .364 and .406 during his junior and senior seasons respectively. The team captain in 1989, Burns led the Vulcans in eight different offensive categories. Also a first baseman, the versatile Burns owned school records for single-season and career doubles at the conclusion of his career. An exceptional defensive player as well, Burns helped the 1988 Vulcan squad turn a then-school record 37 double plays. The Vulcans achieved three winning seasons in Burns’ four years. His final two teams helped start a run of 12-straight winning seasons for Vulcan baseball from 1988 through 1999.

“This is quite an honor for me,” said Burns about being the second baseball in three years to be inducted into Cal’s Hall of Fame. “There were so many outstanding guys in California’s baseball program when I played and to be signaled out is absolutely a thrill.”

Following his playing career he served as Gismondi’s graduate assistant coach for two seasons. The 1990 Vulcans, which included 2001 Cal U Hall of Fame southpaw pitcher Rick Krivda, were PSAC finalists. That was Cal’s highest baseball finish since winning the PSAC championship in 1979. Though Burns and Gismondi spent six years together, this successful duo did not have the best start.

“You could say we got off to a rough start,” Burns said. “My first practice ever Chuck kicked me out of Hammer gym because I could not remember the bunt defenses. Our graduate assistant coach John Sullivan came up to me the next day and said that we better go over the defenses before practice. It’s funny how looking back but not at the time.”

Now, Burns receives the university’s highest athletic honor one year after his old coach was inducted.

“Not only coaching but I learned so much about handling people from Chuck,” said Burns, who was one of several individuals who spoke fondly and jokingly about Gismondi at a roast and dinner for the longtime coach at Falconi Field last fall. “He was quite a mentor and we have had a good relationship ever since that first practice.”

Before coming to Cal U, Burns was a two-time All-Section infielder for the Uniontown Red Raiders and he was the 1985 WPIAL home run champion. During his junior year, Burns helped Uniontown win the WIAL Class AAA Section 2 championship.

Committed to academics as well as baseball, Burns received his bachelor’s degree in biology and secondary education from Cal U in 1989 and his master’s degree in physical therapist assistant (MPTA) from Slippery Rock University in 1994.

“I have the utmost respect for the biology faculty members at Cal and when I started graduate school I was just as prepared as other students from bigger schools such as Oregon State and Notre Dame that I had classes with. There is no question that my education at Cal helped lay the foundation for my future.”

Though his collegiate playing days ended in 1989, Burns was a formidable slugger for 13 years in the highly popular Fayette County League. He was selected as the league’s post-season Most Valuable Player in 1991 and 1998 and his amazing .622 batting average in 2001 remains the league’s single-season record. Burns retired from county ball after the 2003 season.

“You have to hang them up sometime,” Burns said. “People may look at that as just some kind of summer league but those who either play in it or come watch the games.”

Since 1995, Burns has been a physical therapist and facility director at Centers for Rehabilitation Services in Uniontown. The son of James F. Burns, Sr., and Joanne Burns, Jim is also a member of the American Physical Therapy Associates.

Jim and his wife, Kris, reside in Uniontown and are quite active with various sports programs their two children—seven-year-old Jordan and four-year old Joshua, participate in. He coaches basketball in the South Union Township Youth Basketball League. Not yet old enough to follow his dad’s steps in organized baseball, young Josh has already tried the National Pastime.

“I’ve had him out in the backyard and he takes a pretty good hack at the ball,” said the older Burns. “We’ll bring him along slowly and I want him to have fun playing baseball. That’s what it is all about.”

While he is a busy professional and family man, Burns still looks back warmly at his collegiate playing career that ended 15 years ago.

“Playing ball and going to school at Cal was a wonderful experience for me,” Burns said. “There are so many good memories in both baseball and my education. I look back with nothing but positive thoughts and have no regrets whatsoever. Going to California was the right decision.”