Jim Rowinski 1961-2024
- Thread starter tenwest
- Start date
Saw this on FB a few minutes ago. Very sad. He was fun to watch play. RIP
SAD! Jim was a great Boilermaker and a huge story about him building up his body using heavy weights. He came to Purdue as a Freshman walk-on with a slim body. Two years later, he developed into "Mr. Beach". He looked like the HULK with massive shoulders, arms, and legs. HIs senior year of playing center for Purdue's BB team was exciting (big Ten BB player of the year. Rest in peace Boiler man!
This makes me sad. Condolences to family and friends. RIP Jim.
If I remember correctly he also had a large growth spurt from maybe 5'10" or so...
He was a border at my fraternity when I was a pledge. I'd do breakfast prep and he'd come down, line up 3 or 4 full bowls of cereal and run through them like an assembly line. He'd put his huge sneakers outside his room after practices which earned him the nickname "Stankfoot". 
Very saddened to hear of Jim Rowinski's passing......this really hits home as I met him a couple times, one of those at the Co-rec after an Indiana game. A Boilermaker legend. RIP, James....prayers to his family.
I'll never forget that game. Listened on the radio...Lanny Sego and Clisby went nuts. That's when Keady benched the starters and the bench made the comeback, right?
Watching Rowinski play was like watching Wes Unseld at Louisville and later the Washington Bullets. Amazing transformation.
This is horrible and shocking news.
"The Prince of Pecs" as caled by SI writer Curry Kirkpatrick, he was certainly one of the most unique players in school history -- it was like Boilermaker Pete was actually on the floor.
Thanks for the memories, Jim, particularly the bank shot and the magical 1983-84 season.
"The Prince of Pecs" as caled by SI writer Curry Kirkpatrick, he was certainly one of the most unique players in school history -- it was like Boilermaker Pete was actually on the floor.
Thanks for the memories, Jim, particularly the bank shot and the magical 1983-84 season.
good comparison, he came out of nowhere and became a really good player and true Boilermaker
Terrible news...
Jim's time at Purdue mirrored mine-- I recall each and every memory shared by others in this thread, and I'll add a couple more from that wonderful 83-84 season:
Preseason prognosticators dismissed Purdue as a B1G bottom-feeder that year, due to Russell Cross' opting for the NBA draft.... Keady was masterful in building and guiding a juggernaut that was locked with the Illini in a two-way struggle down the stretch for the B1G title.... we'd lost in Champaign earlier in the season, so it came down to Lou -Doo and the Featherheads in Mackey (lord, do I miss the round-robin conference schedule!)... the place was up for grabs, and from my 6th-row seat beside the players' entrance portal, I looked up and saw an awesome banner near the top row of Mackey that perfectly skewered Illinois' arrogance over their recent Rose Bowl berth in football...
it simply read "ROW's BOWL"
Mackey truly was Row's Bowl that night, as Rowinski muscled us past UI to claim Keady's first BIG crown.
Pregame, they handed out these gold "Keady's Kids" stickers as a promo, and those stickers came in VERY handy as each of us -- every student and fan -- made sure to slap their sticker onto UI's Illini Swallow bus as it waited outside Mackey for the losers to emerge from the locker room-- a lovely polka dot parting gift for their trip west on I-74!!!
It was nothing short of criminal that this gutsy, thoroughly enjoyable team was "rewarded" as B1G champions by having to play Dana Kirk's Memphis State criminals on their home floor in the NCAA first round -- eff MSU and the NCAA!!
Great memories in this thread to a wonderful Purdue All B10 player. Guy was a beast.
One of my all time favorite Boilers. RIP
RIP Jim. He had such good balance and touch on his shot when defenders pounded him. One of my all time favorite Boilers.
Didn't he grow like 6-8 inches during his senior year in high school? I remembered people used to joke and refer to him as "steroids" in a fun way. That was before you heard that word that much. He will always be remembered fondly for being a great Boiler. This sucks. RIP Mr. Rowinski.
Sorry to hear this. Makes me feel
Old as I was in HS when he played. Big 10 games in the 80’s, regardless of which schools were playing, were must see TV. Easier to follow too with only 10
Schools playing home/home.
Wasn’t that game winning shot above in ‘83?
Old as I was in HS when he played. Big 10 games in the 80’s, regardless of which schools were playing, were must see TV. Easier to follow too with only 10
Schools playing home/home.
Wasn’t that game winning shot above in ‘83?
And you knew which days of the week your team was playing, Thursday night and Saturday.
Who knows what Mr.Rowinski did with his life? Did that incredible work ethic in college continue and stand him in good stead?
I watched that game!Very saddened to hear of Jim Rowinski's passing......this really hits home as I met him a couple times, one of those at the Co-rec after an Indiana game. A Boilermaker legend. RIP, James....prayers to his family.
Shocking indeed. If memory serves, he was forced, due to injuries, to start as a walkon complete unknown vs Houston and none other than Hakeem Olajuwon. Actually held his own for a half, before we fell to the mighty Cougars. Was a great leaper before the transformation.
