{{Short description|American gridiron football player (born 1936)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox gridiron football person | name = Jim Matheny | image = Jim Matheny.jpg | image_upright = .85 | alt = | caption = 1960 Fleer trading card | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1936|2|16}} | birth_place = Long Beach, California, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | team = | number = 43, 52<ref name="Pfa">{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/m/math00450.html | title=Jim Matheny | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=8 February 2025}}</ref> | status = | import = yes | position1 = Centre | position2 = | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 1 | weight_lb = 228 | college = UCLA | high_school = Pasadena (Pasadena, California) | NFLDraftedYear = 1958 | NFLDraftedRound = 20 | NFLDraftedPick = 231 | playing_years1 = {{CFL Year|1957}} | playing_team1 = Toronto Argonauts | playing_years2 = {{NFL Year|1958|1959}} | playing_team2 = Chicago Cardinals* | playing_years3 = 1960 | playing_team3 = Houston Oilers* | career_highlights = * Second-team All-American (1956) * First-team All-PCC (1956) }} '''James Charles Matheny''' (born February 16, 1936) is an American former professional football center who played one season with the Toronto Argonauts of the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union (IRFU). He was selected by the Chicago Cardinals in the 20th round of the 1958 NFL draft. He played college football at the University of California, Los Angeles. Matheny was also a member of the Houston Oilers of the American Football League (AFL).
==Early life== James Charles Matheny was born on February 16, 1936, in Long Beach, California.<ref name="Pfa"/> He attended Pasadena High School in Pasadena, California.<ref name="Pfa"/>
==College career== Matheny played college football for the UCLA Bruins. He was on the freshman team in 1954 and a two-year letterman from 1955 to 1956.<ref name="Pfa"/> He averaged over 45 minutes a game his senior year in 1956, earning Associated Press and United Press first-team All-Pacific Coast honors as well as being named Most Valuable Player by his teammates.<ref name="A">{{cite web|url=http://www.tradingcarddb.com/ViewCard.cfm/sid/3203/cid/806702/1960-Fleer-122-Jim-Matheny |title=#122 – Jim Matheny – Houston Oilers |publisher=tradingcarddb.com |accessdate=April 23, 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150423213321/http://www.tradingcarddb.com/ViewCard.cfm/sid/3203/cid/806702/1960-Fleer-122-Jim-Matheny |archivedate=April 23, 2015 }}</ref><ref name=AP>{{cite news|title=All-Pacific Coast Team Choices Reflect a Season of Upsets|newspaper=Independent Journal, San Rafael, California|date=December 4, 1956|page=12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2578888/1956_ap_and_up_allpcc_football_teams/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name=UP>{{cite news|title=All-Coast Football Team Picked by United Press|newspaper=Oakland Tribune|date=December 4, 1956|page=50|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99648703/up-all-coast-team/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Matheny was also named a second-team All-American by the International News Service for his performance during the 1956 season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Two Big 10 Players On All-America Team|work=The Cedar Rapids Gazette|date=1956-11-27}}</ref>
==Professional career== Matheny played in 12 games for the Toronto Argonauts in 1957.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.profootballarchives.com/1957irfutor.html | title=1957 Toronto Argonauts (IRFU) | publisher=profootballarchives.com | accessdate=April 23, 2015}}</ref>
Matheny was selected by the Chicago Cardinals in the 20th round, with the 231st overall pick, of the 1958 NFL draft.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1958/draft.htm | title=1958 NFL Draft | publisher=Sports Reference LLC | work=pro-football-reference.com | accessdate=April 23, 2015}}</ref> He signed with the Cardinals in 1958 but was released later that year.<ref name="transactions"/> He signed with the Cardinals again in 1959 but was also released.<ref name="transactions"/>
Matheny signed with the Houston Oilers of the American Football League on February 1, 1960.<ref name="transactions"/> He was released on July 22, 1960, after leaving the team.<ref name="transactions">{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/transactions/m/math00450.html | title=Jim Matheny NFL Transactions | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=9 February 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.justsportsstats.com/footballstatsindex.php?player_id=mathejim001 Stats Crew profile]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Matheny, Jim}} Category:Living people Category:1936 births Category:Players of American football from Long Beach, California Category:Players of Canadian football from Long Beach, California Category:American football centers Category:Canadian football centres Category:UCLA Bruins football players Category:Toronto Argonauts players Category:Chicago Cardinals players Category:Houston Oilers players Category:Pasadena High School (California) alumni Category:20th-century American sportsmen