Mr. Hawkins, Class of January 1947, was inducted into the Hall of Fame to acknowledge his incredible impact on the sport of speed skating, figure skating, and soccer at local, State, National and International levels. While at Roosevelt High School, he was on the Bwana and Rough Rider staffs, the Ice-Skating Club, the Eight’s Social Committee, and the Senior Aud Committee.

His parents gave him a pair of ice skates when he was 11 years old, taking him to frozen lakes in Forest Park and elsewhere. He quickly became an amateur champion speed skater competing for over ten years, winning the Missouri Speed Skating championships five times. He skated and played competitive soccer until he was 90 years old. Mr. Hawkins passed away in March 2026. He was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years, JoAnne, a daughter, Susan and a brother, Robert. He is survived by his six children, fourteen grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren. What follows is a summary of his life and career accomplishments:

Education

• SLU – B.S degree, 1951
• SLU Law School – Juris Doctor, 1955

Military Service

Mr. Hawkins enlisted in the Marine Corps during the Korean War, holding the rank of Captain while serving with the 3^rd Marines at Camp Pendleton. He represented the Marine Corp when he raced at the Silver Skates, in St. Louis, in 1953.

Legal Career

Mr. Hawkins had a successful forty+ year career as an attorney and partner for St. Louis law firm, Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C. He specialized in construction law. He earned recognition in The Best Lawyers in America in 1997 and as a Fellow of the American College of Construction Lawyers in 1998.

Contributions to Sports

• Hawkins devoted over 60 years to the sport of speed skating. He was one the founders of the U.S. International Speed Skating Association (USISA) – now U.S. Speedskating. He served as its General Secretary and Treasurer from 1966-1976.
• Hawkins managed the U.S. Olympic Speed Skating team at the 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympics.
• Hawkins is credited with bringing the North American Speedskating Championship to the Arena in February 1965.
• Hawkins served as track announcer for the venues during the speed skating events for the 1960 (Squaw Valley, CA) and 1980 (Lake Placid, NY) Winter Olympics.
• Hawkins served as legal advisor to the International Skating Union (ISU) beginning in 1996 and served as a delegate at several ISU Congresses.
• Hawkins was inducted into the Speedskating Hall of Fame in 2006 and was named an International Skating Union (ISU) Honorary Member in 2010.
• Hawkins served for over 20 years on the Board of the Missouri Skating Association, which saw growth and a focus on development during his tenure as President from 1966 to 1969.

• Mr. Hawkins was a recognized expert in Global Rules and Officiating, serving as an International Skating Union referee. He was one of four Americans accredited speed skating referees. Mr. Hawkins served as a critical delegate across several global ISU Congresses, helping to shape the regulations, eligibility rules, and structural frameworks that protected the integrity of international competitions.
• Highest Global Honors: because of his sweeping regulatory and sportsmanship contributions, he received the prestigious Olympic Order from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2007.

• In the mid 1950’s, Etta Steinberg donated $600,000 towards the construction of the Steinberg Ice Rink in Forest Park to honor her late husband, Mark. Mr. Hawkins, along with two other area skaters, Ted Young and Lamar Ottsen, helped plan and design the rink, recruiting local firms to build it. Steinberg Rink, which has an estimated 70,000 annual visitors and the surrounding Glade are currently undergoing a $100 million renovation with the intent to make it a year-round destination.
• Hawkins was an active member of the St. Louis Youth Soccer Association. It purchased 34 acres of land in Fenton in the early 1980’s from Alberici Construction for a reduced price to build soccer fields. Although much of the credit goes to Denny Long, then President of Anheuser Busch, Mr. Hawkins used his contacts in the construction trades to recruit most of the help to finish the project. Local companies and trade unions donated money, time, equipment, and labor towards that end. It is now known as World Wide Technology Soccer Park and operated by the Scott Gallagher Soccer Club, It hosts hundreds of matches and practice sessions annually on its seven fields.

Writing and Research Contributions

• In 2019, while in his late 80s, Mr. Hawkins wrote a 493-page history book for the International Skating Union, titled “A History of the International Skating Union: Seasons 1991/92 through 2014/15.”
• At 90, he helped his dear friend and fellow skater, Gerhard Bubnik from Prague edit an English edition of his memoir, “Law and Sport: My Passions: The Life Odyssey of Harvard’s first Czech Law Graduate.”
• Hawkins also wrote over ten deeply researched articles on speedskating history and rules.

Conclusion

The evidence is clear, for over six decades, Mr. Hawkins’s dedication and service helped elevate U.S. speed skating to international prominence. His work also left a lasting mark on St. Louis athletics through his contributions to the development of Steinberg Ice Rink and Soccer Park. The Roosevelt High School Alumni Association is proud to honor Mr. Hawkins with induction into the Alumni Hall of Fame.Click here to view Jim’s page on the US National Speedskating Museum and Hall of Fame.