From Cuyahoga to Canton’s Crown

Born 'neath April’s gentle frown, In Cuyahoga’s embrace, he found his town. Stood he, a colossus, at six-three, Two-twenty pounds of dreams to be.

High School Heroics

Cuyahoga Falls, his talent’s cradle, Where pigskin tales became no fable. A quarterback’s arm, a leader’s sight, He
threw, he scored, to his team’s delight.
 

Mount Union’s Mountaineer

 Unpicked, undrafted, but undeterred, At Mount Union, his legend stirred. A trophy, a title, accolades galore, Division III had never seen such lore.

Odyssey of Ovals

 From Miami’s sun to London’s
rain, A football nomad, no home, no chain.
Atlanta’s bird, Buffalo’s bill, Scottish Claymores, his hunger still.

Canadian Crusades

With Argonauts and Roughriders’ creed, In the CFL, he sowed his seed. A hundred passes, yards by the mile, His stats, his art, all done with style.

Arena’s Electric Embrace

Las Vegas lights, Buffalo’s snow, Indiana’s fields, where firebirds go. Passing yards, a rating high, In the arena’s roar, his passes fly.

Hall of Fame’s Eternal Flame

In the Hall, his name does gleam, A testament to the American dream. A career of grit, of skill, of love, His legacy fits like a hand to glove.

Family Man, Mentor, Guide

To Stark County’s youth, he’s more than a name, A mentor, a coach, igniting their flame. At Air it Out, Inc., he shares his spark, For quarterbacks, receivers, he’s a benchmark.

Spartan Sports, A founding member, with pride he stands, For Spartan Sports Ohio, he lends his hands. James Ballard, a tale of fame, From Cuyahoga to the Hall of Fame.

James Ballard’s journey is a vibrant tapestry
woven with the threads of determination, skill, and an undying passion for the game. His story is not just about the yards gained or the passes completed; it’s about the lives touched