James Pantos

By Yvonne Shinhoster Lamb  Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, January 23, 2006

Jimmy Pantos              was a star quarterback for Central High School in the               1940s and played safety at the University of Maryland.               (Pete Chaconas)

James L. Pantos, 74, considered the finest all-around athlete in the  history of the old Central High School and the first high school athlete to be inducted into the venerable Touchdown Club in Washington, died of an aortic aneurysm Dec. 29 at his home in Temple Hills.

Mr. Pantos, known as Jimmy, was a natural athlete. He was fast, slippery and shrewd on the football field and quick, skillful and prolific on the basketball court. He excelled in the 100-yard dash and high jump for the school's track team, and he was described as one of the smoothest  fielders in the city for his baseball prowess.

As a freshman in the mid-1940s at Central High School, he scored 17 points   in his first basketball game. In his first football game, he threw two touchdown passes. By the start of his senior year, as a forward on the basketball team, he had scored 568 points. He was named an All-Metropolitan player for three years in basketball, baseball and football.

In 1949, a Washington Post reporter wrote that Central High's star quarterback exerted the same winning leadership characteristics on the basketball court as he did on the football field.

But, in addition to calling the plays, he set 'em up and usually did the scoring too the story said. It wasn't that he was hoggish. He  was the best player on the team, and without him, Central wouldn't have come close to winning two straight Interhigh court championships.

Although he was only 5 feet 10 inches tall, Mr. Pantos made up for any height deficiency in basketball with split-second reflexes and deception, The Post report said. He's fast, can stop, start and fake, dribble, guard, and he can certainly shoot.

Hotly pursued by colleges, Mr. Pantos decided to accept a scholarship to play football at the University of Maryland over numerous offers. Some   wondered how he would do as a college player because of his size. He weighed 145 pounds.

The concern was short-lived. Mr. Pantos was named Southern Conference freshman of the year. His coach, Jim Tatum, said Mr. Pantos was the best safety he had coached.

In his sophomore year, however, he suffered a back injury that ended his playing career.

Charlie Brotman, a leading authority on local athletes, was quoted as saying that Mr. Pantos was one of the top five athletes to come out of  Washington in a half-century.

Even now, old-time local sports fans still banter about Mr. Pantos's  controversial punt return for a touchdown on a delayed whistle in 1949 against Gonzaga College High School in the city football championship game at old Griffith Stadium.

Mr. Pantos served in the Army in 1951 and in later years worked at a number of automotive dealerships throughout the area. He was a general manager at  Marten's Mazda before working for 16 years as purchasing director at Marlo's  furniture store. He continued to work there until recently.

His marriage to Ann Jeffries ended in divorce.

Survivors include his wife, Lorraine Pantos of Temple Hills; two sons from his second marriage, Jim Pantos of Knoxville, Md., and Michael Pantos of  Brighton, Colo.a sister, Catherine Pantos of Annapolis; a brother, Angelo Duke; Pantos of Ocean City; and five grandchildren.

Fifty years later, when you mention the name Jimmy Pantos, his brother said, senior Washingtonians will reply, 'He was one hell of a   ballplayer".