WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Stock’s memories of Magic days are fond

PHOTO PROVIDED
Jim Stock is now retired and says he has the great job of all: looking after grandson James.

By RANDY FORST
BGNN sports editor

Longtime Magic football fans are familiar with the names Izo, Toneff, and Kapish. Those three not only starred at Barberton High School but went on to play for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.

In 1972 another Magic, Jim Stock, also made the move to South Bend. At BHS, Stock earned six letters: two in football, three in baseball, and one in basketball. It was football where Stock made a name for himself. He was named first team All-NEO in his junior and senior seasons and second team All-District his senior year. He also was a recipient of the prestigious Albie Litwak award for the Magics.

At Notre Dame, Stock made the traveling team as a freshman and played on the kickoff team. He was a three-year starter and recorded 204 tackles and a then record of 32 tackles for losses. Other notable stats were eight fumble recoveries, three pass breakups, and actually scoring on a safety. Other achievements include Sports Illustrated Player-of-the-Week for his play against Navy, Honorable Mention All-American his junior year, and Co-Captain of the Fighting Irish his senior year.

Stock also played in numerous All-Star games including the Blue-Gray game, the All-American game, and the Coaches All-Star game. He also played in two Orange Bowl games. At the time of his graduation Jim was in second place for career tackles and fumble recoveries at Notre Dame.

Stock has many fond memories from his days as a Magic, but two really stand out.
He remembers his junior year, playing St. V at Green Street Stadium.

“We are winning but just holding on. They were driving down the field toward the end zone, all of a sudden there was an explosion and then a fire in a building near the end zone. We had to move to the other end of the field to finish the game, that we ended up winning 7-6. In another game a particular play went the other side of the defense. My responsibility was to fall back and chase if the play gets around the other end. On that play the runner did break open and I tackled him down around the 10-yard line. It would seem futile to put that much effort in to stopping a touchdown but when colleges watched the film, they highlighted that particular play for the reason they recruited me.”

After graduation from Notre Dame, Stock got into the banking business in Columbia, South Carolina. In 1989, he received a promotion and moved to Hartsville, South Carolina. In 1990, he married his wife, Donna. They have a daughter Elise, a Clemson grad, and grandson James.

Stock is now retired from his Credit Union job, and says he now has the greatest job of all: daycare for his grandson James. He works out at the Hartsville YMCA four days a week and loves traveling with his wife. In fact, they just returned from a trip to Portugal.
Jim Stock is not the only member of the Stock family in the Barberton Sports Hall of Fame. Brother Mike is also a member. Mike Stock played for legendary coach Ara Parseghian at Northwestern, and coached with him at Notre Dame, in fact, he was coaching the Fighting Irish when brother Jim was playing there. He coached at various colleges for 25 years including Ohio State under John Cooper. He not only coached at the college level but also had stints in the NFL at Kansas City, Cincinnati, Washington, St. Louis, and Green Bay. He is now retired, living in Florida.