Concordia University Chicago Athletics

H. James Boldt BS ’61 earned his bachelor’s in education, a Master’s in educational administration from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1979 and an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Concordia-Nebraska in 1984.

A top-hitting shortstop, Boldt led the Cougar baseball team to a four-year record of 40-25-1. He was arguably the top hitter of his era, leading the team with a .478 batting average in his sophomore year and .369 his junior year. Boldt was a perennial leader on the Cougars in runs scored, walks and stolen bases and was one of the hardest batters to strike out. Boldt led the Cougars to the 1959 Chicagoland Tourney title and the championship of the first-ever baseball Concordia Invitational Tournament in 1960. He also lettered three seasons in football, playing quarterback during his first two seasons and running back in his senior year. Boldt recorded eight rushing touchdowns in his career, including an 80-yarder against St. Procopius and a 48-yarder against Eureka. Boldt also lettered in varsity basketball his sophomore and junior years.

Boldt's professional career was one of service to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod as teacher, principal, superintendent of schools for the Southern Wisconsin District and director of the LCMS’s elementary school system across the United States. Boldt remains active in church ministry teaching bible class and in the Michigan District Deacon Program.