James Robert Feindel
Jo-Jo A 10-Letter Man
A Bridgewater, Nova Scotia native who entered Acadia with the class of 1938, James Feindel made his mark in football, track and hockey, playing on the varsity team in each sport for each of his four years at Acadia. He also was on his class team for track, baseball and water polo.
According to the Athenaeum, in an October 1935 football game against the Halifax Wanderers, “Jim Feindel broke away in a broken field run that ended in a try. It was the best individual effort of the day. Jo-Jo dodged and spun, leaving bewildered tacklers in his wake, ended by crossing the line standing up.” His fine play earned him a distinction citation in football his Sophomore year. He was a valuable member of the hockey team, but track was perhaps his best sport. The 1938 yearbook commented on his track career: “...with the class of ‘38 goes “Jo-Jo” one of the finest athletes to ever wear the Acadia colours. He was not only individual high scorer for three years, but broke records and climaxed his career at Acadia by winning every event in which he was entered.”In fact, Feindel was “a distinction athlete three times over– not only a ten second man, but a ten letter man.”
After graduation in 1938, Feindel entered Dalhousie University, receiving his medical degree in 1942; he served as a medical officer with the Canadian Army during WWII, and then as a career medical officer.
(Acadia Athenaeum, November 1935; Acadia Yearbook 1938)
