Jim McDonald

Jim McDonald was inducted as a truly great contributor. Born in Maryland in 1927, McDonald received his first lacrosse stick at age 12 from a family friend and began a lifetime association with the game. McDonald played midfield at Towson High School, often traveling to games in a hay truck during World War II. He then continued his playing career at Washington & Lee University, twice earning honorable mention All-America honors, before joining the Mount Washington Lacrosse Club as a post-collegiate player.

After his playing career concluded, he spent over 50 years still engaged with lacrosse as a coach and administrator. McDonald coached the University of Baltimore from 1956-63, compiling a 67-15-2 record and winning four championships in what was called the Laurie Cox Division. In 1964, McDonald joined the board of the Lacrosse Hall of Fame Foundation, where among other duties, he served as chair of the Youth Lacrosse Committee and helped jump start numerous rec league programs in the Baltimore area. He also served as a longtime coach on the rec and high school levels, mentoring and tutoring several generations of youth players.

McDonald also spent 30 years as a member of the National Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee, including 24 years as its chair. Additionally, he served as a board member for 18 years for the Lacrosse Foundation, one of the predecessors to US Lacrosse. That tenure included terms as both president and vice president. 

McDonald was previously inducted into the US Lacrosse Charlottesville Chapter’s Hall of Fame (1997), the US Lacrosse Greater Baltimore Chapter’s Hall of Fame (2005) and the University of Baltimore’s Athletic Hall of Fame (2008). McDonald died in August 2025. He was 97 years old.