Jay Shidler To Speak at Effingham Junior High School

Jay Shidler, known as the Blonde Bomber will be at Effingham Junior High School.

Jay Shidler, former Illinois Mr. Basketball and Chicago Bulls draftee, as well as being a former University of Kentucky player and member of UK's 1978 National Championship team, will be speaking at Effingham Junior High School Thursday, April 7 at 7 p.m.

Shidler scored 2,193 points in his career at Lawrenceville High School, 1,013 during his senior year. While he played for the Indians, the team posted a record of 103 wins, 15 losses. He played for Lawrenceville teams that won three regional championships, two sectional titles and finished third in the Class A state tournament.

During his senior season, Shidler, a guard, averaged 32.7 points a game. He earned All-State honors as a junior and senior. He competed on four All-Star classics his senior year and was named the Most Valuable Player of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association game.

Along with playing basketball, he also played football, baseball and golf and even ran some track at Lawrenceville.

Shidler graduated from Lawrenceville and headed to the University of Kentucky where he was a member of the 1978 NCAA champions. He averaged six points for Kentucky, 1.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists and hit 83.1 percent from the free throw line and 45.5 percent from the field.

He was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the ninth round of the 1980 NBA draft. He went on to play professional basketball in Scotland.

The event will be held in the Effingham Junior High School audtorium. There is no cost, but donations will be taken. Shidler will have his book "The Blonde Bomber" for sale.