The Bruin family was saddened to learn of the passing of football and track standout James McAlister over the weekend. Services will held on Saturday April 14 at 10 am at the Metropolitan Church in Altadena, Calif.
 
     McAlister played running back at UCLA in 1972 and 1973 on teams coached by Pepper Rodgers which led the Pacific-8 in rushing both seasons. He ran for 778 yards and nine scores in 1972 while being named to the first-team all-conference squad.The Bruins finished second in the conference that season and posted an 8-3 record. In 1973, UCLA led the league in total offense and McAlister rushed for 714 yards and eight touchdowns while earning All-America honors on a team which went 9-2 and placed second in the league. 

     McAlister totaled six career 100-yard rushing games as a Bruin, including a best of 121 yards in a 1972 contest against Arizona. The top four team rushing totals in school history were accomplished in the 1972 and 1973 seasons, including the school record of 621 yards in a 1973 game against Stanford. In that 1973 season, the team set a school record for most rushing yards averaged per game at 400.3.

     Called by track coach Jim Bush one of the top athletes he had ever seen, McAlister long jumped a best in the world mark of 27-0 1/2 in 1973. That mark has stood for decades and still remains the school record.

     McAlister went on to be drafted into the NFL, but elected to sign with the World Football League. He returned to play in the NFL from 1975-78 and saw action in 43 games with the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots.

     Following his playing career, McAlister became a business owner and coached at Blair High School in Pasadena where he been a mainstay while helping lead the Vikings to a 13-0 record and the Southern Section championship as a player in 1969 after rushing for 2,168 yards and scoring 31 touchdowns. In the Shrine High School All-Star Game, he capped his prep career by running for 132 yards and one touchdown, catching two passes, running for an extra point—and kicking a 20-yard field goal.