Santana’s Tatum Signs With Nebraska

Jim Tatum, the 1983 San Diego Section baseball player of the year, signed a letter of intent on Thursday to continue his baseball career at the University of Nebraska.

In addition to the full baseball scholarship, Tatum plans on trying out for the Cornhusker football team as a kicker.

Tatum has hit .391 in his three seasons at Santana High School and has compiled a 16-4 career record on the mound and a 2.10 earned-run average. He is probably best remembered for his complete game win in the 1984 San Diego Section 3-A Conference title game against Mount Carmel.

Tatum, 17, is a three-sport athlete. He was one of the Grossmont League’s top running backs last football season. He proved very versatile, seeing action at quarterback, linebacker, punter and place kicker.

Tatum also led the county in scoring during much of this year’s basketball season. He finished fourth, however, averaging 21 points per game.

According to Tatum’s close friend and personal adviser, Roy Lein, a local businessman, Tatum’s scholarship is worth $60,000 and will be used as bargaining power if he is selected in the early rounds of the June pro baseball draft.