James Arthur Baird (November 2, 1877 – July 26, 1964) was an American football and baseball player, track athlete, coach of football, basketball, and baseball, college athletics administrator, lawyer, and Hancock County, Illinois, judge.

[2][1] He next enrolled at Northwestern University School of Law and played college football there from 1900 to 1902.

[9][10] From 1908 to 1915, Baird served as the head football coach at Carthage College.

Baird was elected as a Hancock County, Illinois, judge in 1910 and served to 1914.

When asked about the continuation of town meetings, he described them as: "not as effective as in olden times, but still stands ready to render us a service.