James “Jim” Colzie was born on June 12, 1920 in Montezuma, Georgia. He entered military service with the Army at Fort Benning, Georgia on December 29, 1942. Following his discharge at the end of the war he played for the Indianapolis Clowns and Atlanta Black Crackers between 1946 and 1952. The highlight of his career was beating Satchel Paige in 1947.

Colzie later worked with Little Leaguers and umpired in semi-pro leagues, while working as a junior high history and math teacher. He was “drafted” by the Boston Red Sox in the Negro Leagues Player Draft, held prior to the Major League draft at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida on June 5, 2008. Each Major League club drafted a surviving former Negro Leagues player, who represented every player who did not have the opportunity to play baseball in the major leagues.