Ralph Emerson James Sr. (November 3, 1902 – April 13, 1981) was an American football and basketball coach. He served as the head football coach at Brevard College in Brevard, North Carolina (1932–1935), Western Carolina University (1936–1938), and High Point University (1945–1949). James attended Wake Forest College—now known as Wake Forest University—where he played college football as a quarterback, college basketball as a forward, and college baseball. He died on April 13, 1981, in Asheville, North Carolina.