James Davis Gronninger (January 15, 1880 – January 30, 1944) was an American attorney, baseball player, manager, and league president.
Gronninger was born at Lucasville, Ohio, in January 1880. [1] [2] His parents John and Rachel Gronninger were both Ohio natives. [3] At the time of the 1900 United States Census, Gronninger was working as a laborer in a rolling mill in Ohio. [3]
Gronninger played college baseball at West Virginia University starting no later than 1903. [4] [5] He was the captain of West Virginia's 1906 team. [6] He was a multi-sport athlete at West Virginia and also served as captain of the West Virginia Mountaineers basketball team. [7]
Gronninger received his law degree (Bachelor of Laws) from West Virginia in June 1906. [8] [9] He remained in Morgantown, West Virginia, as the coach of the school's baseball team. [6] He also served as the manager of the Uniontown Coal Barons in 1906, leading them to a Pennsylvania–Ohio–Maryland League championship. [10] He served as the president of the Class-D Pennsylvania–West Virginia League in 1908 and 1909. [11] [12] [13]
After retiring from baseball, Gronninger became a lawyer. In 1917, he was the chief clerk in the office of West Virginia Secretary of State. [14] By September 1918, he was the Assistant Secretary of State of West Virginia. [2] In 1921, he had the second highest salary ($2,750) in the Secretary of State's Office behind the Secretary of State. [15] In 1923, he was in charge of enforcing West Virginia's securities laws and prosecuting stock fraud. [16] Gronninger in his later years was a lawyer with a general practice at Charleston, West Virginia. [17] He died at Huntington, West Virginia, in January 1944 at age 63. [18]
James Davis Gronninger (January 15, 1880 – January 30, 1944) was an American attorney, baseball player, manager, and league president.
Gronninger was born at Lucasville, Ohio, in January 1880. [1] [2] His parents John and Rachel Gronninger were both Ohio natives. [3] At the time of the 1900 United States Census, Gronninger was working as a laborer in a rolling mill in Ohio. [3]
Gronninger played college baseball at West Virginia University starting no later than 1903. [4] [5] He was the captain of West Virginia's 1906 team. [6] He was a multi-sport athlete at West Virginia and also served as captain of the West Virginia Mountaineers basketball team. [7]
Gronninger received his law degree (Bachelor of Laws) from West Virginia in June 1906. [8] [9] He remained in Morgantown, West Virginia, as the coach of the school's baseball team. [6] He also served as the manager of the Uniontown Coal Barons in 1906, leading them to a Pennsylvania–Ohio–Maryland League championship. [10] He served as the president of the Class-D Pennsylvania–West Virginia League in 1908 and 1909. [11] [12] [13]
After retiring from baseball, Gronninger became a lawyer. In 1917, he was the chief clerk in the office of West Virginia Secretary of State. [14] By September 1918, he was the Assistant Secretary of State of West Virginia. [2] In 1921, he had the second highest salary ($2,750) in the Secretary of State's Office behind the Secretary of State. [15] In 1923, he was in charge of enforcing West Virginia's securities laws and prosecuting stock fraud. [16] Gronninger in his later years was a lawyer with a general practice at Charleston, West Virginia. [17] He died at Huntington, West Virginia, in January 1944 at age 63. [18]