James GROGAN

Jim Grogan first made headlines nationally at the 1946 U.S. championships where he finished second to Dick Button. It was a role he would come to know well. Grogan remained a top skater for many years but was unable to ever win a major title, because of the presence of Button and later Hayes Alan Jenkins. He would repeat his runner-up finish at the Nationals for the next four years and also finish second at the 1951, 1952, 1953 and 1954 Worlds. At the 1952 Olympics he had the second highest point total, behind Button, but his ordinal placings relegated him to the bronze medal. Grogan served in the army after the 1952 Olympics and skated as an amateur for two more years before skating for a while with the Ice Capades. He later married, and then divorced, Barbara Wagner, the Canadian who paired with Bob Paul to win the 1960 Olympic pairs championship.