Warren Grimm - Youth

Youth

Warren Grimm moved to Centralia, Washington at the age of four. He regularly achieved high academic marks and was a star on the local high school football team. Upon graduation, Grimm worked as a clerk in the Assessor’s Office of King County, Washington, to pay for college. This experience led to his interest in the practice of law.

Grimm then attended the University of Washington, entering in the fall of 1908. During the following years, Grimm was best known for his athletic prowess, earning All-American honors on Washington’s famous football teams of the era. The leader of his freshman class, Grimm also joined the Sigma Nu fraternity.

In those days, hazing was still an acceptable practice. The University of Washington had a traditional melee between each year’s freshman and sophomore classes, the goal of which was to identify potential Huskies and to see who could tie up the others. It was at this inaugural event that Grimm earned the nickname “Wedge” that would identify him on football fields throughout the Northwest. Chosen Captain of the Freshman “tie-up” squad because of his size, Grimm actually showed his tactical acumen and organized his classmates into a tightly focused wedge that charged the sophomore formation. This highly successful maneuver became a staple of Husky football teams and contributed to his later All-American honors.

In 1910, Grimm was awarded the Flaherty medal by the University of Washington. He was also honored with memberships in every honor society to which he was eligible including the Oval Club and Fir Tree. His growing potential in the practice of law was also noticed and he was awarded membership in Phi Delta Phi, a national law school honorary fraternity.

After graduation from law school he returned to his home in Centralia. He was made deputy prosecuting attorney but, at the end of his term, decided to enter into private practice with his brother, Huber "Polly" Grimm. In 1914, Warren married Ina Olive Gilbert. Unfortunately, Warren would soon become a widower when Ina developed diabetes and died on April 12, 1917.