Xavier University Athletics
Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 1995
- Class:
- 1967
Jim Gruber, MVP for three straight seasons, led Xavier batsmen at the plate all four years he was on the club. His senior season .391 batting average (43-110) ranked him 29th in the nation among collegians. He hit .370 as a junior, .338 as a sophomore and .417 (21st in the country) his freshman year. The Musketeer shortstop also served as captain his senior year.
A 1961 graduate of St. Xavier High School, Gruber was the National American Legion Player-of-the-Year as a member of the Gehlert Post team that same year.
Gruber signed a bonus contract with the Philadelphia Phillies after he completed his undergraduate coursework in 1965. He joined that team's Class A farm club in Huron, SD, and the Phillies expressed interest in his prospect as a second baseman.
He played in the minor leagues for approximately five years before he blew out his knee to end his career.
His father, Elmer J. Gruber, was in the Xavier class of '40. His oldest daughter, Andrea, graduated from XU in 1994. While another daughter, Amanda is the all-time scoring leader in women's soccer history at Xavier. Amanda was a 1997 Third-Team All-American selection and a 1998 graduate of XU.
GRUBER'S CAREER STATS
| Year | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | TB | HP | SF | SH | SO | BB | SB | AVG. |
| 1962 | 60 | 12 | 25 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 30 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 3 | .417 |
| 1963 | 68 | 17 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 7 | 6 | .338 |
| 1964 | 87 | 17 | 32 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 38 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 11 | 3 | .368 |
| 1965 | 110 | 24 | 43 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 57 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 13 | 8 | .391 |
| Total | 325 | 70 | 123 | 21 | 4 | 2 | 50 | 158 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 34 | 40 | 20 | .378 |
