James Jerome

James Jerome was born as Darwin James Eisenhart on January 30, 1960 in St. Joseph, Michigan. His father, Louis James Eisenhart, was a local celebrity as a Professional Wrestler, "Lucky Lou," wrestling out of the Benton Harbor Naval Armory with Bobo Brazil (Houston Harris) and "Tiny Tim" Hampton, who Lou had trained. Lou retired from active wrestling in the late 1950's after having been thrown out of the ring by famed wrestler and former Green Bay Packer football player, William Fritz Afflis (aka Dick "The Bruiser"). Lou continued to promote matches at the Armory, and was also a Benton Harbor Police city officer before being elected as the Sheriff of the village of Stevensville, Michigan. Lou's wife, Gladys Lee Eisenhart (nee Roe) would help run the concessions at the Armory wrestling matches. On Friday evening, January 29, 1960, Lou Eisenhart was a spectator the Benton Harbor Armory matches with his pregnant wife when she went into labor. She was rushed to Memorial Hospital in St. Joseph Michigan where Darwin James was born shortly after midnight. On Saturday, his birth was announced in the sports section of the local paper. Being raised in the Catholic Church, he was given the confirmation name after St. Jerome, thus having the full name of Darwin James Jerome Eisenhart, from which he took the professional name of James Jerome. James grew up in a scouting program where he performed in weekly stage performances every summer since 1965 as a member of the Camp Madron Indian dancers in Buchanan, Michigan, and eventually became the group's last active president. James studied acting in and participated in several stage performances through the theatrical department at St. Joseph High School, where he graduated in 1978. After completing basic and advanced training (1981) as a Field Artillery Surveyor in the U.S. Army at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, James attended college for one semester at Lansing Community College in pursuit of an education in theater and journalism while being simultaneously enrolled in the R.O.T.C. program at Michigan State University. From 1981 to 1985, he worked as a part-time police officer with the city of St. Joseph, Michigan. Having also been influenced in the Martial Art and wrestling from both his father, and uncle, Leslie Eisenhart Sr., who was a former U.S. Marine and 3rd Degree Judo instructor, James wrestled throughout Junior High and High School, studied Judo, and Taekwondo, earning a Black Belt in both. James began teaching Taekwondo after graduating High School in 1978, and went into business with his father in 1984, combining the Martial Art instruction and classes in Professional Wrestling in Stevensville, Michigan. James also wrestled professionally twice under the guidance of his father and Bobo Brazil. In 2011, James earned a 7th Degree Black Belt as a Chief Master Instructor with the United States Chung Do Kwan Association. He is married to LuAnn Eisenhart (since July 26, 1998) and they have three sons.