William G. Bramham
| William Gibbons Bramham | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
July 13, 1874 Hopkinsville, Kentucky |
| Died | July 8, 1947 (aged 72) Durham, North Carolina |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of North Carolina |
| Occupation |
Minor League Baseball executive * North Carolina State League president (1916–1917) * Piedmont League president (1920–1932) * South Atlantic League president (1924–1930) * Virginia League president (1925–1928) * Eastern Carolina League president (1928–1929) * National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues president (1933–1946) |
| Years active | 1902–1946 |
| Awards | Baseball Hall of Fame Induction (1937) |
William Gibbons Bramham (July 13, 1874 – July 8, 1947) was a baseball executive, lawyer and politician, whose most significant role was as president of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues from 1933 through 1946. Bramham was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Centennial Commission in 1937.
Judge Bramham carried his judicial title during four different decades in baseball despite never having sat upon a bench. His law school classmates bestowed it to honor his dignified manner, a demeanor that had undoubtedly served him well in baseball circles. In between, Bramham was a member of the Republican Party, serving as a delegate to the Republican National Convention from North Carolina in 1924, 1928, and 1932, and assuming the position of Republican State Chair in 1925.
Born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, Bramham was the second of six siblings born to James Goss Bramham and Rosa Mason Cooke. Bramham graduated from University of North Carolina and was admitted as a lawyer in Durham, North Carolina before showing his interest in baseball, as he helped stabilize the ballgame in the state in 1902 and was largely responsible for the creation of the Durham Tobacconists club, precursor to the legendary Durham Bulls.
After that, Bramham presided over the North Carolina State League from 1916 to 1917; the Piedmont League, from its inception in 1920 until 1932; the South Atlantic League from 1924 through 1930; the Virginia League from 1925 to 1928, and the Eastern Carolina League in 1928 and 1929.
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