Wallace Leo Fromhart (May 18, 1913 – May 23, 2002) was born in the tiny mountain town of Newburg, West Virginia where he lived and attended school up until his freshman year of high school, after which his family moved to the significantly larger town of Moundsville, West Virginia. A gifted athlete, Fromhart played varsity baseball and football for Moundsville High School from 1929-31. Following high school graduation, he worked at the local US Stamping plant until 1932 when he was offered, and accepted, an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Notre Dame and play for the university's baseball team. His athletic prowess also landed him the starting quarterback position on the Fighting Irish football team during his Junior academic year (1935–36).