When Jim St. Clair attended Huntington High School in the 1950s, the school did not have a wrestling team. He was resigned to spending his winter months as the basketball team's statistician.

During his senior year, Jim was selected captain of the West Virginia All-State high school football team and elected Governor of Mountaineer Boy's State. Thereafter, Jim traveled from Huntington to Charlottesville, Virginia, where he attended the University of Virginia on an athletic scholarship.

There he found a wrestling mat and began his grappling career. Over the course of his college career, Jim received nine athletic letters in wrestling, football and lacrosse. He was named Atlantic Coast Conference Outstanding Offensive Lineman in 1956 and to the First-Team Academic AII-American football team in 1955. Jim finished his wrestling career by placing second in the ACC Wrestling Championship in 1957.

After finishing his undergraduate degree, he continued at the University of Virginia College of Law from which he graduated in 1960. Then Jim returned to Huntington where he set out to practice law which he did for the next 41 years, retiring in 2001. Jim served on numerous corporate boards, was elected President of the West Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, and served many years with the West Virginia Board of Law Examiners.

Jim was elected president and served as a member of the Greater Huntington Parks and Recreation District for over 20 years. Upon retirement, Jim had no intention of slowing down. He immediately left Huntington to serve as a Rule of Law Liaison in war-torn Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He continues to serve as a volunteer for the American Bar Association, CEELI Projects teaching in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and with the International Senior Lawyers Project in South Africa, Gaborone and Botswana.

It should be noted that in 1982, Jim had a brief return to the wrestling mat, entered the open heavyweight class in a tournament held in Ashland, Kentucky. At the age of 48, Jim bested opponents less than half his age and eventually mounted the awards podium to receive a medal. He credits the success to his Standing Power Switch, which he continues to demonstrate and employ around the world.

Jim's biggest fan is his wife of over 50 years, Mickey. They are the parents of four children and grandparents to nine grandchildren. Jim's two sons, Sam and Bill were both West Virginia state champions.