Both Bergdoll's were heirs of a brewery firm. Grover was a pilot who, after being refused work as a flying instructor, dodged the draft and fled to the Bergdoll homeland of Germany. He served many years in prison on his return to the US, after originally being arrested in 1920, and surviving attempts to return him in both 1921 and 1923, and later was put under psychiatric care, in which he remained until his death. Released in 1944, he tried to live a more obscure life, but his last years were blighted by alcoholism. Bergdoll bought a Wright Brothers Model B Biplane to further his flying career, being a pioneer of aviation in his local area during the industry's infancy. Bergdoll's racing career was solely linked to his brother, Erwin. He raced Erwin's own creations between 1911 and 1916; however his most prolific year was 1915, when he raced on a number of Board Ovals. Grover suffered from epilesy until he was fifteen. He was in persistent trouble with the law and in early 1913, was jailed for three months for driving offences. In between all this drama, he worked with automobiles (either his own garage, brother Louis' motor company or Erwin's garage) or as a farmer. His son also dodged conscription for the Korean War, but Grover's grandson, Grover Franck Bergdoll, served in Vietnam.

Biography last updated 4 Oct 2022