Long Island Wrestling 2015 Published By: The Friends of Letters to the Editor: “Great job with the website guys, really enjoyed it Long Island Wrestling Keep up the good work!” 775 Wantagh Avenue, Wantagh, NY 11793 Joe Russo (516) 804-8676 www.friendsoflongislandwrestling.com “Friends, The new website is great, nice job.” www.foliw.com John Hamilton Editorial Staff “I like the new website and the information is Executive Editor Jerry Seckler Deputy Editor Pascal Perri easy to access.” Copy Editors B.A. Schoen & Fred Holle Matt Sanzone Art Director Bill Brennen Layouts Bill Brennen & Jerry Seckler “I’ve been looking at the article about Coach Bob Bury. Research Editors Bill Brennen & Jerry Seckler Staff Photographer Pete Venier As a 1965 graduate of Calhoun nd a member of Advertising Manager Jerry Seckler the wrestling team(for a short time), I think Coach Bury stands out as an inspirational figure. Above the Editorial Contributors wrestling room was the sign. “A winner “never quits Mike Candel • Mike Chapman • Mike Davey Gabriel J. Gilson • Chris Messina • Arno Neimand and a quitter never wins”. “He’s a good man” Jim & Tony Nordland • Pascl Perri • Don Sayenga Al Russell Jerry Seckler • Jim Sheehan • Lee Roy Smith The Friends of Long Island Wrestling would like to thank “Greetings Pascal— Thanks to you and The Friends of the many people and organizations that have graciously Long Island Wrestling for your generous support of the contributed stories and photographs for this issue of Long Island Upstate New York Chapter’s banquet. The chapter is Wrestling . We are thankful to all of our sponsors and to the individuals and businesses who have taken ads in support of the very appreciative of your kindness. Your financial Hall of Fame inductees. Without this support, we would be unable support will go a long way to enhancing the induction to publish this magazine each year. ceremony for our honorees. ” Carl Koenig—President, Upstate New York Chapter of The THE COVER STORY: National Wrestling Hall of Fame Our cover features a photo of 2015 Hall of Fame Inductee, Steve I just wanted to drop you a note to say how much Buscemi, in his high I enjoy “Long Island Wrestling” and what a great school wrestling uniform. Steve grew up job you have been doing with it. It’s been a long on Long Island and time since I’ve been on a mat, but when I see attended Valley Stream familiar names in the magazine, the memories Central High School before embarking on come flooding back. The excruciating pain, the his acting career. smell of the wrestling room...all that good stuff Richard Earl, a former teammate and lifetime Rod Clarke friend, contributed the following comment: Steve Buscemi spent six successful years on the mat for legendary Long Island wrestling coach and mentor, Harold Earl of Valley Stream Central. Valley Stream is a suburb just outside New York City. Steve remains grateful for the life lessons he learned in wrestling and for the wonderful relationships he built that continue to this day. 1 A Message from Friends of Long Island Wrestling President, Jerry Seckler AMERICAN WRESTLING MAKING A POSITIVE RESPONSE TO A VERY REAL CHALLENGE Jerry Seckler, Friends of Long Island Wrestling President, wrestled at Valley Stream Central High School. As an 8th grader he finished 2nd in the South Shore Championships. Steven Fr For the next three years, as a freshman, sophomore, and iedman, a junior, he lost only one dual meet. Twice he was Long EIWA and National AAU Island Champion, Jr. & Senior Metropolitan Champion. Champion, then the As a junior in high school, he defeated the defending president of Goldman Outstanding Wrestler in the National AAU Championships. Sachs, put together an His Senior year was spent at St.Paul’s School in Garden alumni group, City, where he led the school to a fourth place finish that inclu in the National Prep Championship and was judged the ded Dave Dunlap, Phil Proujen outstanding wrestler in the tournament. sky, Dave Wechsler and Arno Niemand Going on to Penn State University, he continued his . They with others, developed a world- class wr career by going undefeated in dual meets as a Junior, and estling facility, a training facility, and was Co-captain of Penn States EIWA Championship team. an arena specifically designed for wrestling. In addit ion, their efforts clearly sent the message to the University that wrestling was American "folk style" wrestling has experienced a number of significant important to the college and in the community. changes. The creation of Title IX, while intended to provide women equal Cornell w restling team became a national contende opportunities in sports, unfortunately caused the demise of hundreds of r placing in the top three, in the nat intercollegiate programs in men's sports. For instance the proportionality in ion, and is a strong contender today. numbers between men and women participating in athletic activities forced many institutions to reduce the number of men's positions, while increasing the number of women's. In order to meet the new federal requirements, college administrators had to produce enough new women's positions to match the quota of the women's Andy Barth wrestled population in the entire university and use the same formulas for establishing for Columbia College, est the number of men enrolled in athletic activities. Therefore, balancing the America’s old e r c o l l e g i a t e enrollment of each sex, rather than the needs of each program, proved to be a i n t wrestling program. daunting task for college administrators and athletic budgets. Advocates of Title Andy understood the IX's current interpretations caused increases in female athletic participation. need for stability in the athletic program, In a recent study, the number of women in high school sports had increased especially wrestling at Columbia. He stepped by a factor of 9%, while the number of women in college sports had increased forward and provided funds to renovate the by more than 450%. Many contend that the current interpretation of Title IX wrestling room and funded the head has resulted in the dismantling of men's programs, despite strong participation wrestling position in much the same way in those sports at the high school level. For example, though interest in the sport that professors seats were funded at the of wrestling has consistently increased at the high school level since 1990, college. Andy has encouraged other alumni scores of colleges have dropped their wrestling programs during that same to join him in supporting not only period to meet the Title IX requirements. Columbia, but America’s International Wrestling historically was the most frequently eliminated sport. In several efforts in Olympic wrestling. Andy and ere institutions, prominent wrestling alumni stepped forward and began to change Columbia’s Dave Barry, both w ers for the 2012 the tide in favor of the maintenance and promotion of intercollegiate wrestling participants as manag Team at the London Olympics. in their schools. Our honor roll of those who truly are making a difference American Andy managed the men’s team while Dave in intercollegiate wrestling is not complete. However, we are proud of the Barry managed the women’s team. successful efforts of those we are aware of, and believe that is important that people who are interested in the great sport of American wrestling recognize their efforts. 2 Noel Thompson, a Hofstra wrestling All-American, stepped forward to Bin ghamton U provide the University and wrestling niversity h the hundr ad joined eds of ins program with financial support. were d titutions w ropping wre ho Thompsons effort was joined by B stling progr inghamton ams. But, wrestling Hofstra Athletic Director Jeff Hathaway who petitioned the EIWA Baldwin ste national alumni, a pped forwa ly known nd and had Hofstra admitted to the oldest wrestling league in the the Ne rd and led th movie st w York Stat e petition t ar, Bill c e University o reinstitute nation. This year, Hofstra selected Dennis Papadatos, a Hofstra hanges in at Bingham wrestling a the New Y ton. This o t alumnus, to head up the Hofstra Wrestling Program. Thompson the dev ork State pened the d elopment o University oor to Far f club pro system tha has gone well beyond his alma mater at Hofstra and was an mingdale grams at S t included State Univ tonybrook active participant in preserving wrestling in the Olympics. As part advocate ersity. Ba University for wrestlin ldwin has and of those efforts, Thompson has been the manager of the American the U g, not only a been a nited States t his alma m tireless a university ater, but fo Women's world wrestling team, and American goodwill nd America systems, w r wrestling n goodwill a omen's wor in ambassador to dozens of countries in his efforts to save wrestling. to save mbassador ld wrestlin wrestling. to dozens o g team, f countries in his efforts D Ira ave Pottruck, lettered in foo Lubert, tball and wrestling a heavyw as an undergrad wrestli eight fo uate. As a graduate stud ng team r Bill Ko Dav ent, Coll , remain ll’s e did double duty as the as ege area ed in the sistant wrestling H followin State coach at the Univers e joined g his gr ity of Pennsylvania. In his Rich L aduation business Penn orenzo i . career, Dave excelled be State W n rebuil coming the Na restling ding president of Charles Sch tional progra the wab Inc.