Member of the United States Olympic Fencing Squad in 1964. During a 12-year fencing career, spanning the era from 1954 to 1966, he won 20 championships in three weapons and accumulated 140 awards. Named “Outstanding Fencer of the Year” in the 1964 Cleveland Invitational Fencing Tournament after accumulating 257 point in foil, sabre and epee. Won five All-Ohio titles, two each in epee and sabre and one in foil.
A two-time National Decathlon champion (1938 and 1939) at Western Reserve University, he was a dominate figure in track during the heyday of the old Cleveland collegiate “Big Four.” Averaged approximately 30 points per meet during his college career which came to an end in 1940, scoring in the high and broad jumps, pole vault, sprints, hurdles and discus. An all-around athlete who competed in four other sports at WRU, he was twice named the Cleveland AAU’s Outstanding Athlete.
An Ohio high school wrestling champion at Shaker Heights High in 1953, he went on to win four Ohio AAU championships and gold medals (in free style) in the 1953 and 1957 Maccabiah Games in Israel. Coached the U.S. Maccabiah teams in 1961, 1965, and 1973, was named Ohio AAU Coach of the Year in 1965, served as a member of the National AAU Wrestling Committee for three years and as a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee from 1972-76. Inducted into the Ohio Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1977.
After starring for Ohio State University and twice winning the Ohio Publinks Championship (1961 and 1962) he embarked upon a professional golfing career which netted him over $1,500,000 in winnings. Finished third among top money winners on the pro tour in 1968, 1973 and 1975. Among his major victories are the 1973 British Open Championships and victories in the 1973 South African PGA Championship. Also played for the 1973 and 1975 Ryder Cup teams and the 1972 U.S. World Cup Team.
All all-scholastic football start at Shaw High School, he went on to play his college football at Purdue University where he became an All-American tackle. His feats on the gridiron earned him a niche in the National Football Hall of fame in New York. Later became a prominent high school and college referee in both football and basketball, officiating for over 30 years.
A product of Notre Dame University where he earned All-American honors as a pass receiver in 1943, he joined the Cleveland Browns in 1946 after a three-year stint with the U.S. Marines and was a star defensive end for four seasons. The Browns won the All-American Conference title in each of his four years with them and went undefeated in 1949. Went to the New York Yanks of the NFL in 1950, played the 1951 season with Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League, then returned to the NFL to play with the Washington Redskins in 1952.
An all-city high school football star and state champion in the shotput and discus at Cleveland John Adams High School, and an All-American collegiate football star at Kent State he joined the St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League in 1957 and enjoyed an outstanding career during which he was named an all-pro defensive tackle on several occasions. He retired in 1967.
A two-time member of the United States Gordon Cup: Senior Team (1958 and 1959), he was ranked second nationally in senior doubles in 1956 and again in 1964 when he was also ranked third in singles. Also ranked third in senior doubles and fourth in singles in 1963 and 1965 by the Western Lawn Tennis Association. Won numerous Cleveland and Northeast Ohio championships. Was an open singles finalist every year from 1953 through 1956 in various Greater Cleveland championships.
A collegiate champion at Ohio State University, she was ranked the No. 1 ladies player in Cleveland and Northeastern Ohio from 1933 to 1945 and was a representative to the National Parks Tournament from 1933 through 1952. Between 1936 and 1938 she won championships in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Wisconsin. She was the National Public Parks Doubles champion (with Irene David) in 1936, the U.S. Clay Court champion in 1938 and qualified for national tournaments at Forest Hills in 1937, 1938 and 1939. She was ranked first in Northeastern Ohio Women’s Doubles (with Beverly Ramseyer) as late as 1971.
Versatile athlete who won national recognition in several sports. Won a national diving championship in the early 1920s and qualified for the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris. Unable to raise the money for the trip to France, he surrendered his place on the team.