After a brilliant football career at Washington and Jefferson College capped by a Rose Bowl appearance in 1922, he mixed law studies and pro football while at the same time launching a coaching career that was to span three decades. St. Ignatius, John Carroll and University School were the recipients of his winning programs. He helped organize the “Big Four,” ushering in the golden era of local collegiate football.
An incredible record of having officiated basketball for 52 years, football for 46 years and baseball for 15 years marks the baseline of a remarkable career. He has been a world-wide clinician and was elected to officiate at the World University Games on several occasions. As Supervisor of Organized Sports for the Cleveland Division of Recreation, he gave leadership to many programs and opportunity to thousands of youth.
As a coach in several different sports and then as a leader in the Police Athletic League programs, he has served untold numbers of youth. While Golden Gloves and Amateur Boxing have been the particular focus of his interest, he has also provided leadership in a broad spectrum of youth oriented sports activity. His responsibilities have also extended to leadership at the national level.
Fashioned an outstanding career as a soccer player stretching from 1921 to 1940. His administrative skills were vital in the strong development of soccer in the Greater Cleveland area through the Cleveland American Soccer League. The respect of his peers led to the title “Mr. Soccer” in 1958. He also was an early developer of indoor soccer. In 1967 he was inducted into the U.S. Soccer Football Association Hall of Fame.
Coached East technical High School to twin state championships in 1958 and 1959, the first such titles by a Cleveland team. From 1953 through 1959 his teams won 122 games while losing only 6, twice fashioning undefeated seasons. He was elected to the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Hall of fame in 1965.
One of the original founders of the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc. (1975), he served as a Trustee until 1984. His lifetime commitment to civic, religious and charitable causes put him frequently in the midst of new and innovative community programs. He was instrumental in creating Cleveland’s first marathon race which subsequently has developed into the Revco-Cleveland Marathon.
A graduate of Maple Heights High School, he continued a distinguished competitive career as a walk-on at Michigan State where he was a finalist for four NCAA titles, winning twice, winner of three Big-10 Titles and the Big-10 Medal of Honor, and was chosen All-American all four years. He was subsequently voted into National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. He is also the youngest NCAA wrestling champion in history.
A long successful career has marked his competitive participation in weightlifting which began in 1940 and has run up to the present where he has three Masters Division World Records pending. In 1953 he won several “Mr. Physique” contests and placed 5th in the National Junior Mr. America competition in 1957, the same year he was crowned National Junior Weightlifting Champion. Numerous Masters titles have been his, covering multiple weight classifications. In one 6 month span, he broke 32 national Masters Records. In 1973 he entered the Weightlifting Hall of Fame.
A winner of numerous City, Northeastern Ohio and State Championships from 1966 to 1985 in Singles and Doubles Competition. A durable competitor, he was elected to the Dartmough College Hall of Fame in 1985. Was named Captain of the U.S. Squash Team that competed in the World Championships in 1983 in Auckland and repeated in the position in 1985 in Cairo.
A hurdler in the 1948 Olympic Games, she subsequently moved to Cleveland and more recently has distinguished herself as a competitor in the Master Program. In the Masters Pan American Games in Canada she won and set records in the Shot Put, Discus and Javelin. In 1983 she placed 2nd in the Shot Put and Discus and 4th in the Javelin in the World Masters Games and then again as recently as 1985, in the 55 to 60 years age group, placed 4th, 4th, 6th respectively in those same events.