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.